The Moon Tarot Card Meaning – 18th Arcana

What does the Moon Tarot Card Mean?

The Moon is a lamp that reminds us that its reflective light can serve as a source of intuitive clarity. When this Arcana appears in a reading, it indicates that we are torn between many influences. We are distracted by external factors that lead us away from the main path. The 18th Arcana is a message that encourages you to think about your life and use your intuitive abilities.
The card indicates danger and negative emotions, envy and jealousy, deception, intrigue. The Major Arcana Tarot card Moon says that a person either deceives himself or is deceived. The line between intuition and illusion is blurred. In this article, we will consider the description and meaning in the relationship of an upright and reversed card, interpretation and combination with other cards in the spreads of love, health, career and work.
If Arcana Moon Tarot appears in reading, it is about dreams and sensations. The Moon Tarot card reveals hidden feelings and perceptions from the subconscious.
Eighteenth Arcana Tarot Moon personifies the temptations of hidden truth. A person has a dual consciousness. On the one side, he feels his strength, capable of performing miracles. On the other side, he is in hopeless powerlessness. Throughout his life, a person constantly fluctuates between despair and faith in himself, and this duality does not allow him to calmly endure failures. All this is the essence of the eighteenth Arcana.

Depiction

The card shows a large Moon with two dogs howling. Two towers are visible in the distance. Also on the card you can see a body of water and the crayfish.
(For a detailed depiction, analysis of the Symbols and all Elements of the Moon Tarot Card, click here)

Meaning of the card

Images and thoughts appear to you from the depths of the subconscious. You ask yourself: who am I? You are looking for harmony with the higher powers that rule this world. You have already come to the knowledge of the Truth. Only fear prevents you from crossing its threshold. But you’ve gone too far to turn back. You need to penetrate further, deeper, to reach the very essence of things, and not be limited to their superficial examination.
Compared to the Priestess (II), this card represents the lower hypostasis of the Moon, that is, a simpler, “earthly” one.
Latent forces with tremendous energy are at work around you. You may not have the strength to control them, but you can avoid their power over you. Watch your every step.
You, whether you realize it or not, have tremendous psychic powers, mostly latent, dormant. So far you have used very little of these abilities. Now is the best time to develop and learn to control them. In the future you will need them. But act wisely. Both misuse of these abilities and refusal to use them can lead you into a dangerous dead end.
Great power can be acquired, but there is also a danger that the seeker must always be aware of. Moon Tarot personifies the temptation of hidden, secret knowledge, obscured truth. The lack of complete information causes mutual misunderstandings and conflicts. This makes it difficult, if not impossible, to make correct conclusions. Make sure you are very clear on what you want to do before taking the next step. Do not forget also that the word “sleepwalking”, meaning not only this disease, but also insanity, comes from the word “Moon”, that there is a danger of madness, despair, even suicide. All of this can hinder your search for hidden knowledge and power.
Moon Tarot has a certain magnetism that attracts and dominates. It appeals to our animal nature, acts on the subconscious, on the will that does not obey rational thoughts. The only way to avoid this danger is to deliberately take control of yourself. You must resist its influence and maintain control over yourself. In a nutshell, in order to avoid the danger inherent in the Tarot Moon, you must learn to constantly use your mind, your consciousness. You will not succumb to your instincts, you will not succumb to emotions. You learn, following the Tarot path, to draw on your consciousness and develop your psychic abilities. But the time has come to put these abilities under conscious control. It is the mind that distinguishes people from animals (which, without realizing themselves, are subject to the influence of the Moon) and from inanimate elements (for example, from the sea, subject to the influence of the Moon). Now and forever, use your mind or abandon your quest. You can no longer act according to your instincts.
The card personifies the difficult path of emotional travel through fears and the pool of the soul. A person receives signs, but they are all bad and it is necessary to check their truth. He is mistaken, subject to negative influences, sees bad dreams. Reality has moved into the unconscious.
There is a clash with internal monsters, spiritual liberation through the experience of illusions. There is a risk of plunging into the maelstrom and not emerging from it. Do not forget your true goals, your path and destination.
He who seeks will always find, but the ignorant will only knock on closed doors. There is no need to go back, to look back into the past. It cannot be changed, and memories can only interfere with living in the present and building the future. The Moon indicates the path that you need to follow to the end, despite your fears and uncertainties. The road, which the questioner is now walking, must necessarily be passed, otherwise in the next life he will again stand on it.

