Silverlotus
TOtOP - XIII - The Close (Death)
Astrological Influence - Scorpio
Element - Water
Month - October, November
Contributor - Sylvia Gainsford
Flowers - primroses - early youth; borage - warning of change to come
Death haunts the left side of this card. His shadow extends much further then one would expect, perhaps as a warning that Death's reach (and the reach of this card) is further then we think. He carries a scythe, which can be used either as a tool or a weapon - to harvest or to kill. In contrast, on the right side of this card sits a small (rather chubby) baby. One figure obviously is meant to represent an end, and the other a beginning.
A river (the same from the previous cards?) flows through this card. It is rather large here, but still claim. If we take it to represent the subconscious, as in previous cards, then perhaps we can say that the subconscious is contributing a good deal to the situation represented by this card.
In the river stands a heron. In ancient Egypt, this bird was representative of things to come, as well as being the first life form to appear on the ground that arose out of the watery chaos. A barn owl flies above the baby's head, representing night and death. Together these two birds give us death and rebirth, a major message of this card. The final animal (or insect if you prefer) in this card is a Death Head's Hawk moth, representing a soul journeying from life into death.
The plants on this card are the primrose, representing early youth; the borage, warning of change to come; and the forest of fir trees found on other cards in the Major Arcana.
Astrological Influence - Scorpio
Element - Water
Month - October, November
Contributor - Sylvia Gainsford
Flowers - primroses - early youth; borage - warning of change to come
Death haunts the left side of this card. His shadow extends much further then one would expect, perhaps as a warning that Death's reach (and the reach of this card) is further then we think. He carries a scythe, which can be used either as a tool or a weapon - to harvest or to kill. In contrast, on the right side of this card sits a small (rather chubby) baby. One figure obviously is meant to represent an end, and the other a beginning.
A river (the same from the previous cards?) flows through this card. It is rather large here, but still claim. If we take it to represent the subconscious, as in previous cards, then perhaps we can say that the subconscious is contributing a good deal to the situation represented by this card.
In the river stands a heron. In ancient Egypt, this bird was representative of things to come, as well as being the first life form to appear on the ground that arose out of the watery chaos. A barn owl flies above the baby's head, representing night and death. Together these two birds give us death and rebirth, a major message of this card. The final animal (or insect if you prefer) in this card is a Death Head's Hawk moth, representing a soul journeying from life into death.
The plants on this card are the primrose, representing early youth; the borage, warning of change to come; and the forest of fir trees found on other cards in the Major Arcana.