The Death character has been traditionally depicted as a horseman riding confidently on a white steed. In the Tarot, Death is interpreted as a natural ending to a phase in life and necessary renewal that keeps the cycles of life in balance.


The horseman in Floriography Tarot is a child and he is riding atop a carousel horse. The significance of the white horse ties back to the common connection between the color white and purity.


This emphasizes the lightness and positivity of the Death card: the rise of new opportunities, removal of unwanted objects or unhealthy feelings, and creating an open space for future blessings to enter. 

Poppy

Ancient Greek and Romans correlated the red of the poppy flower with blood, and created a timeless symbol of death, sleep, and peace. Casualties of war have been commemorated with a red poppy flower since the First World War, remembered as one of the bloodiest wars in history with a massive death counts reported by all countries involved. As the poppy flower develops, the weight of the bud causes the poppy to hang over slightly so it looks like it is hanging its head in grief. The medicinal and narcotic quality of the poppy seed, the source of opium, has also influenced history and culture. Morphine and codeine, powerful painkillers, are present in small quantities in the seed of the poppy. The word “morphine” itself is a reference to the Greek god of sleep, Morpheus. The 1939 nostalgia goldmine, The Wizard of Oz, also features a classic scene where Dorothy and the gang are become mysteriously exhausted and fall asleep on the way to the Emerald City because they ran through an enchanted poppy field.

Death Tarot Card Meaning