Positive Aspects of the Card
Acceptance and awareness of reality. Sharp mind, fullness of mental strength, loneliness, visions. Romance, insecurity, blues, doubts.

Negative Aspects of the Card
Illusion and self-deception, pessiveness and confusion, anxiety and concern, secrecy and uncertainty, disappointment, chimeras, fears, poor health, hallucinations.

The Main Meanings of the Card In an Upright Position

Key Words and Phrases

Positive values
Call of the Moon. Our roots are in the animal kingdom. Events in the past define our present. A time of passivity and receptivity. Intuition. Powerful emotions. Hidden Truths. Extraordinary Abilities. Medium. Negligence. Dreams. Imagination. Fantasy. Otherworldly world. Mother. The female archetype. Change. Secret. Confusion. An overwhelming feeling. The creativity of the subconscious. Fiction. Literary creativity. Acting. Work related to illusions. Entertainment industry. Wild nature. Primordialness. Trips.

Negative values
“Lunar fantasies”. Escape from reality. Embarrassment. Deception. Fraud. Insincerity. Slander. Lie. Betrayal. Confused thoughts. Infidelity. Cunning. Fear. Indecision. Bad dreams. Fears. Failure to anticipate trouble. Nervousness. Overwhelming emotions. Disturbing images. Bad mood. Depression. Secret enemies. Unwillingness to take care of yourself. Gynecological problems. Everything is not at all what it seems.

Situation and Advice

Traditionally, the Moon warns of deception, lies, dishonesty, embarrassment, danger, self-deception and “Moon fantasies” (often what we like in the Moonlight turns out to be completely different during the day light). Some of the meanings of the Moon card are inspired by associations with the astrological sign of Pisces and with the twelfth house in the horoscope, which implies limitations and dissolution. This can also apply to the peculiarities of the psyche, spirituality and concern less fortunate people.
The Moon card indicates that you are entering a period of unstable mood and insecurity. During this period of time, you have to overcome obstacles at the level of your subconscious mind in order to be able to move on. That which was invisible or secret will become apparent. You can find a worthy use for your talents in literature, painting, acting, psychology or psychotherapy. Travel is possible, especially by water. You notice how deeply ingrained patterns of the past affect your behavior in the present. Beware of reckless behavior.
Now you should listen to your dreams, feelings, premonitions, intuition. It is very important to understand what hidden meaning lies behind the external side of events, what is hidden in the past. Perhaps you should trust your feelings more than rely on logical analysis. Now the interest in the psychological side of human life plays an important role in your life. The Moon card invites us to think about our primitive principles, rooted in the animal kingdom and in the collective unconscious. If you asked the fortuneteller if you are being deceived, the Moon card indicates that you have become a victim of misinformation or a double game. Something is happening behind the scenes, but soon it will be revealed, as, indeed, all the secret things. The Moon card says that your mother or the woman who replaces her will play a significant role in your future affairs.

Persons designated by Upright the Moon Tarot Сard

Positive values
Mother. Women. Travelers. Artists. People endowed with extraordinary mental abilities. Creative people. Writers. Poets. Oceanographers. Veterinarians. Actors. Unhappy lovers. Psychotherapists. Psychologists. Seers. Those who turn to their subconscious from time to time. Those who love animals.

Negative values
Liars. Scammers. Deceivers. The embezzlers. Impractical dreamers.

The Main Meanings of the Card In a Reversed Position

Key Words and Phrases

Positive values
Beneficial change. Clear thinking. The ability to see things as they are. An opportunity to shed light on what is happening. End of the period of uncertainty. The secret becomes apparent.

Negative values
Insanity. Misunderstanding. Escape from reality. Ambiguity. Path in the dark. Deception. Chase. Lies. Wrong perception. Wandering in the clouds. Illusions. Confusion. Uncertain fears. Health concern. Problems related to women. Primitive reactions. The dark side of the subconscious. Disturbing emotions. Ultimate motives. Doubts about yourself. Hidden fears. Dark secrets. Hazard warning. A test of loyalty.

Perhaps soon you will find out about the existence of some secret enemy or about a secret threat to your well-being. If the whole spread is negative, the Moon suggests that you can prevent theft, sabotage, underhanded intrigue, misunderstanding or abuse of alcohol or drugs. Find out how your mother is doing.

Persons designated by the Reversed the Moon Tarot Сard

Positive values
Those who are confused and cannot see events clearly.

Negative values
Emotionally unstable or mentally ill people. People who shy away or cheat. Secret enemies. Destroyers. Traitors. Liars.

