7-Card Full Moon Tarot Spread Layout and Interpretations

Tarot Spreads
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When the moon reaches her fullest expression, so do we. This 7-card full moon Tarot spread has become my sacred monthly ritual. A mirror reflecting what’s ready to be seen, released, and transformed. I know many of us are constantly using the Tarot throughout the week, but if there were one time to have a set ritual to do so, it should be on the night of the full moon each month.

Under her silvery light, hidden truths surface like pearls from deep waters, offering us the clarity we need to step into our power. Whether you’re drawn to lunar magic or simply seeking a deeper understanding of yourself, this spread opens a portal to your inner wisdom. It allows the Tarot to really speak to us.

The Spread

Full Moon Tarot Spread
Full Moon Tarot Spread950×950 68.7 KB

  1. Lunar Illumination - What the full moon is bringing to light in your life
  2. Shadow Self - Hidden aspects of yourself that are emerging
  3. Emotional Tides - Your current emotional state and influences
  4. Harvest of Intentions - What is coming to fruition from past efforts
  5. Releasing the Old - What needs to be let go of during this lunar cycle
  6. Cosmic Guidance - Advice or wisdom from the universe for this full moon phase
  7. Seeds of New Beginnings - Potential opportunities or growth arising from this full moon energy

Significant Cards

  • The Moon card itself holds particular significance, often indicating heightened intuition and the need to trust one’s inner voice during this lunar phase.

  • The High Priestess appearing in this spread suggests a powerful connection to the subconscious and hidden knowledge coming to light under the full moon’s influence.

  • The Six of Swords, which typically signifies a shift or transition in this context, perhaps points to emotional healing or moving past difficulties as the moon’s energy facilitates change.

  • The Queen of Cups in this spread can represent a deep attunement to one’s emotions and psychic abilities, encouraging the reader to embrace their sensitivity and intuitive gifts during this potent time.

Timing & Preparation

The full moon Tarot spread is best performed during the night of a full moon, when lunar energy is at its peak. This spread can be especially powerful if you’re seeking clarity on a situation or looking to release something from your life. Before beginning, take a few moments to ground yourself by lighting a candle and taking several deep breaths to clear your mind and set your intention for the reading.

Recommended Decks

The classic Rider-Waite deck is an excellent choice due to its rich symbolism and intuitive imagery, which can help tap into the heightened energies of the full moon.

The Moonchild Tarot is another great option, as it’s specifically designed with lunar themes and cycles in mind, making it particularly resonant for full moon readings.

The Mystical Shaman Oracle deck, which draws on nature-based wisdom and can help connect you with the primal energies often associated with full moon rituals. Of course, any deck you feel drawn to can work well for a full moon spread, as the most important factor is your personal connection to the cards.

When reading a full moon Tarot spread, pay close attention to how the cards interact and tell a story together, rather than interpreting each one in isolation. Look for recurring symbols, numbers, or elements across the cards, as these often point to important themes or energies at play during this lunar cycle. After your reading, take time to journal about your insights, noting any initial impressions as well as how the messages relate to your current life situation. This reflection can deepen your understanding and help you track patterns over time. If you choose to read reversals in this spread, consider them as internal or blocked energies that may need extra attention or work to fully express themselves during this moon phase.

Please share your experience with this reading or your variations :heart:

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Living in the southern hemisphere, the full moon tarot spread feels different depending on the season. During winter, the introspective energy seems much stronger, making the Shadow Self card hit home with more intensity.

Does anyone else feel the seasonal shifts in their readings?

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Once, I tried this spread during a particularly cloudy full moon night, and it was low-key throwing me off.

Without the visible moonlight, my energy was high-key scattered all over the place. Has anyone else felt like the physical presence of the moonlight low-key impacts the potency of their reading in a major way?

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The reversed cards during full moon readings always reveal the shadow work we’re avoiding. When multiple reversals appear in positions 4 and 5, they’re practically screaming about the unconscious patterns we’re not ready to release yet.

Which is why this approach to reading reversals as doorways rather than blockages completely transformed how I interpret lunar spreads.

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What if we read position 3 (Emotional Tides) as not just our current feelings, but as a portal to our ancestors’ unprocessed emotions?

