June 25, 2002

Justice

Card # 11 in occult decks and decks based upon occult numbering and ordering

Card # 8 in antique decks and those decks that follow the continental ordering and numbering.

Deck(s); Medieval Scapini, Crowley's Thoth Tarot, Morgan-Greer, & Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg (a RWS derivative)

Scans of these cards can be found at: InTheCards!

Concepts associated with Justice: Truth, Equilibrium, Realignment, Balance, Labour, Effort, Trouble, Discretion, Foresight, Forethought, Circumspection

Justice represents the inspired, creative mind, lofty ideals, and creative ideas expressed in tangible ways. Life requires an effort, through Justice and the balance of the scales, we can learn to appreciate each moment, each breath; every sunrise, every sunset. Life as celebration is possible at this juncture, achieved through negotiation and simplification.

Justice is integrating the stages of the journey, balanced by clarifying mental activity, combined in synergy with the physicality of travel, is oft expressed through writing, research, or design. Simplifying life takes on 'urgency' not previously encountered.

Justice warns us of the importance of maintaining a full awareness that negotiation, prioritized and seemingly without end, is the key to life.

Justice presents her lessons based upon the truth that the time is ripe for making decisions based on past experience and future expectations.

Card number 11(in the occult decks) is the center of this wicked pack of cards. This card represents the law of cause and effect. It has been said that this card is the agency through which all the forces represented by the first ten cards are translated into the manifesting powers of the following cards. While cryptic this statement is worth examining from every direction.

Her crown is the symbol of attainment. This figure has attained mastery of the administration and procedure of law. Not only man's laws, but cosmic laws as well. Her gaze is indicative that she will not be swayed by what she sees: her justice conforms to facts and is dictated by sound reason.

Pamela Coleman Smith depicted the figure in an androgynous way. The features of the figure share many traits with the King of Swords (keywords: professionalism, rules of conduct, severity and as the king of the suit he is the pinnacle of the attributes) and the Queen of Wands (keywords: pride, respect, control as the Queen she bring awareness). I do not think this is coincidental.

The artist followed the lead of earlier tarotists and used Giotti's Iustitia for a model rather than Themis as Justica.

From a purely personal perspective I am heartened by this choice. I have long felt at odds with the blindfolded justice. As a woman I always was uncomfortable that A. she had chosen to cover her eyes to the world or B. someone had done that to her.

Why this blindfold? The standard assumption among legal scholars is that Justice herself tied it. But if we accept this explanation, we must wonder why Justice chooses to separate and distance herself. Does she not consider the circumstances of a dispute relevant to its resolution?

If she did not choose to cover her eyes then Justice cannot see that she is a woman; not realizing that she is different from other women, she is deprived of all the advantages and disadvantages such recognition would bring.

Whatever the case, a blindfolded Justice can make her decisions based only on a limited set of facts before her. I had always felt that it is time Justice employed all her powers in overseeing the law. It is time she cast off her blindfold. In the tarot she has done just that!

Kabalistically, this is the Sword of Binah and it is exulted in Libra, the most commonly astrological correspondent for this card.

The two edged sword is the tool by which we delineate what it is we truly desire. With this sword we enhance the process of eliminating the obstacles that litter our path and prevent us from achieving our potential, our majesty, our power. This sword is presented to us to cut away the detritus, the outgrown, the inane and that which does not serve us.

Certainly action/reaction is present in the symbology of this sword. In fact, Robert Wanless calls this card Law of Action and Reaction, and points out that _things_ are infinite only because they are constantly changing.

There is also more than a modicum of resistance found here: resistance such as is encountered by an artist and his medium. Without resistance there would be no form to art. Without resistance there would be no form to our lives. It is the resistance of gravity that keeps us grounded in our bodies; it is the resistance of air pressure that allows our lungs to function; it is the resistance of muscles pulling against joints that allows us to move from position to position and from place to place.

Following my thesis that the cards represent the stages of a journey, this is the place to set the alignment between myself, the Earth and Nature aright.

It's in the cards!

__________________________________________________