The Death card presents the Messenger of Death on a white horse which is a skeleton dressed in armor. The skeleton symbolizes the element of the body that survives after death; the armor symbolizes that death will come. Its dark color is symbolizing grief and the hidden, while the horse is the color of innocence and appears as a sign of power. There is a black flag in his hand with a five-petal rose which is reflecting purification and the number five symbolizing transformation. Together, these symbols show that death isn’t only about endings. Death is also about beginnings. There is grace in death which is an essential part of aliveness.

Upright
Endings, change, transformation, transition
Reversed
Resistance to change, personal transformation, inner purging
Astrology
Scorpio
Element
Water
Death

Upright Death

After a period of meditation with the Hanged Man card, the Death card symbolizes the end of a significant phase of your life is no longer serving you, opening up the chance of something far more valuable. You must close one door so another could be opened. You need to be ready to welcome new possibilities. It may be hard to let go of the past, but you will soon see the promise of restoration and transformation. If you resist these important endings, you may experience only pain, but if you improve your imagination, you allow more constructive patterns to appear.

The Death card has elements of an unexpected change. Although the outbreak may seem undesired and worrying, this massive change could bring a series of unexpected surprises that create new opportunities for you.

Finally, Death is a sign that you need to learn to let go of harmful attachments in your life to pave the way to a more fulfilled life. Death teaches you to let go of outgrown ways of life and to move forward from them. This is a perfect card to break a bad pattern of behavior. See this as a time to cut out the excess and let go of what is useless for your living. 

Reversed Death

In the reversed position, Death can mean that you are on the verge of significant change but are holding it. You may be resistant to let go, or you may not know how to make the change you need. You still carry harmful viewpoints from the past that may interfere with a new opportunity. Because of your refusal and you feel stuck in limbo.

Death reversed advises you the opportunity to embrace change rather than hold it. See what amazing possibilities become available to you as you say ‘yes’ to change. 

The reversed Death card can show that you are going through a huge transformation, which is private and out of view of other people. You should be releasing what no longer serves you so that you can make space for the new to appear. You may be limiting expectations; you may be replacing your habits.