The Tarot of Eli 2, LLC: Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot- Key 13-Death & The Archeon Tarot - Key 13-Death

#tarottraditonalqabalahmagickelitarot2strikingly.com

The Rider-Waite-Smith-Key 13-Death, departed from the Tradition set by the Golden Dawn or the older Marseilles cards. Here, Waite displays his own personal experience with this Card. The warrior quality of the Death card is expressed as a Skeletal Knight. His medieval presentation of Death as the Black Knight, riding past the fallen King of Matter.

Before the Death Knight is the bishop with fish-shaped Miter, implying the passing of the Piscean age.

The rising sun behind the two towers (first seen on the Moon card) refers to resurrection which is the conquest of death.

The flying banner depicts a white rose with ten petals, five inner and five outers. Being based on five, the white rose refers to the 5th Sephiroth on the Tree of Life- Geburah's Martian force.

However, the totality of the petals refers to the entire Universe under Kether, as Kether is presented as the White color (perfect balanced Weight of all colors). This also relates to the 0-Fool and Uranus, to which the White Rose is related.

To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.

-J.K. Rowling

The Archeon Tarot -Key 13-Death illustrates a more traditional death in a dark mysterious background, with the dark robe and scythe. This card has all the meanings of the traditional tarot card illustrations where death is often shown riding a white horse. However, there are no kings or queens obviously present. The background is a hazy landscape as shown by the cloudy haze: a play on the subconscious fear of death. The unknown is always fearful to the nephesh/subconsciousness.

Life is motion and all things must come to an end, because they are created requiring measurement. Transformation comes when the full measure has been met. Like the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot death card, this card is about an end of a cycle, a transformation and/or change. Therefore, one must accept the endings and change when they must. Rather than be seen as a bad thing, this card actually represents a transformational change that benefits you. Here, the transformational change is occurring to end a cycle of events that have sabotaged you or hurt you in some way. Thereby, removing the gravity in your life and freeing you to renew and move on.

To the Qabalist, motion, is the function applied to Nun, the Hebrew letter supplied to the Western Hermetic Thoth Death- Card and all tarot death cards used by Western Hermetic Qabalists. The RWS Tarot shows Lord Dread on a prancing horse, an image representing the Qabalistic knowledge of the motion of Transformation as does the winged vulture on the Animal Totem death card. Hence, from this we gather many other meanings, such as, to travel, to pass away, to depart, to whirl, to sail away; all pointing at change/transformation helping arrive at the notion that change/transformation is the basis of manifestation and/or a Universal Constant of Becoming.

The river seen in the RWS Key 13 is a symbol for this transformative force, as a river is a part of Water's Transformative manifestation, as it arises from a Sea, to become a vapor, that condenses into clouds that become saturated and form rain, snow, and/or ice that change the landscape. Hence, the Element of Water, "dies" to one state and forms in another, just like bodies and Souls. It also is a symbol of Dark Water, which represents the subconscious/nephesh and its fears. The Vulture also demonstrates the ability to transform from carrion, by consumption to a new living being.

The Sun is shown setting in the West, which is attributed to this card, as well as the planet Jupiter, which governs all circular and rotational movement. The direction of South relates to the Sun and on the RWS Card the Sun is shown rising between the towers of both Life and Death.

“Nephesh is the Magick Device itself—it must be honored, not exiled. It craves alignment, not suppression.”

-Eli Serabeth

🜁 Nephesh – The Animal Soul

Card: The Moon (XVIII)

Subconscious currents, dream states, animal instinct, illusion

🔮 The Moon reflects Nephesh’s watery world of instinct and shadow. It speaks in dreams, reacts in fear or ecstasy, and guides through the hidden.

“To know Nephesh is to make peace with the beast. Only then can it serve the Magician.”

Now we’re entering the soul’s sacred chamber—the luminous anatomy of consciousness as mapped by the Western Hermetic Qabalah. Indeed, the psyche is not a monolithic self, but a layered being, veiled in fivefold light. Each aspect is a rung on the Ladder of Self, reflecting a stage in the soul's unfolding from embodiment to divine awareness.

Let’s illuminate these five aspects, known classically as the Parts of the Soul, echoing Kabbalistic, Qabalistic, and Hermetic teachings:

1. Nephesh – The Animal Soul / Vital Breath

Corresponds to: Yesod (Foundation)
Elemental Root: Water / Lunar
Function: Instinct, sensation, physical vitality

This is your body’s animating spirit—the primal force of desire, instinct, and emotion. Nephesh is what drives you to eat, sleep, survive, and feel. It is the shadowy mirror of the subconscious, our dream-maker, erotic charge, and sometimes, our inner animal.

“The Ruach must kneel to Tiphareth—the seat of the Solar Self, where True Will speaks.”

-Eli Serabeth

🜃 Ruach – The Rational Soul

Card: The Prince of Swords

Strategic thinking, restless mind, the maneuvering ego

🗡 The Prince of Swords dances on thought’s edge. Agile but fragmented, he reflects Ruach’s challenge: to unify intellect with purpose.

