Full Moon tarot spread

Full Moon spread positions and meanings

1. What's come to light: What has become clear since the new moon: a truth, result or feeling now in the open.
2. What to celebrate: A win or piece of progress from this cycle that deserves your credit.
3. What to release: A habit, worry or expectation that has run its course and can go.
4. What's still growing: Something that isn't finished yet and needs more time before you judge it.
5. Moving forward: How to use the waning half of the cycle, before the next new moon.

How to read the Full Moon tarot spread

The center card comes first. It shows what has surfaced over the past two weeks, and the other four cards respond to it. If you did a new moon reading, set its intention card next to this one and compare them. A Six of Wands here after an Ace of Wands intention means the plan got noticed.

Read card 2 before card 3. Giving yourself credit first makes letting go feel less like failure. Then pair card 3 with card 4, since together they sort the month into what is finished and what still needs time. The Seven of Pentacles or the Hanged Man in card 4 is good news here, telling you to keep waiting instead of giving up.

If the release card is one you'd normally welcome, such as the Ten of Cups, ask which picture of that thing you're holding too tightly. Maybe it's the perfect family holiday you keep planning. Read card 5 last as a plan for the waning half of the month, a good stretch for finishing things and doing less.

Tips for reading this spread

• Write the release card's message on a scrap of paper, then tear it up as a small closing ritual.
• Do this spread in the evening, and step outside to look at the moon for a minute before you shuffle.
• If card 2 feels hard to accept, list three small wins first, like a bill paid or a call finally returned.
• Keep your full moon notes on the same page as your new moon notes so each cycle reads as one story.

Key cards in a Full Moon reading

• Judgement In the center, Judgement marks a moment of reckoning. You see the month clearly and know what has to change.
• Eight of Cups As the release card, it points to walking away from something that no longer satisfies you, even if nothing is wrong with it.
• The Moon In the center, the Moon shows that something is still murky. Wait for more facts before you act on a worry that surfaced this month.
• Nine of Cups In the celebrate spot, a wish came true this month, even a small one. Name it out loud or write it down.
• Ten of Swords As the release card, it shows something that has fully ended. Let it be finished instead of trying to fix it.
• The Star As the final card, the Star says rest and trust that healing is under way. Don't rush the next two weeks.

Example Full Moon reading

Sample cards, chosen to show how the positions connect.

“How did my intention to stop working late go?”

1. What's come to light: Nine of Swords. What came to light is how much the late nights were costing you in sleep and worry.
2. What to celebrate: Four of Wands. Celebrate the evenings you did protect. The dinner with friends and the weekend at home with nothing planned both count.
3. What to release: Ten of Wands. Release the belief that you have to carry every task yourself to be good at your job.
4. What's still growing: Two of Wands. A bigger plan, maybe a role with fewer late deadlines, is still taking shape. Give it time.
5. Moving forward: Ace of Swords. Say it plainly. Tell your manager your hours instead of hoping someone notices.

Putting it together: The intention worked better than it feels, and the stress you saw clearly this month shows why it matters. What's left to drop is the idea that you must do it all. Hand off one recurring task by the end of the month and tell your team you're offline after six.

Questions to ask with the Full Moon spread

• What has this lunar cycle shown me?
• What am I ready to let go of this month?
• How is my new moon intention coming along?
• What progress am I overlooking right now?
• What old habit is keeping me from feeling settled?

Other versions of the Full Moon spread

When to use a different spread

• Choose the New Moon spread when the next cycle starts and you're ready to set a fresh intention.
• Choose the Self-Love spread if the month was hard on you and you need kindness more than a review.