The Moon: Why Pisces?

The Moon & Pisces, one way to understand this association: Part I

In a recent discussion of the Moon, it was noted (by me) that the astrological sign for the card, in most modern decks, is Pisces. This caused the usual confusion. I say usual, because it's not uncommon for readers of all levels to feel confused over the Moon card being given Pisces (ruled by Neptune) rather than the moon (planet—given to the High Priestess) or the sign of Cancer (ruled by the moon—given to the Chariot). I decided to do some digging. The answer to why the Moon card was given Pisces is due to a slightly complicated explanation involving hebrew letters. There are, however, ways to view the Moon card so as to make the association less strange. Let's start with the Moon and how we tend to view the both the planetary body and the card. When I say "The Moon" a full moon or crescent moon likely pops to mind. This is actually the type of moon you should associate with the HPS, because she stands for the triple goddess: waxing maiden goddess (Diana), the full moon (big with child) mother goddess (pregnant Isis), and the mysterious crone (Hecate—what lies behind the curtain behind her).

There is, however, a fourth phase of the moon: the dark moon. In myth, the dark is sometimes associated with the Crone (Hecate), but can often indicate that the triple goddess has "died." In the story of the goddess Innana, she is killed and lies dead for three days. Then she is resurrected. This, many myths hold, is what happens to the moon goddess every month. She either dies or goes to sleep. Essentially, the dark moon is a moon that isn't there. It's vanished. And this is what the card's name really should be. Not "moon" but dark moon. Or just "nighttime." But really, who is going to get rid of that perfect celestial trio: Star, Moon, Sun—and replace it with Star, Night, Sun?

And to be fair, it's hard to keep from thinking of the Moon as beautiful and bright when so many deck creators give the Moon card that image. I don't blame them, it's the one I'd want on a card as well. But it we have to try and remember that the HPS is, presumably, the moon "goddess" by which people hunt and harvest. The Moon card isn't supposed to be viewed that way. Let's go on to Part II.

Part II

Our ancestors were more in tune with this idea of the moon representing "nighttime" rather than "fun time." There were no electric lights to allow them a night out on the town, a chance to enjoy a romantic, moonlit evening. In fact, when the moon rose it often meant predators were out and about--like wolves and tiger and hyenas. As in the story of Pyramus and Thisbe, lovers meeting under the moon were likely to be attacked by a wild animal. And the dark moon was the most mysterious and unknown time of all. It was tricky and uncertain, filled with magic and the supernatural. In a time before electric lights, the dark of the moon was the darkest night, when things are primal, wild and strange.

Now the moon is already connected to water and emotions. The visible moon is connected to Cancer because, like a crab, it seems to cross the sky, appearing at night out of the ocean and racing across the sandy shores then back into the water. A crab's shell is visible at night (reflects light), which is fine because, hey, that visible shell is armor. They're protected and it doesn't matter if they're seen. But if the moon is dark--lacking that shell as it were--then what do you have? Then you have a fish swimming across the sky. Unarmored, the fish's defense against predators is to be hard to see, hard to catch. Elusive, otherworldly. Thus, Pisces is the unarmored, dark moon--totally at sea (Neptune). There is no light (no armor), so you can't go out on land; but you can feel the water around you and use that to your advantage. Highly sensitive Pisces uses those watery emotions, understands them, and allows the tides (instincts) to guide it; the unconscious is in control, which is required if one is to survive in dark and primal oceans.

Pisces is a sign about dreamers, and the dark Moon is all about nighttime and our imagination, creativity and unconscious. This astrological sign does, in its way, fit the Moon card if we understand that the Moon in this card symbolizes "dreamtime" (swimming in the unconscious, the magical, the instinctive), not nighttime illumination. I don't know if viewing the Moon card this way will help you to better associate it with Pisces, but I hope it makes the connection less strange and confusing.