Death

Imagery and symbolism

A skeleton knight in armor rides slowly forward on a white horse, carrying a black banner marked with a white rose. Before him are a fallen king, a priest with hands pressed together, a girl turning her face away and a child looking up at him. In the distance the sun rises between two towers, and a boat floats on the river. Despite its name, the card traditionally does not mean physical death; it stands for the close of one chapter and the start of another, in other words transformation. Like the rising sun and the white rose, it says that when something is completed, room opens up for something new.

Upright

My day	Today is good for the tidying you have long put off. Clearing out unused things or finished tasks makes room for fresh energy.
Work	One phase is ending and the next is beginning. Wrapping up familiar ways and embracing new ones lets you grow.
Relationships & love	It is time to let go of old habits or long-held hurts in your relationships. A more mature way of relating grows in their place.
What is on my mind	This is a sign that it is all right to let go of something you have been holding. An ending can be the first page of the next chapter.

Reversed

My day	You may know change is needed and still hesitate. Today, change just one very small thing.
Work	You may be clinging out of habit to a way of working that no longer fits. Deciding what to stop doing is an important decision too.
Relationships & love	If past events keep coming back to mind, fully acknowledge those feelings. As you slowly sort through them, room opens up for new ones.
What is on my mind	It is natural for change to feel frightening. Remembering the strengths you keep no matter what makes it easier to take a step.

Advice

Close what needs closing with care. That is what gives you the energy to begin again.

What in your life would you like to bring to a close with gratitude?