The Moon – Tarot Meaning Deep Dive

Welcome to part 19 of my 22 part Tarot Meanings Deep Dive series – each week we explore ONE major arcana card and uncover it’s secrets, symbols and messages.

Today we’re diving into The Moon – a card of mystery, dreams, unconscious influences and that which is hidden!

Grab your journal, pen and a cup of tea and settle in…

Keywords: unconscious, subconscious, mystery, unknown, what is hidden, cycles and patterns

Symbols:
Crayfish (emerging from the water) = our primordial state, what we evolved from

3 layers of earth (light green, dark green, blue mountains) & a path (similar to Temperance) = 3 layers of consciousness (unconscious, subconscious and conscious)

2 towers (which also appear in Death) = a gateway into the unknown (similar to the 2 pillars we see in The High Priestess and the 2 towers in Death)

Dog & wolf = domesticated vs wild self

Moon = dim light, cycles which tie in with tides and menstruation

Dark Side: Being controlled by inner forces you don’t understand, things hidden, confusion, not really understanding yourself or why things are happening, feeling fear.

Light Side: An invitation to dive deep below the surface and explore your unconscious self and the world of dreams, intuitions and psychic abilities. Pay attention the the cycles and patterns in your life as a way to know thyself.

1) Unconscious & Subconscious Realms

The Moon reminds us that there’s a huge unconscious component to everything – think of an iceberg – what you see is just the tip, but the portion that is under water is so much bigger. It’s this unconscious part and it’s fears and desires that is often the driving force behind our motivations, feelings and actions.

The Moon invites us to go inward and explore this part of ourselves, through dreams, intuition, connecting with our “wild side” and honouring our instincts. Things like hypnosis, lucid dreaming, dream interpretation, meditative journeying, free writing and even some psychedelic substances can help one meander through this mysterious realm and make all kinds of fascinating discoveries.

Journalling Questions:

♥ What themes, symbols and emotions often appear in your dreams?

♥ Think of a time when your wild, instinctual, animal side came through strongly….How can you honour this part of your self?

2) The Hidden, Mysterious & Unknown

The Moon tells us that there is so much we don’t know – what we are aware of is just our limited perspective. There are layers, complexities and events of which we aren’t privy to and to walk through life thinking we know it all is foolish.

Imagine walking through a garden at night, with just the moonlight to guide you. Things are partially illuminated with many shadows around. You might imagine you see monsters or other creepy things. You see some details but not all. As the sun comes up, everything is fully illuminated and you may see that what you though was a giant spider is just a flower and what you thought was a crouching monster is just a shrub. Now you have the full picture and things look very different in the light of day.

The Moon encourages us to honour the mystery and accept that sometimes we cannot know everything. Some mysteries will remain unsolved and sometimes we’ll remain in the dark until the time is right. There is wisdom in realizing you do not know.

Journalling Questions:

♥ What big mysteries would you like to solve? What big unknowns would you like to make known?

♥ What is your relationship with mystery and the unknown like? Do you struggle with not knowing? Do you try to forcefully uncover things? Or are you able to relax and enjoy the mysterious and wait for things to be revealed in due time?

3) Cycles & Patterns

The Moon symbolizes the lunar cycle, which is tied to the tides and fertility cycles and is itself a symbol of the cycle of waxing and waning. It encourages us to notice the cycles that occur in our lives and to honour them, whether it’s the lunar cycle, the menstrual cycle or cycles of energy, creativity and flow.

The Moon also reminds us that we have cycles and patterns within our personal lives that are often sub or unconscious (for example, anger, addictions, self sabotage and relationship patterns). Many of our habits and patterns are tied to a sub or unconscious need or desire. For example, spending money as soon as you get it might be tied to an unconscious fear of having money taken from you or getting in trouble for hoarding.

Simply recognizing the repetitive and cyclical nature of things and seeing a pattern is the first step in bringing the unconscious up into the light of the conscious. This is how we begin to know ourselves and unravel the mystery of ourselves! It’s interesting to note that the lunar cycles (and other cycles) often serve to churn up unconscious energies, fears and issues so that they can be seen and worked through.

Journalling Questions:

♥ What cycles do you feel most prominently in your life right now?

♥ What habits or patterns do you notice in yourself? What unconscious fears or needs might they be tied to? Is this fear or desire just yours? Or is it part of the collective unconscious?

Wisdom of The Moon

The Moon tells us that life is mysterious and WE are mysterious! While we cannot know everything, we can dive deep and begin to explore. Our personal unconscious is a gateway to the collective unconscious and by coming to better know ourselves we can better understand others and the world around us, allowing some of the old fears to melt away.

Do not be afraid to journey inward for that which you do not understand will continue to cast terrifying shadows and play tricks on your mind if you never cast the light of your consciousness upon it!