On my birthday, I used the Celtic Cross spread to gain some insight into my desires for the year to come. The Celtic Cross is often used to reorganize one’s perceptions about an area in their life. The final card in the spread, known as “The Possible Outcome,” gives the querent an idea of how the situation is likely to unfold. For this spread my “Possible Outcome” card was Death. Now, at first glance, the Death card can be a contractive experience, one in which negative feelings may arise. But, when looking past the obvious, the Death card has more to offer in the way of hope.

This morning, I was listening to Ross Gay discuss the insistence of joy on “On Being.” He speaks about joy as the experience of connection. He shares that joy is nestled in the fact that we are all going to die and although this is often a difficult idea to hold, it connects all sentient beings. We find connection through this great existential truth, the truth that we are not here forever, and this truth reduces our alienation, alienation being the antidote to joy.

The energy of life and death are present in every moment, with every inhale and exhale, we are reminded that the only constant is change. In Tarot, Death has a special meaning that reminds the querent that new beginnings are only possible when death is present. This idea is not to be taken too literally by the querent, rather it is an invitation to notice what needs to disintegrate in order for something new to emerge. Returning to Ross Gay’s idea of joy, I am struck by the fact that my wish for my next year of life is to access more joy, and when listening to his words on this halcyon June morning, I was inspired by the concept of accessing joy by better understanding death. Perhaps to access joy we must first access the knowledge that new beginnings are always connected to the act of letting go.