Death – Transformation
The thirteenth card of the Major Arcana is the Death card. Essentially the Death card in tarot is a sign of transformation and endings.
A part of you has to die, for a new version of you to evolve. Following up the greater cycle of 12 in the previous card of The Hanged Man, the death signals the idea of time moving forward.
In that, as natural tides go, this often refers to something significant within us or around us changing, shifting and ending.
When seen with necessary awareness and understanding, sometimes these endings serve to a catharsis and transformation within us. Sometimes this kind of change is necessary.
For as in nature, in endings and death is what gives deeper meaning to life.
The art of transforming suffering, pain, evil, into something good is the art of seeing the necessity of the opposite.
Real change is not in the path, the real change is in the traveler. But to change paths is a beginning.
You are outside, so the transformation also has to begin from the outside. If you gather courage to change on the outside it will strengthen your courage to change inside.
During times of great upheaval is always an opportunity for deeper change. During these changes, everything in malleable. Although the sombre nature and profound simplicity in a deathly nature over-ride the themes to this sign, from the smallest habits to the deepest essence, changes undertaken to these time often have far-reaching effects. That is the quintessence of transformation.