Starting Afresh

For today I have drawn this beautiful Death card from the Da Vinci Enigma Tarot, which shows Christ being prepared for his crucifixion. I find this a little uncomfortable to look at, but as we know from the story, he will rise again. This adds a nice twist to the card, since it is often regarded as one of transformation.

Like many, I woke to the news that Whitney Houston had died. I remember liking her first album when it was released, but lost interest in her after that, in favour of other artists. I don't know much about her, but news of her problematic marriage, drug and alcohol addiction, and failing voice somehow filtered through. It's such a waste of a life, but as with Amy Whinehouse six months ago, I am not surprised. Another sad story, with so many signs and signals along the way. I always wish that the many celebrities who pour out the tributes after death could have got together and tried to help people like this beforehand. In this case, death brings an ending to pain and addiction.

One of the interesting things written in Matthew's book is 'You look for release but insist on holding something back, and that is what fails to break the cycle'. To find our way through, we are advised to eliminate what is not necessary. This connects with what I have been speaking about in recent posts. As much as I feel as though I change things on the surface of my life a lot, I think I really hold back a lot of stuff. This card is about abandoning what is not needed and starting afresh.

Illustration from The Da Vinci Enigma Tarot by Leonardo Da Vinci