What does the Death card in the Tarot really represent?

The Death card in the Tarot (from left to right): John Bauer Tarot, Rider Waite Tarot, The Light Seer’s Tarot

Even if you do not know much about the Tarot, one thing you most likely have heard of is the Death card. It is the card that most people are afraid to get when they first come for a Tarot reading. They are worried that they will be told that they, or someone close to them, will soon die. This is not what the Death card (or the Tarot in general) is about. There are many misconceptions about this card which is why I would like to give some insights into the true meaning of the Death card and why it is actually a very positive card to get in a reading.

Letting Go

Throughout our lives we are confronted with death in many forms such as the physical passing of people we know and love and pets that we have to say goodbye to. However, I also see a type of death in every moment in our lives where we close a chapter or let something, or someone go. It is the passing of something that has meant a lot to us at some point in our lives, but for which the time has come to let it go and move on. The reason I see this as a type of death is that, in my opinion, it is important to take a moment to look back at what it has brought you and to mourn its passing.

Transformation

As children we move into a new stage of our lives when we go from Junior School to Senior School. This is a moment where we have to let go of everything that is familiar to us and start a new chapter in our lives as we start a new school. I also see this letting go in every situation where we leave something behind us. This can be homes we leave behind when we move house or friendships and relationships that we end because they are no longer working for us. It can be changes in study topics or job roles. It can also be beliefs that we have about ourselves or the world that no longer fit us. It can even be physical attributes like cutting your hair or shaving your beard.

All of these are transitions in our lives and this is what the Death card in the Tarot heralds – the need to let go of something in order to make room for something new. It is card of transformation and new beginnings.

 Grieving and Celebrating

We are often afraid of death, but I believe that what we are actually afraid of is the unknown. This is also why we stay in jobs we don’t like or in relationships that do not make us happy, because we are scared of not finding anything better to take its place. Even when we do take the leap and let go of what is not working, we often do not take the time to really process this change. I have often heard people say that they feel they are not allowed to feel sad about the end of a relationship or leaving a job if they were the ones that made the decision to leave.

In my opinion, every time we let go of something, whether by our own choice or someone else’s, we need to take the time to grieve and also celebrate this change. Mourn the things we have outgrown or that have outgrown us and celebrate what these things have brought and taught us. It doesn’t need to be a lengthy process, but I believe we can only fully embrace the new when we have let go of the past. It means letting go of any residual emotion that keeps us connected with the past in an unhelpful way.

Relationship

I’ll give an example – when deciding to leave a relationship in which you are unhappy you may hold on to the feelings of, for example, not having been heard or of not having felt supported by your partner. If you take these negative emotions into a new relationship, then you are still connected to your former partner and are unable to fully focus on your new relationship. In this way you are holding on to a situation that no longer exists and still wishing you could change it. However, if you take the time to look at, and learn from, that relationship, to understand why you felt the way you felt and what hurts you need to heal within yourself then you can look back at that relationship as a positive learning experience and move forward to fully embrace a new one. 

Work

This can also be true in work situations where there can be feelings of dissatisfaction and not having been appreciated for all your hard work. Even if you make the decision yourself to move to another company, holding on to any resentment towards your old company can negatively impact your enjoyment and the job satisfaction you get out of your new role.

 New beginnings

We can recognize when we have not let go of the past when we still feel resentful or negative towards a former partner of employer. This is an indication that we need to take some time to look at where those feelings are coming from and which limiting beliefs about ourselves have been triggered and need to be healed.

So, when the Death card appears in a Tarot reading then the invitation is to look at what is no longer serving you in your life and to bring this to a graceful end. It heralds the chance for new beginnings.

If you recognize the need to let go of something in your life and would like some help in navigating this process, through Tarot, Coaching or a combination of both, then reach out to me through the contact form on my website www.preselibluestonecoaching.com or via phone (06-55384732) or Instagram (@preseli_bluestone_coaching).