Justice: Modern RWS Tarot Card Meanings
‘KEY XI: Justice’, Rider Waite Smith tarot deck.
Justice: RWS Upright Meanings
Karma, Truth, Law, Balance, Consequence
In A General Or “Open” Reading
This card relates to fairness, truth, and the law of cause and effect. Signing a legal contract, receiving a fair outcome in a dispute, taking responsibility for your actions, a situation where the truth comes to light. Compare to Judgement.
In a Love Or Relationships Reading
This card can signify a relationship built on honesty, fairness, and mutual respect. A prenuptial agreement, a relationship where both partners are treated as equals, a decision to be truthful about your feelings.
In a Money Or Career Reading:
This card points to legal matters, fairness at work, and accountability. A legal dispute with an employer, a fair performance review, signing a contract, a career in law or accountancy. Like the Queen of Swords.
In a Spiritual Context:
This card is about karma and the universal law of cause and effect. Understanding a karmic lesson, taking responsibility for your spiritual path, a belief system based on balance and fairness. Like The Lovers.
In Common Spread Positions
As Advice
Be fair. Seek the truth. Act with integrity. Take responsibility for your actions.
As (Ultimate) Outcome
A just and fair resolution. The truth will be revealed. You will get what you deserve.
As Obstacles
A legal issue is blocking your progress. A need for absolute fairness is causing delays. An overly bureaucratic process.
As Hidden Energy
An unacknowledged truth is at the heart of the matter. A past action has karmic consequences that are not yet seen.
As Resources/Alliances
The law is on your side. An honest and objective person. The truth itself is your greatest resource.
Justice Reversed Meanings
Reversed Keywords
Injustice, Dishonesty, Unfairness, Lack of Accountability, Bias.
In A General Or “Open Reading”
Reversed, Justice can point to injustice, dishonesty, and a lack of accountability. An unfair outcome in a legal case, refusing to take responsibility for your mistakes, a situation where lies are prevailing.
In a Love Or Relationships Reading
This card often signifies dishonesty or an unfair dynamic in a relationship. A partner who is not being truthful, a bitter divorce, one person taking advantage of the other, a relationship built on a lie.
In a Money Or Career Reading
This can mean an unjust situation at work or legal trouble. An unfair dismissal, a biased performance review, a lawsuit that you lose, a dishonest business partner.
In a Spiritual Context
This can mean avoiding a karmic lesson or a dishonest spiritual practice. Blaming others for your own spiritual failings, a spiritual teacher who is a hypocrite, a belief system that is fundamentally unfair.
In Common Spread Positions
As Advice: A warning against dishonesty. It is time to admit the truth or to stop blaming others for your own actions.
As (Ultimate) Outcome
An unjust result. A lie will be successful. A lack of accountability will lead to negative consequences.
As Obstacles
A corrupt legal system. A dishonest person is blocking your progress. Your own refusal to be honest is the primary hindrance.
As Hidden Energy
A hidden lie is undermining the situation. A secret injustice from the past is still affecting the present.
As Resources/Alliances
Help comes from exposing a lie. Finding a loophole in an unfair contract. A "necessary evil" to achieve a greater good.
The RWS Justice in Key Combinations
Combinations with Major Arcana
Justice & The Hierophant
Justice (↑) & The Hierophant (↑): A traditional legal system. A fair religious institution. A just and conventional ruling.
Justice (↓) & The Hierophant (↑): An unjust but traditional ruling. A biased religious dogma. An unfair but established institution.
Justice (↑) & The Hierophant (↓): A fair rebellion against a corrupt institution. Finding the truth outside of tradition. A just but unconventional choice.
Justice (↓) & The Hierophant (↓): A corrupt and dishonest institution. A biased and rebellious group. A complete breakdown of law and order.
Justice & The Hanged Man
Justice (↑) & The Hanged Man (↑): A legal case put on hold. A necessary sacrifice to achieve justice. A period of waiting for a fair outcome.
Justice (↓) & The Hanged Man (↑): A prolonged and unjust legal delay. A sacrifice that leads to an unfair result.
Justice (↑) & The Hanged Man (↓): A fair outcome that requires a new perspective. A sacrifice that is not necessary to achieve justice.
Justice (↓) & The Hanged Man (↓): Trapped in an unjust system with no way out. A refusal to make a necessary sacrifice, leading to an unfair outcome.
Combinations with the Suit of Swords
Justice & The Ace of Swords
Justice (↑) & The Ace of Swords (↑): A clear and decisive legal victory. A moment of absolute truth and clarity. A fair decision based on pure logic.
Justice (↓) & The Ace of Swords (↑): A harsh but true judgement. A legal victory that feels unfair. A moment of clarity that reveals an injustice.
Justice (↑) & The Ace of Swords (↓): A fair decision that is clouded by confused thinking. A legal case that is won, but with a lack of clarity.
Justice (↓) & The Ace of Swords (↓): A decision based on lies and misinformation. A corrupt legal argument. A complete lack of truth and fairness.
Additional Notes On The ‘Justice’ Card
A.E Waite’s Original ‘Justice’ Card Meanings:
Upright: "Equity, rightness, probity, executive; triumph of the deserving side in law. Reversed: Law in all its departments, legal complications, bigotry, bias, excessive severity." Pictorial Key To The Tarot (1911).
Question: Why is Justice number XI in the RWS deck?
In older decks like the Tarot de Marseille, Justice is card VIII and Strength is XI. A.E. Waite, following the system of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, swapped their positions. This was done for complex astrological reasons, primarily to align Justice with the sign of Libra and Strength with Leo in the zodiacal sequence.
RWS Justice Card Symbolism
A.E Waite’s Justice card depicts a stern, crowned figure seated on a throne between two pillars. The figure holds a double-edged sword in their right hand, pointing upwards, which symbolises the impartial and final nature of truth. In their left hand, they hold a set of scales, representing fairness, balance, and the weighing of evidence. The purple veil behind them signifies wisdom, and the square clasp on their cloak represents the law of the material world. The entire scene is an allegory for objective truth, fairness, and the inescapable law of cause and effect.
Find the symbolism interesting? Read about the rest of Waite’s Major Arcana.
Meditations On The Justice Card
Where in my life do I need to be more honest with myself or others? Am I taking full responsibility for the consequences of my past actions? How can I find the grace to forgive in this situation?
Continue Learning RWS Meanings: Three Master Resources
Resource I: Master The 22 Major arcana [recommended for beginners]
Learn the meanings of the other Major Arcana cards in the Rider Waite Smith tarot system. New to tarot? I recommend practicing with just these 22 cards for now.
Resource II: Meanings Mastery
No shortcuts; you can master the 780+ meanings of 78 RWS tarot cards in 12-30 months. Just use the same method I did when I was in your position. It’s based on principles of modern memory science and it begins by avoiding the most common mistake that I see a lot of beginners making in their practice. Learn what this mistake is and exactly how to avoid it, by clicking the button below.
Resource III: Master All 78 Cards In The RWS Tarot System
This article is just one within the Rider Waite Smith ‘Cards In Context’ Series: a comprehensive look at modern and original RWS meanings. Begin your mastery of the full RWS tarot system by clicking the button below.
Comprehensive guide to the 22 Major Arcana cards of the Rider Waite Smith tarot system. Learn what the Major Arcana cards are and how divinatory readers have evolved their RWS Major Arcana practice in the last 100 years.