Last full moon, I pulled Ten of Swords there and suddenly wondered, what if this crushing defeat wasn’t even mine to carry? Started asking the cards whose story I was living, and boom, clarity about generational patterns I’d been unconsciously repeating.

Now, I always ask an extra question when intense cards appear in that position: ‘Is this emotion visiting me or living in me?’

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My grandmother taught me to always blow out the candle between positions 5 and 6, she said it marks the shift from releasing to receiving cosmic guidance. Something about the smoke carrying away what needs to go before the universe can speak clearly.

Still do it every time, and I swear, position 6 hits differently when you create that ritual pause. She also kept a bowl of water nearby to catch any tears during the releasing phase, then poured it outside after the reading to return the emotions to the earth.

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I wonder if we’re sometimes too locked into these position meanings?

Like, what if position 4 ‘Harvest of Intentions’ shows the Death card - maybe it’s not about what’s coming to fruition, but what needs to die for the harvest to begin. The moon’s energy feels too wild to fit neatly into predetermined boxes, you know?

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Keeping a tarot journal for full moon spreads takes dedication but wow is it worth it :sparkles:

Tracking patterns and watching how my interpretations evolve has been amazing for deeper insights. Gotta carve out that monthly reflection time :crescent_moon:

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Position 2 Shadow Self becomes absolutely ‘enlightening’ when you pull court cards, they show you exactly which personality aspects you’re refusing to own.

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Last night’s full moon reading hit me with such clarity - I’ve been so focused on position 5 (Releasing the Old) that I completely missed how it connects to the emergence of new opportunities.

When I pulled the Eight of Cups in that position alongside the Ace of Wands in position 7, I finally understood that sometimes the act of releasing itself creates the exact space needed for what’s meant to bloom. It’s like the cards were telling me that my old stories weren’t just blocking me, they were actually occupying the very ground where my new seeds needed to be planted.

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As someone who reads playing cards primarily, I find the 7-card moon spread works beautifully with a regular deck too, hearts for emotions, spades for release, diamonds for manifestation, clubs for action.

The lack of Major Arcana actually forces you to look deeper at the pip patterns. Court cards translate directly (E.g., Jack = Page), but without the tarot’s archetypal weight, they reveal more personal, everyday shadow aspects.

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Has anyone else noticed how the full moon in Scorpio seems to reveal exactly where we’ve been giving our power away to others, almost like the cards become mirrors for our hidden patterns of control? When I pulled cards for position 5 (Releasing the Old) during last month’s Scorpio full moon, didn’t it feel like the universe was specifically highlighting those toxic dynamics we’d been avoiding?

Do you find that water sign full moons, especially Scorpio, make the emotional release work more intensely but finally bigger than other lunar phases?

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I’ve been doing this 7-card full moon spread monthly for a while now, and the biggest was when I stopped reading each position in isolation and started looking at how the cards weave together into one narrative, like last month when I pulled Three of Swords in ‘Releasing the Old’ and immediately saw how it connected to the Eight of Cups in ‘Seeds of New Beginnings,’ showing me that the heartbreak I was letting go was literally creating space for a new emotional process (which totally came true when I did a reading at my friend’s birthday party two weeks later and she was going through the exact same pattern!). The spread really comes alive when you see the cards as chapters in your lunar story rather than separate messages.

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Okay but… sometimes the most powerful full moon readings come when you toss the traditional spreads aside and let the lunar energy guide you to create your own layout in the moment, using elements from different spreads that speak to your specific intention that night.

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I’ve been experimenting with position #1 in my full moon spreads lately, and it’s been such an eye-opener, instead of just asking what energizes me, I’ve started really examining whether I’m actually GETTING enough of what the cards show me I need.

Last month I pulled the Three of Cups there, and it hit me that I’d been neglecting my friendships while focusing too much on work. When you look at that first card and ask yourself not just what lights you up, but how to actively SUSTAIN it in your daily life. It transforms the reading from passive reflection into an actionable roadmap for nurturing your soul!

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Winter full moons hit differently than summer ones?

The energy feels so much more introspective when the moon rises early against bare branches, versus those late, sultry August moons that keep us awake with restless energy.

Shouldn’t we adjust our interpretations for the season we’re in?