(The above image is a copy of The Moon card in a standard Rider-Waite Tarot deck. The 6 symbols pointed out above are explained below.)
Card Description
The Moon card reveals our hidden subconsciousness. Devoid of human figures, we observe our animal instincts united in reverence of the feminine divine. If The Star card was a card of rest, The Moon card is a card of dreaming. It is here that we face the illusions that make up our psyche.
If you are looking for a deck of Tarot cards, check out our standard Rider-Waite deck here or check out one of our recent arrivals here.
For more information about The Moon card, check out A. E. Waite’s description here.
Point 1 – MOON
The central figure of the card isn’t simply the moon. It is the full moon, the crescent moon, and the sun all overlapping each other. This can signify the unity between the day and the night. The moon in this card is a paradoxical figure. It represents the collective of all oceans and yet it has a individual face.
Point 2 – DOG AND WOLF
Following the moon’s paradox, there is the dog and the wolf. Together, they represent the tamed and wild passions of our consciousness. While their natures oppose one another, they are unified by the draw of the moon.
Point 3 – CRAWFISH
Out of a small pond, there emerges a crawfish, or lobster. This crustacean represents our most primitive instincts. Lower than the wild passions of the wolf, the crawfish is our reptilian brain. While simplistic, the crawfish too is drawn towards the moon.
Point 4 – GOLD DROPS
Between the moon and the earth, there are 15 gold drops. Some scholars claim that these drops form the Hebrew letter J, for Jehovah. This would indicate the holiness that connects heaven and earth. This would also be a reiteration of the gold drops found in The Tower.
Point 5 – TWO TOWERS
Two towers frame the card. They represent the Gates of Heaven. In this instance however, the gates are open. Enlightenment is open to all. All you have to do is travel the path of The Fool. The presence of these towers indicate that the journey is almost over.
Point 6– LONG PATH
In this card, we are reminded of the first card, The Fool’s journey. A winding path travels out of the pond, past the towers, and towards the summit of mountains. The journey is not done yet, but the finish line is in sight.
Tarot Reading
Upright
An Upright Moon illustrates the mysterious subconscious. It answers the question, what lies beneath. Perhaps something from your past reemerging in the present. Maybe there is a trauma that you have not yet reconciled with. An Upright Moon encourages us to face our subconscious and to dispel the illusion of conscious control.
Reverse
A Reverse Moon suggests that you are being plagued by illusions and that something deep withing you is trying to emerge to dispel them. You have a choice to either listen to the crawfish that emerge from the pond of your subconscious or you can choose to deny them and bury them even deeper. If you want to grow in your spiritual maturity, you must choose the former.
For more Tarot Card Meanings, check out our blog here.
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About the author: John Taylor is a content writer and freelancer through the company Upwork.com. You may view his freelancing profile here. He has a B. A. in English, with a specialty in technical writing, from Texas A&M University and a M. A. in English from the University of Glasgow. You may view his previous articles about Tarot here and his LinkedIn profile here.
