The ancient Greeks knew her as the swift-winged messenger who created pathways of color across storm-darkened skies. Today, Iris—goddess of the rainbow, divine messenger, and creator of sacred bridges—continues to guide those seeking connection, hope, and affirmation across life’s most challenging transitions.
THE RAINBOW GODDESS: A DEITY FOR MODERN TIMES
In a world where many feel isolated, misunderstood, or separated from loved ones, Iris’s ancient wisdom offers profound comfort. Her very essence—creating bridges of spectacular color between heaven and earth—speaks to anyone seeking connection across seemingly impossible divides.
Unlike many deities associated with specific domains like war, love, or wisdom, Iris’s gift is uniquely powerful: she creates pathways where none existed before. This ability to forge connections between separate realms makes her an especially significant goddess for:
WORKING WITH IRIS: PRACTICES FOR RAINBOW BRIDGES
Hope Through Life’s Darkest Storms
Iris’s rainbows appear specifically after storms—when rain and sunlight interact to create something beautiful from elements that seemed in opposition. This natural phenomenon mirrors the goddess’s spiritual teaching: that our most profound connections and transformations often emerge from our greatest challenges.
For anyone experiencing depression, grief, isolation, or uncertainty about the future, Iris brings a powerful message: storms pass. The darkest clouds eventually give way to light. And sometimes, the most beautiful bridges in our lives form precisely because we’ve weathered difficult transitions.
LGBTQIA+ Journeys and Affirmation
The rainbow flag that symbolizes LGBTQIA+ pride and diversity finds a powerful ancient precedent in Iris’s divine rainbow. As an archetype, Iris celebrates the beautiful spectrum of human identity and expression. Her rainbow doesn’t merely tolerate differences—it celebrates them as essential to the complete picture.
For those navigating gender transitions or seeking affirmation of their authentic selves, Iris offers divine validation. Her essence reminds us that diversity itself is sacred, and that our truest expressions—however they may differ from societal expectations—are divine gifts to be honored.
Many who have felt marginalized for their identity find in Iris a spiritual ancestor who understands that bridges must sometimes be built between who society expects us to be and who we truly are. Her rainbow spans not just between heaven and earth, but between our external presentation and internal truth.
The Rainbow Bridge: Comfort for Pet Loss
Perhaps one of Iris’s most touching modern associations is with the “Rainbow Bridge”—that mythical connection between our world and a peaceful afterlife where beloved animal companions await reunion with their humans. This concept, which brings comfort to millions grieving the loss of pets, connects directly to Iris’s ancient role as a bridge-builder between worlds.
The ancient Greeks understood Iris could traverse between divine realms, mortal realms, and even the underworld. Today, many visualize their departed animal companions crossing Iris’s rainbow bridge to a place of peace, play, and eventual reunion.
For those experiencing the profound grief of pet loss, connecting with Iris can offer several forms of comfort:
- Validation that the bond with animal companions is sacred and enduring
- Hope that connections persist beyond physical separation
- Assurance that love creates bridges that death cannot sever
- Comfort in visualizing beloved pets in a place of peace and joy
Blood Moon Rainbow Meditation (March 14, 2025)
The upcoming Blood Moon presents a powerful opportunity to work with Iris’s bridge-building energy. During this lunar eclipse:
- Create anl altar with seven objects in rainbow colors
- Light any color candle
- Visualize a rainbow forming between you and:
- A part of yourself you’ve struggled to accept
- A loved one who has passed (human or animal)
- A future version of yourself you’re working toward
- Speak this invocation: “Iris, weaver of light and color, Who bridges storms with beauty, Help me see pathways where I saw only walls, Guide me to connect what feels severed, To honor all colors of my being as sacred, And to trust that even after the fiercest storms, Your rainbow light will show the way forward.”
IRIS SPEAKS: RECOGNIZING HER DIVINE MESSAGES
Iris often sends messages through these signs:
- Unexpected rainbows appearing at significant moments
- Sudden clarity after periods of confusion
- Bridges forming between previously disconnected aspects of life
- Synchronicities involving rainbow colors or the number seven
- Dreams of flying or crossing beautiful bridges
When these signs appear, know that Iris is reminding you of your power to create connections where none seemed possible before—between parts of yourself, between you and others, between earth and heaven, between grief and healing, between who you’ve been and who you’re becoming.
Like her rainbow that spans earth and sky, you too can create bridges that honor both your earthly journey and your divine truth. Trust that every storm carries the potential for new connections and that bridges of light can form in the darkest skies.