Rainbow in Charlottesville today, winter solstice: the first day of winter. This is at the traffic light US29 and Airport on the north end of town. I used the panorama to get it all in. It may be hard to see from the photo, but it was a double on the left side.

The rainbow has become in Christan tradition a symbol of God’s covenant to take care of his children: us – you and me. A covenant is a one-sided contract between two parties – one side agrees to something, with no promise from the other side. We have a hard time understanding that because we’ve become steeped in the ways of the world, forgetting like the prodigal son our spiritual heritage. But thats the way Spirit works. Not in quid pro quo; this for that: but rather “this, because it serves the highest good.”

Did you know that, if seen from the air under just the right conditions you will see the rainbow is a full circle rainbow. This symbolizes that the covenant, when seen from “heaven” is perfect, complete, and has no beginning or end. The worldly view can only see at best half. Oh, and its very big. It takes special equipment – a very wide angle lens – to take it all in. Its very rare and difficult to see requiring just the right circumstances, symbolizing that it takes a great deal of insight to understand; to “get it.”

Did you also know that, if you see your shadow on the top of a cloud, it will have a circular rainbow around it? It’s called a Pilots Angel. Once again, the symbolism abounds. First, of course it is the heavenly point of view – from above the cloud. Second, as before, the rainbow is a full circle – it is complete, perfect; it has no beginning and no end. Furthermore your shadow – you! – are by definition exactly in the center of the circle. The covenant is all about YOU! Personally! And like your shadow it follows you wherever you go. 

I am an engineer. I understand the physics of all this. I am amazed at the degree of spiritually symbolic enfoldment in the common rainbow.

Are you?