The Meaning of the Death Tarot Card

The Death Tarot card is perhaps the most misunderstood and feared card of the Tarot. In simple terms the turning of Death card within a Tarot reading reveals a process of cutting away the unnecessary emotional, mental, and spiritual baggage that is no longer effective in your life.

Certain beliefs that you have developed about yourself and outdated concepts that others have taught you can keep you in conflict and in a state of confusion. Thus the Death Tarot card can be liken to liberation from the sufferings of Life. The Death Tarot Card can, like a snake shedding it’s skin; enable the opportunity of transformations and new creative growth.

The Death Tarot Card does not mean physical death but defines a radical, external transformation. It defines freedom from old patterns, behaviour and thoughts. Some may fear this change but it is a liberation from the ego. From oneself. It is a time for renewal and singing the bones back to life.

Fear of Death prevents one from living. When we embrace life and thus death, knowing that any action may be our last; then our actions can become impeccable, only then in one totally at union with their environment and living in the Now.

The Death Tarot card usually portrays a skeleton with scythe. This reaping skeleton is a symbol of death but the skeleton is the foundation of the body. The Shamans whom dressed as skeletons were the personification of Death. At the same time, like the seed of the fruit after the flesh has rotted away,he bones represent the potential for rebirth. The shaman initiate must die to be reborn and to attain the immortal knowledge. The Shaman is reborn from the bones to a higher order of existence.

When the Death card appears in a tarot reading, it is an opportunity for allowing a time of rest and perhaps even greiving for situation. My counsel surrounding this card is to allow time for oneself. Perhaps devote a day to total silence within home and self whereby one can learn just to listen and be. Allowing time to pass in silence with oneself is a great opportunity to learn and just allow natural flow of thoughts, feelings and attitudes.

The flower dies to reveal the fruit, the fruit dies to reveal the seed, the seed dies to reveal the plant. The plant grows to make the flower, the flower dies to reveal the fruit ad finium.