Death
We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.~Joseph Campbell
Hanging on to the past, holding a grudge, reliving injustices in your mind till you can’t function; these are all examples of a life where the energy of the Death card would be a welcome relief. But what about a life that is coasting along just fine?
Living in complacency can be a trap as much as dwelling in a negative head-space. Sometimes you think you have what you want, and it is only when something comes along and shakes up your world, that you realize that you have been allowing yourself to be held back from a richer, more fulfilling life.
It doesn’t have to be the earthshaking energy of the Tower card. Sometimes it’s far more subtle, and it sneaks up on you. Sometimes while you’re crying in the dark over some dear thing that you’ve lost, you began to feel a small bud fight to emerge from deep underground. Don’t let the pain you’re experiencing overwhelm it, let it grow.
This is the power of Death acting in your life.
Death – Starting Over
I received an interesting answer in my daily card today.
When I do my daily card draw, sometimes I ask a question if there is some particular issue on my mind. Acknowledging from what I learned here, that I need to work on issues of self-worth, I asked, “How can I be good to myself today?”.
I was a bit surprised when I pulled the Death card. My initial thought was “Quit Your Job!” Yeah, right… that’s just wishful thinking. I’m not quite ready to do that just yet. After taking a few more moments to reflect on it, I realized that I was allowing old habits and automatic reactions to hold me back. I really need to let go of some things.
Let’s face it. Dying is the ultimate act of ‘letting go’.
Yes, it is time to let go of my expectations in my current job that was once wonderful and has now become a chore. But I also need to let go of my old ways of feeling about myself. I need to let go of my anger and frustration at whomever is causing me this trouble at work and I need to let go of my ongoing futile attempts to please everyone all the time. In the act of ‘dying’ to the old ways I will make way for the new ways to grow. Out of the skeleton we see emerging a butterfly, an age-old symbol for rebirth.
For further understanding, I looked up the affirmation written for the Death card by A.L. Samul in the book Wisdom in the Cards, the companion book for the Hudes deck. Here is what I found,
I acknowledge my ability to release the old, so that new can come into my life. I forgive others and release my hold on them. I forgive myself, and allow myself to move on.
This can be a scary card for some. But this morning I saw it as a way out. I focused on what this card meant for me today and as a result I had a very relaxed and productive day with minimal stress. Sometimes the Death card can be a welcome sight.
This Death card is from the Hudes Tarot Deck
