Bohemian Gothic-The Moon

Thirteen

This has to be my favorite card in the deck. A Diana-like woman (spirit? elemental?), with a Diana-like crescent moon in her hair stands majestically and coolly in the foreground, the power of the moon made manifest on Earth. In the background is a Mediterranean style villa with a crescent moon above it. The villa is reflected in what looks to be the ocean waters of an inlet bay. There is a young man playing pipes (?) on a ledge above the crashing waves (I think...).

Dressed in beautiful violet and blue-paisley robes, our "Diana" seems to be listening to both the plaintive playing of that night musician, and the harmonizing howl of the wolf--undoubtedly her wolf--at her side. The white wolf has a subtle, but distinctive red stain coming down from the mouth, so we know that it has recently hunted and killed. We are reminded that Diana, the Moon goddess, is also goddess of the hunt.

I LOVE this card and the way it plays on the traditional Moon. There is the howling wolf/dog of the traditional card, only there's no question that this one isn't tame. This wolf is wild and dangerous and deadly. So we get that savage aspect of the Moon card. There is the crashing sea, with its moon-influenced tidal forces and deep emotions, same as in the traditional card. There is the mirrored image in the waters, suggesting illusions and deceptions and reflections. There is the Villa, which does homage with its twin towers to the two towers in the traditional card, suggesting the safety of civilization--if you can reach it. And if you don't go for the illusion in the water and drown rather than the real thing.

Everything in the usual Moon card is there with added tweaks. And then there are extras. The cool, Moon Goddess coming out of the forest, the man in on the cliff edge, who could fall victim to her in any of her forms (sea, wolf, woman). As if this isn't enough, the whole image is also a clever play on a Grecian pastoral. It looks very much like those old paintings, but we know that in this pastoral world there are wolves preying on the sheep and it's all too easy to drown in those reflective waters. The moon may be quiet and beautiful, but almost every scary creature or scene in this deck is being watched over by the moon.
 

Surja76

There is Old legend. Once upon a time there were forest Gods were suffered of Wolf's robbery and lawlessness. Forest Gods have complained to the Supreme God, and asked Him for protection from wolves. Supreme God tried to agree Wolves first. But Wolves' Chief told they would not stop to kill animals and they were going to make their power even stronger.
Supreme God has become anger and have punished this Wolves' Chief. God made Moon road and placed this Wolf on it and was sent to the Moon surface, separated him from his group forever.
The God forced this Wolf to eat not MATERIAL, PHYSICAL BODY but the LIFELESS SPIRIT OF THE MOON.
Since the peace in the forest has been established but every night all wolves howl on the Moon greeting their Chief.
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This card reminded me one Movie with Michelle Pfeiffer I saw in my childhood. I do not remember its Movie name. But you should know it. The girl and her boyfriend were turned to wolves in order they could be Humans only at night. They suffered because in they morning they have to become animals again.

The same feeling in this card. It is Moon, it is fatal feeling which cannot be mutual because of certain circumstances.

There is the wolf behind Girl's back. She is Werewolf. She came out of forest in order to meet HIM. She has a feeling he is here. He is on the Moon. Moon is on girl's head and the same Moon in the Sky. She recognized him. Shine of the Moon reflects in Her Soul. You can see reflection of towers in the river.

She joined him with feeling and love (2 rings in the long hear). Charming play of the minstrel led her to him. Minstrel is sitting of the green Cup = Ace of Cups. it is spiritual connection with Moon. His song fulfilled her with feeling of love and sadness at the same time, because she knows that this meeting is only for night. But this meeting will give her forces to live to the next night.

2 trees = 2 of wand. It will be difficult meeting because Moon in the Sky is to far to reach. It is illusion of meeting. She is too small in comperison of with infinity of the world she can not influence on. It is powerless in the face of the severe validity and circumstances. Morning comes. She turned her face to it. It is time to leave. it is time to become wolf again and come back to the forest.
White wolf is howling last time to the Morning Sun. it is painful Wolf's melancholy and sorrow that something was lost.
 

Thirteen

Surja76 said:
This card reminded me one Movie with Michelle Pfeiffer I saw in my childhood. I do not remember its Movie name. But you should know it. The girl and her boyfriend were turned to wolves in order they could be Humans only at night. They suffered because in they morning they have to become animals again.
The Movie is called Lady Hawk.

The lovers are under a curse, one where the man becomes a wolf at night, and the woman becomes a hawk during the day. So they only get a brief chance to be together at sunrise and twilight where, for a split second, they're both human. During the day, the man rides with his "lady Hawk" and during the night the woman roams with her wolf.

And yes, there is certainly something plaintive and sad about the wolf's howling, whether it's howling for it's chief on the moon, or howling because it must be a wolf during the night, and this is the only way that it can ever be with its lady.
 

Surja76

Thirteen said:
The Movie is called Lady Hawk.

The lovers are under a curse, one where the man becomes a wolf at night, and the woman becomes a hawk during the day. So they only get a brief chance to be together at sunrise and twilight where, for a split second, they're both human. During the day, the man rides with his "lady Hawk" and during the night the woman roams with her wolf.

And yes, there is certainly something plaintive and sad about the wolf's howling, whether it's howling for it's chief on the moon, or howling because it must be a wolf during the night, and this is the only way that it can ever be with its lady.

YESSSS :) Thank you!! Details are forgotten! :(

You are right your understanding is better. Really this is their night meeting - Wolf and lady.
May be she protected him from Morning light (he is behind her back), she wants to draw out some moments from the Sun to be with him longer.
 

