The Story of the RainbowWeb

I've always been very aware of our dependence on nature, and whenever possible grown food, kept poultry, and used rainwater; I also became aware back in the 1950s not only of the extent of industrial pollution, but it's possible consequences due to the emission of greenhouse gases. But it was not until my youngest child left home in 1988 that I became involved in any environmental actions. After the Australian Greenhouse '88 conference, I, and my then partner, had the privilage of experiencing a COUNCIL OF ALL BEINGS facilitated by John Seed, and for me this was an epiphany.
My radically changed and deepened awareness contributed to the breakup of our marriage, left me homeless, and without an income. But this led me to swallow my pride and apply for Public Housing.
After an incredibly brief interval, the SOUTH AUSTRALIAN HOUSING TRUST (Now known as Housing SA) allocated me a tiny brand-new cottage with a very small but self-contained garden, and within walking distance of the city centre. This seemed so miraculous that I determined right away to regard my new home as a sacred trust, and to dedicate the rest of my life to loving and caring for Gaia in every way of which I was capable.

One of the first steps in settling into my new home in 1989 was to choose a name for it.
RainbowWeb kept suggesting itself, possibly because of John Seed's connections with the Rainboweb community in Byron Bay. So, in spite of my preference for something more conventional, this is what I decided upon. Instead of a name plate, I created a spider's web of yarn, with golden spokes, & rainbow colours, & fixed it to the door. It is still there - inhabited by small spiders who have overlain it with their own tiny webs.

Gradually, over the years, the meaning of this unconscious choice of symbolism has surfaced. The first offering was:

'The RainbowWeb symbolises integration of all kinds - the practical/aesthetic; tangible/intangible; horror/beauty; ground/sky; Iris/Ariadne; Innana/Erishkegal; - it symbolises the four elements: Earth & Air/Fire & Water.
It is a spiral & a star.
All it's paths lead both to & from the centre. It may be observed in nature, on a dewy morning at sunrise.
Blessed be!'
Without being aware of it, I was describing my own journey,

The poet William Wordsworth wrote:

'My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky.....'.

This is literally true, I believe, of all of us. I have sometimes stopped strangers in a busy street to look at a rainbow they would otherwise not have noticed. Their reactions have varied widely, but all were positive. So much about the rainbow cannot be expressed in words - but words are not necessary. One feels the heart lift.

The Rainbow appears in the spiritual symbolism of so many cultures. It is real magic, still effective - perhaps more so - since it has been explained by physics. If I want someone to really stop & think, I often ask: 'Is a rainbow real?'

Images & feelings rather than words express, but cannot capture, the essence of the RainbowWeb symbol. It is about contrasts, contradictions, & paradox. It is about the magical, spiritual nature of real things - what we so often refer to, disparagingly as 'the material'. It is about the interconnectedness of all that exists, that has existed, & is yet to come into being. It is about a sense of place combined with an oceanic feeling; a sense of wonder combined with affection & respect. It is about the constant change inherent in life itself, & about the absolute security derived from being poised in the moment.

My home - there is no distinction between house & garden - has become a sanctuary, & rainbows are everywhere. Some are living visitors Rainbow Lorikeets use the almond tree as both larder and playground Caterpillars are not sprayed in this garden, so there are lots of butterflies

Some are contrived with crystals which have found their way here - others in fabric, photos, & pictures. Frequently in the early morning, a rainbow arches over the city of Adelaide, & frames the view of the heart of the sanctuary.

After seven years, I felt I wanted to change my name. Again, RainbowWeb kept nagging me. So I took the necessary steps, not without a feeling of embarrassment. But it seemed important that I should become totally identified with everything that my habitation is & may become.

I have no explanation of the rainbow in the sanctuary's heart. All I saw when focussing the camera was a statue in a shaft of sunlight. The rainbow only became apparent when the film was printed. It was a true benediction. It also seemed a sign that this concept & its energy needed to be shared world-wide. So I overcame my parsimony & technophobia, bought a computer & learned how to set up a website. Technically its construction is simple - but it is designed as a web, which becomes infinitely more complex as it is explored. The aim is provide an experience, not just information.

So this site is part of a RainbowWeb connecting, ultimately, all the websites & resources that can in any way assist us in the Re-earthing process. Postal, telephone, verbal, musical, artistic, & many other networks intermesh, & reach where the Internet does not - everything is connected to everything else!

Click the graphic below for an inspirational piece on the true meaning of networking(22kb)

Why not join me, and get really creative with the way you use this amazing World Wide Web. Learn to use Search Engines effectively - they are a wonderful tool, but each one has its idiosyncrasies which need to be mastered. Help the RainbowWeb to extend its filaments & strengthen its fabric, so that it surrounds & nourishes the Earth & all Her creatures, & reaches into the atmosphere & beyond....................Allow yourself to follow your truest instincts.....take the time to respond rather than just reacting.........some items on this site will provoke powerful feelings. Breathe rhythmically, allow yourself to go deeply into those feelings, breathe them through.......please don't 'shut down'........Each time you allow yourself to respond fully, you are taking some of the emotional & psychological risks that are essential to personal growth & the deepening of your understanding.

Throughout my life, and particularly in creating this website, I have drawn on my experiences of living for 25 years in London, before the emergence of the Clean Air Act & other initiatives to improve the city environment, and including the 5 1/2 years of WW2, when services were to say the least unreliable, food, clothing, fuel & household & personal necessities were strictly rationed, & a great deal of ingenuity was required to sustain the semblance of ordinary life. (Many people may not realise that rationing did not finish until 1954 in the UK, & serious shortages continued into the early 60's).
But my grandparents (See GRANDPA'S VICTORY GARDEN) and parents, all of whom had lived through WW1 & times of great depression, not only taught me many practical skills, but also how to find green and peaceful places in the midst of the terror, the pollution, and the difficulties.
For an in-depth look, and some pictures, please go toA Green Childhood in 1940s London

I have also lived & raised children in the Australian bush, without any modern amenities. But as well as the education, skills, & inner resources I was privileged to receive during my childhood, the people of the Pindan, in North Western Australia, taught me much about my new environment, and it's amazing resources.

For the wisdom & inspiration of all these elders I am deeply grateful.

This website is aiming to be as Global as possible, it's energy reaches far beyond the limits of the Internet, and it outlines some of the other strategies that have been used to generate rainbow energy.

You can add to the energy of the RainbowWeb simply by tuning into its healing energy; or by emailing me

Before you leave this page, why not come & meditate for a while in the RainbowWeb
( Image 88KB, Midi24KB (4mins.55secs.), total page 113KB)

WW2 ALLOTMENT AND GARDEN GUIDES (UK)
Courtesy of Earthly Pursuits

Visit this excellent SPIDER WEBSITE to learn about nature's web spinners.

A TRIBUTE TO GRANDMOTHER SPIDER
This beautiful photo collage is graphics heavy, but well worth your patience.
The photos were taken on the Isle of Avalon, Winter Solstice 2006, by nature photographer Palden Jenkins.

Rainbow around the earth - a potent symbol of powerful planet healing RAINBOW ROUND THE EARTH...The Rainbow Maker's Home Page - Global Messages - All you ever wanted to know about rainbows.

And for a fascinating collection of lore & environmental wisdom, visit Kathleen Jenks' beautiful page
FLOODS, STORMS, RAINBOWS, & OTHER WEATHER WONDERS.
Takes a while to load, but is well worth the wait; good links, too!

- This is an Australian website - Contact Margaret RainbowWeb

URL - http://www.users.on.net./~arachne/rainbow.html