JUSTICE
From
The Star Tarot Deck
Original Writing by
Kathryn Ravenwood
In Numerology, 2018 is a Justice year… 2 +1+ 8 = 11,
which is the Tarot Card of Justice. *
We might first think of Justice as in a court of
law, in politics, a determination of what is fair, or of just rewards coming
back at someone who has “done us wrong” – as in “what goes around comes
around.” We have a sense of wanting
things to be balanced, to be assured that things work out fairly. Often Justice
is shown as a blindfolded woman indicating that the law is the same for
everyone regardless of who they are. While this system certainly does not work
all the time, that is the premise behind it.
This makes Justice an external factor but since we
live in a world of duality there are always two sides to a story. Our laws are
established to help the majority – we know people get a raw deal, slip through
the cracks of the system, are ignored or manipulated. We know there is corruption
and prejudice in those who enforce our laws just as there are those who devote
their lives to making the system work better for more people.
The Tarot card above shows Justice without a
blindfold. She calls us to shift from the view that justice happens someplace
outside of ourselves and tells us to look inward. Justice is associated with
Karma which is the Cosmic Law that every cause creates an effect. Every action
creates a re-action. To come close to making those Cosmic Scales balance and
wield the great Cosmic Sword fairly requires awareness of our past actions and
taking new action to change/correct our future.
This is how we grow spiritually, how we create a more balanced life, and
how we are more aligned with Justice as a higher truth.
We see in this card that the Scales are balanced
through Justice’s Third Eye and aligned with the Sun and Moon. The Sword is
balanced on a finely honed point in the water in front of her – water representing
Spirit. She stands between two columns carved from trees – very reminiscent of
the two columns the High Priestess stands between. The High Priestess is card 2
of the Tarot and when we add the 1+1 of Justice’s number 11 we get the High
Priestess number. The High Priestess represents Truth in the highest form but
holds it hidden or veiled letting us know that Truth is something we must seek
from within. This very beautiful card gives us much to visualize and take in
regarding the Nature of Justice.
Another aspect shown in this card is the direct
connection between Justice and nature. We are truly a part of nature. We are
made from the Elements as all other Earthly beings are – Air, Water, Earth, and
Fire. We cannot go through our life even one day without interacting with
another Being – plant, animal, rock or human or the Elements themselves. We
cannot move without disrupting an existing energy pattern. We are an integral
part of Nature and our own Nature is made of all the choices we make and their
resulting experiences. Even choices made
FOR us, such as by parents, or superiors in our jobs, or politicians change our
experiences and eventually our Nature. We truly are all interconnected.
As we move into 2018 and a Year of Justice I am sure
the media will bombard us with countless viewpoints of how Justice is or is not
being served. Instead of feeling like we have to take one side or the other, I
hope we will look within and align with our own Truth on the matter and find a
way to take appropriate action. One
person may not change the world – but then, you never know how things will work
out.
…Kathryn Ravenwood
1.23.18
*There
is a variance in Tarot regarding the Justice and Strength cards. Some decks use
#8 as Justice and #11 as Strength. My
studies lead me to embrace #8 as Strength and #11 as Justice. This article will
not explore those differences.