In the Spreads

The card warns that adventurous projects are now irrelevant. There is a risk of losing your way. Avoid danger, think over every step. At the same time, the questioner sees good, alluring prospects in front of him, but they can be deceptive mirages. You need to be extremely careful.
Events cannot be controlled. The person does not control the situation, does not see the full picture of what is happening. Lack of information leads to rash actions and disastrous consequences.
The card speaks of implicit obstacles. It is not known how everything will turn out. There is a very high probability of making a mistake. The person is lost in the darkness, and landmarks are lost. A black streak has come in life. Perhaps it will last a month, or maybe more.
Dark energy rises to the soul of the questioner. A person walks along the edge, the unconscious takes possession of the hopes and thoughts of a person, but at the same time the questioner receives premonitions and signs from other worlds.
The Tarot card Moon personifies travel, both on earth and astral. It indicates the “dark hour of the soul”. A person wakes up from vegetation, but still on the border of two worlds, dark and light. He is depressed, but in fact, the soul is preparing for a new life, gaining strength. Dawn will soon come.
When the Moon comes across in a Tarot reading, you are able to understand your soul more deeply. The dark side of the coin is to lose yourself in fear, the risk of succumbing to illusions. The Moon in the Tarot warns that in the subconscious you are a dreamer, and are not able to defend yourself. In a negative position, most often an inverted Arcana, the Moon of the Tarot speaks of the wrong chosen path. It pushes the boundaries of new discoveries that cause fearful situations.
The Moon symbolizes the subconscious. We are talking about everything that remains hidden at first glance, that is not visible or audible. Many people are afraid of such abilities, but at the same time they are attracted to them.

In an Upright Position

The Moon card means fears and doubts, increased emotionality, frightening difficulties, the need to overcome an important obstacle in order to achieve a goal. In general, the Moon bears the imprint of twilight: guesses, half-acknowledgments, ambiguities, ulterior motives. Perhaps misunderstood words, wrong friends, ambivalent behavior, false claims, insincerity, unknown enemies. Sometimes the card predicts long journeys.
This card is associated with intuition, dreams and the manifestation of psychic abilities. If you pull out this card, pay special attention to subtle changes in your daily life, but do not be deceived by the outward manifestation of anything. Trust the messages that come to you in a dream and listen to the inner voice of your intuition. Recognize also that, like all other sentient beings, you are a force of Nature and you too have wild, unbridled inclinations. This means that you may have to acknowledge aspects of your animal nature and confront your personal demons at the same time.
In the spreads, the upright Moon can serve as one of the signs of motherhood (pregnancy), generally mean the predominance of Yin, the perceiving principle, as well as the world of illusions.
At the same time, “illusions” can also have a positive meaning. This can indicate a profession or advise to do something like cinema, television, photography, advertising. After all, the pictures we see there are also illusions. You can become a storyteller or a magician-illusionist.
The Moon Tarot card denotes everything dark and mysterious. Dark – not in the sense of dangerous, but simply hidden. Since the Moon illuminates the night, in the Tarot it brings light to the depths of the soul. The Moon is also often associated with the Hermit, as he seeks the loneliness that only night can bring. Night is the common denominator of both aspects.

When the Moon appears in a reversed position, the inquirers often neglect their ability to wonder and use their imaginations. They think they already know everything and end up having limited life experience.

In a Personal Spread

In a personal spread, it indicates developed intuition, the ability to find a common language with people, as well as occult abilities. This Arcana is also called “Twilight”: a person wanders in the twilight of his soul, not knowing where he is wandering, frightened of awakened deep instincts. But not all people find themselves at dusk by accident. Some people come here to overcome their fear of the unconscious. To understand what the appearance of this Arcana symbolizes in your personal spread, think about which type of the above you are. At the same time, this Arcana is evidence of your isolation and inability to express feelings. You are quite melancholy and tend to exaggerate your troubles and misfortunes.

In the Spreads for Different situation

In an Upright Position:
Don’t let internal turmoil and self-deception take over. Deep memories and fears must be released. Release the energy and transform it into something constructive.
The Moon Tarot card is an illusion. What you see and feel now is most likely just a trick of the light.
A position of confusion, when the inquirer seems to wander in the dark and cannot determine the direction, and even to realize what to strive for. Often, this happens under the influence of someone else’s magic, jinx, or curse.

