Introducing Judgement XX
We see an angel blowing a trumpet from above the clouds. Six figures emerging from caskets raise their arms to the angel in adoration/reverence. Behind in the distance are mountains. Traditionally this card reflected the End of Days when we meet our maker. The imagery signifies the chance for redemption, from ourselves, from a drab or painful life, from old patterns and ways of being: We have a chance to be ‘resurrected’ and made whole again.
Symbols & Systems
angel
The angel is Gabriel, messenger of God, who wakes us up to tell us that there’s no separation between ourselves and the Creator.
trumpet
A call to action, a loud noise that wakes us up from our ‘coma’. Seven lines emit from the trumpet, indicating blasts, of course, as well as the 7 tones. In Kabbalah, God created the world by speaking, i.e., by making sound. The noise the trumpet blows is the sound of creation: Something new is being made.
banner
Celebration. The equal divisions of the fabric represents the four elements: Everything has come together and is complete.
dead / alive people
Rebirth: They have risen from the dead, looking to the angel for redemption. Their nakedness symbolizes birth, i.e., we’re all born naked; and they’re being called to create a more meaningful life. The people are grey as that is the color that we become when we are sick or losing lifeforce. Additionally, black and white create grey (reminiscent of the black and white pillars of the High Priestess card) and show assimilation of both types of teachings.
caskets
The places where we stay asleep, hide away, or keep our heads down. Judgement offers us the opportunity to stand up, shake off our past, let go of our sins, and start afresh.
mountains
Waite called these mountains the ‘mountains of abstract thought’, i.e., an eternal truth beyond our limited comprehension. What the Hermit card seeks in the mountains has now been found.
gods / goddesses
Judgement is ruled by all the Gods and Goddesses that rule over Judgement:
Female: Maat, Isis, Kwan Yin, Tara
Male: Horus, Hades, Pluto, Yahweh
number
The Judgement card is number 20, whose digits reduce to 2 + 0 = 2, the number of The High Priestess, who holds the mysteries of the world inside of her, just as inside of us are mysteries waiting to be revealed. Judgement opens up our subconscious and presents us with our baggage. The greatest mystery, after all, is not outside of us, but rather inside of us. The Delphic Oracle said, ‘Know thyself’, and the Judgement card asks us to do just that.
We can also reflect on the number 0, The Fool, who while he appears foolish, is in fact wise beyond our comprehension. Judgment tells us to take a risk and let go of what is old, to allow ourselves to be reborn. We may need the courage of The Fool to do that.
Astrology
The astrological sign that rules over the Judgement card is the planet Pluto, a higher octave of Mars. Pluto brings to light that which is not seen; it reveals what was in the deepest shadows. There is mystery and magic in the world, and denying it does not make it disappear.
Kabbalah
The creators of the Rider Waite Tarot deck were members of the Golden Dawn, a group that followed teachings based on the Kabbalah. Kabbalists are mystics who believe that God is neither male nor female, and has many aspects. Kabbalah is all about learning why we’re here, the mystery of the universe, and what the big plan is.
Being the 21st card in the deck, Judgement corresponds to the 21st heb letter Shin ש, the first letter of the Hebrew word shipút שיפוט or judgment. On the Tree of Life, Judgement sits on the path between Hod and Malkuth. The kabbalistic name for this card is ‘Perpetual Intelligence’, meaning that once we ‘know’ the eternal, we will have perpetual intelligence.
The message from Judgement XX
Judgement and Justice can be confused with one another, as both are about analyzing our behavior and about doing what is right, moral, and just. Justice, however., belongs to the human realm, and Judgment belongs to the realm of a Higher Power. In other words, you can lie to a judge in court, but you cannot lie to a Higher Power. Judgement reveals the real you from whom you cannot hide. While in court (the Justice card) we are judged by human-legislated rules, in our souls we’re judged by the rules of the Creator.
Judgement tells you that it’s time to take a good hard look at yourself: Are you living aligned to your morals and ethics? Are you making sure that Justice takes place in the world? Are you trying to improve the state of your soul? When you die and meet your maker, will you carry shame or regret?
Ask yourself these questions:
• Do I feel connected to Source?
• Am I awakening to something?
• Am I being called by Spirit?
• Do I feel that I’m undergoing Rebirth?
• Do I need some regeneration right now?
• Am I shedding an old skin that I no longer need?
• Am I letting go of habits that pull me down?
• Do I really know who I am and what I want? What is my unique gift that only I can give the world?
• What healing can I offer the planet?
Allow yourself to focus on the fact that to strive to be a better person you must really examine yourself, your thoughts, and your behaviors. Do they align with your ethics and morals? Can you strive to be better, to do better?
Judgement XX reversed
When I see a reversed card. I simply see the energy blocked or inhibited in some way. How would Judgement be inhibited?
If Judgement is reversed, you’re hiding from yourself and a Higher Power. You’re not being real and authentic with yourself and/or others. You can only deny the truth for so long, as eventually it will be revealed, whether in this life or the next. It may be that this is the time to integrate parts of your personality about which you’ve been in denial.
If you get Judgement reversed for yourself or someone else, some questions to ask might be:
• Am I judging myself or others too harshly?
• Am I guilty about the past?
• Am I aware of how my past has shaped me?
• Can I ask for forgiveness? Can I forgive myself?
• Do I know what I need to let go of?
• Can I allow myself to be reborn?
• Am I attached to old ways of being that no longer serve me?
If you get Judgement reversed, you are being asked to wake up and make changes. Examine your life and decide to move toward a better you. Judge yourself and identify changes / improvements you can make.
To sum it all up
Judgement is about the change and starting afresh. As women, each stage of life gives us that opportunity. As women, we go through multiple rebirths in our lives. At first menses, we become a woman. If we get pregnant, we go through the powerful process of giving birth, and then become a mother. We journey the ups and downs of our children, going through their own cycles of rebirth. When menses ends, we enter the crone years: We’re experts at reinventing ourselves… if we want to.
In many spiritual traditions, the belief is that we will go to meet our maker once we die and then we will be judged, based on our life and behavior. Karma will dictate what happens and whether we’ll come back in another incarnation. Karma has a habit of following us and biting us in the ass.
The Judgement card is one we often wish to avoid. If we just pretend the problem doesn’t exist, it might go away. If we just ignore the signs that our childhood could be having a negative effect on our present, then everything will be OK. We can just ignore the fact that last week we were nasty to our loved ones. We all mess up; we all make mistakes. What are you going to do about your mistakes? Will you work on yourself? Judgement gives you the opportunity to forgive yourself, and allows you to be forgiven.
Judgement invites you to explore your inner state, to take inventory of your thoughts, emotions, morals, ethics, and decisions. In the end, you will meet your maker and hopefully you’ll be happy with the life you lived. If you’re not happy right now, Judgment tells you that there’s still time.
