Justice: Striking a Balance
The Incidental Tarot: Justice
This seems to be a theme for me lately, as well as a meta-theme in global politics. I find myself drawing parallels between tarot and politics a lot recently, perhaps as a result of the impending election here in the U.S. We seem to be, as a country and an aspect of the emerging global community, rife right now with imbalance at every level of society. From the disparity between the rich and ever-growing-richer, to the war on women, to rampant discrimination of people based on race, sex, sexuality or religion. In some ways, the underlying movement here seems to be a destructive tension, the painful stretching of our social fabric. The collapse of our economy and massive paradigm shifts that are erupting in our way of life have polarized civilized people against each other in unthinkable ways. Hatred is amplified by misfortune, and when misfortune abounds, distrust and intolerance of anyone outside the perception of safety spins out of control. It’s a chain reaction, and we’ve traveled very far down that chain in the last decade, for all the progress we’ve made as a nation in the last 100 years.
Freedom is our ultimate aspiration as Americans. But Freedom is too often misunderstood as an “all or nothing” ideal. The truth is, there is no Freedom without Consequence; it is a perpetual balancing act. The pursuit of Freedom requires judgment, moderation, and responsibility.
Nature always rights herself. And though we actively seek to remove ourselves from her, humankind is a product of Nature. We are one branch of an infinite tree of life. And though that branch may have grown far, far from its root, it is still connected. The force of Nature is working through us as a species right now, seeking to right disparities and restore balance. The pendulum is swinging back towards center, and as it reaches toward this profound shifting of consciousness, we are experiencing the violent backlash of fear and uncertainty. The consequences of our flight from Freedom.
Justice represents this struggle to regain balance, to reset the scales and restore our relationships to each other and to the planet. Justice is a card that resonates with our earthly constructs of balance, fairness and responsibility, therefore it works through our social and political constructs. Government, law, and the judicial system are the ethical filters through which we function as a nation. Spiritual laws and systems find their expression in Awakening (Judgment), and pertain more to the individual than the society in which he lives. This is not to say that the shifting paradigms we are experiencing in America and the rest of the world do not have a spiritual element; they most certainly do. But the structure must be forged through Justice’s vibration first, then fine-tuned to each person’ spiritual frequency.
Justice brings to us the hope of remediation, the righting of past wrongs and the restoration of harmony. It is up to us, as individuals, community members, and countrymen to work together to let Justice ring true to her calling.
E Pluribus Unum.