Learn the Tarot: The Moon Meaning
Learn the Major Arcana with That Oracle Guy Patrick. Together we’ll dive into the meanings, symbolism, and history behind each card — with affirmations, journaling prompts, and theme songs to help ground the lessons into your daily life. The Wisdom of the Major Arcana is yours to claim.
#18 The Moon, Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Deck
Meeting The Moon:
The Fool has seen The Star and remembered hope. But as he continues through the quiet night, the path begins to dissolve. Certainty fades.
A silver fog curls at his feet.
In the distance, The Moon rises — glowing, half-lit, veiled in mystery.
The road ahead is no longer solid. A dog howls. A wolf answers. From the water, a strange creature emerges — crawling toward land, neither entirely of this world nor the next.
The Fool hesitates. This is no place for logic.
This is the realm of dreams. Of instincts. Of the things we sense but cannot see.
The Moon does not speak. She reflects.
She reveals nothing — but invites everything.
And so the Fool continues, not with a map, but with his intuition.
Each step forward is a sacred act of trust. He must walk the path of shadows to reclaim the light that lives within.
Keywords for The Moon:
Illusion
Intuition
Unconscious
Mystery
Deception
Dreams
Anxiety
Subconscious
Associations:
The Element: Water (emotion, intuition, reflection)
The Planet: Neptune (dreams, spirituality, illusion)
Zodiac: Pisces
Card Symbolism:
The Moon: Represents the subconscious, intuition, and the cyclical nature of life.
Dog and Wolf: Symbolize the tamed and wild aspects of our minds, the conscious and unconscious.
Crawfish: Emerging from the water, it signifies the beginning of consciousness rising from the depths of the subconscious.
Path: The winding road represents the journey through the unknown, a path of self-discovery.
Towers: Stand as gateways or markers, indicating transitions or thresholds in our journey.
Water: Symbolizes the subconscious mind and the realm of dreams and emotions.
Yods (droplets): Represent divine guidance and the presence of the spiritual amidst uncertainty.
Dark Sky: Indicates the unknown, the mysteries that lie ahead, and the need to trust one's inner light.
Roman Numeral XVIII: 1 + 8 = 9, a number associated with introspection, completion, and the culmination of a cycle. Nine is a liminal number — almost completion, but not yet. Just as The Moon offers inner clarity only after we surrender our outer sight.
Upright Meaning:
When The Moon appears upright, you are being guided through a spiritual night.
You may be in a space of uncertainty, dreams, illusions, or anxiety, but this is sacred territory. Your rational mind is dimmed — not because you're lost, but because you're being asked to listen with your intuition instead.
Rachel Pollack describes The Moon as a time of initiation — a descent into the mystery before the sun rises again. This is the psyche’s dreamworld. It’s where suppressed truths rise, where the soul speaks in metaphor and instinct.
In Jungian terms, The Moon is the collective unconscious — the realm of archetypes and personal shadows. To fear it is to fear yourself. To explore it is to evolve.
What you resist, will persist.
Reversed Meaning:
Reversed, The Moon may indicate misinterpreting signs, paranoia, or mental fog. You may be struggling to tell the difference between intuition from fear.
There’s a risk of illusion clouding judgment — or clarity trying to break through, if you’re willing to see it.
Reversal here can also suggest emotional suppression — feelings asking to be felt, but avoided. What you resist will persist here, in ways that start to crawl into your subconscious.
Jung would say this is when the unconscious tries to break through the ego’s defenses — and whether you resist or accept it will shape what comes next in your journey.
Journal Prompts for The Moon:
What recurring dream or image has been asking for my attention lately? What might it be trying to tell me?
Where in my life am I craving clarity — and where might I be resisting it?
How do I respond to uncertainty? Can I sit with mystery without demanding answers?
What parts of myself remain hidden? What would it feel like to explore them gently?
Affirmations:
“I trust the wisdom of my intuition, even when clarity is not immediate.”
“I welcome the unknown as a space of transformation, not fear.”
“My dreams speak the truth my waking mind has not yet learned to hear.”
Theme Song:
Spellbound by Siouxsie and The Banshees, 1981
About The Author
Patrick is an evolutionary tarot reader specializing in deep, transformative tarot sessions that empower clients to gain clarity, break limiting patterns, and navigate life with confidence. As a lifelong believer that there are no coincidences, he knows firsthand the power of tarot and oracle cards as a north star for your personal growth.
Ready to experience a deeper tarot journey? Book a reading today or explore more articles and resources at: ThatOracleGuy.com
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