Notes on: The Sun and The Moon

I thought of writing of these two cards together because they are a natural pair, and it is perhaps easier to understand either one in light (pun intended) of the other. These two luminary bodies show us different faces of enlightenment or illumination.

The Sun, Druidcraft Tarot

The Sun (Card XIX) shows us the world by the clear light of day. Everything is easily seen, easily understood. Things are what they seem, and emotionally the atmosphere is one of warmth and trust. It's a very straightforward card. The traditional image usually shows a child, which symbolizes the freedom, innocence, and openness of this card. The child also harks back to ancient sun gods, as he is often shown riding a horse, which has long been associated with solar deities in Europe.

The Moon, Golden Tarot

The Moon (Card XVIII) is rather more complicated. The moon--speaking of the celestial body now--does not have its own light, but reflects that of the sun, and as a result the light is dimmer and more diffuse. Similarly, The Moon card depicts a world that is only softly illuminated. Things aren't so clear; familiar objects cast distorted shadows and take on the shape of monsters. Wild animals are on the prowl. The Moon also represents knowledge that comes to us through invisible, intangible channels--such as dreams and intuition. Frequently with this kind of knowledge, there is confusion about whether it is "true" or "just imagination." The Moon reminds us that there are many shades of grey in between! Yet this kind of enlightenment can still be very powerful: the moon pulls the tides, as well as the tides within our own bodies, and calls the wolves and dogs to serenade her.

Indeed, the moon is perhaps all the more powerful because her effect is not obvious. When receiving this card, it may simply indicate that a situation is unclear; but its own meaning can be unclear too. Sometimes the task is to figure out whether the card is telling you you're seeing monsters where there are none, or that you should find insight in your intuition.