I WILL BE WORKING USING THE RIDER WAITE TAROT DECK AS A BASIS FOR THIS EXPLORATION.

Here it is. One of the “Big 3.” One of the cards that just about everyone is scared of in their readings. You’ll have seen this card in movies, in TV shows, or read about it in books. The Hero is just about to go on his journey and… oh no! The mystic he found in a back room of a shady hotel peers out from behind her crystal ball and proclaims ominously that “death awaits…” Before we go any further, I love cheesy movie story lines as much as the next person, but this card has been given a really raw deal. It has ended up being one of the most, if not the most, misrepresented card. Not only does this misrepresentation make some people fearful of the Tarot, but it can make Tarot readers themselves seem like a bad guy who only wish misfortune on those that seek their services.

Death is a very visually interesting card, with layers and layers of symbolism. The most obvious aspect of this card is the figure of Death- a skeleton in armour. He is holding a black flag with a white rose and rides on the back of a white horse. As we look at Death he moves from the left to the right. This is our first major hint about for what this card really represents. This represents a move from the unconscious to the conscious, from the past to the future. Behind Death is a waterfall and great river. This is a symbol of the unconscious and emotions. The waterfall churns the water below, suggesting that there is some emotional turmoil or upheaval. The figures around Death are a child, a maiden, the wise man, and a wounded king. All of these figures submit to Death. They are largely reminiscent of a loss of ego, or vanity.

The white rose on the flag is a symbol of mysticism. This coupled with the roses adorning the clothing of the old man and the hair of the maiden point towards something spiritual. The use of a skeleton to represent Death points towards our basic structure. A skeleton is what holds us up and gives us shape. When we die, the skeleton is all that is left. The skeleton is used as an earthly expression of what we are. The skeleton is stripped of spirit and soul. All of the clues on this card point towards not a physical death, but a spiritual one. In mystery schools, initiates had to undergo some form of metaphorical death to symbolise the moving on from one realm of understanding to another one. We must remember that Death is inherently coupled with Life and with rebirth. The Death card represents us shedding anything that does not serve us spiritually in a similar way to how we must prune plants and remove the dead twigs and debris so that it can grow to its full potential.

As we can see, Death is not as ominous as it first appears. It is a card of regeneration and rejuvenation. Allow the parts of yourself that you no longer need or that you have grown away from to die so that your true self and your Higher Self can live and prosper. If you hold onto any traditions or old beliefs, they may also need to ‘die.’

When Death appears in a reading, his message is that a period of your life is ending and you are making ready to move onto the next phase. This may feel strange and scary. It’s always daunting to not know exactly where you’re going to land, but remember that cosmic forces are always working and as long as your energy is positive and grateful you will be fine. You may be changing and becoming someone new. This is not always a bad thing. This card does not represent the new phase however. This is the ‘death’ you will have to go through. This card signals that you are ready for this ‘death.’ A card more suited to the aftermath would be Judgement which comes later in the Major Arcana. Death is about being your own gardener and pruning yourself so that you are ready for the next step. Cut anything loose that does not serve you so that you can evolve and grow.

When Death shows in a reading reversed, it has a very similar meaning to upright but there is resistance. You do not want to change. You may be quite comfortable where you are now and you may not see a reason why you should have to evolve. Remember the universe has a plan for you and will always serve you. You must be open to this. Allow yourself to grow and change. Life will carry on whether you resist or not. Sometimes the easiest thing to do is just let go.