I have recently come to terms with the death archetype as simply this: WINTERING.

The season of death comes to quiet our mind, get us to rest, awaken us to peaceful sleep of all of nature hibernating as we wake up to slow mornings. Death energy is a season of retreat, dark, cold, and yin! Because it's all about transformation, and we require these empty states for change to occur.

Winter season invites us to do less, sleep more, and find joy in simple things like reading a book or sipping tea. The point is to let go of 'summering,' instead go with the flow of this almost 'frozen' feeling energy where things feel 'dead' but really they are just hibernating to prepare us for new life in the spring.

Use this month to embrace quiet retreat. Death doesn't have to mean endings or loss or grief, it can mean letting go of forcing life. Let the season shape you. Let your environment mold you. Be receptive to the energies now instead of trying to control them. This card is Scorpio, which is a very yin water sign.

Archetypes:

Dark Feminine
Priestess
Erotic
Witch/ Sorceress
Dark Muse
Femme Fatale
Alchemist
Crone
Dark Goddess
Midwife
Phoenix

Deities: Hecate, Persephone, Morrigan, Kali, Isis, Inanna, Lilith, Bab Yaga, Pluto, Shiva

Plants: Nightshade, Mugwort, Yew Tree, Cypress, Wormwood, Marigold, Chrysanthemum

Animals/ Insects: Owl, Crow, Scorpion, Snake, Phoenix, Wolf, Raven, Butterfly, Moth

Gemstones: Amethyst, Onyx, Obsidian, Black Tourmaline, Malachite, Smoky Quartz, Garnet

Perfumes: Patchouli, Myrrh, Frankincense, Cedarwood, Vetiver, Jasmine, Rose, Clove, Cinnamon

Have fun building your altar! :D

xo,
Tara