UPRIGHT: Endings, change, transformation, transition
REVERSED: Resistance to change, personal transformation, inner purging
Death Tarot Card Meaning: Transformation and New Beginnings
The Death Tarot card meaning encapsulates themes of transformation and new beginnings. The figure depicted is the Messenger of Death—a skeleton clad in black armor, riding a white horse. The skeleton symbolizes the part of the body that survives long after life has departed. Its dark armor represents invincibility, emphasizing that death is an inevitable part of existence.
The horse, in contrast, is a symbol of purity and strength. Death carries a black flag adorned with a white five-petal rose, which reflects beauty, purification, and immortality. The number five signifies change, reinforcing the idea that death involves more than mere endings. It speaks to the cycles of birth, rebirth, and transformation inherent in life.
A royal figure lies dead on the ground, while a young woman, child, and bishop plead with the skeletal figure for mercy. However, death spares no one, reminding all of life’s impermanence.
In the background, a boat floats down a river, reminiscent of mythological vessels escorting souls to the afterlife. On the horizon, the sun sets between two towers, echoing imagery from The Moon Tarot card. This sunset symbolizes dying each night and being reborn every morning.
The Death Tarot card meaning teaches that endings are essential for new beginnings. Embracing change can lead to personal growth and transformation. There is beauty in death, which is an inherent part of being alive.
Ultimately, the Death card serves as a reminder that every ending opens the door to new opportunities and experiences, inviting individuals to reflect on their own cycles of change.