Death
On a bright spring day, a dead heron is laid to rest in an old decaying boat near the beach. Ants and spiders crawl on the carcass and a vulture hovers overhead. Wild roses and elderberry grow up through the rotting boat and butterflies flit through the greenery. Sinuous ropes like snakes are coiled below the deck. To the west are the islands of the Otherworld, and late afternoon sunlight sparkles on the water.
In Celtic mythology, the Otherworld — often conceived as islands — always lies to the West, and travelers often set off on their last journey by boat. Heron is a guardian spirit who stands at the gateway of life and death. Vultures feeds on dead flesh and purify it, leaving only bones behind. Elderberry is an herb that is both medicinal and toxic. Roses are a symbol of the fivefold Mystery, and butterflies are a symbol of the soul.
The flash of sunlight on water has been called the “White Lady” in some Celtic traditions, and is seen as an epiphany or appearance of the Goddess. Our heron sails home through the gates of the Otherworld, and those of us who are left behind stand in awe of the Great Mystery.
Read more about my thoughts on the Death card in my Journal.
Look at a detail of the Death card.
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