Don’t Fear the Death Card

I like to learn new things. When I heard about a class on the Spiritual Tarot, it seemed a good opportunity to learn about the history of tarot cards and how to read them. So, with a bit of nervousness, I joined five other women to discover the mysteries of the Tarot.

At the end the first class, our teacher asked each of us to select a card from the Major Arcana. Without going into great detail, these cards are significant. When one appears in a reading, you need to give it your attention. It usually indicates a major change in your life!

When it was my turn, I drew the Death card. This is a frightening card, which depicts a scary looking skeleton riding a horse over dead people. Drawing this card might well have been my exit from the class, if my teacher hadn’t smiled when I drew the card and said I had drawn the right card for me.

Staring at the card, I really hoped she was right because I desperately wanted to put it back and ask for another. But it the card I drew and I was stuck with it. So, while everyone was happily sharing their cards, I was frantically searching my Tarot book for more information about the Death card. It was worth the search because I learned something very important.

Turns out the Death card isn’t actually about dying; it’s about the opportunity to begin again. I had looked at the forbidding picture and assumed the worst. Instead, the card represents the death of something old and the birth of something new.

Even if I had never seen a tarot Death card, its message is a part of my life. It represents those times when I need to make a major change in my life that’s really scary. It visually portrays my choice: Let the change frighten me so much that I avoid taking action or discover what metaphorically needs to “die” in my life so I can live more fully.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like it when life hands me a Death card! It still frightens me. But now I try to accept its challenge, look beyond my fears, and embrace new opportunities to transform my life.

What about you? Has life ever handed you a Death card? Here are some things to think about if your life tells you it’s time to make a significant change and yet, you’re uncertain or afraid:

– Look at your life and try to identify what needs to be changed. Ask yourself what’s important about this change and how it can improve your life. If it scares you, try to identify the source of your fears.

– Remember, in nature, fear has a purpose. It’s a call to action. So, what steps, big or small, are you willing to take to make whatever change your life is demanding?

You don’t need to fear the Death card! It may look scary, but its message promises you a more fulfilling life!