Rider Waite Major Arcana - The Moon

The Moon is the eighteenth Major Arcana card. Quite iconic, the meaning of The Moon is not as positive as you may expect. Following the current celestial theme from The Star, The Moon appears before The Sun.

The Moon indicates a sense of confusion, delusion and fantasy.

The Moon is a reflection, often seen as deceptive, as it reflects the light of another rather than generating its own. Often associated with night, The Moon is not to be trusted under certain circumstances.

In some traditions, where The Sun represents the male, the Moon represents the female aspect of the universe, both complement each other and are balanced. In the night sky, The Sun and The Moon are (nearly) the same size.

the moon tarot card wolves

At a glance

The Moon tarot card is associated with mystery, illusion, and the unconscious mind. It typically depicts a full moon in the night sky, with a dog and a wolf howling at the moon. The moon represents the ebb and flow of our innermost thoughts and emotions, and the dog and wolf represent the duality of our conscious and unconscious minds.

The Moon card suggests that you are being called to explore your own inner world and to tap into the depths of your unconscious mind. It indicates that you are being pulled towards the mysterious and unknown, and that you are being asked to trust in your own instincts and intuition. The Moon card can also represent a need for transformation and renewal, indicating that you are being called to let go of old patterns and beliefs that no longer serve you, in order to make room for something new and beautiful to enter your life.

In some readings, the Moon card can indicate that you are being supported and guided by a higher power or spiritual guide who is helping you to navigate the mysteries and illusions of the unconscious mind. This guide may be a teacher, mentor, or trusted friend who can offer wisdom and guidance as you explore the depths of your own inner world. The Moon card can also suggest that you are being called to use your own experiences of transformation and renewal to help others, and to make a positive impact in the world.

Card meanings

Past

You could be having blurred visions of events when The Moon shows up in the past position. Are you remembering things correctly, or are you just remembering select parts? The Moon can represent a cloud or imperfect reflection of the past. You may remember things better or worse than what actually took place.

If you’re having trouble nailing down the detail, ask somebody their take on what happened. They may be able to clear up the picture for you.

We are all affected by rose tinted goggles, sometimes the past isn’t exactly what we thought it was. The human mind can blur traumatic experiences simply to heal. A bit of hearty exaggeration can be expected, but be careful not to overstate or inflate your past as others may call you out on it.

Present

Despite our acute senses, we sometimes don’t fully grasp the picture. Things may seem confusing when The Moon shows up in the present position.

You aren’t being stupid; it’s likely that things are being kept from you on purpose. It can be hard to understand a completely new experience, and while shock is possible, it may just be that you have to give your body some time to get used to what is going on in your life.

Try to see things from a different perspective, or talk to somebody else involved in your life for advice. You may need to approach any issues from as many angles as possible when you see The Moon.

Future

It’s a common occurrence feel like we have no idea where our lives are going. Everybody feels this, but you may be feeling a little more lost than usual, especially if you have recently lost a goal, or a way to move forward.

If your future is not clear, then don’t expect much to change in the near present unless you put some real effort in. Think about the present for now, and forget about the future. If the future is unclear as The Moon suggests, the best thing you can do is to make sure that you start with your best foot forward.

How you treat the present affects where our future will take us. Treat the present well and your future can only get better.

Work, careers and education

Consider the future paragraph above. You may not have a clear idea of where your schooling is going; which majors to take or which college or university to go to.

Education is very different for everybody. What we study in school only sometimes corresponds to our future careers. Focusing on your hobbies and desires is always a solid choice for inspiration. In work, you may also be feeling lost.

This might not be the right job for you if you are drawing The Moon for work or career. Explore your options, especially if you came into this job expecting a long term career. You may have more value than you believe, and your experience can be used in many new and interesting ways.

It’s possible your current path is working out, but you just can’t see it. Your successes may be being hidden form you. Don’t be discouraged if you’re not receiving any rewards for your hard work, you may have been overlooked by mistake.

Love and Relationships

Something may be being hidden from you when The Moon shows up in regards to Love or Relationships.

Are you keeping a secret from your partner? While it is normal for partners to keep small secrets from each other, this can do more harm than good if they find out from somebody else but you.

Expect some sort of deception in a relationship; professional, platonic or romantic. The Moon is not a great card generally to draw for relationships. Make sure you’re in a relationship for the right reason; you want to be with this person, not simply the ‘idea’ of this person.

moon tarot card japanese anime

Wealth

Are you getting the best deal? Is somebody pressuring you into buying something? The Moon when placed in finances or money reminds you to look deeper.

Don’t accept the first offer, and don’t expect your first offer to be accepted. It’s not the time to play with your cash. Be conservative with your savings. Inform yourself if you have to buy something expensive or invest somewhere. Make sure you’re seeing the bigger picture, not simply what others want you to see.

Health and well-being

A checkup might be in order, if just for your own knowledge. It’s easy to ignore a symptom, thinking it will go away in time. This isn’t always the case, and you should take things seriously when you see The Moon show for health..

Get a checkup with a medieval professional if something is affecting your daily life. Get a second opinion if you’re unsure. Mentally, things may not be perfect but know they will improve.

The Moon can also represent a missing spiritual practice in your life. Are you ignoring your dreams and the signs they are telling you? Do you sometimes have strange night-time experiences? You may do well to embrace these rather than ignore them.

Other associations

Element: Water

Astrology: Pisces

As a Yes or No question: No

Crystal: Aquamarine

Keywords

Illusion, instinct, deception, fantasy, occluded