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The Justice Tarot card has a few meanings, but most of all it represents a fascinating image of justice. This concept is easy to interpret because it exists in all cultures. Is truth lacking in your life? In this article, we will teach you all the meanings of the Justice so you can interpret the precise reason that this lady has come to visit you. We will look at the symbolism of this card in the Rider-Waite deck. We will also explain what it means in reading when it is upright and when it is reversed.
The Justice symbolizes reason at the service of heaven and humanity. For people, it is an instrument of revenge and protection. It is not just a matter of an individual feeling of fairness, but it is woven deeply into the fabric of the cosmos itself. It is deeply connected with the concept of karma. The reason that both the positive and negative aspects occur is that the scales must always be balanced.
Justice Tarot Card Meaning
If the Justice Tarot card appears in a spread and you have been acting with kindness and fairness towards others, it is a positive sign. This is particularly true if you have been victimized. It generally indicates a positive outcome.
However, it’s nature will depend on your own recent behavior. If you have been unfair, abusive and immoral in your actions, the time has come to make a profound change in your life, or else…
In these cases, at best, this card represents a warning to the unjust that they need to change their ways, or they will get what they deserve. At worst, it means that it is too late now. It might also be telling you that it is time to seek balance in your spiritual and economic life.
In short, it represents justice, truth, and law. As a result, the card indicates that the fairest decision was made. You have been called to account for your actions, and you will be judged accordingly.
Keep in mind that the scales are balanced. Therefore, its appearance indicates that what is happening to you in this moment of your life is because of the decisions you have made in the past.
Justice in the Upright Position
The meaning of the justice tarot card in the upright position is that you should think about your life decisions and their consequences. This is true not only in short-term but in the long-term as well.
According to her, you must take responsibility for your actions and accept the consequences of your decisions. However, in some cases, it is a call for you to take action. Perhaps your boss is harassing you, your employee is stealing from you, or your husband is cheating. It may be time to clear things out, seek help, or call reinforcements. You may have to seek Justice for yourself.
In the Tarot, Justice signifies the search for truth, honesty, and kindness. Fairness is a virtue that can lead you to understand universal laws and to get in contact with your Inner Light. Fairness is a reflection of the harmony of the cosmos.
This card can also indicate a time when you must make a decision. Something in your life needs attention, mediation, or a solution.
If you are seeking a fair outcome in legal matters, such as a divorce, contract negotiation, or litigation, she will be by your side. Of course, if you’ve acted deceptively, or the truth hasn’t come out as of yet, be aware that justice will prevail, and you will have to take responsibility for your actions.
It is important to note that Justice falls between The Hanged Man and the Wheel of Fortune. All three of these cards indicate that something in your life needs and is going to change.
Justice in the Reversed Position
Even when this card is reversed, the law continues to be the protagonist. In this case, however, the results will not be comforting. Anticipate legal complications, controversies, confrontations, serious disputes, or iniquities committed against others. When in the company of particularly negative cards, it can even mean prison.
You are facing the consequences of a wrong decision, or you are submitting when you should not. Therefore, the judgements that affect you may be completely wrong, the accusations may be false, or the conviction unfair or only partially deserved.
Lack of willingness to understand the deeper meaning of why an event has occurred is one of the possible messages. You need to comprehend your participation in the reality you’ve created for yourself. Stop blaming others for your mistakes.
As we can see, the meaning of this card is short but very precise. She forces us to reflect to understand which facet of our life requires justice, judgement, and truth.
If videos are your thing, watch this wonderful video by Maddeline from Contemporary Tarot to learn more about this card’s meaning.
Continue reading to delve deeper into the meaning of this fascinating card.
The Lessons of the Justice
Finding ourselves in the courtroom is always an intimidating experience. However, we must remember that Justice not only condemns guilty criminals and thieves, it also protects the innocent.
Justice is for the good, and punishment for the wicked. Every person will reap what they have sown; each one will get what they deserve. Whatever the outcome of the game is, it will be fair.
Time to re-evaluate: you will get what you give
Compassion and protection for the innocent reflects that Justice is neutral. This can be understood in multiple ways because the punishments and rewards are determined by each person’s actions. They can be interpreted on a case-by-case basis.
The unrepentant criminal will be frustrated by the slightest punishment. This is because there is a power over him that forces me to stop hurting others. For the repentant criminal, however, all the punishments in the world, the darkest prison cell, the strongest sentence, will pale before the punishment imposed by his own conscience.
Everything related to justice is a social necessity: it’s understanding, its application, and its prosecution. Our vision of justice is not only due to social norms we have learned from childhood, but it is embedded deeply within our hearts. This is the reason that we sometimes ask ourselves questions when life seems unjust. If I am an honorable, hardworking person, why am I always in trouble? Why is this situation so unfair? Why does everyone seem to thrive but me?
This card refers to all of those things that we’ve taken for granted. It is only possible if we give what we expect to receive.
In this way, it suggests several answers to our questions. If you manage to balance the scales, you will have found justice. If you have made enough effort to achieve your goals, you can be sure that the reward for all of your hard work will come, but only when the time is right.
The Justice Imagery and Symbolism
The Justice Tarot card shows the figure of a woman sitting on a chair. She is wrapped in a red cloak, and she is holding a sword in her right hand and a balance in her left. The woman also wears a crown with a small square ornament. This ornament represents her capacity to treat everyone equally and give to each what they deserve. This is because all sides of a square are equal.
There is another square that buttons the cape on her chest. This represents that reason must prevail over feelings if one is to be fair. The double-edged sword slices in both directions and will cut through all deception and be impartial. The fact that the sword is in her right-hand shows that thinking and logic are needed to impart justice without bias.
The balance in her left hand, the intuition side, shows that justice does not depend solely on logic. We must balance what is right in the outside world with what is right in our inner world.
She is also is wearing white shoes, which teaches us that justice is pure. The white shoes also represent the spiritual consequences of our actions. Justice does not appear only to punish us, however. Her presence is neutral. She will give each one what they deserve, no more, no less.
The purple fabric in the background indicates compassion and royalty. Justice is beyond nobility because sooner or later everyone must kneel before her. The grey pillars are connected to the ones on The High Priestess, and they represent the limitations of the physical world, as well as duality.
What it Means in Terms of Numerology
The numbers of the Tarot cards have deep metaphysical significance. The number of Justice in the Rider-Waite deck is 11. 11 is a Master Number, and it is associated with idealism and visionary states. The number 11 can also be seen as 1+1=2, and as we have seen in The High Priestess Tarot card, 2 is the number of duality. All of these qualities are deeply intertwined into the concept of Justice.
In earlier decks, the order of this card and Strength were reversed, giving Justice the number 8. The number 8 represents Infinity, harmony, and the celestial order. These concepts also fit with Justice, and both 8 and 11 are considered correct for this card.
These two cards are also connected in that, along with Temperance, they represent the three cardinal virtues that are depicted in the Tarot.
The reason the numbers were switched was to follow the order of the zodiac more closely. Strength is associated with Leo, and Justice is associated with Libra. As Leo comes before Libra in the zodiac, it was seen as fitting to reverse the order of the cards in the deck.
Rider-Waite images used with permission of U.S. Games Systems, Inc., Stamford, CT c. 1971 by U.S. Games Systems.