Upright Meaning
When The Moon is drawn in a reading, it often points to a time when we feel a sense of powerful intuition; we may feel more connected, on a profound level, with the spiritual nature of the world around us, and we may even be experiencing strange dreams. The Moon advises us to resist fighting these feelings or allowing ourselves to be anxious about them.
The twin stone pillars depicted in the card can be interpreted as reflecting those that are to either side of The High Priestess. Here, however, we see them from a different vantage point; from behind the veil. The controlled introspection of The High Priestess has given way, in the form of The Moon, to the excitability of the inner self. The Moon counsels us to not fear this, but be open to the wonderful opportunities that can arise, like the crayfish, as a result.
Reversed Meaning
The Moon reversed usually means that we are fighting the feelings that it engenders in its upright position. Perhaps, although we recognize the urge to withdraw for a time to contemplate, or simply be alone with ourselves, we fear too much what may come crawling out of the pool. Traditionally, the moon is linked to madness or, in the case of the werewolf, the overturning of our rational selves by our animal natures. The Moon reversed, then, can also point to a fear of insanity, and a deep unease regarding our inner selves. This card assures us, though, that The Moon’s light is a gentle one; that the waters will settle and the road back to the world remains open to us.
Like The Star, The Moon illuminates the darkness. And by shining its light on some of our deepest fears and anxieties, we can begin the process of transforming them.
