The Moon
When the way ahead is unclear, don’t be led astray by assumptions; listen quietly to your intuition and your heart.
- Card
- Major Arcana · XVIII
- Upright keywords
- Anxiety, Uncertainty, Confusion, The unconscious
- Reversed keywords
- Easing fears, Truth comes out, Recovery, Things improving
- Yes or no
- Depends on conditions
Traditional correspondences Hebrew letter: Qoph (ק, back of the head) / Astrology: Pisces / Tree of Life: 29th path (Netzach to Malkuth) / Element: Water
Upright meaning
An anxious time when you can’t see ahead. Beware of assumptions and vague information.
A moon hangs over a path that winds between two towers towards distant hills. A dog and a wolf howl at it, and a crayfish crawls out of a pool. Everything is shadowy and uncertain. Upright, the Moon describes confusion, worry and situations that aren’t what they seem. Information may be incomplete, and fears can magnify things. Don’t make big decisions in the dark. Pay attention to dreams and gut feelings, but check them against reality before acting.
Reversed meaning
The fog is starting to lift and hidden things are coming into view.
Reversed, the fog begins to clear. Fears that loomed large shrink in daylight, misunderstandings are cleared up and the truth comes out. You may be recovering from a confusing time. Sometimes the reversal shows suppressed feelings rising to the surface; let them, so they can be understood and released.
For ways of reading reversed cards, see how to read reversals.
Love
Uncertainty, mixed signals or hidden feelings. Don’t jump to conclusions.
Clarity returns and misunderstandings are resolved.
Work
Unclear situations or office rumours. Check the facts carefully.
Confusion clears and you see what to do next.
Money
Hidden costs or unclear deals. Avoid risky decisions now.
Financial confusion clears up. Hidden problems come to light and can be fixed.
Relationships
Misunderstandings or someone not being open. Trust, but verify.
Secrets come out and the air clears.
Health
Stress, poor sleep or vague symptoms. Rest, and see a professional if worried.
Anxiety easing and sleep improving.
Tarot does not diagnose physical conditions. If you have symptoms that worry you, please see a doctor.
Mind and spirit
Dreams, imagination and the depths of the unconscious.
Facing your fears and finding they have less power.
As a person
A sensitive, imaginative or mysterious person.
Someone becoming more open and clear.
Timing
It takes time for things to become clear, and changes come in roughly monthly cycles, like the phases of the moon.
Advice
Don’t decide in the dark; wait for clarity.
Let the light in and face what comes out.
Questions to ask yourself
- What am I afraid of, and is it real?
- What information am I missing?
- What are my dreams and gut feelings trying to tell me?
A common misreading
The Moon doesn’t necessarily mean someone is deceiving you. Often the confusion comes from our own fears and assumptions. It is also a card of imagination and intuition, which can be a gift.
The story of this card
After the Star’s hope, the traveller must walk the Moon’s path through the night. Eighteen reduces to nine, the Hermit, but here the lamp is gone, and the traveller must find their way by moonlight and instinct alone. Facing the fears that rise from the depths, they walk on towards the dawn of the Sun.
The Waite deck’s picture and symbols
In the Waite deck the Moon, showing a face within the sun’s disc, sheds drops of light. Below, a dog and a wolf howl, the tame and the wild in us. A crayfish crawls from a pool, a symbol of what rises from the unconscious. A path runs between two towers towards distant mountains.
History and differences between traditions
Early Italian decks often showed an astronomer or a woman holding a crescent moon. The Marseille deck introduced the two dogs, the towers and the crayfish. The Golden Dawn linked the card with Pisces, and Waite turned one of the dogs into a wolf.
Words for today
I can walk through uncertainty with care.
The fog is clearing and I see more each day.