XVIII The Moon - 'Moonlight Magic'

The Fool leaves the lovely energy of The Star to enter a world of ethereal shadows, distorted landscapes, illusions and hidden magic. At number 'XVIII' in the Major Arcana, 'The Moon' casts its spell on all who gaze upon its mesmerizing face. The Fool is about to learn that under that hypnotizing moonlight appearances can be very deceiving.

THE MOON - Moonlight Magic

KEYWORDS 

Intuition. Illusion. Reflections. Dreams. Hidden truths. Hidden agendas. Half-truths. Lies. White lies. Delusions. Deception. Ambiguity. Enigma. Subconscious self. Deep thoughts. Psychic connection. Mysticism. Magic. Feminine mystique.

Confusion. Loss of reason. Loss of intuition. Bad dreams. Mind fog. Lunacy. Psychic imbalance. Chimeras. Dark magic. Lifting the curse. Exposing lies. Revealing the unknown. The shadow self.

'The Moon' variations. From left to right:
Pole Ka Marseille Tarot, the Field Tarot and the Borderless Deviant Moon Tarot

THE LIGHT 

The Moon is a very ambiguous, cryptic card. Nothing is as it seems under the pale moonlight. It's a time to question our own judgement and even what we see with our own eyes. Reflections, shadows and mirror effects display a distorted version of reality, echoing the surreal visions we experience in dreams. The Moon is also deeply linked to intuition and psychic knowledge, which is what makes this card so treacherous and difficult to interpret. On the one hand it alters reality and confuses our minds, but on the other it gives us the very tool we need to recognize the deception. Twisted, right? 

I am the proverbial night owl. I've always been fascinated by the night, the full Moon and the starlit skies. The imagery in The Moon card should feel like familiar territory to me and yet, as beautiful as it usually is, it always gives me an eerie sense of dread. It feels so very cold to me, almost glacial. Like the real Moon, this card exudes no warmth whatsoever. It casts its pale light on a ghostly world that seems familiar, but is really just a mirage.

The Moon can represent half-truths, hidden agendas, lies and deception. It's also the card of prophetic dreams and psychic visions. It sparks our deepest intuition and triggers subconscious patterns. It's an enigma, inside a riddle, inside a mystery. It encourages reflection and late-night philosophical ponderings. It can be an extremely tricky card to read, because it lives in the space between reality and fantasy; between the truth and the lie; between concrete and abstract concepts; between shadows and light. 

'The Moon' from the Nicoletta Ceccoli Tarot

When the Moon shows up, I usually take it as a sign that all important decisions must be put on hold for a while, until the situation becomes clearer. We can trust our intuition to guide us through the confusion, but remain mindful of jumping to conclusions. Often, the best course of action is to sleep on it and allow our subconscious to untangle the web of lies while we rest.

The Moon also represents the realm of intuitive magic and occult practices. For magic practitioners, The Moon may appear as a sign of optimal conditions for magical work and rituals, or as a reminder to reconnect with the practice. It's also linked to the feminine mystique, the power of witches and the feminine cycle. 

THE SHADOW 

The dark side of The Moon is just as confusing as the lighter side. Probably even more so, due to the diminishing effect it has on our intuition. The shadow Moon creates a shield that blocks our ability to intuitively read any given situation. This can result in deep mental fog, psychic imbalance, disturbing dreams and even hallucinations. Unable to move forward, we can become trapped in a world of deception both external and internal. 

At the same time, in typical ambiguous Moon fashion, the shadow Moon can actually lift the curse, expose the lie and reveal the truth. We can expect a brutal awakening as we become aware of how deeply we were misled.

More 'Moon' variations. From left to right:
The Ember +Aura Tarot, the Lonely Dreamer Tarot and the Heroine Tarot

The shadow Moon is also the card the represents our own shadow self, the darker side of us we deliberately keep hidden from the world. It can be a warning that this dark side is either taking over our personality or that it's been kept hidden for so long we don't know who we really are anymore. In either scenario, the outcome will be anything but positive.

Like the lighter side of the Moon, the shadow side deals with the magical realm, but this time with a darker kind of magic. The kind of magic that we may come to regret. The kind that turns heartfelt wishes into curses. Think very carefully before allowing that kind of energy into the Universe.

LITERALLY 

In a literal sense The Moon represents nighttime, the full moon and people with round, lunar faces. 

TAROT ACADEMIA 

As I've explained in The Star card study, the trifecta sequence of celestial bodies in the Tarot is very much linked to magic, religious prayer and psychic energy. The Moon holds the most important role in this arcane process as the supplier of magic. 

In many cultures around the world the phases of the Moon are considered to be imbued with divine, mystical energy. Rituals, festivals and a score of religious and secular traditions are constructed around the Moon's phases, the full Moon usually viewed as the most sacred time. As the celestial body closest to Earth, the Moon is ideally positioned to affect our reality and its changing face is a source of never-ending fascination for humanity.

'The Moon' variations. 
Left: Touchstone Tarot. Right: Pagan Otherworlds Tarot

The Moon's effect on the tides, menstrual cycles and the human psyche is well known. Its well-known role in werewolf lore, witchcraft and various occult traditions only adds to the mystique and mystery. Its symbolic inclusion in the Tarot therefore comes as no surprise to occultists and magical practitioners. The Moon is very often the most important element in a magic spell or ritual. The making of 'Moon Water', the ritual of 'drawing down the Moon', the use of moonlight as a powerful cleansing ingredient for magical tools such as crystals and Tarot decks are but a few examples of how essential the Moon is in Pagan magical practice.

The Moon card in the Tarot, its diaphanous pictorial symbolism and its enigmatic interpretation are just one more testament as to how deeply ingrained the esoteric concept of magic is in humanity's universal consciousness. And of how much we want, no -- need to believe in something that is just outside the realm of what our limited minds could possibly ever fully understand. 

'The Moon' from the Line Defined Tarot
by Wyatt J. Hesemeyer

AN EXERCISE 

Concentrate on a problem you're confused about, then look for The Moon in your deck and the two cards surrounding it. These two cards will reveal the truth and the lie that are obfuscating the situation. The card directly on top of The Moon is the lie masquerading as truth. The card directly behind The Moon is the actual hidden truth.