In a Reversed Position:
The meaning of the Moon indicates that you are faced with anxiety, confusion, self-deception. Your feelings are not objective. The forces of the night, bringing confusion, begin to dissipate. The ability to manage your fears and anxiety appears.
Small troubles and mistakes overwhelm and infuriate. The disclosure of secrets and deceptions contribute to self-reflection.

In the Spreads for Relationship

In an Upright Position :
In the meaning of relationships, the Tarot card Moon shows people who have fears. Maybe it’s the fear of losing your partner or not being loved enough or accepted. Often, jealousy and desire that cannot be satisfied from the outside. Sufferers sometimes torture themselves so badly that they resort to various substances to cope with the pain. A glass of wine can certainly be seen as a kind of medicine. However, those who exaggerate this will not cast out demons, but vice versa. On the other hand, meditation brings real benefits, as well as silence, nature and reflection.
Disappointment, melancholy, false impressions of each other, falseness in the expression of feelings.
The Moon speaks of difficulties, unclear circumstances and associated fears. The situation is such that you seem to be wandering in the dark, not having a complete picture of what is happening, not feeling solid ground under your feet. There is a great temptation to follow the path of instincts, to believe in illusions. The card speaks of gossip behind the back, secret enemies, deceptions, ulterior motives, treason. In any case, the relationship is insincere and has a hidden meaning.

In a Reversed Position:
Relationships are characterized by suspiciousness, jealousy, which often turns out to be not unfounded.
As in the upright position, an inverted Moon can indicate a very emotional time in a love relationship. Take a break from each other if needed. Make no assumptions and fight honestly if you are going to conflict. Don’t ignore your intuition, it will make you more irritable, upset, and possibly anxious. Choose tactics and don’t forget to treat your partner like a friend. Take your time to end or start a relationship. Not the best time for any course of action.
Here the Moon card says that small deceptions and petty quarrels are possible. Probably, there will be a frank conversation in which it turns out that one of the partners was deceiving the other.

In the Spreads for Dates

In an Upright Position:
You enter an unexplored territory and dream of returning from there together with the owner of this territory – a person who is very different from your previous passions. Enjoy this experience, it promises to be incredibly exciting.
In a Reversed Position:
You are misleading yourself about what is really going on in your relationship.

In the Spreads for Family

In an Upright Position:
Your family works together to create an atmosphere of warmth and love in your home. Your contribution is a key component of family happiness.
In a Reversed Position:
The pain of the past still torments your family. Now is the time to move forward without looking back.

If you are facing a difficult financial situation or planning to enter into any kind of contract, get excellent professional advice before signing or making major changes in your financial life. Lack of clarity can not only affect you, but others around you can also be misled.

In the Spreads for Education

In an Upright Position:
At the moment, the most important thing in your studies is friendship with classmates. They have a positive effect on you and encourage you to be capable. The result is quite good.
In a Reversed Position:
You sleep too little, it affects your studies. Reconsider your priorities. Without proper education, you will not achieve the fullness of life that you deserve.

In the Spreads for Career

In an Upright Position:
The interpretation of the Moon card intensely illuminates professional life and the deepest fears of the future. These fears are not always rationally based. They are simply the fear of losing your livelihood, of losing control of your life. Sometimes these fears are legitimate and can be a signal to look for another job. Those who remain flexible in their reasoning of professional life do not need to worry so much and extract inner energy from themselves. There will always be opportunities.
Success in businesses that are associated with illusion, deception, esotericism and witchcraft. All other areas of activity are not in favor of the “money god”, so one should beware of lies and dishonorable acts.
Here, the Moon card means fear, uncertainty about the future, about one’s own knowledge, competence or abilities. At the same time, it is always distinguished by a note of irrationality. Even knowing that there are no objective reasons for fear, a person still continues to be afraid.

In a Reversed Position:
Financial ups and downs are possible. It is possible that the situation is in a transitional state and completely unforeseen circumstances may emerge.
Erroneous judgments, gullibility, susceptibility to other people’s manipulation do not contribute to personal growth and career success. Previously concluded agreements may fall apart, and the proposals being considered now turn out to be unreliable.
When the Moon appears in an inverted position, things unfortunately may not seem entirely clear in your work. Remain as patient and calm as possible, especially if you feel “under attack”. Let your peers and leaders benefit from any doubts. The reality may not be nearly as bad as you think. Don’t insist on major changes on the work front. The timing may not be right if you are not looking for a new position.

