Tarot Spread Test Drive - Tarot Pugs' Dark Moon Tarot Spread

Curious about all the different tarot spreads out there? Wondering if they’re a keeper – or a lemon? Me too. Let’s take them for a test drive and find out!

Each month, I’ll pick an interesting tarot spread (from a book or around the web) – and give it a spin. I’ll look under the hood, kick the tires – and show you exactly how it works…or doesn’t. No haggling necessary. Ready to roll? Let’s go!

This month’s tarot spread: Tarot Pugs’ Dark Moon Tarot Spread

The Dark Moon period is one of my favorite times for reflection. I like to nab a quiet moment in my day to journal about what’s happening in my world…and ponder which intentions I’d like to set for the New Moon.

In case you’re not sure what I’m yammering about, the Dark Moon is the three or four days before the New Moon. During this period, which is also called the “dead” Moon, there is no solar reflection – which means the moon is dark. In about three days, the crescent shows up and bam – we have a New Moon! The Dark Moon is ideal for soul searching, clearing energy, and preparing for new beginnings.

The other day, I came across Tarot Pugs’ Dark Moon Tarot Spread and thought it was a genius way to add some tarot depth to my own journaling practice.

Tarot Pugs is run by Stacy B along with her adorable pug sidekicks, Rocky and Rosie. I’m a sucker for flat-faced little dogs and would have one if it were not for my cats, who rule this household with iron paws.

Stacy’s Dark Moon Tarot Spread consists of ten questions with a card pulled for each one. There is no particular layout – you can choose how you wish to spread those cards out.

Here are the positions:

What will end and be put to remission or rest at the dark moon?
What will re-emerge at the new moon?
What does my shadow self want me to be aware of and acknowledge?
What do I need to bring to the surface and face?
What do I need to release and let go at the new moon in order to start anew?
What do I need to resolve?
What do I need to heal?
How can the energy of the dark moon help me?
What can the aspect of the Crone/Dark Goddess archetype teach me?
What transformation am I currently undergoing or will I undergo?

I decided to work with my new Mesquite Tarot Deck and laid out the cards in this fancy little pattern:

My interpretation:

These are a few notes I scribbled in my journal:

What will end and be put to remission or rest at the dark moon? The Empress – the Empress symbolizes creativity and nurturing. I’m currently in a phase of my life where there are certain things that I am no longer doing. These things involve offerings that have become unsustainable. By taking away the things that drain my energy, I’m creating space to birth new things. I see this card as weeding my garden so that new, exciting growth is possible. I also found myself contemplating this: do I care for myself as well as I care for others? The answer: not always.

What will re-emerge at the new moon? Two of Pentacles – balance. Simple as that. I’ve been overdoing and over giving – to the point where it was making me multitask far harder than necessary. By clearing away the things that don’t nurture me, I can find balance – and new, better projects to explore.

What does my shadow self want me to be aware of and acknowledge? The Devil – the Devil has to do with addiction, bondage, but also feeling stuck. For me, my most hated feeling in the world is being trapped. But I found that I created a trap for myself – holding on to a few things that I didn’t like because I felt “obligated” in some way. It was time to take responsibility for the ways I create my own self-imposed prisons…often in my own mind.

What do I need to bring to the surface and face? Six of Pentacles – generosity. But BALANCED generosity. Give without giving away all of my energy. Give my energy to the things and people that feel right.

What do I need to release and let go at the new moon in order to start anew? Knower of Pentacles reversed – the Mesquite Tarot book describes this card as: “they might forget their wonder and wear passivity, timidity and over accommodation.” This makes so much sense to me. I have been deeply contemplating how I over-give to the point where I feel depleted. What’s behind this? A question of worthiness. Which means I need to let go of that feeling of being unworthy or “not enough,” work that I’ve been doing for some time.

What do I need to resolve? Novice of Cups – the Mesquite Tarot Boo says this about the Novice of Cups: “the noise has the flood of the artist’s heart; a kindness unrecorded by cynicism, but the thing about having a tender heart is that it sometimes grows moody, twisted up in the impractical and the impulsive, so ripe it can easily bruise.” Ah…so true. I do have a sensitive soul – which often means my boundaries are easily crossed and it often leaves me full of resentment. Worse yet, that sensitivity can lead to me doing rash things when I feel that I’ve been used. I need to resolve my issues around boundaries. It’s the one big thing that I struggle with the most.

What do I need to heal? The Hierophant – the Hierophant has often been a bit of a bummer for me. It’s the card of traditions and sometimes I see it as the card of oppression. As a youngster, I was always expected to put my needs on hold for the good of everyone else. Like the acolytes in this card, I waited for other people’s permission before I would get off my knees. Humility? Not really. When you’re told that this is the way to be as a kid, that message becomes deeply ingrained and turns into timidity, obedience, and martyr syndrome. Ironically, I’ve walked two worlds: the rebel and the servant. It was time to heal these two and that begins with understanding my roots and letting go of those messages.

How can the energy of the dark moon help me? The Star – by finding a healthy, happy balance.

What can the aspect of the Crone/Dark Goddess archetype teach me? Four of Swords – to rest. To go dormant as needed. Take time off, chill out, give myself SPACE to just be instead of always being in “servant mode.”

What transformation am I currently undergoing or will I undergo? The Hanged Man – the Hanged Man lets go and gains a new perspective. This Dark Moon may be the right time to turn old messages on their head so that I may stand on my feet in a whole new way.

My ratings:

Powerful stuff, right? Once I went through the questions, I began to journal New Moon intentions to support the work that I’m doing.

This spread may give you some excellent insights too. I’d suggest you give it a whirl today (or any dark moon phase). Head on over to Tarot Pugs to check it out!

I hope you enjoyed the latest Tarot Spread Test Drive. I’ll be taking the tarot wheel and hittin’ the road with a new spread soon. If you want to ride along with me, keep an eye on my blog. Happy tarot trails!

Blessings,
Theresa

Check out more cool tarot spreads here.

images from The Fountain Tarot and Mesquite Tarot