The Archetype and The Tarot: The Teacher and The Moon
Through the Teacher and The Moon, this week we’re being called to explore the wisdom of the unknown. Can we walk the shadowed paths of our inner wilderness with curiosity, distilling its mysteries into teachings that illuminate not only our own journey but also the paths of others?
Welcome everyone! For an overview of what I’m doing here, please check out this post all about it. THANK YOU to all my subscribers! My heart and soul are filled with gratitude for your presence here. I LOVE this community that we are building! (If you’d like to support this work by making a one-time donation, you can buy me a cup of coffee here.❤️)
The Teacher Archetype
At its heart, the Teacher archetype is about sharing wisdom and fostering growth. We often think of teachers in the traditional sense—those who stand at the front of a classroom or lead an online course—but the Teacher exists all around us, in countless forms. Every being we interact with has something to teach us, if we’re open to receiving it.
In its light aspect, the Teacher has a gift for transforming raw knowledge into digestible, illuminating insights. They intuitively know how to meet others where they are, offering wisdom in a way that empowers and uplifts. The Teacher in the light serves with humility, seeing their role as part of a greater tapestry of learning.
In the shadow, however, the Teacher can lose sight of their purpose. They might teach to bolster their own ego, prioritize personal accolades over student growth, or unintentionally alienate others by using language or methods that feel inaccessible. Sometimes the shadow Teacher may not teach at all, withholding their wisdom out of fear, insecurity, or a belief that they are unqualified.
When this archetype comes up in a reading, I believe it’s an invitation to explore our roles as both teacher and student. Who or what is teaching us right now? How are we passing along our knowledge, and are we doing so with clarity and compassion?
Some other questions to consider this week:
Who is learning from me? (Consider beings beyond humans—plants, animals, even your ancestors or guides.)
What am I teaching, and how am I teaching it?
How do I teach myself? Do I practice patience and kindness, or am I rigid and critical?
What fears or beliefs might hold me back from sharing what I know?
The Moon
The Moon card invites us into the deep, shadowy realms of the subconscious. It whispers of mystery and intuition, leading us on a path lit only by its reflected glow. Traditional depictions of this card teem with symbolism: the crustacean emerging from water, the dogs guarding the path, the watchtowers standing sentinel over the unknown.
When we follow this path, we are drawn into the enchanted forest of our inner world. Here, our wildest, most untamed selves reside—the parts of us that thrive in the dark, primal spaces of instinct and imagination. To walk this path is to step beyond the safety of the known, into the fertile chaos of the unknown. And while this journey may feel daunting, it’s also profoundly rewarding: hidden within these shadowy landscapes are the treasures of our authentic selves, waiting to be reclaimed.
The Moon reassures us that we’re ready for this journey. By this point in the Major Arcana, we’ve faced the seductions of The Devil and endured the transformative upheaval of The Tower. Now, The Moon asks us to trust ourselves—to follow our instincts, knowing that our wildness can coexist with harmony and wholeness.
How does this pair work together?
I see the Teacher walking along the shadowy path illuminated by The Moon’s faint glow. They carry a book filled with knowledge gained through years of study. But the further they walk, the more the pages seem to dissolve into mist, until the book is empty.
Pausing at the edge of the forest, the Teacher hesitates. Without their familiar tools, how can they guide others? Then, from the darkness, the moonlight shifts, and the Teacher notices the path is marked with symbols they have never seen before. These symbols aren’t etched in stone but shimmer in the movement of the trees, the rustle of leaves, the reflections in the water.
A voice—quiet, wild, and ancient—whispers: The wisdom you seek cannot be taught by books alone. It must be lived, felt, and trusted. Slowly, the Teacher begins to walk again, this time with no book but with their hands open, ready to receive.
I believe this pairing is asking us to become fluent in the language of our own shadowy landscapes, not just for ourselves but for those we might guide. Can we step into the unknown and trust that the lessons we uncover will find their way into the world through us?
Personally, I feel both excited and a little uneasy about this idea. I love the thought of teaching from an authentic place, but trusting my inner wilderness sometimes feels like a big ask. How about you? I’d love to hear how this message lands for you—reply to this email, send me a DM, or leave a comment below.
P.S. I can’t help but feel like this pairing goes perfectly with the Spirit Guide challenge from last Thursday.
In case you missed it, here’s the downloadable 7-Day challenge. And there’s still time to use the special discount code for a one-on-one session to help you connect with your guides (click the image below).
Blessings of connection to all of you! 💖💖💖
This resonates deeply right now. The pull of the dark and the wild is so strong for me, and I love how you pair these two and describe the teacher being open to receive. Potent!!
I never knew there was a Moon card, how interesting. The vision you wove of the Teacher and Moon walking together is very powerful and when you said you felt both excited and uneasy it means you have landed in the right spot. I believe that when we occasionally live between fear and excitement we are tapping into our highest power, the one that nudges us farther along the path than we would go if we don't allow ourselves to go to that place.