Death - Change and The River Styx

I always have a little chuckle when I draw this card because this depiction of the Death really does look like Darth Vader.

No, it's not Darth Vader, but Hades, lord of the underworld, brother to Zeus, and he was also called Pluto, which means 'riches', because his realm is full of hidden wealth.

Most people who aren't familiar with the Major Arcana card Death, are immediately fearful of this image in a reading, because it's taken literally, believing it's a foreboding prediction of a physical death. This is simply not the case. It's the card of transition and represents a coming to grips with what it entails, by accepting and opening ourselves to the door that's closing, and to another door that's opening.

Transition is often not so easy, depending on our capacity to accept and recognize, endings are necessary, and can also present an opportunity for deep personal growth and a new life, if we can find a way over time to let go of the old one.

One thing for certain about change, is that it's constantly in flux, and ever present in our lives, whether we like it or not. I don't think there is any one who is always comfortable knowing this fact, whether the change is positive or negative, as it's often difficult to accept.


We all have and develop our own comfort zones, that we might see as being threatened by change. Most of us, depending on what the change is we're presented with, will resist and deny, which often can make things more difficult, especially if we're not willing to go with the flow or we can't wear the world as a loose garment.

The stage of change brings sadness and mourning, represented by The River Styx and is as necessary as joy and celebration.

"We change our behaviour when the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of changing."

      - Henry Cloud

 Apple River - Catherine Meyers

Five of Cups - Attention - The One Cup Left Standing

"Attention, taken to its highest degree, is the same thing as prayer. It presupposes faith and love.
Absolutely unmixed attention is prayer.
If we turn our mind toward the good, it is impossible that little by little the whole soul will not be attracted thereto in spite of itself."

                                                         -Simone Weil

We see here Psyche who is in desperate pursuit of Eros. Their relationship seems to have completely gone off the rails. Psyche has shone the lamp on Eros to reveal what he looked like, after he forbid her to ever do so. However all is not lost. Yes there are four cups knocked over, spilling the contents. However one still remains standing, symbolizing what is left will strengthen and sustain their love for one another, not based on will, but based on attention.

Cups representing emotion, and the Five of Cups being about adversity, loss, regret and bereavement makes this card very poignant in meaning for me today. It's been said , if you don't deal with your emotions, they will deal with you.  But how do we do this?

I've come to an important realization over the past week regarding death, loss and how it's fraught with deep emotion, it effects and how continues to affect me, and knowing what I can and need do about it.

Recently our small rural coastal community lost one of our young people to suicide. It's affected all of us in various ways, and degrees, especially affecting the immediate family and friends.

Our culture doesn't cope well with death, and we keep it at arms length. Most of us have grown up with out the skills of knowing what to do or say to those who are grieving. When we're directly affected by the loss of our loved ones, we're often at a complete loss as to how to cope, experiencing overwhelming fear and trauma resulting in Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, especially if we have had more than our share of tragedy and loss in our lives.

After doing some research on line, I've come to the conclusion my responses to death, are a direct result of my own symptoms of PTSD, having experienced so much loss in my life due to the tragic deaths of loved ones mostly caused by disease. I was really mostly unaware of this, until the past week. I knew my reactions were troubling, disconcerting and probably not normal, but I never consciously attributed them to PTSD. I was mostly left with anxiety, fear and guilt.

I'm relieved to know this, as I can now begin to process and really understand my reactions and feelings that I've been experiencing over the years, and do something about it.

Yesterday I went to see the grandparents of this beautiful young person we lost to suicide. They're both my friends and neighbours. I walked to their house. On the way I became acutely aware of the visceral feelings I was having. Panic, anxiety, pounding heart, all underlined by overall feelings of depression. Regardless and in spite of my feelings, I'd paid close attention to what it was I wanted and needed to do to express my deep sorrow for their loss. Though I was wanting to run away and not go, I continued up the road to see them. I'd made muffins, had a poem in hand and a prayer in my heart, for them, and for myself.
  I felt so much better after our visit and my feelings had dispelled. We cried, talked, laughed and shelled beans from their garden. I know we all felt better.


In 1980 I lost my newly wed young husband at the age of 26 to Brittle Diabetes and drug induced Paranoid Schizophrenia. Bill was two years older than this young person who recently died in our community.

 People might think, that was over thirty years ago when I'd lost my husband, maybe I should be "over" it. It doesn't matter how long it's been. What does matter is how you cope and what other losses happen adding to the complexity of grief and coping skills. My own self-medicating behaviour through the use and abuse of alcohol, only created more confusion and grief. I was lost until I reached out for help and got clean and sober 22 years ago. But just because you've put the cork in the bottle, doesn't mean everything is all better now.



 I remember what a very spiritual man said to me about prayer when Bill died. He talked to me about how prayer is carrying someone in your heart. It's paying attention with faith and love.

 Today I live without the use of alcohol, but cannot live without prayer in my life, both for others and for myself. It's the one cup, left standing, that I paid attention to.

Death- Transformative Experiences

I rarely get this card in my daily draw, although lately it's been making an appearance and it always gets my attention. In spite of infrequently drawing this card it makes sense to me today as it speaks of transformation, a kind of out with the old, and in with the new pretext, which is exactly where I am presently  in my life. It's both exciting and daunting simultaneously, that directly involves my creative goals and objectives.

Transforming experiences are brought about via internal or external forces, but ultimately it is our responsibility to decide what to do in response to the circumstances in which we find ourselves. I always try hard to work with what I've got, and my out look is to take an optimistic, hopeful and trusting stance, regardless of the situation, be it positive or negative.

