Death 13 (a.k.a. The Phoenix)

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13 The Phoenix (Death & Rebirth)

What? No Grim Reaper with his scythe? Isn't this the dreaded "Death Card" you see in movies all the time like this one:

Death

"But I thought when you pull this card....like...some one's gonna die or something?"

Wrong ! If that were the case, our Fool would have no where else to go on her journey (cause she wouldn't exist any longer). Thankfully there is much more symbolism than is commonly known.

Let's bring up our Phoenix card again next to our last reviewed card:

13 - Phoenix

Perspective (or the Hanged Man)

12 - Perspective (Hanged Man)

Pseudo Angel

Notice the hair color of the "angelic being" and the "giant" lady holding a crystal in her hand? That's right: RED. The evil sorceress from the Hanged Man card didn't learn from her good sister on how to surrender herself for a higher purpose.

She opted to morph into a pseudo-angel and fly to the heavens herself...and recieve answers directly from the Divine, not from a silly ritual of waiting or being still.

 Before she could make it though, Guardian Angels of the gates of the Divine struck her back down to earth as a fiery disgrace...

 ...into the ocean of TRUTH to be cleansed.There the sorceress would be purged of her crazy ideas and be REBORN again much wiser and more humble than before...possibly even a brand new being...The Phoenix !

The Phoenix (Reborn)

I chose the Phoenix to symbolize REBIRTH (door opened) after a DEATH (door closed). For that to happen, there must be a clearing of old feelings, habits, ideas, beliefs, and attitude. That is why you usually see the skeleton with the blade slicing away. It simply is to show the shedding of the unnecessary...moving away from the past and toward the future (as shown by the Lady Phoenix facing to the right...future).

This transition can be quite emotional since this number 13 card denotes change at a cost...sometimes

a great one at that shown by the height of her fall. The water below puts out the fire she feels from losing the past, but also collects her tears she sheds while adjusting to the unknown future.

Though rarely this card actually means a true death. It would have to be heavily aspected with negative cards around it to signify this.

This part of the journey is where our Fool learns to part with the negative vibes that have been clinging to her up till now: Wrath... Greed... Sloth... Pride... Lust... Envy...Gluttony. She needs to get back to basics: Faith... Hope... Love... and concentrate on the essentials of life in order to move forward as...

...THE PHOENIX...REBORN ANEW !!