CARD NUMBER 17. – Death (The Ghost of Death).

Straight and reversed. – Bad omens: serious illness, ruin or death, epidemics, disaster, destruction.

“What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.” – T.S. Elliot

An End Harbors New Beginnings

Death is not always something that is going to be met with grief and suffering. In order to make room for a new order, it is oftentimes necessary that the old order die away. By clinging to outdated systems, we are only disallowing ourselves from moving forward into a bright future. The Death tarot card is not something to be feared; instead, it is a sign that it is time for your to transition from one phase in your life into a new one. While it may be time for you to let go of something that was previously important to you, this end may also be a sign of successful completion. You may have recently achieved a goal, or finished a major project that you have been working on for some time; now is the time to harvest the fruits of your labor. If you must let go of something that you aren’t ready to say goodbye to, then there is most likely a good reason that you need to distance yourself from this thing. It may be harmful to your health, causing you to be distracted from more important matters, or even forcing you to sacrifice things that are far more important in the long run.

There is something major in your life that it is time for you to let go of. This may be a relationship, a job, an ambition or goal, or even a physical object. While it may be difficult, it is necessary for you to let go and move on to the next phase of your life. This thing is most likely holding you back, making it far more difficult for you to reap the rewards of new systems and experiences. At the same time, this may also be a sign that it is time for you to back out of a certain endeavor. If you haven’t reached a point where you can definitively say that you’ve succeeded, then this may be a sign that it is time to cut your losses. You may find that you have much to lose should you continue to be involved in this project. This does not necessarily mean that you have failed; instead, you may have set your expectations for a certain outcome a little too high.

It is normal for one’s romantic life to be filled with both endings and beginnings. Many relationships will fail and eventually end. A long period of living the single life may end when you find a new romantic partner to dedicate yourself to. The transition to the next level of a romantic relationship signals the end of the previous stage. Just like with many other aspects of life, there is no such thing as a permanent state of things, even in romantic relationships that may fall into comfortable routines over a long period of time. However, in order to move forward, we must be able to let go of the old order of things, as painful as it may be. Many times, when you feel as though it is time to move on from a current relationship, it is because it goes against your personal interests.

The current state of your romantic life is coming to a close. You may be facing the end of a relationship, or even the birth of a new one. If you are happy and comfortable in a relationship, then this may also be a sign that it is time to move to the next stage. This may mean proposing, moving into a new home together, or even having a conversation about adding a new member to the family. Have faith in the fact that this is what must be done in order to move forward with your life. While it may be difficult to let go of your current situation, know that it is a necessary step to ushering in a new phase in your life. You will find that whatever this change serves to bring will deliver you to a more fulfilling stage in your life, even if certain figures are not present.

THIRTEEN. DEATH

The veil or mask of life is perpetuated in change, transformation and passage from lower to higher, and this is more fitly represented in the rectified Tarot by one of the apocalyptic visions than by the crude notion of the reaping skeleton. Behind it lies the whole world of ascent in the spirit. The mysterious horseman moves slowly, bearing a black banner emblazoned with the Mystic Rose, which signifies life. Between two pillars on the verge of the horizon there shines the sun of immortality. The horseman carries no visible weapon, but king and child and maiden fall before him, while a prelate with clasped hands awaits his end.

There should be no need to point out that the suggestion of death which I have made in connection with the previous card is, of course, to be understood mystically, but this is not the case in the present instance. The natural transit of man to the next stage of his being either is or may be one form of his progress, but the exotic and almost unknown entrance, while still in this life, into the state of mystical death is a change in the form of consciousness and the passage into a state to which ordinary death is neither the path nor gate. The existing occult explanations of the 13th card are, on the whole, better than usual, rebirth, creation, destination, renewal, and the rest.

At the same time, you may also be facing a major transition in your work life. Perhaps you have just taken on a new job, resulting in the end of your time in another position, or even the end of a period of unemployment. Or maybe you lost your job, leading to you to start a search for new employment. Because work, and the income that it generates, are such a vital aspect of maintaining your lifestyle, you may subsequently be going through a period of great stress due to this change in employment status. This will be even more true if you lost your job or have taken on a position of lower pay, forcing you to begin placing economic restrictions in yourself as a result of smaller regular income.

While this may be an incredibly stressful time, have faith that all of your economic struggles will work out in the end. You may be transitioning to a period in your life where you will need to work much harder to keep yourself afloat; it may be painful and seem wholly unfair, but you must come to terms with the fact that there is nothing you can do to stop this progression. Instead, move forward into this new period in your life with an open mind. There is most likely a major lesson that these struggles serve to teach you, and it is important that you remain receptive to them despite the unpleasant circumstances that they may be presented by. Furthermore, remember that this phase of your life will eventually come to its own conclusion. This state of being is not permanent, and by working hard and applying the lessons that you will learn, you may even be able to shorten its lifespan significantly.

It is easy for us to try to rush the ending of things, especially if we are in an undesirable or uncomfortable situation. When the Death tarot card appears in the reversed position, it may be a sign that you are pushing for a premature conclusion to a situation that is not yet ready to end. Even if the situation is uncomfortable or downright painful, remember that there is an ultimate reason that you have endured thus far. Do you have a much larger goal that you have not yet reached?

Even if it feels as though the time is crawling along painfully slow, keep your expectations high for the situation’s conclusion. You may want to cherish the time that you have on this journey, as you may look back fondly upon this period in your life in the future. Try to find enjoyment and wisdom even in the bleakest of times, and look for something to appreciate about every little moment.

Death is one of the most positive tarot cards you can receive. This card has the design of Death as a skeleton, often riding a white horse. You should not fear this card, it symbolizes the ending of an era and the beginning of a new one. Death can only ever be an embracing YES card.

• Death Card Upright – Yes or No
• Death Card Reversed – Yes or No
• Death Card Upright Meaning for Love – Yes or No
• Death Card Reversed Meaning for Love – Yes or No
• Death Card Upright as Advice – Yes or No
• Death Card Reversed as Advice – Yes or No
• Death Card Upright Meaning for Career – Yes or No
• Death Card Reversed Meaning for Career – Yes or No
• Death Card Upright Meaning for Finances – Yes or No
• Death Card Reversed Meaning for Finances – Yes or No
• Death as the Answer to ‘Am I on the Right Path?’