 The power of our mind can never be underestimated in it's ability to transform the quality of our lives.

Skeleton Woman - Egg Tempera on Wood - Catherine Meyers

Death - "Luke I Am Your Father"

Death is the counterpart of life. It's certainly just as important as life, if not more so. A life well lived helps us to we learn how to die. Life and death are not in opposition but walk closely in relationship, hand in hand transforming one another if we are open to understanding and accept this powerful relationship.

This Major Arcana card is not about physical death. It represents transformation and rebirth. We are all transforming in different ways, at varying times of our life.

Here we see Hades. Interestingly he is the brother of Zeus, who rescued Hades from certain death and also gave him the kingdom of the Underworld. Hades or Pluto the name he was also called, means 'riches', because his realm was full of hidden riches. He was the one responsible for kidnapping Persephone, Demeter's daughter.

I always have a bit of a giggle when I look at this card because the the helmet makes the dude look like Darth Vader from Star Wars, and of course then I hear, "Luke, I am Your Father".
This helmet that Hades in wearing made him invisible and no mortal could see him.

The Death card doesn't symbolize a 'bad' ending. It represents the in-between state,where we face the reality of loss, before the beginning of a new sense of growth and transformation.

Hades presides over endings and new beginnings. The ending is just as important as the beginning and must be recognized and felt. Death is our invisible companion throughout our life, and this card is symbolic of an opportunity for a new life, if we can let go of the old one.

Woman With The Golden Hair

Death - How Death Can Save Your Life

I drew the Death card this morning, and I was glad, because in spite of it's dark foreboding appearance, and looking like Darth Vader, it is an affirming card, that reminds me to be willing to accept change as being a huge part of life, a card representing acceptance of change, transition or transformation, so that rebirth can occur. The little folk beneath, seem welcoming, one even offers a flower, and they are not running away.

Change is not a walk in the park, as there are always varying degrees of trepidation, and some real anxiety when things happen, as we can feel everything is out of control. With acceptance, making the decision to let go, realizing I am not in control, along with the choices I make, this is what can alter my life for the better.

My whole attitude, and outlook changed twenty years ago, after I chose to live a sober life, and I have been in transition ever since. Letting go of the old self, is a kind of death, because of this willingness to change, letting go of the old life, and embracing my new life, that was what saved me from a dead end road. You don't have to be physically dead, to not be fully alive.

There is much to be learned through this card, and through actual physical death, which contemporary society keeps at arms length. Death has much to teach us about life and it can even save our lives.

Five of Cups - All Is Not Lost!

This card, the Five of Cups can represent some of the most difficult obstacles in our personal life, particularly in regards to our relationships, that are tested over time, and there are often regrets over past actions relating to betrayal. Not intentional betrayal of another necessarily, but toward one's self, and being honest.

It feels like we have lost absolutely everything we love, dreams have been unfulfilled, our hearts are completely broken, and we wear the cloak of mourning, as if there has been a death.
We say to ourselves " If only..."

The Five of Cups can look like a very bleak card, full of despair. Psyche who has betrayed Eros, desperately runs after her. The four cups are spilled on to the floor, but the fifth cup remains full and standing. But Psyche takes no notice. The full cup represents, all is not lost, if we take up the challenge and commit to making a brighter future.

Depending on our attitude towards our circumstances, struggles and difficulties we find ourselves in at present, it can feel impossible to see the lessons, to be gleaned from the situation. We can become myopic, and can't see the forest for the trees. We may find ourselves in denial about what has happened, getting caught up in our sadness, and trouble hearts. We don't see what there is to be grateful for, and there is to be learned. The cup isn't half full, it is full.

We can rise from the ashes as a stronger individual, having an attitude of gratitude. This make all the difference in our happiness.

Loss, tragedy, and heartbreak can give us insight, and even epiphanies. These can give us experience, strength and hope, that we can share with to others. Solutions hide in our obstacles. This has truly been my own experience.

Today all too frequently, people are either rushing into relationships or trying to get out by running away. We often don't slow down, and reflect on our lives long enough, to take an inventory of ourselves, to figure out what it is we really want, or need. Too often we want what we can't have, or don't want what we have, and then wonder why happiness seems to elude us, instead of appreciating and accepting, what we do have. Certainly if I am not happy within myself, we will never be happy with another, regardless of my circumstance.

We all experience loss in our lives. Some people experience more than their fair share of loss, but they are able to overcome, and they inspire others through their example, turning their weakness into strength.

Death - A Time For Endings

 
 As I make my way through my daily study, through the 22 Major Arcana cards, today the Death card was what came to mind; the card that signifies a time for endings, and is the 13th card in the Major Arcana.

The Death card I don't often see in readings, but when it comes up in a spread, many folks are fearful of seeing this card. It is by no means an indication of physical Death, but a card of transition and transformation. We need to accept and let go of what was, in order to embrace and allow for our soul's future growth and change. In a way, I think of it a kind of shape shifting card were we can transform ourselves in some way if we can let go of past issues that are holding us back. We die to the old and are re-birthed into anew kind of being, in better circumstance.

A major change is needed and due! The destruction of the old is a blessing in disguise, though we are saddened and are mourning,  it signifies the end of a cycle, or a way of life, where we relinquish an old dream, an attitude, or a way of being in the world and this is replaced with a new beginning. How we handle this experience depends on our capacity for acceptance and recognition for the necessity of endings.

Death is always our invisible companion throughout our lives, and all part of the life-death-life-cycle.
If you are faced with an ending, this is a good time for a reading to receive insight into the darkness, and to help you prepare for the new beginning that awaits you.