XVIII The Moon
Mystery, Illusion
Essential Meanings
Keywords
Dreams, Cycles, Unconscious, Fantasy, Imagination, Romanticism, Deception, Instinct, Tension, Doubt, Strangeness, Madness, Danger, Sanity, Struggle, Superstition, Secrets, Receptivity, Subversiveness, Magnetism, Vision, Insight, Sensitivity, Application, Psychic Ability, Magic, Boundaries
Element
Water
Yes/No/Maybe
No
The Moon embodies dreams and imagination springing to life and growing in the night. It also represents the feminine yin and passive principle.
The Moon is related to female temperaments, water, and cycles, and it is evocative of change and transformations - think of werewolves or rising ocean tides. The Moon comes and goes, waxes and wanes, is always in motion. It also provides illumination in the night-time landscapes.
Things may look strange and supernatural in its light, but without it we would be left to fend for ourselves in the darkness. The Moon represents dreams, secret desires and the vivid imaginations of the soul.
Moonlight offers us a reflection, giving a glimpse of the mystery of the unknown. It illuminates our bestial nature - symbolised by the dog and the wolf - and the crayfish emerging from the depths. The imagination can be illusory, sometimes proving false and ephemeral, disappearing and reappearing as if made of smoke.
The Moon represents the ability to create, to see what is hidden by receiving information through intuition rather than rationality. The Moon indicates all the mysteries, magic and the supernatural.
Golden Art Nouveau
Symbols
Night - Represents the dark side of consciousness, the sleep of reason, dreams and the unconscious.
Rays - A reference to the Tree of Life.
Moon - A symbol of feminity, indicating monthly cycles, ebb and flow and the renewal of nature.
Towers - These symbolise the summer and winter solstices, spiritual gates that divide the year into two parts.
Dogs - Express the duality of illusion and intuition.
Road - A symbol of the path of initiation, which leads to deeper mysteries.
Crayfish - Indicates constructs of the mind taking shape and becoming real.
Radiant Wise Spirit
What the Card Says
This is what the Moon would communicate to you if it were able to express itself in words:
"I am where the subconscious speaks, the birthplace of dreams, illusion and fantasy. My landscape is deceptive and murky, but it is only here that we can escape the harsh light of day. Emrace me and encounter what resides beneath the calm exterior you present to the world. Do not resist me. Your natural urges and feelings will find a way out whether you repress them or not. I am the shadow of your psyche."
Description
Over the centuries, the Tarot Moon has changed from being depicted as a woman to an illustration of the Moon shining over a pool of water.
Visconti-Sforza The Visconti-Sforza card shows a young woman holding a crescent moon. She stands in front of a hilly landscape and holds the strings of her belt.
Marseille The MArseille and Radiant Wise Spirit cards show the Moon shining in the night sky. On the ground, two dogs howl at the moon, while a crayfish emerges from the pond. Two towers flank the scene on either side of the card.
Pictorial Key The dogs pictured represent the fears of the mind in a gentler way than the monster emerging from the water. The Moon is a journey extending from the darkest watery depths to the highest mountain peak. It is evocative of a similar path in the Temperance card.
Lesson
The Arcanum of the Moon will teach me to freely express myself and explore my desires without worrying about what others might think of me.
Thelema Affirmation
I go to face my fears. My cloak protects me as I turn into the unknown.
If I am to become the master, this is something I must do.
Harmonious Teachings
Intuition, dreams, mysteries and secrets, nostalgia, doubts, lies and betrayal.
The Moon card symbolises darkness and lingering doubts.
Alternative Names
Mystery, The Goddess
Card Reversals
Meanings differ depending on whether the Moon is the right way or upside-down.
Upright - Intuitive understandings. Lunacy, dreams and deception. Strangeness in events, feelings of oddness, Moon madness. Strong psychic flashes and impulses. Mutable situation.
Reversed - Someone is lying. You need to listen to your instincts. Being cut off from your true nature.
Marseille Keywords
Feminine principle, intuition, mutability, dream
Pre-Raphaelite
You will only fear the dark if you fail to see that it is the other side of light.
Mother goddess, dream, subconscious, illusion, magic, fear, instincts.
Further Exploration
Read up on Moon Madness, Psychic Phenomena, Insanity, Sleep, Dreams, Fantasy Play.
ViceVersa (Back)
The cycles of the Moon are reflected in the cycles of women. Through this connection, the Moon card represents feminine power. The woman pictured here is the dark side of the High Priestess, offering an initiation of sorts - a choice between a bowl of phosphorescent sea water and a glowing egg. Which are you most drawn to and what does that tell you about your psyche? Remember, rational solar thinking has no place here. This shadow of the moon has turned day into night.
ViceVersa (Front)
Everything looks different by moonlight. The dark waters of your unconscious can't be navigated by reason or rationality. Your lunar awareness is heightened now. Listen to your dreams and encourage them, by prioritising sleep and the space in which you dream. The Moon calls forth your intuition and your instinct (symbolised by the white dog and red dog respectively) because there are things you need to know now that can only be understood by the light of the moon.
Universal Celtic
The Goddess Arianrhod shines in the night sky, holding the disc of the Moon to illuminate the earth below. The Moon represents dreams that flee at dawn and the feminine principle.
John Bauer
A woman rides side-saddle upon a moose. She wears a crown on her long blond locks, which obscure her dress. The crescent moon illuminates the forest path. Nothing is as it seems, look past the illusions, allow others to help guide you along the way.
Arcanum
Illuminati
Thematic Meanings
More advanced meaning can be read when you draw the Moon in a reading, depending on the subject you are exploring.
Personal Life
Love: A love born under the dim light of the moon may not live long after the sun rises.
Work: Work never closes the door to dreams. An imagined reality exists inside the origin of every project - so look to this when you are seeking answers.
Money: Some dreams can be realised with very little money.
Divination
Answer: Those individuals who are unable to distinguish dreams from reality should seek help.
Tip: See past the masks that people wear, honestly look at yourself in the mirror and do not be fooled by appearances.
Timing: The situation is in flux. Being patient is the best way to achieve your goal.
Psyche and Soul
Self-Esteem: We should never fear our fantasies. Letting go of your dreams is abandoning yourself.
Meditation: Find a mirror that reflects your personal truth.
Spirituality: Spirit travelling leads to many new worlds and unique moments. These experiences may be difficult to interpret, but they are always worth the journey.