(Tarot Prompts for Writers)
What I See in the Card:
Justice is a familiar figure: a woman with a sword and a pair of scales. She has generations of wisdom and the law behind her. But we all know that justice is more than law. She has morality on her side, and you stand before her to have your story heard and your behaviour judged. This is no small claims issue. Justice is a busy woman. With a sword. This is a serious matter.
In many decks, Justice is not #8 of the major arcana. Some decks have Strength as #8 and Justice as #11 — blame the Golden Dawn cult for that silliness; they wanted to postpone justice and they probably had reason. The traditional Marseilles deck features Justice as #8, so my Balbi deck does too. And there’s something about justice that just goes with the number, the figure eight in the Arabic system, the way that if you trace that figure, what goes around comes around.
Justice does not look happy in any deck. But she’s not angry either. In my deck, she looks almost sorry for you, or for what’s about to happen to you. But Justice is always more intellectual than emotional. Whatever she feels for you won’t sway her decision. It’s the facts that will decide your case. What gets judged is your actions, and the scales won’t be nudged by your excuses. It’s not the role of Justice to add weight to your side of the story. She won’t be bribed or flattered. What’s done is done and she’s just weighing it up.
So how you feel about Justice depends on what you’ve done in your life. There’s no reason to fear her if your behaviour has been fair, wise, balanced.
Justice has an understated power. Her robes are opulent, her throne is strong. The colours around her are brilliant. This is not a black-and-white world.
Her scale shows that this card is all about balance, right and wrong, debts owed and paid, blessings shared fairly. Her sword shows her power; it says there are consequences to your decisions and actions — and here they come, ready or not.
There are decks where Justice is blindfolded but in my deck, she’s not. It’s one of the most striking things about her. Justice is not blind. She stares right at you. You’ve got to look her in the eye. You can’t hide anything from her. You’re pretty sure she knows everything, and she knew it before you even got here.
Justice is enthroned, regal, but she doesn’t lord it over anyone aggressively. She sits in her place, quietly waiting. She doesn’t have to pursue you. She won’t even seek you out. Life will bring you to her.
You can’t run from Justice. You’ll have to face her sometime. So think about her on all steps of your journey, because you’re going to have to give an accounting of yourself.
Lead a well balanced life. Weigh your decisions. Act justly.
Read will take you to my notes on how to tell a fortune with Justice — traditional interpretations; what the card might mean in different positions; keywords to help memorize meanings; and questions to ponder or ask the querent.
Write will take you to a few prompts for launching from Justice into a story. A first line, a setting, a character — three possible ways to turn Justice into fiction.
Gallery will take you to a central Tarot-Prompts page.
Go ahead, restore some balance.
Images on this page are by the following artists:
Banner (and top box), left to right: Marseilles deck engraved by Nicolas Conver; Dragon Tarot illustrated by Roger and Linda Garland; Tarot Balbi by Domenico Balbi; Druid Craft deck illustrated by Will Worthington; Radiant Rider-Waite deck illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith; Gilded Tarot by Ciro Marchetti.
Mid-page boxes: Tarot Balbi; the Deviant Moon Tarot.
Catherine Austen 