My husband and I just walked in the door from a last-minute road trip to Ohio. There was a death in his family. My father likes to quote The Big Chill when discussing funerals: “They throw a great party for you on the one day they know you can’t come.” We rented a car and drove west to be part of that party, and help and comfort where and when we could.

We gathered the night before the funeral with a number of friends and family members of the deceased. I ended up talking with a few folks who just so happened to be Tarot fans, themselves. One person had a deck and we each pulled a Card-of-the-Day,¹ which proved interesting given that we were all experiencing a loss. Through that lens, I’ve pasted some of the cards we received. I did not include the interpretations we came up with for each other, for the sake of honoring privacy, but did include some general thoughts of what they might mean should you receive them in your readings during a tough time of loss:

10 of Swords. The loss is one thing. The fatigue around it is another. It’s possible this loss was a long time in coming and now, while painful, the focus can turn now turn toward rest and healing. As icky as the image looks, behind it a new dawn is visible. It’s actually a very hopeful card in the face of tough times.

6 of Pentacles. It may not be your time to mourn, but rather your time to assist. The 6 of Pentacles reminds me of this very helpful chart on knowing a bit more about how to support those closest to a loss: Comfort in, Dump Out. In some cases, it might mean removing yourself from a situation if you can’t be in a position to comfort. It might mean holding onto your own grief and carrying a supportive role for awhile. Your time to mourn will make itself apparent.

The Tower. The feelings of loss and grief are too strong for you to carry alone. Don’t ignore the pain. Seek help when necessary. Don’t try to support others. When you get yourself through the symbolic rubble that the Tower provides, once you’ve rebuilt, you’ll have strength to help others, but not before.

5 of Cups. You’re feeling the loss more than anything else at the moment. The 5 of Cups shows that the primary focus is on grief at the moment. In the Waite-Smith deck, three of the cups have spilled and its those cups which have the character’s focus. Yes, behind the character, two more cups remain upright. It’s a sign to not ignore or forget the blessings you still have, even if it’s hard to see them through the sorrow.

If you are reading this and going through a difficult time of your own, please don’t isolate. Reach out and get help. You don’t have to suffer alone.

¹A Card of the Day is one Tarot readers typically pull just as a method of checking the theme of the day. It can be prophetic, it can be reflective.

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