Death XIII in the Rider Waite Tarot
Table of contents
Table of contents
See another card
- The Fool
- The Magician I
- The High Priestess II
- The Empress III
- The Emperor IV
- The Hierophant V
- The Lovers VI
- The Chariot VII
- Strength VIII
- The Hermit IX
- Wheel of Fortune X
- Justice XI
- The Hanged Man XII
- Death XIII
- Temperance XIV
- The Devil XV
- The Tower XVI
- The Star XVII
- The Moon XVIII
- The Sun XIX
- Judgement XX
- The World XXI
- Ace of Wands
- Two of Wands
- Three of Wands
- Four of Wands
- Five of Wands
- Six of Wands
- Seven of Wands
- Eight of Wands
- Nine of Wands
- Ten of Wands
- Page of Wands
- Knight of Wands
- Queen of Wands
- King of Wands
- Ace of Cups
- Two of Cups
- Three of Cups
- Four of Cups
- Five of Cups
- Six of Cups
- Seven of Cups
- Eight of Cups
- Nine of Cups
- Ten of Cups
- Page of Cups
- Knight of Cups
- Queen of Cups
- King of Cups
- Ace of Swords
- Two of Swords
- Three of Swords
- Four of Swords
- Five of Swords
- Six of Swords
- Seven of Swords
- Eight of Swords
- Nine of Swords
- Ten of Swords
- Page of Swords
- Knight of Swords
- Queen of Swords
- King of Swords
- Ace of Pentacles
- Two of Pentacles
- Three of Pentacles
- Four of Pentacles
- Five of Pentacles
- Six of Pentacles
- Seven of Pentacles
- Eight of Pentacles
- Nine of Pentacles
- Ten of Pentacles
- Page of Pentacles
- Knight of Pentacles
- Queen of Pentacles
- King of Pentacles
Death Rider Waite Smith : meaning and interpretation
Major
Water
Scorpio
Generally speaking, Death is not a card to be feared, but welcomed as an ally of change. It heralds the end of one cycle and the beginning of another, often more in line with your personal evolution. It does not necessarily mean physical death, but rather a major inner or outer transformation. It can be uncomfortable, because it requires you to let go, to grieve for what no longer exists – be it a relationship, a job, a way of life or a belief. But it also holds the promise of renewal. Just as winter precedes spring, this card reminds you that every ending is a preparation for rebirth. It invites you to trust the process, not to resist change, and to welcome the unknown as fertile ground for your metamorphosis.
RWS Tarot : Arcana Death readings
Love / Sentimental reading
with the card Death
When it comes to relationships, Death does not herald a fatality, but rather a profound transformation. It can symbolise the end of a relationship that has become sterile, a necessary passage to open the way to something more in line with your inner truth. If you’re in a relationship, this card may mark a phase of crisis, when old patterns must be abandoned to make way for a healthier dynamic. It’s a call to die to the ego, to toxic attachment, to be reborn to true love. For singles, Death indicates the end of a period of emotional isolation: mourning for a past love finally gives way to a new openness. This card invites you to accept losses as passages, not failures.
Professional / Work reading
with the card Death
On the professional front, Death speaks of a break, a change of direction or a radical reorientation. You may be leaving a job, or the working environment may be about to change irreversibly. This may be difficult at first, but what dies here will give way to a meaningful renewal. The card can also indicate the end of a cycle: a project is coming to an end, a collaboration is coming to an end. For people undergoing retraining or in search of a vocation, it encourages them to let go of obsolete ambitions in order to be reborn on a more authentic path. You need to know how to let go of what no longer resonates with your values, even if this means stepping out of your comfort zone.
Financial / Material / Money reading
with the card Death
In financial terms, Death can symbolise a loss or a major transformation in the management of your assets. It may mean a necessary material withdrawal, such as the sale of an asset or a reduction in lifestyle imposed by circumstances. However, this card is not always negative: above all, it signals the end of an obsolete way of operating. Perhaps it’s time to rethink your relationship with money, to abandon limiting beliefs or compulsive behaviour. Death can also herald a liberation: the end of a debt, a change of source of income, or a move towards more conscious management of your resources. It calls for wisdom in loss, and faith in renewal.
Family reading
with the card Death
At a family level, Death often evokes a major transition: a separation, a move, the departure of a family member, or even a generational break. It can also represent a transgenerational healing process, in which people decide to put an end to burdensome hereditary patterns. Sometimes this card brings about a mourning – symbolic or real – that forces us to reconsider family ties, to let go of what no longer nourishes us. But it can also lead to the rebirth of a more balanced dynamic, provided we accept the changes without resistance. It invites us to cut unhealthy ties and transform relationships in depth, even if this requires courage and time.
Spiritual reading
with the card Death
Spiritually, Death is a powerful initiation card. It symbolises the end of an old self, the necessary moult before a rise in consciousness. It is the moment to die to one’s illusions, material attachments or identity, to be reborn to a deeper truth. This process can be painful, because it means giving up what you thought you were, but it also brings light: an opening towards a wider dimension of existence. The card invites us to meditate, to introspect, to cross over into the shadows. It often marks a spiritual crisis or a gradual awakening, and encourages us to trust in the natural cycle of life, made up of perpetual death and rebirth.
See another card
- The Fool
- The Magician I
- The High Priestess II
- The Empress III
- The Emperor IV
- The Hierophant V
- The Lovers VI
- The Chariot VII
- Strength VIII
- The Hermit IX
- Wheel of Fortune X
- Justice XI
- The Hanged Man XII
- Death XIII
- Temperance XIV
- The Devil XV
- The Tower XVI
- The Star XVII
- The Moon XVIII
- The Sun XIX
- Judgement XX
- The World XXI
- Ace of Wands
- Two of Wands
- Three of Wands
- Four of Wands
- Five of Wands
- Six of Wands
- Seven of Wands
- Eight of Wands
- Nine of Wands
- Ten of Wands
- Page of Wands
- Knight of Wands
- Queen of Wands
- King of Wands
- Ace of Cups
- Two of Cups
- Three of Cups
- Four of Cups
- Five of Cups
- Six of Cups
- Seven of Cups
- Eight of Cups
- Nine of Cups
- Ten of Cups
- Page of Cups
- Knight of Cups
- Queen of Cups
- King of Cups
- Ace of Swords
- Two of Swords
- Three of Swords
- Four of Swords
- Five of Swords
- Six of Swords
- Seven of Swords
- Eight of Swords
- Nine of Swords
- Ten of Swords
- Page of Swords
- Knight of Swords
- Queen of Swords
- King of Swords
- Ace of Pentacles
- Two of Pentacles
- Three of Pentacles
- Four of Pentacles
- Five of Pentacles
- Six of Pentacles
- Seven of Pentacles
- Eight of Pentacles
- Nine of Pentacles
- Ten of Pentacles
- Page of Pentacles
- Knight of Pentacles
- Queen of Pentacles
- King of Pentacles
5-Card spread
Death and its positions in a 5-card draw.
Want to better understand how to interpret the card Death according to its position in a cross drawing? What does it symbolise as a situation, obstacle, resource, piece of advice or way out? Explore its many facets and find a detailed reading of the card Death in every position of the 5-card cross spread Rider Waite.