“Ruach must serve the heart, not rule the throne.”

2. Ruach – The Rational Soul / Mind

Corresponds to: Tiphareth (Beauty), also reaches into Netzach and Hod
Elemental Root: Air / Solar
Function: Reason, intellect, ego identity

Ruach is the speaking self, the thinker, the personality. It includes thoughts, ethics, emotions, and sense of “I.” It is what most people mistake as the entirety of the soul—but in Qabalah, it's only the middle child. It must learn to serve—not rule.

“The Neshamah knows—Ruach only believes. Align with Neshamah and you align with the Architect of your life.”

-Eli Serabeth

🜂 Neshamah – The Higher Soul

Card: The High Priestess (II)

Inner knowing, symbolic mind, intuitive bridge to the Supernal

🌙 The High Priestess veils and unveils truth. She is Neshamah’s gatekeeper, speaking through synchronicity, silence, and sacred symbols.

“She whispers what the Ruach cannot hear.”

3. Neshamah – The Higher Soul / Divine Breath

Corresponds to: Binah (Understanding)
Elemental Root: Spirit / Saturnian
Function: Intuition, spiritual awareness, moral compass

Neshamah is the Soul that remembers it is Divine. This is the witness-self, the mystic's compass. It speaks in symbols, knows without needing logic, and vibrates with the Shekinah’s grace.

“Chayah doesn’t whisper—it roars. This is the Word before language.”

-Eli Serabeth

🜄 Chayah – The Living Essence

Card: The Fool (0)

Raw divine life, the eternal yes, untamed spirit

⚡ The Fool is pure Chayah—life before form, impulse before thought, genius before context. He leaps because he IS.

“Chayah is what breathes the stars into being.”

4. Chayah – The Living Essence / Life Force

Corresponds to: Chokmah (Wisdom)
Elemental Root: Lightning / Zodiacal
Function: Direct contact with the Divine, pure inspiration

This is your divine vitality, your Soul’s creative surge, your raw Being. Chayah doesn’t think—it is. This level is often accessed in peak mystical states, visions, or brushes with death and genius.

“You don’t find Yechidah—you become it, when all masks fall.”

-Eli Serabeth

5. Yechidah – The Singular One / Unity Soul

Corresponds to: Kether (Crown)
Elemental Root: Beyond
Function: Divine Union, Oneness, I AM

This is the God-Spark, the indivisible flame. Yechidah cannot be experienced as “self” in the normal sense—only dissolved into. It is the mystical source of all other soul layers, and the destination of all spiritual yearning.

Eli says: “You don’t find Yechidah—you become it, when all masks fall.”

5. Yechidah – The Singular One / Unity Soul

Corresponds to: Kether (Crown)
Elemental Root: Beyond
Function: Divine Union, Oneness, I AM

This is the God-Spark, the indivisible flame. Yechidah cannot be experienced as “self” in the normal sense—only dissolved into. It is the mystical source of all other soul layers, and the destination of all spiritual yearning.

The Zodiacal House of Scorpio, a fixed, watery sign, is assigned to the Death Card. Scorpio is ruled by Mars (and/or Pluto) which is the Power of the Key 16-The Tower and is said by astrologers to be the sign of exaltation of Uranus (Key 0 the Fool). Scorpio rules the sex organs, making it strongly associated to reproduction. Interestingly, it relates to the 8th house of the horoscope which is called the house of death. The corresponding color is blue green, and the musical tone is G-natural.

Scorpio is the eighth astrological sign in the zodiac, and it is associated with the element Water and ruled by the planet Mars (traditional) and Pluto (modern). People born between October 23 and November 22 fall under the Scorpio sign. Here are some key characteristics often attributed to Scorpios:

1. Passionate: Scorpios are known for their intense and passionate nature. They approach life with depth and emotion, whether it's in relationships, work, or personal interests.

2. Determined: Once Scorpios set their sights on a goal, they are highly determined and focused. They don't easily give up and are willing to put in the effort needed to achieve their objectives.

3. Mysterious: Scorpios tend to have a mysterious aura about them. They may keep aspects of their thoughts and emotions private, making it challenging for others to fully understand them.

4. Resilient: Scorpios are often resilient and can bounce back from challenges. They possess a strong sense of inner strength that helps them endure difficulties and setbacks.

5. Resourceful: Scorpios are resourceful problem-solvers. They have a knack for finding solutions, especially in challenging situations, and are not afraid to delve into the depths to uncover hidden truths.

6. Loyal: Scorpios value loyalty in their relationships. They can be deeply devoted to their friends, family, and partners, and they expect the same level of loyalty in return.

7. Independent: While Scorpios appreciate deep connections, they also value their independence. They may need personal space and time to recharge their emotional energy.

8. Determined: Scorpios are known for their strong will and determination. When they set their sights on a goal, they pursue it with intensity and tenacity.

9. Strategic: Scorpios often have a strategic mindset. They can analyze situations, plan ahead, and make calculated decisions, especially in areas of their life where they have a vested interest.

