Sage Leaves: The Death Card, Jungian Archetype
Healing Ancestral Wounds Through Tarot
🌿 This week in Sage Leaves… 🌿
Welcome, wise ones, to this week’s Sage Leaves, where the archetype of Death rises to meet us at the threshold of the season. Of all the cards in the tarot, Death is my favorite. I welcome its arrival in a spread, because it carries the power of release and renewal. In more than forty years of reading, it has pointed to an actual physical passing only twice, and in both cases the moment was neither sudden nor unexpected. More often, Death reveals itself as a liminal passage: a sweeping away of what no longer serves, leaving a fresh, clear field where new life can be sown.
I think of the Death card as November embodied. The frosts of October have finished their work, the bright leaves and flowers have fallen back to the Earth, and what remains are bare shining stems, morning frost on fence rails, and the quiet turning toward the death of the old year. In this clearing, there is beauty, stillness, and promise. Just as the Earth must rest before spring, the psyche must sometimes surrender and empty itself before the next chapter can begin.
This week we enter into Death’s archetype through a Jungian lens — not asking what Death will do, but how it moves within you. In the weeks ahead, we will follow this figure further: through the Heroine’s Journey, through the depths of transgenerational healing. Archetypes rarely shout; instead, they move in cycles, return again and again, and slowly unveil their meaning.
You’ll also find this week’s Tarotscope for September 30–October 6, tracing the energetic patterns of the days ahead and offering guidance for walking with steadiness through this shifting season. And, as always, there may be liminal treasures waiting at the edges: an herbal blend to steady your breath, a note of plant lore, or a reflection born of your questions.
Thank you for walking here with me — still becoming, still listening — as the earth tips toward full autumn and the inevitable passing of summer’s lushness.
The Death Card in A Jungian View
When the Death card appears in a tarot spread, many people immediately tense up. The word itself carries fear, and the image is often stark: a skeletal figure, sometimes on horseback, moving steadily forward. Yet in Jungian terms, this card is far less about literal endings and far more about transformation. It represents the archetype of death and rebirth, a powerful symbol of psychological change that is both necessary and natural.
Carl Jung believed that archetypes are universal symbols that live in the collective unconscious, the shared layer of the human psyche. They surface in myths, dreams, and art, and they shape how we experience the world. The Death card aligns with what Jung might call the archetype of transformation. It embodies the cycle of endings and beginnings, the necessary dissolution of old forms so that new life can emerge.
In practical terms, the Death card often signals the close of one chapter and the preparation for another. Jung observed that the psyche naturally resists change. The ego prefers safety, control, and what is familiar, even when that familiarity has grown stagnant. The Death archetype breaks through that resistance. It comes as a force that strips away what no longer serves. From a Jungian perspective, this is not a punishment but a vital part of individuation, the lifelong process of becoming more whole and authentic.
Think about times when you have had to release an identity, a belief, or a way of life that once defined you. Perhaps you ended a relationship, left a job, or outgrew a role in your family. These experiences can feel painful, but they are also initiations into a deeper sense of self. The Death card symbolizes that kind of passage. It asks you to grieve the old while recognizing the seed of the new that waits beneath the surface. Jung noted that death imagery in dreams often accompanies moments of psychological breakthrough, when the unconscious is clearing space for growth.
Another Jungian layer of the Death card is its connection to the shadow. The shadow contains all the parts of ourselves we would rather not see — fear, anger, grief, desire. Death archetypes force these elements into the open. By confronting what we fear losing, we are pushed to acknowledge the hidden aspects of our psyche. This confrontation is uncomfortable, but it is also healing. Jung taught that integrating the shadow brings vitality and authenticity. In this way, the Death card is not only an ending but also a call to wholeness.
The card also connects to nature’s cycles, which Jung often used as metaphors for the psyche. Just as the seasons shift, the human soul must experience winters in order to prepare for springs. Death is not a single event but part of an ongoing cycle. Old patterns, roles, and identities must fall away like leaves in autumn, making space for growth to come. The Death card is that seasonal turn within you. It reminds you that the psyche thrives when it honors rhythm, not when it clings to permanence.
“The Death card is not about doom but about the psyche’s need for release and renewal, inviting you to honor endings as part of becoming whole.”
In Jungian archetypal language, Death is also a threshold figure. It guards the liminal space between what was and what will be. Meeting Death in a reading means standing at that threshold. Jung saw thresholds as moments of initiation, where the ego loosens its grip and something deeper comes through. This is where renewal begins. It is not a guarantee of ease, but it is a promise of change.
