So, I’d been kicking around the idea of getting another tattoo for a while. Wasn’t sure what, just knew I wanted something with a bit of weight behind it, you know? I was flipping through some tarot imagery, just browsing really, and the Death card kept catching my eye. Yeah, I know, sounds intense, right?
My first thought was probably like most people’s: skulls, skeletons, grim reapers… kinda dark. But I felt this weird pull, so I decided to dig into it a bit more. Not like, hardcore academic study, just looking around, reading people’s takes on it. What I found was pretty different from the spooky surface stuff.
Digging into the Symbolism
Turns out, in tarot circles, the Death card isn’t usually about actual, physical death. It’s way more about endings leading to new beginnings. Think major transformations, cutting ties with stuff that’s holding you back, closing one chapter to start a fresh one. That clicked with me. Big time.
- It felt like shedding old skin.
- Letting go of past baggage.
- Making space for something new to grow.
At that point in my life, I was going through some significant changes. Leaving a job that wasn’t right anymore, rethinking some relationships, just generally trying to clear out the clutter in my head and my life. It felt like a big reset button was being pushed, sometimes whether I liked it or not.
Making it Mine
So, seeing the Death card reframed like that? It felt perfect. It wasn’t about being morbid; it was about acknowledging the necessary end of things to move forward. It felt like a symbol of resilience, of accepting change instead of fighting it. I decided, yeah, this is the one.
Finding an artist was the next step. I looked for someone whose style resonated with the kind of vibe I wanted – something classic, maybe a bit stark, but not overly grim. We talked it through, kept the design fairly traditional to the Rider-Waite deck image, just cleaned up the lines a bit. Getting it done was… well, it’s a tattoo, it smarts a bit! But mostly, it felt right. Solidifying the decision, you know?
Living With the Ink
Now I’ve got this skeletal figure riding a pale horse inked on my arm. Sometimes people ask about it, maybe raise an eyebrow. I just tell them what it means to me. It’s a personal reminder. A reminder that endings aren’t always bad. They’re often the start of something else, something necessary. It reminds me to embrace change, even when it’s tough, and to consciously let go of what needs to end. It’s not about predicting the future or anything woo-woo, it’s just a symbol for my own journey of transformation. And honestly, I kinda like having that reminder permanently etched on me.
