The Cardinal: A Sign of Death or Living?

The Cardinal: A Sign of Death or Living?

This little red bird has a message for you and me.

Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash

June 16, 2026

Dear Diary,

A dear family member passed away. It was sad yet joyous news because they are no longer suffering. They, of course, will be fine, and we, the ones left behind, are both mourning (our external emotions) and grieving (our internal emotions).

It was a heavy day, indeed. But as I was driving home the day before, talking with my daughter about whether we should visit them that day or the next, a cardinal dipped right past my windshield. I squealed with delight, “Oh, a cardinal,” and she knew right away what it meant: a family member was passing through.

“Do you think it was your dad?” She asked. “I think it is my grandfather,” I exclaimed. “He is going to get his people.”

Call it superstition, but a beautiful, bright red cardinal is often considered a sign of a male family member who has passed on. I had debated going to see them, but I knew instinctively they were already on their way out. Hearing the news the next day came as no surprise.

Later in the week, I was chatting with a friend who has suffered the unimaginable loss and heavy burden of losing a child. None of us is getting out of this world alive, but no parent should ever have to experience that. As we exchanged stories, we got on the topic of how miraculous the process of creating life is. The thought of two people coming together to co-create another human is a feat in itself; to grow a whole person, a walking, breathing, thinking, self-sufficient biological miracle. It got me thinking about how delicate the art of creation is, and how easily it can all vaporize.

No more taking things for granted.

I know the cardinal showed up to ease my worried mind. I had really wanted to go and say goodbye for a fourth time, but intuitively, I knew that I had already said everything I wanted or needed to say. I was hanging on to a thread of hope that they would be with us a little longer.

I normally dream of family members shortly after they have passed away. While I have not dreamt them just yet, I am sure I will. In Jungian psychology and spiritual tradition, dreaming of death rarely predicts physical demise; instead, it symbolizes a profound psychological transformation, or the shedding of an old ego to make way for a rebirth of the soul.

Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash

“The dream is a little hidden door in the innermost and most secret recesses of the soul…” — Carl Jung

When a loved one enters that dream space, they often return as guides from the unconscious, helping us process the transition of our own inner landscape.

Since the passing, I have seen four more instances of the cardinal: outside my office, on the cover of a card in someone’s window, and as a little statue on a computer monitor, lovingly watching over its user. I am reminded that love heals, love trumps all, and love remains long after the physical form is gone.

That cardinal reminded me of how wonderful and bright life is in all its vibrant red glory. The cardinal showing up and standing out reminded me that death is just a transitional phase, or a necessary step in our evolution, and I am learning to accept that they are inevitable. Perhaps in the future, humanity will find a way to avoid death, but right now, that is impossible. I have no fountain of youth or alien technology to keep me young. I only have this quiet reminder that life is meant to be lived without regrets.

I asked AI to help me create the following blueprint meditation card, so pardon any formatting quirks, because, as you know, technology is still learning alongside us.

May their memory (and your long-gone loved one) be a blessing to all those left behind.

Doyenne Dreamer

Death is just a transitional phase, a necessary step in our evolution. Life is meant to be lived without regrets.

Meditate on the Cardinal and Be at Peace

You can use the cardinal’s quick soul bloom meditation shown on the lower left side of the card, or in the text below. Keep your thoughts free and stay grounded as our little red friend sweetly reminds us.

Messenger of Peace Mixes Air & Earth-Prompt by Author Created with AI

Separate the waves and allow yourself to hold both truths at once:

• The External (Mourning): Let your outward tears or silence exist without judgment.
• The Internal (Grieving): Honor the quiet, deep reshaping of your inner world.

Begin by anchoring in the Crimson Light

Close your eyes and take a deep, grounding breath. Visualize the vibrant, brilliant red of a cardinal. Let this color represent the fierce, beautiful spark of life; the blood in your veins, the love in your heart, and the warmth of those who came before you.

As you breathe out, gently acknowledge your grief.

Recognize that endings are a necessary clearing. Just as a dream of death symbolizes the shedding of the old to make way for the new, allow yourself to release the desire to hold onto what has already evolved. Trust that love does not vaporize; it merely adjusts its form.

When you open your eyes, look for the signs around you in the quiet moments, or outside your window, or while out and about in the kindness of strangers.

A Daily Remembrance/Affirmation

Love heals. Love trumps all. Love remains long after the physical form is gone. I choose to live this day fully, beautifully, and without regrets.

Know that your loved one will always be with you in your heart and would not want it any other way. You can come back to this anytime as a reminder.