The Esoteric Symbology of the Tarot Tarot: The Moon By Gary Shook The Fool's next step up in brightness is the Moon. The full moon in the night sky brings a much stronger radiance than did the Star. The light of this card is still merely foreshadows the brilliance to come for its light is a mere reflection of a greater source. The Moon's symbolism has always been linked to water and the unconscious because it controls the rise and fall of the tides. Because of this the Moon's power manifests itself in humans' psyches. The Fool's journey now returns to the inner spaces of the self and the psyche. But rather than the decent into the abyss of hell, this journey takes him up towards the ever increasing light. While his journey down was perilous, the ascent is no less so, though the dangers that surround him are better known. One small misstep could lead to ruin from the two beasts ready to pull him from the path. Here the crayfish is the Fool, ascending from the inner depths into the material world once again. The crayfish also symbolizes Cancer, the only zodiacal sign ruled by the Moon. But as the Fool has changed, so too has the world. What was once known and mastered in the Emperor card is now strange and new. Even the beasts set to tear him from his destiny are actually the same forces that guided him here; and even in their negative aspects they still show the path upward. One of the traditional meanings of the card, hidden dangers revealed when looked for, is certainly appropriate. This card is often associated with initiations. As an initiation is a rebirth, the Moon card depicts the Fool's rebirth from the inner planes back into the world of matter. If he can survive this birth, he will arrive a new being into the glory of the Sun. Symbolism Crayfish: The crayfish represents the Fool who now controls the powers of the Moon. Pool and Blue Background: the psyche, the subconscious self, night and shadows, obscurity and the dream state. Moon: reflection of the true light of the divine. Beasts: negative aspects of the guides that led the Fool here. Even what he saw as most positive before his dark night of the soul now manifests as evils that could pull him back from his true path. Yet even in their negative aspects they still show the path forward. Towers: duality once again framing the path upward to perfection. Rain: Fifteen Yods (Hebrew characters) represent the rain. Fifteen numerologically adds to six (15 = 1+5 = 6). Six is a number of perfection, often associated with God union. There they lie between the two towers, almost as a curtain. They represent bringing the two halves of the duality back into one and thus back into perfection. By passing through this final barrier the Fool will emerge into the material world with the powers of the divine. This God union is of the god within us all, the bringing forth of the divine spark into its fullness.
This is part of a series on the esoteric symbology of the Rider-Waite tarot deck.
Dr. Waite spoke not in words, but in hidden symbols. Symbols are truly the universal language expressing ideas in a way that, with study and contemplation, all can understand. But this understanding may not be the same for everyone who seeks it. While symbols do speak to all that will listen, they may say different things to different people. To truly understand the archetypal symbology of the Tarot, you must listen to a chorus of voices, not just one. Read as many different explanations as you can on the Tarot, and then the true meanings of the symbols will naturally come to you from within. | 
