Justice
a.k.a. The Daughter of the Lords of Truth
a.k.a. The Ruler of the Balance
Card Number: 11
Rulership: Libra
Hebrew Letter: Lamed
Translation: Ox Goad (noun) To Teach (verb)
This is the path between Geburah (severity) and Tiphareth (beauty). In Justice we find the beauty of balance and also the severity required to create that balance. Really, the manifestation of alternating dualistic current that must present itself to us as one or the other is a harsh situation to be in for it makes it difficult to see that 0 = 1. However, at the same time, we would not experience beauty at all if it was not the case that there has come to be division; that 1 = 1 and 0 = 0 allow the scales to manifest--one may be weighed against the other, but we must not lose sight that self = other. This is the measure by which we shall be weighed.
The number Eleven: Number of years in the sunspot cycle. The general number of magick or sorcery and magicians--or energy tending to change. Uranus. Daath (or Egyptian Duat, Tuat). This is the individual in confrontation with the world: the individual is 1 and the world outside the individual is 1. Again, we must stress at this time that 1 = 1 (which is a base way of expressing the 0 = 1 meta-formulation); thus, we see immediately why eleven is Justice and Balance: we reap what we sow because we are the world. It is also the number of war and battle with the demonic element (and this element is, of course, an extension of Self--if we all could win the battle with our demons, then there would be no need for events like 9-11, nor the apparently necessary retaliation).
Libra: Equilibrium in both the psychic and material worlds (although, this is merely another artificial dichotomy). The sign of the sun's decline, hence, Librans tend to passivity of some sort, preferring to act behind the scenes and avoiding the limelight except when it becomes necessary to act as society's balance or opposition. Librans are either remarkably accommodating and cooperative, or deliberately contradictory, negative and anti-social.
Lamed: Signifies extension. As a symbolic image it represents the arm of a human and the wing of a bird; everything that extends or elevates itself, displaying its proper nature. It denotes a movement of extension, of direction, expressing reunion, synchronicity, dependence and possession.
Numerically: Lamed = Lamed (L) + Mem (M) + Daleth (D); 30 + 40 + 4 = 74 = 11 or 2.
11: see above.
2: see the High Priestess.
In readings:
Dignified: Legal action. Contracts. Settlement. Litigation. Divorce. Redress. Judgement. Arbitration and agreement. Treaties. Marriage sometimes--depending on surrounding cards and typically only when marriage contracts or other legal or financial documents are an integral part of the intended union.
Reversed: Separations not yet legalized or ratified by law. Legal complications. Expensive and long drawn out litigation. Inequality. Injustice and bias.
Mythological links: Themis--goddess of abstract law, custom, and equity. Maat--goddess of truth. The goddess Nemesis--the measurer of happiness and misery.
Metaphysical musings: Well, I 've already thrown in quite a bit in the above, but let us take another look. Justice is intimately linked with the dichotomies that are required for manifestation. In the abstract ideal, all things are in Balance. And like the Tao, the dual current feeds into itself; which is to say that light and dark (for example) are merely alternating expressions of singularity. In Justice there is an inherent indifference to dualisms and opposites (recognizing them for what they are)--preferring synthesis.
She is often depicted holding a sword, and this is to signify that force is sometimes needed to maintain the balance; however, Justice is also seated, which indicates a passive nature. Showing that, in an ideal sense, the path of correction and atonement is passive (see: "if we all could win the battle..." above). The real path of Justice is found in how the individual relates to him or her self (recall, self = other); in different words: learn to meditate and confront your own psyche.
Justice is often referred to as being "blind." This is to capture the idea that Justice plays no favours and has no prejudices. It is this attitude of most excellent attainment that we should seek to manifest in our lives. |
