It symbolizes a time of transformation and major changes in our lives; a period of metamorphosis and total change.  The 13th Major Arcana card also symbolizes the principle of letting go and moving on.  Death can indicate a total change or transformation, a metamorphosis.  The pressures of the current situation are becoming so strong that you are actually choosing to change things.  The old order needs to be destroyed in order for something new to arise from its ashes.  It may be showing that you are ready for a total change in your life.  You are embracing the experience or transformation and metamorphosis and will gain maximum benefit from it.  The old patterns or situations are being destroyed to make room for something brand new.  Renewed hope.

Death, again I drew Death.  Yeah, yeah, I got it already - major transformation, destruction of old patterns, letting go and moving on but in what area?  It’s not like my marriage is going to end, although maybe some changes in some of our relationship patterns might be helpful.  I’m not doubting that I could probably benefit from some major changes at work - whether that means leaving or shaking things up in terms of my current position has not been determined yet.

But I will admit that I have been feeling a renewed sense of hope lately.   For whatever reason, those little things that used to annoy and frustrate me so much haven’t been having the same impact.  Sometimes I’m almost worried about feeling so happy.  Despite the state of the world things are actually pretty good in my life. 

Maybe what is transforming and metamorphosizing is my ability to appreciate and enjoy the little things in life.  I’m moving beyond the need to own a whole lot of stuff and trying to focus more on enjoying what I already have.  What I’m choosing to change is my connection between happiness and stuff.  Yesterday I drew the Queen of Pentacles and I realized that part of her message to me is that allowing myself to be nurtured and sustained is not a sign of weakness.  I think she is also a reminder that “stuff” will never nurture and support me on any level.  It is more of an emotional crutch that helped me stave off fears that developed as a result of my family’s rickety financial status when I was a kid.

Death might be showing me that I’m releasing all of that negative energy I’ve been carrying around all these years.  It’s time to jettison that useless crap and make way for some amazing and wonderful things to enter.

One thing that struck me when looking at the imagery on the Golden Rider is the relentlessness of Death.  No one can escape his reach - not child nor adult, not rick nor poor.  It is inevitable, regardless of human efforts to avoid its grasp.  The same concept can be applied to change.  Things change, that is the way of life.  There is no way to stop it or prevent it.  We might be able to slow it a down a bit or to control some of its impact, but change is going to happen (and believe me, I've tried to stop it).  Perhaps one of the lessons that we need to embrace when Death appears is the idea that we have any real control over the situation.  I think the only aspect we can change is how we handle its impact in our lives.