Tarot Card of the Day - November 5, 2016
from: The Witches Tarot by Ellen Cannon Reed
©Llewellyn Publications
Date: November 5. 2016
Today's Tarot Card: The Moon
"The Sun, Moon and Stars are there to guide us."
~Dennis Banks
Of all the cards in the tarot deck, I have to say that The Moon is one of my favorite cards - after The High Priestess. The moon resonates with me on both a spiritual and cosmological level, encompassing so much more than I think it had originally intended. It evokes emotions deep within my soul, my connection to the Goddess as well as the Universe. It reminds me that we are all interconnected.
While some definitions for the Moon tend to attribute the card to lunacy, for lack of coherent thought, confusion and "out of touch", for having nightmares and disjointed thought processes, I find that these meanings often put the Moon card in a poor light. When seeing the card in such a view, we might miss the beauty and wonder of the lesson that the card can truly teach. In the Rider Waite Smith (RWS) deck - and other RWS inspired decks - the card typically depicts a dog and a wolf (or coyote) baying at the full moon, positioned two pillars. In the foreground, you can see a lobster crawling out of the water, heading towards the path ahead. These symbols refer to the different aspects of the human psyche and consciousness. The water connects to our emotions as well as our psychic "voice", speaking to us on a deep, soulful level. The pillars are the same pillars we see in The High Priestess card - Boaz and Jachin - and hinted at in The Chariot card. These structures are found in the story about Hercules, in Masonic art, and are believed to have stood guard at King Solomon's Temple. Esoterically, these pillarsare seen as the entrance to the unknown, to the unconscious and subconscious, the "Mysteries". The dog and wolf (or coyote) are representative of our animal instincts, those base reactions when we feel confused or threatened or afraid. The moon is a source of light - note it is full, not "dark" or crescent - which hints to us that it is trying to show us the way, trying to give us the answers we seek, if only we quiet ourselves to listen.
The Moon card is a Major Arcana card, number 18. In numerology, it equates to 9 (1+8=9) as well as 18. This would make The Hermit - card number 9 - it's "shadow" card. (The "shadow card" is a card that represents the hidden or unknown aspects of self; the "dark" side of self; the side of self one denies or projects onto others.) Nines are about universal influences, completion, growth and challenges, compassion and idealism. It is 3x3 (=9) so it is sometimes seen associated with Goddess energy. The number 9 is also connected to Neptune, which, in Astrology, rules the 12th House and is connected to the sign of Pisces. This connection between Tarot and Astrology seems ever present, and the understanding of this card becomes clearer. When the card shows up in a reading, its a time to pay attention to your intuition, allow your "gut feelings" to guide you, and even pay attention to those dreams for insight to daytime issues and or concerns. The moon is also connected to the Goddess beliefs, so this may also allude to turning to your spiritual beliefs/practices as a source of guidance.
