Divine Justice

The Tarot card often numbered 11 is the Justice card. It typically portrays a female figure, blindfolded and holding a scale in one hand, a sword in the other.  This card holds great significance in the spiritual and mundane world. While most Major Arcana cards reverberate powerfully through the individual’s life sending significant messages pertaining to growth and development, the Justice card does this and more. It holds a microscope over the life of the querent and cautions that not only are spiritual matters unraveling to produce powerful Karmic feedback, but these lessons are also playing out in mundane life at this time. It is likely the querent will deal with matters of justice, legal issues and consequences of various sorts in their daily life as a means to echo the larger spiritual message carried by this card.

So what are the ramifications of Justice on the grand scale? Justice portends returns. These can be good or bad depending on what the querent has been cultivating karmically and spiritually. This card should serve as a warning to remember basic spiritual principles surrounding consequential thinking and if all else fails, should summon the great lessons inherent in Murphy’s Law - if something can go wrong, it will. This is not a card of doom and gloom per se, but it reminds one to not cut corners, even if “everyone else” seems to be getting away with it. Justice bears a reminder that we are never truly in a situation where “no one is looking” that we have a higher authority of one form or another to answer to, even if that authority is none other than the chain of events our actions set into motion. The Justice card appears to remind the querent of their integrity and not to compromise this at any cost. To do so now would ensure retribution on a large scale. This is not the time to park where you are not authorized, speed, or “borrow” office supplies for personal use, no matter how clever your ego can be in justifying why you are entitled to bend the rules. The Justice card is a reminder that there is a grand balance in the universe even when this may not appear to be the case.

When involved in a conflict with another, the Justice card warns one to play fair, and if need be, fight fair. Even if it appears that others are gaining an advantage by cheating. It will all be brought into balance, Justice reaffirms, but may require patience. This card can be difficult for people to grasp because it entails forms of justice beyond what human beings are used to expecting to see enforced in the mundane. When we feel slighted or wronged we expect instant results, many times in the form of monetary compensation or punishment of the offender. When we do not see these results, or worse, when we see punishment doled out that does not seem to “fit the crime,” it can be easy to lose faith and question the purpose in doing the right thing in the first place. This card is beckoning one to expand the understanding of justice to more than the “tit for tat” bargaining that occurs in court rooms.

The Justice card asks you to expand your faith and understanding beyond the mundane and remember that Justice is not executed solely by mankind, but exists in the balancing act performed in nature and the universe that brings harmony on a much larger level. This can be frustrating, as we all would love to be the fly on the wall when our adversary gets their just deserts. We may not get the pleasure however, and must have faith that our actions bring the returns we deserve, as do the actions of others. When this card appears it is a reminder to uphold one’s own truth and integrity even if it means waiting for the slowly cultivated spiritual balance brought about by Karma rather than instant gratification one may desire through vigilante measures. It is possible you will be called to account for your actions whether in a court, police station, or through some type of authority in the workplace, family or community. It is also a portend of being involved in conflicts or legal issues whose resolution will be much more advantageous as long as you ensure you are not bending or breaking the rules yourself. If you have acted outside of your highest ethics, use this time to amend the situation in a way that is appropriate. Come clean with others, act to balance the scales and amend broken trust. If it is not possible to directly “fix” the situation, learn from it and take efforts to promote positive and help to others where you are able.

Likewise if it seems that you have lost out in a conflict or situation that was not resolved to your immediate liking, take heart, you will likely find positive returns you could not have planned or anticipated coming your way from a higher authority than the mundane court and government systems. Strive to be open to the return of your positive actions in whatever form they may take. Avoid feeling like the victim at this time as to do so may limit otherwise benevolent gains that are blessings in disguise.

Article by: Angela Kaufman.  Angela is a Priestess for the Dragon Warriors of Isis Coven in Upstate, New York, and the co-author of Wicca: What's the Real Deal?  She is a professional tarot reader.  For more information about Wicca: What's the Real Deal? visit http://www.wwtrd.webs.com.