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Death Tarot Card Spread - A Tarot Spread for Coping with Change

By Tina Gong

Published February 18

Summary of Death Tarot Card Meaning

After the Fool spends some time in suspension, and starts to see the world with a fresh perspective, they come to a sad realization. They recognize that there is sometimes no going back. With some people, there can be no reconciliation. With some viewpoints, there can be no agreement, without damage to the Fool’s own sense of self. With some situations, there is just no possible way for the Fool to make it work. There is a deep sense of loss here; it is difficult to walk away. The only possible thing that the Fool can do in order to continue on their own path is to release that which they they cannot change.

Light: Change, endings, beginnings, loss, letting go
Shadow: Stagnation, decay, rot

To learn more, read the full Death tarot card meaning.

When to Use This Tarot Spread

When you need help processing a difficult transition.
When something has ended, and you’re still dealing with the difficult emotions arising from it.
When you’re looking for some help accepting the finality of that change.

Go Beyond Tarot Meanings

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Death Tarot Card Spread

Death - What is being lost? What is the process of ending, and cannot be changed, slowed down or altered?
Before - Who were you before this loss? Who are no longer?
After - Who do you have the chance to be once this change is complete?
To Grieve - What still needs to be mourned? What have you yet to process? How can you process this loss?
To Remember - What lessons does this loss have for you? What do you know now that you didn’t before? Or what memories should be cherished?
To Release - What still needs to be let go? What are you still holding on to that is no longer realistic?
To Heal - How can you move on? How can you rest and recover?

A Note on the Fool's Journey Tarot Spreads: This is part of a series of tarot spreads inspired by the lessons of the Fool’s Journey, represented by the major arcana of the tarot. Since each major arcana card embodies a stage in one’s life journey, a lesson, or an archetype, we can use them as the foundations to explore moments of our own personal journeys. They also happen to be great ways to explore the meanings of each of these tarot cards in a very personal way.

For more of these spreads, please head here.

And if you'd like to purchase the deck depicted in these spreads, you can click here to purchase it! You can also purchase its Marseille cousin.