11 | Justice
Model, Zach Gonzalez
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”
-Martin Luther King Jr.
Justice is the 11th card in the Tarot’s Major Arcana. The number 11 in numerology is a master number that is not broken down into a single digit like other double-digit numbers. It carries the meaning of heightened intuition, spiritual awareness, and sensitivity. 11 is seen as a number to bridge the gap between the spiritual and physical, following a path of self-discovery and deeper truth. It is a number seen as inspirational and associated with leadership and vision.
Justice highlights the need for balance, fairness, and integrity on a grand scale. Whether someone in your life needs to be held accountable, or it’s you who needs to reflect on actions taken, this card brings Justice’s ultimate lessons into play. Objectively caring for the truth at hand and nothing else, Justice shows that decisions have cause and effect for all; a type of truth that allows us to better ourselves and the world around us. This card signals that a judgment will be made fairly and accordingly, and the decisions and actions will be carefully weighed and considered with fairness. If you have been wronged, this card's appearance may bring you relief. On the other hand, if your actions have caused pain to others, this card serves as a warning.
General Meaning - Accountability, fairness, karma, balance, harmony, law, truth, honesty, & integrity
When out of Alignment - Consequences, dishonesty, corruption, retribution, & avoidance.
Navigating Justice’s archetypal energy-
Feeling powerless to the injustices of the world can feel debilitating and infuriating, particularly when the matter is out of your control. To help feel empowered during these moments, say either out loud or in your head, “I invoke the energy of divine justice for the highest good to come about.” Allow yourself to release the request with gratitude, and do your best to let go of the energy around it in your body and mind to the best of your ability. By invoking this divine principle of magick, you channel divine forces bigger than yourself to take over and remedy the situation at hand. The tough part about this magickal practice is that you have to make peace with not always seeing Justice play out, and have to have faith that you ultimately don’t know what ought to be. On the other hand, if you’re at fault for an injustice and your ego is making it hard to process and accept that you didn’t act from a place of integrity, do your best to sit with the lesson that’s come your way. After processing, do your best to find a resolution of wanting to make it better, simply ask out loud or in your head what steps forward are needed to do just that, and trust the process. Fortunately, we can fix things without always needing to suffer or feel like a small child being reprimanded for our actions. To learn and grow from what went wrong and do our best to fix things is a wonderful way to go forward with Justice’s lesson.
In this card, we see Justice dressed in black on the edge of a snowy cliff holding a sword, with a lake in the background representing the state of the subconscious mind reflecting on the situation at hand. Two of the prominent symbols shown on this card are the golden scales at the top and a yin-yang sign on the sword, both representing duality and harmony of life’s opposing forces in constant balance at all times. The black and white theme of the card shows the important balance between the divine feminine and divine masculine energy within the flow of the universe. The snowy landscape and cold feel of the card depict the harsh and cutting lesson that Justice can bring, and to persevere and work through, knowing that the truth will always find a way forward. The sword in this card represents wisdom and is pointed down in reflection, not in a position to strike from a place of reaction or defense. The defender of Justice shown in this card has a strong moral compass and passion for truth and balance when the pendulum swings too far in the wrong direction.
Next up, exploring letting go and finding calm in the chaos with The Hanged Man. Stay tuned for the next card release in The Green Mountain Major Arcana’s journey next Friday, 7/11!
With love,
Megan Gonzalez
