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Justice, as it has been defined and longed for historically, is an expression of balance. Throughout the ages, masters who have truly understood the ultimate relationship between the material and the spiritual have served as teachers, living in a state of balance where their life is an emanation of walking "the middle road", the non-dualistic path that moves one closer to the center of the target of perfection.
The difficulty for most, however, is in discovering balance on a personal level. We are driven by the security of material form and pleasure, yet we cannot be content without an understanding of the invisible or the mystical. We ebb and flow between the two, twice checking our values and personal standards, hoping to establish equilibrium within our body and soul.
Whether it is soul/body, mind/heart, or material/spiritual, there is a weakness in our system, a vital wholeness out of whack. Imbalance is an indication that the inner and outer worlds have split apart. We see this in our own judicial system. At times, perhaps, we mistakenly turn to a human court in search of answers which can only be found in a heavenly one. Justice will never be served, nor will balance be restored, within a system that negates the intervention of spiritual truths and the laws of Karma. The principle behind Karma is cosmic law. This means that, according to cosmic justice, we must be accountable for all of our behaviors. Our foremost plan must be to "set things right" in all corners of life.
On the royal road to wisdom through the twenty-two Major Arcana cards, there is great significance in the card Justice. Justice represents the laws of nature, as well as the consequence of choice. In the Mother Peace deck by Vickie Noble, Justice suggests the connections between all living beings. The Greeks called this concept Themis, and saw it as an abstract principle of law and nature. Themis can be traced back to its ancient origins, Earth Mother, Gaia, who is the oracular power of earth. As the daughter of Gaia, Themis was the power of absolute, "steadfast" law. With her sword of truth pointing heavenward, she acts as a force to keep decisions true to spirit.
At this stage of development through the Tarot series, we come to understand that human behaviors are far too intricate and varied to be judged by one standard of human law. Despite centuries of disillusionment regarding equality and fairness, it is comforting to remember that in the end Justice will triumph. Whether in the heavens or in the courthouse, Justice, with her golden sword of Truth, will spare us the moral conflict of determining the verdict of guilt or innocence. In the grand scheme of things, the great wheel of fortune spins and Karmic justice prevails. We can consider guilt and innocence from another angle, one which encompasses the notion that we are all guilty and we are all innocent. As long as we do our best, it is honorable not to judge another.
The planet Venus (through Libra) rules the Justice card, and its essential nature is Universal Love. The Venusian soul-force of the card is emphasized by the symbol of the scales, or balances, which, in the Egyptian scriptures, were said to weigh all hearts against the feather of Maat (Mother of Truth). Essentially, Truth stems from the heart. There is an inherent evolution of consciousness one meets at this position on the royal road to wisdom; stated simply, "Love is the Law". Amidst our mistakes and foibles, we realize we are One Light. With an intention to live a life of grace and inner Truth, we can set our souls free. Our task is to awaken to new consciousness and pray for deeper clarity concerning the consequences of our actions. Through this commitment we find our way to the "Middle Road", and master the Will of Love, the inner strength that we receive when we are able to love ourselves, and ultimately to love others. This is a clear path toward Justice.
Card #1: The Marseille Deck, holding the ancient understanding that "weighing" truth within ourselves, as well as in our society, is something that can be measured, even if light as a feather. Traditional image: woman seated with scales in one hand, and golden sword in the other.
The Balances: The balances were so important to religious ancestry that they were made a part of the zodiacal wheel in the heavens as the sign of Libra, the scales.
Card #2: In the Tarot of the Spirit, the Justice card is named Karma and depicts the mechanical aspects of Karma. Karma appears as a spinning top, balanced on the Middle Pillar on the Tree of Life.
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