Surja76

how I see this card in reading

The Moon gives a coolness in the relationship. It gives us shines but not warmness. It can illuminate your path but if it is right path, of feelings and emotions. If you go on the path of Mysticism, Mantica, poetry, the moon may lead you to the righteous path of learning and success. You can find a soul mate among the people of creative Bohemia. It is a symbol of poets, painters, artists.
But In love, I think this card can represent deception and self-deception, when your partner is only seemed to be loved by you, or you are just seemed to be loved by your partner, it is illusion of love. You seemed to find the right person who reflects your inner world but in reality this person is not the same you imagined before, he made you fooled or these relationships are under some outer circumstances you can not influence on. You feel longing and disappointment becasue of this. You can love this man, being addicted to him/her, but you can not touch him/her or talk to, call to. They feel an attraction to each other, but relations can not be long time or there is something hidden in them.
The Moon is the symbol of Death, perhaps the person you love is dead and you have only bitter memories of him, or he just mentally died for you soul or in your heart and the only pain made by him is left.
Moon is a symbol of femininity and its changing nature of her mood that can be a dreamy joy, or melancholical, whimsical.
 

Thirteen

Surja76 said:
If you go on the path of Mysticism, Mantica, poetry, the moon may lead you to the righteous path of learning and success. You can find a soul mate among the people of creative Bohemia. It is a symbol of poets, painters, artists. But In love, I think this card can represent deception and self-deception
Agreed. Which is why I brought up the man in the background there. I know you see the love affair between woman and wolf, and I think that's as valid a story as any for this card. The wolf certainly may have been or may still be the woman's lover. I, however, think the woman is too cool to be that involved with the wolf. She seems more like Diana-the-Huntress. Who is also The Moon Goddess and, sometimes, Hecate, the Goddess of ghosts and the cross-roads (the most mystical aspect of the Moon).

I'm not sure, but I think the man in the background is playing pipes. Which fits with the idea of artists and poets who follow the path of the Moon. It also echos our howling wolf. Man and wolf are similar in that they can both sing to the moon, yet even as the Moon listens to their song, she remains unmoved.

As you say, the Moon offers no warmth, and so falling in love with it is dangerous. The reflection of the villa in the water reminds us that the Moon is all about illusions and deception. Also drowning in emotions.

I think this card is terrific in presenting all the traditional elements of the usual Moon card, and yet going even farther with it.
 

baba-prague

I'll just add that for us, the figure playing the pipes in the background is Pan - who of course is the source of the word "panic" - it suggests panic attacks, anxiety, and mental disturbance. Although Pan is also, of course, the God of a kind of wild exhilaration and freedom. Pan once seduced Selene, the Moon Goddess:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_(mythology)

I should probably say that the way the pipes are depicted is not typical for Pan (the pipes are more usually panpipes) but still, this figure is, to me, Pan - though we must all find our own interpretations. On a personal note, I was very influenced as a child by the "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" chapter of the Wind in the Willows, which is the first book I ever read on my own. So Pan is part of my own personal mythology.
 

Surja76

baba-prague said:
I'll just add that for us, the figure playing the pipes in the background is Pan - who of course is the source of the word "panic" - it suggests panic attacks, anxiety, and mental disturbance. Although Pan is also, of course, the God of a kind of wild exhilaration and freedom. Pan once seduced Selene, the Moon Goddess:


Yes very good addition, thank you. Right, it is Pan.

I have thought about statement - to pay a pipe = to play upon one's feelings.
 

Thirteen

Brilliant!

baba-prague said:
I'll just add that for us, the figure playing the pipes in the background is Pan - who of course is the source of the word "panic" - it suggests panic attacks, anxiety, and mental disturbance.
Nice! Also the word for "pasture" and, therefore, "pastoral" like your image there. And Pan relates to the forest. Thus we have Pan, Wolf and Diana as forest deities in this image suggesting nights of wild hunts, prey and predator on all levels, including the hunt for sex, love, and death.

I also like that Pan's wild, lustful side (sex) harmonizes with the feral side of the wolf (death). There are many ways that one can go wild under the moon, and the two are a marvelous contrast to the seemingly cool control of the woman and the peaceful villa. We get most clearly the suggestion that beneath the surface--right behind us, or below the waist in Pan's case--are raw, animal inclinations. This is suggested, as well, by the ocean inlet as well which is calm seeming, but on the edges is breaking waves.

It reminds me of that idea: that civilized people will do the most uncivilized things by the light of the moon. What they'd never do during the day, from wild affairs to murder, they'll do at night with only the moon to witness it.

All your cards have wonderful layers, but I think you outdid yourself with this one. :thumbsup:
 

Surja76

Thirteen said:
I also like that Pan's wild, lustful side (sex) harmonizes with the feral side of the wolf (death). There are many ways that one can go wild under the moon, and the two are a marvelous contrast to the seemingly cool control of the woman and the peaceful villa. We get most clearly the suggestion that beneath the surface--right behind us, or below the waist in Pan's case--are raw, animal inclinations. This is suggested, as well, by the ocean inlet as well which is calm seeming, but on the edges is breaking waves.

It reminds me of that idea: that civilized people will do the most uncivilized things by the light of the moon. What they'd never do during the day, from wild affairs to murder, they'll do at night with only the moon to witness it.

All your cards have wonderful layers, but I think you outdid yourself with this one. :thumbsup:

WAW so wonderful words !!! Thirteen, I have just sank in this card after your explanation. Very deep.

Agree with you GREAT CARD!