Moon Snippets
Musings on the Buck Moon in Capricorn
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Today’s post was inspired by a desire to pay tribute to both my favorite celestial orb and favorite Tarot card, THE MOON. What follows is a mixture of passages from the works of Tarot scholars and esoteric writers interspersed with some fun pop culture references. All featured Substack articles are hyperlinked so you can click/tap the image for the full article. I hope you enjoy!
“Many people believe that the phases of the moon have profound effects on human behavior, and historically the moon has been linked to madness and recklessness. In a creative context, this interpretation could be a prompt to get a bit weird and wild, to make creative choices that feel ‘crazy’ or mysterious, to let the light of the moon transform and shape-shift your heart.”
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, Tarot for Creativity: A Guide for Igniting Your Creative Practice (Chronicle Books, 2024)
LUNAR SUPERSTITIONS
“The time of the full moon is said to bring about prophetic dreams, especially if you sleep in the moon’s rays.
“It is said to be unlucky to point directly at the moon, but blowing her a kiss will bring good fortune your way.
“Seeing the full moon swathed in mist is a sign of trouble to come, which can be alleviated by saying ‘Mother Moon in the mist, blink clear your eye and send no sorrow to my loved ones and I’.
“Spotting the moon over your shoulder is bad luck. You should turn around and face the moon directly, giving her a nod, to turn the bad luck away.
“Brushing your hair in moonlight is said to enhance your allure.”
- Marie Bruce, Moon Magic: Lunar Spells to Attract an Enchanted Life (Arcturus, 2024)
“The combination of formal religion and astrology continues to coexist in harmony for many Appalachian people. They have strong ties to a cosmology that guides numerous daily and seasonal activities. Old-time Appalachian Christians I have known find no contradiction in planting by the signs, planning by the moon, and faithfully attending church.”
- Gerald C. Milnes, Signs, Cures & Witchery: German Appalachian Folklore (University of Tennessee Press, 2007)
Kevin Malone’s perfect Valentine’s Day?
“The Moon may show up over and over again for people who have been trained not to trust themselves. If you’re getting this card a lot and it’s getting frustrating, don’t despair. You are not intentionally blocking out your subconscious or intuition. You just have to dig deeper into that shadow self to get there and allow The Moon to guide you along the way.”
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, Queering the Tarot (Weiser Books, 2019)
What
describes above reminds me of the tension we see in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) between emotional mind and rational mind, the balance of which is called Wise Mind. Click/tap the quote above to experience Marcy’s journaling session!Jimmy Stewart does youthful optimism. I love this scene!
“I like creating a sigil corresponding with the moon phase of my natal chart, a waning gibbous. If you’re connected to moon energy or work your magic by moon phases like Granny did when planting vegetables, this might be something you want to incorporate as well.”
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, Ancestral Tarot: Uncover Your Past and Chart Your Future (Weiser Books, 2021)
“This secretive moon is the gloomy wreckage of a long-dead planet, pummeled by fragments of space debris.
“It is little wonder the moon expresses a mixed character in the tarot tradition.”
- Matt Stansberry, Rust Belt Arcana: Tarot and Natural History in the Exurban Wilds (Belt Publishing, 2018)
'“We meet the Moon bewildered, ignorant, and faith is tested by fear, and desire runs wild. All these intelligences converge toward the Moon illuminating a path toward purpose, a single point of focus that opens a vista of awareness and possibility that is divine and flesh in its fulfillment. Night restores day, death replenishes life.”
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, Red Tarot: A Decolonial Guide to Divinatory Literacy (North Atlantic Books, 2024)Here’s an original Tarot spread “for the road”:
Margare Estelle’s Full Moon Proximal Tarot Spread
Shuffle a deck that contains a favorite Moon card. Turn over the cards, one by one, until you reach the Moon. The card immediately preceding the Moon is Position 1, the Moon is Position 2, and the card immediately following the Moon is Position 3.
What is the overall feeling of my last-minute preparations for the Buck Moon in Capricorn?
In what ways am I invited to enjoy the Moon’s fullness?
What lessons or revelations will I take with me as the Moon recedes once more?
Please ♡Heart♡, Restack, Comment, Subscribe, or Leave a Tip! No amount is too small, and every penny goes toward sustaining my Tarot offerings. —Margaret Estelle ♡♡♡
Blowing a kiss to the moon ❤️
Thanks for quoting Tarot for Creativity! Over the moon (XD) to be referenced in the company of other great writers!