◇ Depends on the scene Lucky or not depending on the scene — see "In this scene" below
Hope turned inside out: joyless luck or fear of betrayal; a brief arc is needless worry, a lasting one weariness.
Category: The uncanny (how to read this category)
Psychology
A rainbow drained of colour suggests being unable to enjoy good news, or doubting hope itself. You may be so tired, or so marked by past hurt, that you look for the catch in every kindness.
Folklore and history
Black rainbows do not exist, but rainbows were not always lucky. The Chinese character for rainbow carries the insect-and-reptile radical because it was thought to be a serpent or dragon, and parts of Japan also feared the rainbow as a snake or ill omen.
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This site's view
In this site's view, a black rainbow is a bridge of promise turned over. Many myths make the rainbow a bridge between heaven and earth; blackened, it shows shaken trust or a broken promise. Clear skies beyond it mean calm days once doubt lifts; a sky dark all over means rest before forcing optimism.
Going deeper: our reading
After losing someone dear or suffering a major disappointment, people often say the colour has drained from the world. Nothing in the landscape has changed, yet its vividness shifts with the state of the heart, as many know from experience. In this site's reading, a black rainbow reflects not the outer world but your own heart losing colour as it looks. Being frightened by it suggests confusion at finding yourself unable to respond to things that should bring joy. Watching it calmly means you are beginning to accept that you are grieving. This is our speculation, but if colour slowly returned from the rainbow's edges by the end of the dream, recovery has already begun. If it stayed black, do not force yourself to cheer up; take time to rest. If low moods last a long time, please consult a doctor or someone you trust.
What to do on waking
Do not force positivity today; admit that you are tired. If a promise worries you, a single question to the other person will fade the black arc.
In this scene
- ◎Good Enjoying the strange: your intuition is sharp (good)
- ▲Warn Too scared to escape: swept by a worry you cannot name (warning)
- Using strange powers yourself: sleeping talent, or a wish to change
- It felt good: the lucky reading gets stronger
- ▲Warn It felt frightening or painful: the warning reading gets stronger — rest first
- The same dream again and again: something your mind has not settled yet
Turning a bad dream
In Japan, people once tried to turn a worrying dream for the better: a baku charm under the pillow, telling the dream to a nandina bush, or reciting an old dream-turning poem. Read the column on dream trading and dream-turning
An essay collecting strange stories tied to food — an easy reference to introduce alongside our kaidan columns.
Scary Foods (Tanishi Matsubara / Futami Shobo)
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FAQ
Q. Is dreaming of a Black Rainbow a good or bad sign?
A. Lucky or not depending on the scene — see "In this scene" below. Hope turned inside out: joyless luck or fear of betrayal; a brief arc is needless worry, a lasting one weariness.
Q. Why do I keep dreaming of a Black Rainbow?
A. A recurring dream usually points to something your mind has not settled yet. Research suggests such dreams tend to stop once the underlying worry is resolved. Keeping a dream diary helps you notice what triggers it.
Q. What should I do after dreaming of a Black Rainbow?
A. Do not force positivity today; admit that you are tired. If a promise worries you, a single question to the other person will fade the black arc.
Related dream essays
- True Dreams and Reverse Dreams: Why We Read Dreams Backwards
- Buying Dreams, Turning Dreams: A Japanese History of Dream Trading and Dream Charms
Read this dream with your own scene in the Dream Dictionary →
More dreams in "The uncanny"
- Eyes in the Closet
- A Voice Under the Floor
- Footsteps in the Attic
- Travelling to the Future
- Reliving the Same Day
- An Endless Corridor
- One Too Many in the Family
- A Person in Black
- Long Black Hair
- Glowing Eyes in the Dark
- Countless Eyes
- Countless Hands Reaching Out
※ Dream interpretation here is entertainment drawing on psychology and folklore — it is not scientifically proven. "This site's view" is our own interpretation.
