Tarot card reading can be a great way to preview your future. It can inform you of the opportunities, happiness, and abundance coming your way and prepare you to receive these gifts from the Universe. Tarot cards also provide insight into unfortunate events, such as losing a job or a loved one, facing financial issues, and much more. Often these tarot cards that represent distressing news are considered ‘bad’ and cause a lot of frustration and anxiety. It is essential to recognize that these cards are not bad in themselves. They might be the bearer of bad news, and they might be terrifying to look at, but the insight they provide on the difficulties of your future prepares you to tackle these problems head-on! They are providing you with the wisdom to overcome any struggle. Cards like Death, The Devil, or The Tower are often considered bad cards, but accepting why they aren’t harmful requires an understanding of their purpose.
Reframing The Scary Cards
While most of these cards will offer insight, some will also bring bad news, but you might be interpreting these cards with a deeper intensity than required.
The Tower
This card holds an image of a tower being struck by lightning. There are flying objects bombarding the Tower, and we see illustrations of panic and fear. The card represents a sudden, frightening, and life-altering event that will follow a disaster. When this card is drawn, the general assumption is that it is a sign of something horrible occurring at a greater magnitude, but that might not always be the case. No doubt that this card represents destruction, but it does not necessarily have to be at a vast level. Here is what the card means. It is the Universe opening your eyes to a structure in your life that was built on unstable foundations. It is not destruction that is coming, but rather foundational change that is required. This is the kind of change that will be beneficial for your growth. Deep within, you will be grateful for this loss since there will be recognition of how it was no longer serving your higher purpose. The card is awakening you to the higher truth and giving you a chance to grow towards the future. If you follow the advice of this card, evaluate your life, and make the required improvements and adjustments, you may discover that these so-called terrible cards have provided you with a great benefit.
Death
The card of Death is the embodiment of fear. A skeleton is riding a horse, surrounded by dead and dying people. That surely can’t be a good sign? While the card is quite intimidating, it does not just represent the death of a person. It represents the end of an era. This can mean the end of a job, a relationship, or an opportunity; anything that no longer serves a positive purpose in your life. It shows the end of a cycle and a transformation waiting to happen. It is important to mourn the loss of the ending but also to accept the new beginning with an open mind and heart. If you stick to these required endings, you will only cause more pain and agony. The card advises you to choose to cross the threshold, accept the renewal, and enjoy the freedom that is essential to your growth. The Universe is giving you a blank slate to start over; embrace it.
Ten of Swords
There is nothing visually appealing about this tarot card. It holds an illustration of a man lying on his stomach with ten swords stabbed into his back. Scary? Yes, absolutely. While this card shows the desire of every homicidal individual, it is not about murder, heartbreak, or backstabbing. It is about change. As humans, we become too comfortable in our zone and often are resistant to change that requires us to put in more effort. This card reminds us of how we continue to hurt ourselves in the process of this resistance. Drawing this card might mean that there is about to be a sudden breakup, or you are about to face the loss of a job. However, these endings have been long overdue, but you have denied it. The change that you fear is the change that is going to happen without your permission now. Hence, it is ideal for preparing yourself and accepting the change as it comes. The swords represent what needs to be cut out of our life, so be prepared to do so. Ten Of Swords does not bring any happy news, but it does bring a needed ending so you can continue to grow.
The Devil
The Devil card is painted with a picture of a devil sitting on a high chair. A man and a woman are tied to him with chains. A pentagon is designed at the head of the devil, and the man and women also show devilish features. This card alone can put anyone in a state of anxiety, and quite frankly, it can be challenging to decipher. Despite common assumptions, the emergence of this card doesn’t indicate that you are destined to hell, that death is coming your way, or that you have done something terrible. It does, though, suggest some toxicity in your life. Maybe you are or will soon be trapped in addiction. Perhaps you’re being controlled by fear. Maybe you’re self-destructive, and perhaps you’re surrounded by flawed individuals and circumstances. The Devil card should be a reminder to evaluate your life and make any necessary adjustments.
Understanding The Meanings
As A Whole These cards alone might be a bearer of bad news, but as we discussed, they often bring strength, acceptance, and new opportunities that we sometimes overlook. The ‘bad’ tarot cards have meanings, but these are interpreted independently. Oftentimes in tarot readings, more than three cards are being drawn. Each card has its own meaning, but the message these cards provide is interpreted as a whole, not individually. Hence, understand that hard times are a part of life and are bound to come. But after the rainstorm comes a rainbow.