Tarot for Troubled Times: Justice

The tragic events of this week (and, frankly, of every week under our current regime) bring awareness to the important principle of…

JUSTICE

Justice often appears when issues of fairness and ethics dominate a situation. Its presence signifies that we are now called to determine right action, make equitable decisions, and take responsibility in addressing the injustice we see in our world.
 
 
In the Major Arcana, Justice is the card that follows the Wheel of Fortune (to be discussed another week); this progression has some philosophical significance.

The Wheel refers to the larger forces of the universe that lie outside our control, but Justice alludes to how our current situation is a direct result of both these uncontrollable forces, AND how we respond to such external events. 
 
In other words, this is the universal principle of karma--which is, just simply, recognizing cause and effect, or how our actions shape our outcomes and future selves:
 
“It simply means that, like it or not, whatever you do, whatever you experience, contributes to the development of your personality. Life demands that you respond to every event. Not a moral requirement, just a fact of existence.” (Rachel Pollack, 78 Degrees of Wisdom)
 
When we are able to honestly face the truth about our past choices--and the underlying beliefs that shaped them--this actively engages us in the co-creation of the universe we share with all other beings, and provides more clarity in how we would like to show up for them (and, thus, ourselves).
 

When applied to our larger social world, this card encourages us to speak up about both our rights and the rights of others; to be aware of and work to address address existing power imbalances.

As we recognize our own domains of privilege, we can consciously use that power to elevate others. We are urged not to meet this awareness with guilt, but to engage our humility and connect with compassion. We can channel our anger productively into activism, advocacy, art, and mutual aid organizations. 
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And when we see the places that we, ourselves, face injustice, this card reminds us that our strength and courage can sustain our momentum, and encourages us to rise, reclaim space, and work to determine our own fate.

May justice be served.

(Cards pictured here are from the Universal Waite, a recolored version of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, and the Numinous Tarot, a radical deck with diverse representations and gender-neutral language, and the loveliest Justice card of all time!)