The Light Cast by the Blood Moon

 

By Beth Allen

The moon conjures mysteries that swirl in our heads and are felt in our bones.

A full moon is timeless in her ability to inspire, whether it’s poetry or fear.

Under her watchful gaze wolves howl, lovers woo, witches draw down her energy, and lunatics go mad.

Whether new, waxing, full, or waning, all of the moon’s phases are important. A woman’s monthly cycle follows hers and she acts as calendar and navigator, marking the times to plant, harvest, and travel.

There’s nothing so powerful and strong as her pull — the waves rise to greet her, the earth yields to her —and we dream under her soft illumination as the faeries dance. 

For tarot readers the moon symbolizes the subconscious; a paradox between what is hidden and what is visible, what is illusion and what is real. Intuition is piqued as we feel our way in darkness.

March 3 will be the only blood moon this year. The blood moon, or lunar eclipse, is a full moon that brings a rare and different energy into the mix. Feared by some cultures, seen to be in need of healing by others, at the blood moon the night sky unveils a red orb that recharges the atmosphere and opens us up for deep shadow work.

The Blood Moon Tarot brings potent magic, not just at a blood moon, but anytime. Aptly named, the deck provides us with the opportunity to explore what’s difficult to see.

Every artist puts their emotions and memories into their creations without the expectation, but perhaps with the hope, that their experiences will resonate with others.

In these cards we walk into a world that deck creator Sam Guay remembers from his childhood in New England, a world he still sees in his dreams and, in some cases, the fears he faces in his nightmares.

Lush greenery surrounds us, ripe fruit and honey sustain us, thorns and claws protect or constrict, and moths take flight while snakes shed their skin to transform.

Although deeply personal, Guay’s vibrant watercolor images strike a universal chord. My experience reading with this deck is not what I expected. Although at first the illustrations seem intense, I find the messages to be gentle and comforting, with a beautifully written hardcover guidebook full of wisdom.

The suits are renamed: Dreams (Swords), Songs (Cups), Skins (Wands), and Honey (Pentacles).

These changes feel easy and organic, each suit embodies its own element of air, water, fire, or earth. The Skins suit features snakes, so please consider this if images of snakes bother you.

The Six of Dreams (Swords) or “Aid” shows a sorrowful woman cradled in large hands above water. “All the tears of pain and grief formed a river, carrying me away from the source of my wounds.”

The Ace of Songs (Cups) or “Emotion” shows a heron amid shells and flowers “where lilies unfurl, glinting, catching tears and laughter in their petals. This is where the heron wades deep, and I wade deeper still into the endless song.”

The Knight of Skins (Wands) or “Expansion” is a person holding two small burning branches. “In their hands, twigs burst into flames and in their steps a simple dance became much more exciting.”

In the Eight of Honey (Pentacles) or “Discipline” an herbalist stands under a tree. “I walked with the herbalist through the fields where she told me the names of each flower, root and leaf. She knew not just the names, but their spirits and purposes…” 

Published by U.S. Games Systems, the borderless cards are a bit taller but the same width as standard-size, with a matte linen card stock and muted burgundy edging. The card stock is perfect for an easy riffle shuffle. There’s diversity in age, color, and gender identification.

In the Blood Moon Tarot we feel our moods reflected in nature as the moon’s light shifts and changes. Like the blood moon herself, this deck allows what is true and what is imagined to be revealed under her strange light.