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Death means farewell, the great release, the end. At the same time, it is preparing the new way of coming; the card itself, however, primarily exposes us to the end. Within this, it may mean the long-awaited, liberating ending, but it may of course also refer to our most painful experiences. Unlike the Swords, which is a voluntary and thus premature end, this card always marks the natural end and the time has come to let go of something. Death is unreasonably one of the dreaded cards. Those who wear pink glasses will only interpret the card as their new messenger and want to deprive us of the profound experience of farewell and the associated life-long experience.

"We have separated life and death, the time between the two is fear," says Krishnamurti, and adds: "We cannot live without dying."

XIII. DEATH

This card is attributed to the letter Nun, which means a fish; the symbol of life beneath the waters; life travelling through the waters. It refers to the Zodiacal sign of Scorpio, which is ruled by Mars, the planet of fiery energy in its lowest form, which is therefore necessary to provide the impulse. In alchemy, this card explains the idea of putrefaction, the technical name given by its adepts to the series of chemical changes which develops the final form of life from the original latent seed in the Orphic egg.

This sign is one of the two most powerful in the Zodiac, but it has not the simplicity and intensity of Leo. It is formally divided into three parts; the lowest is symbolized by the Scorpion, which was supposed by early observers of Nature to commit suicide when finding itself ringed with fire, or otherwise in a desperate situation. This represents putrefaction in its lowest form. The strain of environment has become intolerable, and the attacked element willingly subjects itself to change; thus, potassium thrown upon water becomes ignited, and accepts the embrace of the hydroxyl radicle.

The middle interpretation of this sign is given by the serpent, who is, moreover, the main theme of the sign.

[The Qabalists embodied in the Book of Genesis, Caps I and II, this doctrine of regeneration. NChSh, the Serpent in Eden, has the value 358: 50 also MShICh, Messiah. He is, accordingly, in the secret doctrine, the Redeemer. The thesis may be developed at great length. Later in the Legend, the doctrine reappears in slightly different symbolism as the story of the Flood, elsewhere in this Essay explained. Of course, the Fish is identical in essence with the Serpent; for Fish=NVN=Scorpio=Serpent. Also, Teth, the letter of Leo, means Serpent. But Fish is also the Vesica, or Womb, and Christ - and so on. This symbol resumes the whole Secret Doctrine.]

The serpent is sacred, Lord of Life and Death, and its method of progression suggests the rhythmical undulation of those twin phases of life which we Call respectively life and death. The serpent is also, as previously explained, the principal symbol of male energy. From this it will be seen that this card is, in a very strict sense, the completion of the card called Lust, Atu XI, and Atu XII represents the solution or dissolution which links them.

The highest aspect of the card is the Eagle, which represents exaltation above solid matter. It was understood by the early chemists that, in certain experiments, the purest (i.e., most tenuous) elements present were given off as gas or vapour. There are thus represented in this card the three essential types of putrefaction.

The card itself represents the dance of death; the figure is a skeleton bearing a scythe, and both the skeleton and the scythe are importantly Saturnian symbols. This appears strange, as Saturn has no overt connection with Scorpio; but Saturn represents the essential structure of existing things. He is that elemental nature of things which is not destroyed by the ordinary changes which occur in the operations of Nature. Furthermore, he is crowned with the crown of Osiris; he represents Osiris in the waters of Amennti. Yet more, he is the original secret male creative God: see Atu XV. “Redeunt Saturnia regna.” It was only the corruption of the Tradition, the confusion with Set, and the Cult of the Dying God, misunderstood, deformed and distorted by the Black Lodge, that turned him into a senile and fiendish symbol. 

With the sweep of his scythe he creates bubbles in which are beginning to take shape the new forms which he creates in his dance; and these forms dance also.

In this card the symbol of the fish is paramount; the fish (Il pesce, as they call him in Naples and many other places) and the serpent are the two principal objects of worship in cults which taught the doctrines of resurrection or re-incarnation. Thus we have Oannes and Dagon, fish gods, in western Asia; in many other parts of the world are similar cults. Even in Christianity, Christ was represented as a fish. The Greek work IXThUS, “which means fish And very aptly symbolizes Christ”, as Browning reminds one, was supposed to be a notariqon, the initials of a sentence meaning “Jesus Christ Son of God, Saviour”. Nor is it an accident that St. Peter was a fisherman. The Gospels, too, are full of miracles involving fish, and the fish is sacred to Mercury, because of its cold-bloodedness, its swiftness and its brilliance. There is moreover the sexual symbolism. This again recalls the function of Mercury as the guide of the dead, and as the continuing elastic element in nature.

