“Being good is easy, what is difficult is being just.” ― Victor Hugo
Back to the Major Arcana and the seat of Justice reigning strong and supreme. But what is Justice in the Tarot? We often see the Major Arcana as archetypes, and certainly, the archetype of Justice is one we are all familiar with--a Judge weighing both sides of an argument, rendering a decision. But Tarot doesn't exactly approach Justice in this way. The card Judgement has the implication of judging--releasing judgment, grasping it. Justice, rather, is the universal justice, the balance of yin and yang, the Law of Karma. Though the Rider-Waite imagery is not entirely clear, Justice is still a woman in this deck. She is Pallas Athena, the Goddess of Law and of War, of Wisdom and Fairness, Justice and Harmony.
With the key number of 11, we have the beautiful implications of the numerology of 11 and of two. Eleven is the spiritual and psychic number. Those who follow angel numbers, or screech like my children do when the clock reads 11:11 attest to the magical implications of this number. Justice? Magic? Yes, absolutely. This cosmic balance of right and wrong, just and unjust, transcends the actuality of what is happening. This is a more metaphysical balance. In this lifetime, in all lifetimes...and so for me, the Justice card also transcends this lifetime for spiritual questions. It often clues me off to past life connections and future life debts. Eleven also adds down to a Two, which is the numerological indication for balance. And in this case, the Eleven is this spiritual balance we were talking about--where we balance our karma. It also is the balance of Male and Female energy, as you literally add one to the Magician, and the one added is Feminine energy.
If you read cards with Goddess in mind, know this is the card of Athena. If you are an astrologer, know this is the card for Libra. She is also the card for Kali. What that tells us is the Justice card has energy behind her to decide what lives and what no longer serves. Weigh this as objectively as you can and you will balance karma in the process. Justice is sandwiched in the Major Arcana between the Wheel of Fortune and the Hanged Man...think of that energy that follows...the Hanged Man sacrifices his comfort for a new perspective. This is the kind of Justice that is asked of you. Look objectively, even if means you give something up in the process. You are not a victim of fate, you are a volunteer of fate.
This card also has a very obvious meaning--one of legal troubles, issues or questions. When it is pulled, a lawyer should be consulted on an issue. Or perhaps a legal suit is up in the air. I once pulled this card when someone asked me who her next romantic partner was going to be--yep, a lawyer!
An apt affirmation for this card might be:
I accept all spiritual, societal and personal responsibility for my fate to balance all karma from this life and all lives.