Yes, there are “scary” cards in the Tarot; cards and concepts which will definitely be included in The Lovers Mythology Deck.

The Devil, Death, The Tower… these are some of the most “negative” cards in the Tarot. Not only are their names scary, but sometimes, their meanings can be as well. Let’s ease those fears:

Death (XII), in most cases, simply means ending or transformation. Don’t get me wrong, physical death is something that can come up in a reading. But if and when it does, it will likely point to fears of death or fears of someone dying more than an actual prediction. I’ve had the Death card come up, for example, in a career and/or love reading when there was fear of change or fear of breaking up with a lover. The most beautiful part about the Death card coming up is the feeling of release it can give. Sometimes we don’t consciously know how much we actually want to let go of something that no longer serves us. Death, in that case, nudges us to let go so that we can finally be free.

The Devil (XV), on the other hand, indicates or represents fears, temptations, bondages, traumas, blockages, or unhealthy obsessions and connections. Basically, all the things that eat away at us and harm our greater good, like excessiveness and addiction. What it doesn’t mean: that you or the person you are thinking of, is evil. Negative emotions and feelings are more common than we’d like, true, but they are also very human. The Devil simply points those characteristics out and lays them out on the table so we can know what the hell we are dealing with (no pun intended). Whenever this card comes up for me, it is usually a confirmation and a reminder that the way I’m thinking about certain people or things need or should be changed (for my own peace of mind).

The Tower (XVI) is about a significant or unexpected change we might expect soon or that has already happened and will affect us (or the course of our lives) immensely, if not already. The Tower is a shift or upending of your foundations. It represents necessary and sometimes unavoidable changes but which may very well lead to true and lasting happiness.

It’s true that you, as a Tarot reader, in a particular reading may feel really strongly that The Tower is a prediction of a natural disaster or accident, for instance. Only you can know how certain your visions or predictions really are, and only someone with real gifts in seeing the future can truly be sure. So, with that said, using your skills and wisdom, if this is the case, determine the right course of action to ensure the safety of the querent or those involved. It may as well be that your role is to save someone’s life by reminding them to get home insurance or to never drink and drive, but that is your prerogative. Ask yourself: Am I sure about this? Will vocalizing what I sense hurt anyone? Will it help? How can I word this to the benefit of the querent or the client?

So as you can see, these concepts are quite natural things we already go through in life and things we know we go through as a part of being alive. Challenges help us grow and expand just as after every winter comes spring and every rose has its thorn, sort of thing.

Tarot and messages that come from “divination” cards or systems (like tea leaf, astrology, palm, runes, etc) are not meant to always be positive and telling of a fairytale future where nothing ever goes wrong. That is unrealistic and inauthentic, for the most part, say the least. If a reader is always consistently positive to the point you get suspicious because all these great things are going to happen and you are going to win the lottery jackpot, they are sugar-coating things, pulling your finger, and telling you what you want to hear (which help no one).

Cards and other divination methods are one of the tools that help guide us on our path and help us step into our greater awareness, showing us our own and surrounding energy so we can better steer our ship in the direction we want. So if Death, The Devil, or The Tower ever comes up, don’t automatically think that something horrible is going to happen. It can quite literally mean a blockage is being released in your life and a bad situation is ending. It could mean you are growing, but that you really need to hear some real sh*t. It’s really up to you; life is what you make of it.