What Does The Justice Card Mean In Tarot?

Did you pull the Justice card from your tarot deck and you're not sure what it means? Don't worry, sometimes interpreting tarot cards are as simple as looking at what's drawn on the card. Justice cards in tarot decks based on the original Rider-Waite illustrations show Justice standing in front of a purple background, wearing a gold crown, red robe, green mantle, and white shoes (via LoveToKnow). In her left hand are the scales of justice, while in her right hand is an upright double-edged sword.

Justice, as a "Lady Justice," sits in the Rider-Waite-inspired decks. For most of us, we know her as a symbol of law and order and Lady Justice can be seen (in statue form) in most court buildings across the United States. According to the U.S. Supreme Court, she is meant to represent Themis or Justicia. Themis was the Greek Goddess of Justice and Law while Justicia was one of the four Virtues of Roman mythology.

The right hand, which holds the sword, symbolizes a "logical, well-ordered mindset necessary to dispense fair justice," according to Biddy Tarot. Her sword is pointing up, implying a "firm, final decision." Of course, the fact that it's a double-edged sword is on purpose as "actions always carry consequences." 

In her deck, "The Antique Anatomy Tarot," Claire Goodchild shows Justice as a heart and brain joined together in the middle with red and gold flowers growing from the top and bottom with green leaves. "Both your head and heart need to carry equal weight," Goodchild says, which relates to the big decision the Justice tarot card implies you need to make. Both versions of the Justice tarot card — the traditional Rider-Waite and the contemporaries — are reminding you about balance.

Biddy Tarot warns that the Justice card shows up when the decisions you need to make have the "potential for long-term repercussions." The repercussions won't just effect you, either. Whatever decision you need to make will impact your well-being, and the well-being of others. So, you need to be ready to stand by the decision you're making. If you don't think you can, the Justice card is asking you to dig deeper still on whatever issue you're thinking through.

Upside down, the Justice card is calling you out on something you know you've done wrong. You're not ready to own up to it, or you're letting other people to take the blame. Here, the decision you need to make is whether or not you own up to what you've done. "Whichever you choose," Biddy Tarot warns, "you will need to live with the consequences on your conscience."