Death Reversed is a card that represents resistance to change. This resistance can come from fear of the unknown or being unable to let go of certain moments of your past however, change is ultimately unavoidable and this card reminds us that we need to embrace it to advance in our lives.
Reversed Death Description
The Death Arcana is one of the most feared due to its name and bleak illustration, but beneath the surface, its symbolism and meaning are far more positive. Death shows us an armored skeleton advancing with a flag on hand on top of a white horse. Lying on the ground is a king who appears dead, while a child, woman, and clergyman react to Death’s march either by pleading or panicking.
The armored skeleton represents the inevitability of death, with the bones representing the things we leave behind and the armor invincibility. However, the white horse represents purity, as in the purity of this task. While the flag with five petals represents change, purification, and immortality. As such on a general level Death represents unavoidable change, but the kind that improves the lives of those it touches.
Reversed Death main Meaning
When upright Death represents the positive changes that come after The Hanged Man’s introspection. As such when we talk about the reversed Death the focus of the card lies on a person’s resistance to said change. When reversed Death appears it usually means that winds of change are blowing your way. You are on the verge of a big change that will improve things in your life, but something keeps holding you back.
Often this resistance isn’t intentional. Change will always bring some degree of fear, and as a result, we often take many small steps to stay rooted where we are. Maybe you have been avoiding potential job interviews or postponing an important conversation with your romantic partner. When this card appears we need to take a close look at our lives to find out where we are stopping ourselves.
This card also speaks about the importance of letting go. Being focused on the past is one of the main reasons people can’t advance, and it only will hurt you in the long run. Whether it’s insecurities, grudges or past loves Death reversed reminds us that we should be able to start anew to advance with our lives. Change is nearby but it’s up to each one of us to open ourselves to it.
What does Death Reversed Mean for Love?
When it comes to love Death reversed once again represents a resistance to change, however, it can also warn us that we are risking repeating a past relationship thanks to our attitude.
Change in a relationship is often tied to ending it, and as such Death can be telling you that you need to reconsider why you are still in a relationship. Sometimes romance can turn into a routine or habit, and there’s no denying that some relationships stagnate eventually. A proper relationship should help you both grow as individuals, and it shouldn’t amount simply to easy company. Similarly to this Death can represent that you are currently in a relationship to have company and not for the other person itself. Affection can easily turn into dependence and trying to maintain a relationship just for this is incredibly harmful.
On the other hand, Death reversed can also speak of certain attitudes we need to let go of to find a positive relationship in the future. For example, if insecurity and jealousy caused a breakup in the past this is something we need to address. People are as varied as unique as they can get, but if we remain the same some patterns will repeat themselves. If something about a past relationship affected you it’s time to look into yourself to see what might have caused it. Letting go is the only way to ensure our mistakes won’t repeat themselves eventually.
Reversed Death as Feelings
If you are asking about feelings and get reversed Death we recommend you add some more cards to your reading; mostly since the idea of “resisting change” can be too broad on its own. Nonetheless, there are some general guidelines of what this card can mean based on how positive the other cards are.
Death is usually a sign that positive changes are coming your way, and this doesn’t change even if the card is reversed. As such when it comes to feelings Death reversed can be an indication that someone is holding back on their feelings towards you. There are various reasons why someone can feel the need to deny or delay their feelings, but this often is rooted in Death reversed’s inability to let go. There’s potential for an interesting story with the person you are thinking about, but they’ll need some time and understanding to accept their feelings and act on them.
If the overall reading is more negative then this is a card that can talk about lingering or fading feelings. Perhaps the person you are reading about still holds strong feelings towards someone in their past, someone who is gone but their memory has yet to fade. Or maybe their feelings have been unreciprocated for so long that they are questioning the need to keep them. In this context, the other person might be less responsive and they’ll need to overcome their sourness on love before approaching it again.
Reversed Death as Advice
By now the advice reversed Death has to offer should be crystal clear, when this card appears it’s telling us to let go of our limitations and take a step forward.
Death is a card that speaks of positive changes, and that makes it one of the best omens we can get in tarot. That said reversed Death shows that while good things are coming we are the ones keeping them at bay. Change is complex and often unpredictable. Sometimes we hold ourselves back without noticing, but it’s time to pay closer attention to it. In a general sense, reversed Death invites us to take a closer look at our actions and attitudes to see how we can improve. This is a card that ultimately is telling us to say goodbye to the past that we are dragging behind to reach the future that is awaiting us.
When it comes to specific questions like accepting a new job or moving to a new city Death reversed can be seen as a reassuring push forward. This is a card that is telling you good things await, so fear shouldn’t be the one guiding you forward. That said Death reversed shouldn’t be seen as an excuse to jump forward with any plan regardless of logic. Rather see it as a card that tells you to consider why you are acting. If the choices you make aren’t based on fears or the past then you can expect good results, and Death reversed wants you to question that before taking a choice.
Reversed Death Meaning for Job and Career
Traditionally Death reversed represents someone that is doing everything they can to avoid change in their work-life. We often identify change with getting fired, but this is only a pessimistic outlook. Change is vital in any job, it allows us to find new projects and progress in a company or career path. Your resistance to change doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have a more stable job, it can simply make life more draining. Good opportunities can pass you by and you run the risk of spending years in a monotonous position that is slowly grinding you away.
Death reversed also warns us about the risk of bringing past fears into a new job. We’ve all had negative experiences at some point in the past however we shouldn’t let them define us. If a co-worker betrayed your trust before you might find yourself doubting everybody in your new job, and this will only create a toxic environment for yourself and your co-workers. Sometimes the future can feel like a self-fulfilling prophecy, if you are too invested in avoiding something you can cause it to happen instead. So try to approach new opportunities with an open mind and avoid dragging the past with you.
Reversed Death Meaning for Money and Finance
When Death reversed appears it can be foretelling a financial loss, but this card cares more about how we deal with it than the loss itself. Losing money is unavoidable in any life. Sometimes an investment doesn’t work out, your business might have been affected by a local crisis, or maybe you just lost some money while walking. The loss that Death reversed speaks about doesn’t have to be large, what plays a role here is the attitude you take.
Money flows, this is a basic principle of its functioning. And this means that there will be good and bad days when it comes to finances. As such we must learn to adapt to these changes and take them in stride. If something didn’t work out as intended then it’s time to start saving on certain expenses while you recover your footing. Falling into depression won’t help you get past this moment, and acting as if nothing has changed will only make the situation harder for your pocket. Learn to adapt to the flow of money and you’ll recover before you notice it.
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