This card must then be considered as of greater importance and catholicity than would be expected from the plain Zodiacal attribution. It is even a compendium of universal energy in its most secret form.

XIII. THE DEATH

Saturn in house 8 - the planet of the border, the separation and the farewell in the House of 'Death and Rebirth' Zodiac: Scorpio Tree of life: The axis Tiphareth - Netzach Element: Water 13 as the number destroying the perfection of the 12

There hardly is a card provoking so many 'oops' in a reading - never forget that the Death is meant as an archetype, a symbol. 
The Death represents the neverending circle of death and rebirth as the precondition for new life and creation, for life is permanently changing, hello and good-bye, leaving and arriving. 

The Death will show that something has ended and something will begin, and doesn't care if the end is painful and the new beginning welcomed or vice versa. The card implies the need to let something go, and requires the understanding of the circles of life. 

The negative aspect of the card could plainly mean that we want to keep what we have to give up, that no change is welcomed. In most cases it is just a refusal to understand and accept. It can mean we are scared of loss and also afraid to restart.

Drive: Death and Rebirth, end and begin, transformation and metamorphosis, inner wisdom, consequence 

Light: Make place for something new, get rid of old loads and achieve new spaces 

Shadow: Fear, loss

XIII. DEATH - Saturn 8th House - The Border

Keywords: Scorpio, death and rebirth, transformation, scorpion-snake eagle, liberation from old temptations, external changes, passing away, renewal

Advice: Are you ready to make the necessary changes in your life? Accept the suffering that can accompany getting rid of old things.

Qusetion: What kind of situation or relationship do you have that you have over time?

Suggestion: "Die before you die." This ancient Sufi saying warns us to learn the art of death. As long as we have any fear of death or any fear of complete remission, we cannot live life to the full. Every attachment, any "no", prevents us from becoming a part of the natural flow of Life.

Revelation: Every attachment, any rejection, prevents my life from going naturally. Now I say yes to Death, yes to Life, yes to myself.

Analogies:

Ji-Ching: 59. Huan (Unlocking, Dispersion)

Mythology: The Sons of the Night (Sons of Nyx; Thanatos and Hypnos)

Keywords: border, end, parting, farewell

The evil which we all carry within ourselves.

XIII. DEATH

General Meaning

The Death card is not about the literal death of any person. It may represent the death of something else, like a project, plan, or relationship. This card also points to a time of harvest, symbolized in classical decks by the reaping skeleton. Unless the fruits of summer are harvested, they are lost to winter's harshness, and the people do not eat. As the scythe cuts the cords that link us to the past, it liberates us to go forward without fear, because we have nothing left to lose. Everything being pruned away is recycled for the fertility of the future, so that nothing is really ever lost, despite seasonal cycles of gain and loss.

In more modern Tarot decks, we see Death mounted on a horse and wearing black armor. The emphasis in these decks is on the punishment of sin, as in the way the medieval Plagu (which the Death image was based on) was used to explain the wrath of God. Luckily, in modern times, we are not so encumbered with such a guilt-ridden philosophy.

In the Reversed Position

The Death card reversed suggests that you might long for the cord to be cut, but unfortunately you have to persist and endure without the relief of an ending. It is not time for termination and closure yet.

Be patient with the current circumstances without resigning yourself to a negative outcome. Coming changes may alter the way you feel about the status quo. Remember that harvest isn't started until the fruit is ripe. Work at becoming wiser and more mellow, sweeter and more nourishing, and your time of release may happen sooner.

In the Advice Positon

The Death card advises you to detach from the old order. You may want to close accounts, complete unfinished tasks, and gather your harvest. It is time to move on. If you cut the cords that have bound you to old ways and outdated conventions, you could free yourself to join the sweep of incoming light. This is not an excuse to reject others or hurt them in any way. It is simply a time to move toward your ultimate interests.

Do not allow nostalgia and outworn loyalties to hold you back. Be willing to go through whatever it takes to get to where you really want to be.

Read more:

• » The Book of Thoth - A Short Essay on the Tarot of the Egyptians by Aleister Crowley.
• » Liber LXXVIII - On the Tarot - A complete treatise on the Tarot giving the correct designs of the cards with their attributions and symbolic meanings on all planes. - A description of the Cards of the Tarot, with their attributions, including a method of divination by their use.
• » Manuscript N - The Tarot - A Golden Dawn Manuscript - A Theoricus Adeptus Minor Paper.