In the Spreads for Health

In an Upright Position:
All body problems stem from self-destructive tendencies caused by our sorrow, the anger that we repulse. All the disappointments with which we decided to compromise. Moon Tarot will not let you rest until you feel good in the emotional world. As a rule, it shows problems with the neck, heart and lungs, as we keep our sorrows and unacceptable emotions hidden inside. In order for the body to free itself from the spasm, it is necessary to allow oneself to be vulnerable, deeply wounded, and as fragile as any other person.
Mental disorders, phobias, the need to see a psychoanalyst or at least get enough sleep.
Health is very weak. Exacerbation of chronic diseases, development of mental disorders is possible.

In a Reversed Position:
This is a critical moment to follow your gut about your health problems. As in the upright position, “Moon” requires a careful look at the diagnosis. If the diagnosis (whether positive or negative) is not correct, or you do not feel comfortable with treatment, you need to get a second treatment or change your doctor. Be extremely careful with any use of “substances” (drugs and alcohol).
Diseases, but usually minor and mild.
Blues, depression, discouragement, bad habits threaten to pass into the stage of a serious illness.

In the Perspectives

You are going through an unreliable phase of life, through difficulties. You can be easily hurt. Perhaps we are talking about the last hurdle that you must overcome, or you should act wiser and choose a different path.

Listen to your intuition before acting. The light of the Moon can bring clarity and understanding.
Try to be just a witness to the situation. Do nothing, let the nature to carry you forward. This may be the best option in this situation.

Self-Development Lesson

Trust your own spontaneous feelings and the power of your intuition. Listen to the messages from your dreams.

Key Ideas

You are the only person who is able to change the way you perceive yourself and the world. Replace confusion and uncertainty with focus and clear direction.

Psychological (Personality) Meaning of the Arcana

Type of person in an upright position:
Mother; wife; mistress; a person dedicated to home, family, work, or other people.
The card shows the melancholic personality, suspicious, prone to fears and unnecessary worries. The person designated by this card has a penchant for vices, especially drunkenness. Sometimes it’s a person with paranormal abilities. Clairvoyant, medium, telepath.

Type of person in an reversed position:
Stepmother; neurotic; a person who is especially sensitive to himself; a person who is unable to understand himself.
Means a person who is characterized by a complete lack of shame and conscience. Has the ability to adapt to any situation. Not a very good manipulator, he does not have enough patience for this, nor the ability to calculate the situation. He uses not so much the people as the available situation, without thinking about how this will affect those around him, what suffering and losses they will suffer.

Psychological significance of the Arcana:

You may have thoughts and images coming from the depths of your subconscious. Do not be afraid of them. They will help you answer the questions that have long tormented you: who are you?; where are you going from and where?; what do you have to do to be happy?. And this will give you the opportunity to feel harmony and interconnection with the Higher Forces that govern the world. You will come closer to knowing the truth, and only your own fear can prevent you on the way to it. Deny it and open the doors to your subconscious. You’ve come a long way and it’s not worth going back. Now you can move only forward and deeper in order to get to the essence of all things. But remember that you cannot limit yourself to just superficial examination of them.
In divination, if the Moon Tarot card refers to a person, it is someone who is the victim of longing. This can be temporary or permanent, depending on where the card appears and what question was asked. Arcana makes you feel alive when for others a person, often a man, seems too sentimental or obsessed.

Final Advice of Arcana

In an Upright Position:
Do not overestimate your capabilities. Look for a way out of the current problem, ask for help, do not be afraid to express doubts. Try to decipher a dream seen as it may turn out to be prophetic.
You should calm down and calmly think about what are your heart desires, and how you will achieve them. You have only to believe in yourself and take the steps. You will succeed!
In a Reversed Position:
Do not think for the future, now is not the best time for this.
It is necessary in any way to break off interfering ties, tangled relationships. You should do this even if in the eyes of others you will look shameless and ungrateful.

Conclusion

The Moon card introduces us to the mysterious kingdom of Darkness and Night, to the figurative world of the soul, to the world of our dreams, aspirations and revelations. The bright side of the Moon is about romantic dreams, vivid imagination and artistic fantasy. However, this card also has a dark side, which opens the way to the very depths of the soul: it is fear, uncertainty, nightmares, gloomy omens, in general a prejudice before everything unknown, invisible. We feel a similar fear when wandering at night through the dark forest, which seemed so safe to us during the day. The darkness obscuring the path taught us to be afraid. It can also be fear of the terrible demons of antiquity, which have acquired a new name in our time: bacteria, viruses, millirems, becquerels, gas pollution, acid rain.

Discover other Major Arcana: