The Moon
from the Ecliptic Tarot by Bob & Koneta Bailey
The Moon, throughout the ages has been described as a mysterious lady that can evoke a myriad of emotions ranging from inspired awe to emotional overload, instability, and even psychosis. Most of us, having experienced these effects in one form or another, would likely fall somewhere in the middle of these extremes.
Even at its fullest and brightest, the illumination from the Moon on a clear night hides as much as it reveals. This, I believe is the reason more than any other, when the Moon card shows up in a reading, it is often looked upon as a card of distrust, deception, illusion, confusion, and bewilderment. Whereas I, depending on where it’s located in a spread and the question at hand, will see the Moon card more in the realm of intuition, psychic abilities, subconscious exploration, and instinctive behavior. Try shifting the focus from what may lie unseen in the shadows, to what you can see and explore, even though the lighting is a bit murky.
For many, The Moon represents things hidden from view – those things that are in the shadowy areas that make us feel vulnerable and frightened. This may seem all the more unsettling during an eclipse. As you watch the shadow of the earth moving across the moon’s surface, it is understandable how the mythical stories and other explanations ancient man came up with to describe what must have seemed like magic in the heavens. A God or Goddess must certainly be sending a profound message and lesson for the mere mortals below to witness and fear.