So when the Death card rises in your reading, do not read it as doom. Read it as a mirror of the psyche’s need for release and renewal. It is the archetype that says: “Something has ended. Make space for what wants to be born.” Jung would remind you that endings are as natural as beginnings, and that resisting them only prolongs suffering. By leaning into the archetype of Death, you honor both your grief and your capacity to transform.
In the end, the Death card is not about loss alone. It is about the courage to let go, the wisdom to face endings, and the trust that new life waits on the other side. From a Jungian perspective, it is the archetype that teaches you how to surrender to change and how to find renewal in the cycles of your own becoming.
Reflection Prompt:
What in your life is asking to be released, not as a loss to mourn forever, but as an opening that makes space for something new to take root?
Write down your answers. Then consider what one step you can make to releasing that thing, even if it is small, that brings your life closer to alignment with your inner truth.
🌿Sage Leaves Weekly Tarotscope
Tarotscope for September 30-October 6, 2025
This week’s spread carries the unmistakable rhythm of transformation. From the tender promise of the Ace of Cups to the stark release of the 10 of Swords and the fresh leap of The Fool, the cards trace a journey of endings and beginnings. As Samhain nears, you are reminded that every threshold requires both courage and surrender, and that what falls away clears the path for what is waiting to be born.
The Cards of the Week
Tuesday: Ace of Cups
Wednesday: 2 of Wands – Mercury in Libra Square Jupiter in Cancer
Thursday: 8 of Cups – Moon in Aquarius Trine Sun in Libra
Friday: Queen of Pentacles – Moon in Aquarius Trine Mercury in Libra
Saturday: 10 of Swords – Venus in Virgo Square Uranus in Gemini
Sunday: The Fool
Monday: King of Pentacles – Mercury Enters Scorpio and Aries Full Moon
Tuesday – Ace of Cups
The week begins with the Ace of Cups, a fresh outpouring of feeling, intuition, and connection. You are handed a vessel brimming with possibility, an emotional beginning that feels both tender and open. This card suggests that a new relationship, creative impulse, or spiritual practice may be entering your awareness. It is a gentle start, asking you to approach the days ahead with vulnerability and trust. The heart opens, and the currents of the week begin to flow.
Wednesday – 2 of Wands
On Wednesday the 2 of Wands calls you to consider your path. With Mercury in Libra squaring Jupiter in Cancer, choices feel magnified. You may see before you two directions, each offering promise, but only one can be chosen. The card shows you holding the world in your hands, scanning horizons, and weighing possibilities. This is a threshold moment. Decisions made now set the tone for what lies ahead, even if you cannot see all the consequences yet.
Thursday – 8 of Cups
Thursday deepens the liminal energy with the 8 of Cups. The Moon in Aquarius trine the Sun in Libra highlights clarity born of detachment. Here, you walk away from what once nourished you, acknowledging that some sources of joy no longer satisfy. This is not abandonment but a turning toward growth. The imagery of leaving cups behind underlines the courage required to release comfort in search of deeper fulfillment. It is a card of departure, of stepping out of the familiar into the unknown.
Friday – Queen of Pentacles
The Queen of Pentacles on Friday restores stability. With the Moon in Aquarius trine Mercury in Libra, her presence suggests practical care, nurture, and a grounded approach to change. This queen is resourceful and steady, a reminder that as you navigate thresholds you still need to tend to the body, the home, and the material world. She encourages you to balance the emotional turning of the 8 of Cups with practical self-care. Comfort, nourishment, and small acts of tending keep you resilient.
Saturday – 10 of Swords
Saturday brings the 10 of Swords, perhaps the most final of the week’s liminal cards. With Venus in Virgo square Uranus in Gemini, the card depicts an ending that cannot be softened. Something is finished, brought down to its conclusion. While the imagery of ten swords piercing a figure is stark, the card also shows dawn breaking on the horizon. The message is clear: what has ended clears the way for clarity and renewal. Though painful, this card affirms that the cycle is complete and there is nothing to return to.
Sunday – The Fool
On Sunday, the week’s single Major Arcana arrives: The Fool. This card sings of new beginnings, innocence, and trust. After the deep release of the 10 of Swords, The Fool reminds you that endings open into possibility. You step forward lightly, untethered from the past, ready to explore with curiosity. The Fool is the archetype of pure potential, the invitation to leap into what comes next without fear of failure. This day feels like fresh air after the heaviness, a threshold crossed and a journey begun.
