Seeking Justice in an Unfair World: A Look at the Impact of Major Arcana Card Eleven
The Justice tarot card is having a moment. For the past few years in particular, our society has experienced a dramatic shift in the way many of us relate to the idea of justice. I grew up thinking that the world was mostly fair, balanced and equal. As a child, it never really occurred to me that people who were hardworking wouldn’t always get ahead.
Today, that seems obvious. The world isn’t just—far from it. Both the people and the systems that help run our society are flawed. We can all work to do better, but everyone (some individuals and groups more than others) will always be fighting against bigotry, intolerance, bias and corruption.
Instead of sulking around, feeling helpless or shirking responsibility, we must do our part to overcome that which may been insurmountable. Justice is here to help guide our journey. In the tarot deck, she is the Major Arcana guide that teaches us to honestly assess our motives and motivations, to mine our souls for the truth. Armed with this understanding, we must then act on our knowledge with bravery and integrity.
Justice also wants us to move away from using our minds to think our way through. She knows that seeing is not believing, and it is because Justice herself is often depicted as blind that she can get to heart of the matter without confusion or distraction. She teaches us to do the same.
Keep in mind that Justice is not swayed by grand gestures that are made for show. The decisions we make to prioritize fairness will impact our future. Justice implores you to take responsibility for your choices and be conscious of the ways in which your privilege obfuscates clarity.
The scales she holds are always seeking balance, inviting those with more to share with those who have less. Justice can guide us toward the righteous path. We must use what we learn to balance our scales on our own.
In the tarot newsletter this week (you can sign up to receive the remaining newsletters in the series here), I created a hypothetical situation to demonstrate how the Justice tarot card might provide guidance to a specific question based on its upright or reverse orientation. In the general energy readings below, I will explore how Justice can take on different meanings depending on the cards around her.
Note that general energy readings are not designed to answer specific questions. They address what the universe wants someone to know about their overall situation or energetic presence at the moment. Below, I read the cards in each spread as if I am talking directly to you. Enjoy!
P.S. If you’re wondering why The Fountain Tarot deck used here has designated Justice as the eighth guide instead of the eleventh, check out my post on Strength (card eight) here.
Spread 1: Focus, Call in Your Crew, Save the World
In the past, self-righteousness has kept you stuck in an endless cycle of trying to do good without actually doing any. The Ten of Swords in reverse tells me that you’ve consistently acted in your own best interest while convincing yourself that it has really been for the greater good. It’s OK. Many of us do this, and I believe your actions have mostly been unconscious.
Now, you are starting to wake up. Justice is upright here, and she is willing to help you reprioritize your approach toward creating a more equitable world. You’re not under the illusion that you’ll be able to make big, large-scale changes alone. That’s why you’ve taken time to collect your thoughts (King of Swords) and focus on what needs to be done.
You’ve also realized the importance of fruitful collaboration, of bringing together the brightest minds, of gathering resources. The Three of Coins indicates that you understand the best chance of positive forward progress and success are the result of working together. You realize now that going it alone was misguided.
Sure, you still have a lot to learn, but with a clear mind and an open heart, you are more willing to listen to others and actually hear what they have to say. Continue checking in with your heart in earnest as you bring together the forces required to make a difference. The right decisions will always come from within.
Spread 2: Methodical Work Moves Your Initiative Forward
You have big dreams of righting the world’s wrongs, but there are so many ambiguities and gray areas that you hardly know where to begin. The Moon in reverse is a sign that you’re experiencing a lot of fantastical thinking, the type that is rarely rooted in truth. The real world is must more complex. You’re not currently in a place where you can patiently assess what needs to be done.
The reversed Five of Swords gives further insight into this message. You feel helpless, weak, as if your efforts have been for naught. Any success in moving your initiatives forward have felt hollow at best. You want to do more to create harmony in your piece of the world.
I get the sense that what you’re trying to accomplish has to do with your career. Perhaps you’ve seen or experienced a lack of fairness and equality where you work. Changes might impact your pocketbook, but you’re unwilling to continue contributing to a corrupt system that promotes an inequitable concentration of power. Enough is enough.
With Justice on your side, helping you to see the situation clearly and with unflinching honesty, you must make small steps in the direction you’d like to go. The Knight of Coins sees your efforts and encourages you to be methodical. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it didn’t fall in one either. Be organized, practical and unrelenting. Your efforts will pay off in time, so don’t give up. Your heart is in the right place.
Spread 3: Dishonesty and Angst Foster Disconnection
Knowing the right thing and actually doing it are two entirely different things. You’re in the midst of experiencing the disconnect between these two sides. It is creating a lot of angst. I can almost feel the temperature rising to a fever pitch. You’re fighting against what you know to be true, and frankly, it’s making you miserable and cranky.
Justice and the Knight of Wands are both reversed, indicating that you’re not only refusing to be accountable for your actions, but you’re also doubling down to avoid having to admit your mistakes. Why tho? You’re a grown adult that’s on the verge of a literal meltdown. This is not sustainable, and you know it. The truth hurts sometimes. You’ve got to find a way to get your head and heart straight, so you can find your way back to your center.
The Six of Cups in reverse tells me that this situation has not only created feelings of disconnection from yourself. It is alienating others as well. I get the feeling that someone close to you is having a hard time dealing with your lies and the self-righteous insistence that you’re not to blame. Until your take responsibility for your role in the unfairness, you risk losing your chance for a new and better future. Change course and embrace the feelings of renewal.
The Magician here is helpful in guiding you back to your power. By acting out, you’ve given yours away. It’s time to call it back in. Use the many gifts at your disposal. With confidence, discipline and the appropriate actions, you will find yourself in harmony again. It’s OK to let go of the way you’ve always been to pursue a way of being that feels more aligned with the you that exists today. With the Magician as your guide, you have all the magic you need to begin again, better yourself and embrace a fresh start.
Spread 4: Mental Gymnastics Prevent Positive Action
Welp, there’s a lot going on for you right now. You’re feeling a bit thrown by the many messages you’re receiving from friends, family members, internet influencers and society overall. It’s a lot to take in, these opinions about what’s right and just, fair and true.
You’re feeling lost in a swirl of unhelpful thoughts. You’re not willing to be complicit in these injustices any longer, but you’re also not going to take on all the vitriol for having been a part of the problem.
The reversed Justice and Queen of Swords cards combine to tell the story of a person in an endless loop of dishonest and uncharitable thoughts. Because you’re unwilling to cut through the bullshit and examine the situation with the intent of extricating the truth (Queen of Swords), you’re quick to be cruel and dismissive to those who don’t share your opinions.
Similarly, Justice upside down indicates that you’re content to continue these mental gymnastics in order to shirk shame and tiptoe around the work you must do in order to address your privilege. If you keep thinking around these issues, you won’t have to feel responsible or change your actions in any way.
The reversed King of Wands tells me that this is a lot of work. You’re exhausted, and this is why. You’re spending so much misplaced energy in the mental space that you’ve become impulsive and irritable. Your arrogance is on full display. I get the sense that you’re running so hot that you’re starting to feel sick of yourself.
The reversed Five of Coins is a sign that things are about to change for the better. Perhaps you needed to tire yourself out before you could do some soul searching. This tarot card means you will soon find your courage to change course. The new path will be more challenging, sure, but you’ll also be braver. Your spirit is evolving, and you are ready to change for the better. Despite the challenges of facing this shadow work, your efforts will pay dividends in peace of mind.