World Card vs. Death card in terms of endings/completions

[illumine]

Hi All,

I'm new to AT and I did a quick search on this but didn't find a thread...if it exists, please let me know and I apologize for a repeat!

Would you say the difference between getting the World vs. Death card is that the World is definitely/more likely to signify good endings while Death card is ending in hardship, pain, etc? Just my first guess....I got the World Card as an outcome for a relationship/ex reading and took it as: "the journey's over" ...but then wondered what if I were to get the Death card? The journey's also over, it also signifies a new stage (at least that's how I see it using Rider Waite)...what would be the difference?

thanks!
-Illumine

 

[rwcarter]

Death is the break-up with the guy you were really in love with who was a jerk. That ending needed to happen so that you'd be free when Mr. Right came along. The World is your union with Mr. Right that ends your single lifestyle. This ending is the beginning of a new phase in your life.

So Death would be an intermediary ending that allows one to continue along a given path while the World is a true ending that allows one to begin anew on a higher (or the next) level.

Does that help?

Rodney

ETA: Welcome to Aeclectic!

 

[nisaba]

To add to what Rodney said, Death is the moment when you slam a door behind you or burn your bridges: you can stay stuck right there or move forwards, but you'll never go back again. It is a full stop that forces you to change direction.

The World is more like a graduation: the end-of-year party for school leavers, the long-awaited wedding for the would-be bride, the awarding of a degree to a university student. It is a completion, an anticipated, satisfactory completion. (Sometimes that can mean a separation or divorce, if it makes you happier than being trapped in an unpleasant situation).

 

[214red]

To me death and the world can be very similar, the both can mean going to the next phase and leaving the previous one behind.
I kind of disagree with Rodney in his definition of the difference between the two. The world means everything has gone as far as it can, everything is wrapped up, death i dont think is as neat as that, its saying things are over but perhaps not a neatly wrapped up as thee world, but apart from that i think they are very similar and the cards around it give you an indication of whats going on more. I would see death as a more forced ending, someone did something, where as the world is a more natural ending

 

[pasara]

Death is about something ending.
World is the idea of completion or fulfillment.

Something can end without coming to completion fulfillment.
Conversely, something can come to completion or a level of fulfillment without ending.

 

[illumine]

this is very insightful, all of you!

So my outcome that's The World + 3 of Cups for "where we're headed now post-the break up"--in this case, the world card would signify that we've "naturally" completed one journey (the romantic one) and about to enter a new era of just friendship?

The World card threw me off because I really did expect to see Death/Tower/3 of Swords...you know, the usual stuff when life sucks. The brightness/happiness/"achievement" of the two cards throw me off in this case. What are your thoughts on this combo?

 

[amateur]

I have had the same card, WORLD, signifying the end of my relationship...
Hard, isn' t it? one expects to see Death, or at least Tower. So, why this wonderful card of ALL????
I kept asking my self and i' ve come up with this: that card MAYBE means the end of the relationship in THE WAY IT USED TO BE = the very best, one gets married, or moves in, or (less good) gets a divorce, therefor, i am waiting to see the next "form" of my relationship (hope so!)...

 

[Thirteen]

Development as well as Change, not just Change

I kept asking my self and i' ve come up with this: that card MAYBE means the end of the relationship in THE WAY IT USED TO BE = the very best, one gets married, or moves in, or (less good) gets a divorce, therefor, i am waiting to see the next "form" of my relationship (hope so!)...

This is spot on, I think. But also keep in mind that it might not signify the "graduating" of the relationship but rather your graduation thanks to the relationship ending.

To add to Rodney and Nisaba's excellent points, with Death, the thing ends and you've got a hole where it used to be. Something else will arrive to take it's place, but you don't necessarily grow or change or develop thanks to its end (you might, but Death doesn't promise that--it just says one thing is over, a new thing will take its place). It's pretty much like your coffee house closed and a yogurt store has taken its place. You may mourn the loss of the coffee house and learn to love the new yogurt store, but you're not likely to feel like you "graduated" from coffee to yogurt, are you? It's just a change.

But the end of a relationship can mean development and growth. Because you learned something about yourself during it, or got something out of it you needed, but don't need any longer. Send your mind back to your very first sweetheart, like when you were a kid. That first romance was probably very awkward and full of drama, mistakes and such. Both of you learned and grew and changed thanks to that relationship. And when you split and went onto someone new, you went on into that second relationship as a more mature, more savvy, and probably confident person.

So The World may be apt because it tells you that you have "graduated" this relationship. You are ready to move up to a higher level--maybe that means the relationship is ready to move up, or maybe it's saying that it's time for you, alone, to move on and move up to a more mature relationship. It's development as well as change, not just change.

 

[illumine]

@ amateur and thirteen: GREAT points. I really liked the comparison of the coffee shop to the new yogurt place. In my combo, it looks like we'll "develop" into the 3 of cups. Time will tell, as usual...

OOH, and also: does the world card *always* signify positive, better develoment and change...even if you don't like the change at first? (ie: a World card that signifies that your divorce will make you 10x happier even though you don't want a divorce)

Thanks!

 

[amateur]

OOH, and also: does the world card *always* signify positive, better develoment and change...even if you don't like the change at first? (ie: a World card that signifies that your divorce will make you 10x happier even though you don't want a divorce)

I think, yes, something like " it' s for your good, you' ll see..."