May Pleasure find you well
If the Emperor watches over Divine Order, then Justice watches over Divine Balance.
The figure on the card guards the veil.
On their left is the scales, in their hands, the Sword.
The sword for truth, clarity of mind, purity of thought and intention, for integrity in words and action.
Justice reminds us of reciprocation, receiving back what we put in. When we give of ourselves fully unto the Spirits, we receive from the Spirits with the same fullness. Building the altar is important, yes. But an altar with no attendant is just a table, my friends. We breathe life into our altars and into our prayers when we show up to be of service to the spirits.
Justice reminds us that balance, like all things in the universe, is fluid. Seasons change. We change. The way we tend to the Spirits in the Spring will likely vary greatly from the way we tend to Spirits in the Fall. The weight on our hearts and spirits of pains we carry may lighten or even disappear over the passing of time. Things that once had levity may evolve into the feeling of burden. And somethings stay just the same (in relation to the last time you checked in with yourself, at least).
Checking in with yourself, taking inventory of the way you give your energy (mental, emotional, material), is a key component. How can we know to adjust the scales if we don't tune in and take a look from time to time? Notice how the figure's stance mirrors that of the High Priestess. In front of the veil they sit, guardian, guide, psychopomp. They tune into their experience, intuition, their spirits, and the power of observation, to determine when the scales need to be rebalanced.
Justice understands that their role is not a passive one. In the traditional Smith-Waite imagery, the sword is neither laying at rest or hanging on display, but up right in their hand and ready to do its work. Justice acts from a place of education, experience, and intuition. Education does not need to be formal or institutional - it's simply seeking out information that was unknown, allowing curiosity to guide us into learning new things.
The two columns behind Justice acknowledge duality and polarity. They honor that one cannot exist without the other. They sit at the center of the two columns, understanding that leaning too far into either extreme moves the universe out of divine balance.
Their dress is practical and intentionally put together. Layers for the fluctuation seasons and temperatures. They know they must be prepared for the many different ways they may be called to restore balance.
This card is a gateway, a portal, an invitation to audit how you spend your energy, to observe the signs of information; to seek out the information that may not be readily available to you. And to make the necessary shifts of the scales.
In communion with the Lovers Card and the 10 of Cups, Justice asks us to consider how we are in relationship to ourselves (the Lovers) and our loved ones (the 10 of Cups).
We are reminded that all acts of love and pleasure are ritual, and asked whether we are giving enough space in our lives to these things.
How can the rituals of love and pleasure be integrated into our daily lives? How can we take an active role in creating more pleasure in our world? We are invited to savor the nectar of the small, joyful moments we experience each. To remember that pleasure is a part of our purpose as human beings, as inhabitants of the Garden Planet, our Sweet Mother Earth. To make a little less time for fruitless distractions - like coveting that of others, doom scrolling, speaking unkindly to ourselves. To make more space for letting the Sun touch our skin, savoring each bite of a meal, deeply inhaling our cup of tea before each sip, laughing with a loved one, taking a chance on romance.
These are the things that make life worth living - and no matter how small the moments, they add up to a full and beautiful life.
Happy Valentines Day, my dears. May pleasure find you well.
