XVIII - The Moon. The shadow of self.

 The Moon is one of cards that is seen as ill-omened. That when  it turns up in a reading it can signify a period of difficulty. But like many of the so-called ill omened cards it is simply a matter of perspective and taking the correct attitude to the matters at hand.
    The Moon card has links to other Major Arcana. It is related to The Sun card and is viewed as its polar opposite. This may in fact be where a great deal of the mis-interpretation of the card comes into play. The Sun card is such a positive card, that one must think that the Moon card must necessarily be negative. The Sun card is about the inner child, whereas the Moon card is about another psychical construct....the Shadow.
      Carl Jung defined the shadow as the sum total of all that we do not wish to admit to within the psyche. This can be repressed elements or behaviours, attitudes or viewpoints. They do not necessarily need to be negative, but they often are. At worst, these elements given enough psychic power can fragment and cause a schizophrenic break. The psyche will often wall off these elements in order to preserve a level of functionality within the individual. For example if a society has a diminished view of sexuality, then sexual urges naturally become repressed within the normative individual. This gives the shadow aspect of the personality a portion of power which would normally have been reserved for healthy sexual function. If this reservoir of power exceeds a certain level, then the psyche attempts to vent this energy and this occurs in a way that is partitioned off from functioning consciousness so as to preserve a cohesive personality. If such a person encounters a situation, person or event that triggers a recognition of this repressed element within the psyche then they will often respond with revulsion or disgust.
       The card itself has a lot of interesting symbolism involved in it. The actual moon disk has a face upon it which has its eye's closed either in sleep or in pensive thought. There are rays springing forth from the disk, as the sun's light reflects from it. The disk itself is arranged as though you can see the moon in its phases, with a crescent, a half and a full moon. This links the card to sleep, dreams and semi-awareness. The darkness of the backdrop dictates that the card is set at night (you may think this obvious, but the moon is many times visible during the day).  Falling from the moon are fifteen yods (symbols of fiery fragments of the psyche) which look a little like tears falling upon the earth.
        To the side of the card we see two stone towers forming a portal or a pass between them. These towers can be seen on the Death card and represent the gateway to realms beyond. In the Death card, you can see a sunrise in the background, but here you only see a pathway going deep into the purple mountains of the backdrop. This shows that dream and sleep and the states in between are a gateway to areas of deeper darkness and mystery. The towers themselves are man made constructs and represent the limit of our understand of this realm and that the pathway leads past them. These towers have a single window in each, facing back towards the viewer. Passing into the realm of sleep requires we move past what is understood and the limited perspectives humanity currently has in these realms.
      In the middle of the card a wolf and a dog sit either side of the pathway. They represent the animal aspects our nature, on one side the domesticated dog and on the other the wild wolf. They show how close these aspects are to one another and the danger that lies on the path to the unconscious. We have our civilised instincts and our wilder instincts with us and on either side of the path we walk. The dog howls at the moon, showing that it is simply a wolf with a veneer of civility.
      At the base of the card, there is a crustacean crawling out from the depths of the water and beginning on the path. The water represents our emotions, our moods and how they are influenced by the moon and the tides and little consciousness we have of this.
     This card represents the perilous journey into the unconscious, from humble beginnings and through many great dangers. It shows the dangers our subconscious represents, the elements we keep hidden or lie just beneath the surface. It has a negative aspect only in that it without a knowledge of this realm, we are doomed to fall prey to its dangers. Only by taking the pathway with all its inherent dangers do we have any chance of reaching the light hidden by the moon.
    The pathway through the realms of the shadow are indeed difficult and are only really open to those who have tread the roads before this. They are incomprehensible and repugnant to those who are unwilling to face their own hidden aspects.
    There is a great deal to be seen in facing ones own shadow. It is a road I have walked and will continue to walk as difficult and unpleasant as it appears to be at points. It is the only way to liberate the aspects of ourselves and the powers that have fallen into the depths of the unconscious.
   When this card is drawn, it means it is a time to look deep within to find the parts of us that we wish to disown. The darkness that lies within us all and shows us that the line between the civilised dog and the wild wolf is not very great at all and without understanding what we are, there is no hope for our individuation. We must taken this primitive aspect of ourselves (represented by the crustacean) and take it to the light at the far end of the pathway. The fact that there is no light immediately obvious at the end of the pathway further indicates that this is not a simple task.
     This card for me talks of the difficult work that must be undertaken in order to make any real progress on the path. I had hoped to bring forth some examples of my own shadow aspects which I am currently working on, but like the card they are still shrouded in darkness and at best I am only semi-aware of them...I am still walking the path to bring them to light. They struggle to remain hidden and there is a part of me that doesn't wish to see them brought to light, even though I know it is for my benefit.