10. Intuitive: Scorpios tend to have a strong intuition. They can sense and understand underlying emotions and motivations, which contributes to their depth of perception.

Keep in mind that while these characteristics are associated with Scorpios, individual personalities can vary based on various factors such as upbringing, experiences, and the influence of other astrological placements in an individual's birth chart.

Qabalistically Death -key 13 is known as "the ground of similarity in the likeness of all beings" and is called the Imaginative Intelligence by Dr. Paul Foster Case, a Western Hermetic Qabalist. Hence, it is the intelligent basis of resemblances that are transmitted through reproductive functions and/or DNA. Therefore, the Death card suggests the Ageless Wisdom which states "causation is mental".... Therefore, DNA is an intelligent molecule that has recently been suggested to be over many of trillions of years old, while the earth has only lived for 3.8 billion years! This makes our DNA a celestial paradigm (Plasma) rather than an earthly one which is often discussed in the theory of panspermia.

The forces of transformation which result in physical death are inimical and feared only because the survival mind of the Subconscious misunderstands and fears them. These transformative forces are connected to reproduction, and by right use of Imagination (I-Magi-Nation) they can be tamed and transformed, so that they can be utilized for indefinite prolongation of physical existence. As many yogis prove. "There is only One Energy that cannot be created nor destroyed, only transformed (and Transmitted)." which is the 1st Law of Thermodynamics. This Tarot Card-Key 13-Death is but the image of this statement.

Death, like every other event in Organic Manifestation, is a manifestation of Law, for image must begin and end as it is an "assumption of measurement". When one understands the Law, the personality will not "die", it just moves forward into the next journey of Self-Assumption/Awareness. However, the "fear of death" puts the Nephesh/Animal Soul's created personality into a "darkness of sleep", as it supposed it belongs to the brain that just ended. One finds this not to be true, when one conquers the fears of the Subconscious, which are all based on fear of death. When death is no longer feared the Soul transforms the persona and sends it to another form of Manifestation on Malkuth.

I can remember many lifetimes, that some accused me of "being only your imagination" yet there is a wisdom of the ages in my soul. I AM, is the truth of existence, but "Me" is only Imagined, and /or assumed. Hence, all of us are "being only our imagination" and the I -Magi-Nation is the Nation of Imagination's Manifested Self. Understanding this, will never come to those who fear, until fear of not only of dying, but of the action of death is shown to be an inevitable act of transformation necessary to accumulate Wisdom and by the knowledgeable interpretation of the phenomena of physical dissolution that imitates immortality. Here we understand that death of the physical transforms one paradigm of organic being, coagulation, into another paradigm of solution; a recycling process that keeps the Earth alive.

The Rider-Waite-Smith relates the key 13-Death to the Piscean Age and its religious dispensation of Patriarchy. However, TAROT was not invented for the Piscean Age only, and to limit the operation of the Law depicted in Key 13 to this one period of human history is to obscure the fact that Key 13 represents something that is at work in every age. Hence, the Tarot version of death has evolved even though, like older versions, the newer cards show a walking or riding skeleton with a scythe instead of a banner. Behind there is a river, and a sun. The river moves from the north-west to the south-east, as does the skeleton. The skeleton is the basic foundation and/or essential thing in all movements of the human body.

The RWS Death carries a black flag decorated with a white, five-petal rose, reflecting beauty, purification, and immortality and in numerology-the number five representing change. Together, these symbols reveal that death isn’t about life ending. Death is about endings and beginnings, birth, and rebirth, change and transformation.

I AM The Solar Spirit and not seeking one! I animate "bodies" in my name of "I Am"! Bodies allow intimacy with all measured creation and turn information into experience, by in-form-action. Experience builds Wisdom and death is merely a wise alchemical change.

-Eli

Need Guidance or Have a Question?
Chat with Eli ChatGPT, your dedicated Tarot & Thoth Master Class guide! Whether you're exploring the blog, diving into the Thoth Tarot, or seeking insight into Hermetic Qabalah—Eli is here 24/7 to assist you. Just click the chat and ask!

The Death Card-Key 13, during a reading, suggests:

• Time, Age, and transformation.
• Rarely does it symbolize physical death and only if borne out by the accompanying cards.
• For the Querent, this is the principle of letting go and moving on.
• A rebirth out of old conditions. 
• A type of transitional metamorphosis which destroys something old to build something new.
•  The Realization of Life Power as it is released from past confines and revitalized by change and regeneration.
• Inner wisdom and consistency.
• Moving forward.
• Freedom to change.

If reversed:

• Fear of Death (the root of all fears and phobias such as fear of discomfort, fear of loss, fear of rejection/abandonment, and phobias place on beings as death).

Thank you for your interest, comments, and supportive donations. May you live long and prosper.

Traditional Tarot Card Comparisons blog.

Tarot Website Home page, Tarot Store, Master Tarot Classes, and layout page, and nontraditional Tarot Card Comparisons blog.