Monday – King of Pentacles
The week closes with the King of Pentacles, under the Aries Full Moon as Mercury enters Scorpio. Here is mastery, security, and tangible results. The King is the culmination of steady labor and practical wisdom. After the openness of The Fool, he reminds you to anchor your vision in reality. He represents success built on responsibility and foresight. This card affirms that the choices, departures, and endings of the week all lead toward solid ground and stability.
Overarching Themes
The Liminal Trio
This week’s story hinges on three liminal cards: the 2 of Wands, the 8 of Cups, and the 10 of Swords. Together, they describe the full arc of transition. The 2 of Wands asks you to choose, to hold the globe and envision possibilities. The 8 of Cups shows the courage of departure, walking away from what no longer feeds you. The 10 of Swords delivers the final severing, the irreversible ending that clears the field. This sequence mirrors the Death archetype itself: a decision, a departure, a dissolution, and then a rebirth.
“The liminal cards of this week — the 2 of Wands, the 8 of Cups, and the 10 of Swords — mirror the Death archetype, reminding you that endings are thresholds to renewal.”
The Fool as Pivot
The week’s only Major Arcana is The Fool, and it is perfectly placed. After the weight of endings, The Fool enters as a breath of renewal. This placement shows that transformation is not only about what dies but also about what is born. In the context of Samhain and the Death archetype, The Fool is the companion who meets you on the far side of loss, showing you that the cycle continues and life insists on beginning again.
The Pentacles Court
Both the Queen of Pentacles and the King of Pentacles appear, flanking the liminal work with steady presence. The Queen offers care and nurture as you cross thresholds, while the King affirms mastery and stability after the leap into newness. Their presence grounds the reading, reminding you that transformation must be lived in the body and sustained in the material world.
Numerology and Flow
The sequence of numbers carries its own story. You begin with the Ace of Cups, the seed of emotion, then move into the 2 of Wands, choice and expansion. You encounter the 8 of Cups and 10 of Swords, cards of transition and closure, before arriving at the unnumbered Fool, outside the cycle, stepping into the unknown. Finally, the narrative resolves with the King, the culmination of responsibility and mastery. This rhythm shows a journey from seed to threshold, from ending to rebirth, and from rebirth to grounded stability.
Absence of Recurring Cards
Unlike other weeks, there are no recurring cards here. This underlines that the story is new, a distinct cycle rather than a repetition. The absence of Swords until the 10 of Swords makes that card even more powerful, marking the definitive conclusion of what has been building quietly in the background.
Conclusion
This week’s spread is a mirror of the Death archetype, perfectly timed for the approach of Samhain. Something is being swept away so that a new journey can begin. The Ace of Cups opens the heart, the 2 of Wands sets the decision, the 8 of Cups begins the departure, and the 10 of Swords seals the ending. Out of this, The Fool steps forward, light and open, showing you that endings and beginnings are one cycle. Anchored by the Queen and King of Pentacles, you are reminded that while transformation is liminal, it is also practical — it must be lived in body and world.
As you move through this week, hold the Death card close. It is not a threat, but a promise: that clearing leads to renewal, that endings prepare the soil for beginnings, and that every threshold crossed is an invitation into deeper wholeness.
Reflection: What are you being called to walk away from with courage, and how might that ending open the door to a new beginning you have not yet imagined?
As the wheel turns toward Samhain and the year leans into its darker half, may the Death card remind you that release is not destruction but preparation. The Ace of Cups opens the heart, the Fool invites you into renewal, and the Pentacles courts ground your steps as you cross the thresholds ahead. Let this week be a time to honor endings, welcome beginnings, and walk with steadiness into the fertile mystery of the season.
May you find the courage to release what has ended, the grace to welcome what begins, and the wisdom to walk gently between the two.
Until next week, may the cards guide you gently,
—Dr. Winkler
💫 Would you like a more personalized glimpse into your journey? If you'd like a tarot or Lenormand reading tailored just for you, I invite you to reach out. I’m honored to hold space with you as we explore the symbols and stories of your own unique path. You can connect with me directly:
That’s it for this week! Look for Sage Leaves in your inbox on Tuesday afternoons (North American time.) We look forward to exploring more about Tarot, Healing and more! Take care, be well, and good-bye for now!