Death vs 10 of Swords

Thirteen said:

Death says: All things pass. Universal truth that. But there is more to the card. There is the acknowledgement (1) That we mourn such losses, and go through low times when there is a passing. (2) There is the acknowledgement that nature abhors a vacuum, and that something else will fill the spot left by this passing. It won't be the same, but it will be new and possibly ease our sorrow. What there isn't in this card is anything saying what might have been left behind. That's for the 10's to discuss. 10's have nothing to say about whether this ending is sad or not, or that something new will come to take its place. But they do have a lot to say about what it left behind.

In fact, the 9's are the suit cards that usually indicate earthly completion of a suit--you've learned all the lessons that suit can teach you. 10's, therefore, examine what is left behind; what continues on after something has come to an end. Cups usually indicates leaving behind strong feelings, like the feelings you may recall having for a grandparent well into adulthood and give to your grandchildren; Pents is often about a tangable legacy, wealth dispursed or children to carry on the family name. With the Wands it is not so optimistic; the creative energy that set things in motion has become routine. Its legacy is a driving force that makes people feel restricted rather than excited.

So, yes, the 10/Swords, as communications and ideas says that words and thoughts are at an end (taken as far as they could go in the 9's). But it also says, "Here is the legacy of all those words and ideas." And that legacy is silence. A message that turns out to be far more powerful and lasting than all those words and thoughts. It could be read as a message on fighting and the ruin it brings. However, I often like to site Hiram story, which is likely the basis for the RWS image of this card. Solomon's architect, Hiram, would not give up his secrets to two murderous thugs and they killed him. This story was told among the Masons, generation to generation. Its moral: silence, even eternal silence, is preferable to speaking to those who will not understand, or appreciate, or will make bad use of what you have to say.

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Michellehihi said:

I have one thing more to share: yesterday I was contemplating the card Death, and I realised that I was finding it a very positive card. In the sense that it teaches me that we have to enjoy every moment in life, live here and now intensely, because we never know when our eternal fiance, Death, will come and take our hand.

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Thirteen said:

Death says: All things pass. Universal truth that. But there is more to the card. There is the acknowledgement (1) That we mourn such losses, and go through low times when there is a passing. (2) There is the acknowledgement that nature abhors a vacuum, and that something else will fill the spot left by this passing. It won't be the same, but it will be new and possibly ease our sorrow. What there isn't in this card is anything saying what might have been left behind. That's for the 10's to discuss. 10's have nothing to say about whether this ending is sad or not, or that something new will come to take its place. But they do have a lot to say about what it left behind.

In fact, the 9's are the suit cards that usually indicate earthly completion of a suit--you've learned all the lessons that suit can teach you. 10's, therefore, examine what is left behind; what continues on after something has come to an end. Cups usually indicates leaving behind strong feelings, like the feelings you may recall having for a grandparent well into adulthood and give to your grandchildren; Pents is often about a tangable legacy, wealth dispursed or children to carry on the family name. With the Wands it is not so optimistic; the creative energy that set things in motion has become routine. Its legacy is a driving force that makes people feel restricted rather than excited.

So, yes, the 10/Swords, as communications and ideas says that words and thoughts are at an end (taken as far as they could go in the 9's). But it also says, "Here is the legacy of all those words and ideas." And that legacy is silence. A message that turns out to be far more powerful and lasting than all those words and thoughts. It could be read as a message on fighting and the ruin it brings. However, I often like to site Hiram story, which is likely the basis for the RWS image of this card. Solomon's architect, Hiram, would not give up his secrets to two murderous thugs and they killed him. This story was told among the Masons, generation to generation. Its moral: silence, even eternal silence, is preferable to speaking to those who will not understand, or appreciate, or will make bad use of what you have to say.

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Esk said:

They can both mean the end of something, maybe in a more dramatic way with the 10 of swords, and, as Gregory said, sometimes with no hope for a future.
But in my readings the 10 of swords often means that the querent is pessimistic, he/she thinks that everything goes wrong and that there is no solution. In fact it is not always true, it's just the way they see the situation.
However death is more "objective" for me. When this card appears it often means there is unavoidable changes, that things can't be the same anymore. It can be best or worse, but there is some forces the querent can't act upon.

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Michellehihi said:

Ok but this brings me confusion with the Tower, which I see as a card of inevitable changes....i am getting confused.

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Thirteen said:

So, yes, the 10/Swords, as communications and ideas says that words and thoughts are at an end (taken as far as they could go in the 9's). But it also says, "Here is the legacy of all those words and ideas." And that legacy is silence. A message that turns out to be far more powerful and lasting than all those words and thoughts. It could be read as a message on fighting and the ruin it brings. However, I often like to site Hiram story, which is likely the basis for the RWS image of this card. Solomon's architect, Hiram, would not give up his secrets to two murderous thugs and they killed him. This story was told among the Masons, generation to generation. Its moral: silence, even eternal silence, is preferable to speaking to those who will not understand, or appreciate, or will make bad use of what you have to say.

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Dancing Bear said:

I dont know about everyone else, But for me the Tower represents crap out of my control.. if anything could go wrong it will , is and has.. Tower always has a time period for me, it can last a week or a couple of months.. For some reason for me personally it also has varying degrees of things going wrong for instance, it could be the toaster, kettle and iron and a few light bulbs blow up in a matter of a week or two.. Or it could be dramatic and be the washing machine, lawn mower and fridge and tv.. all that expensive stuff that's not as easy to replace like a kettle.. that's really crappy Tower moments.. I often say, Here we go again another Tower moment... LOL!! Tower for me is, whatever it is, its out of my control.. nothing i can do but sit back and go for the bumpy ride..
Where as death is a shift in ideals, values and end of something and beginning of new I have a choice to shift and change with it all or I can resist.. It doesnt mean there wont be consequences if i do resist, but i can if i choose.
10 of swords is that answer, "No full stop"... it is not going to go well or it isn't.. for a particular thing or subject..
to me the Tower can encompass much much more..

I agree all slightly similar but there are subtle differences..
I dont find it easy to explain how i am thinking and what i want to say, so i hope that makes sense from my perspective,

others may have better insight ?

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Michellehihi said:

Ok but this brings me confusion with the Tower, which I see as a card of inevitable changes....i am getting confused.

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