Judgment Tarot Card – Keywords
Upright
Awakening, renewal, self-evaluation
Reversed
Self-doubt, unfair blame, false accusations
Judgment Tarot Card Description
When the Judgment tarot card falls face up, it indicates a time of great rejoicing.
This is a huge weighty card. All of the Major Arcana cards weigh heavily in any reading but this one comes near the end of our Fool’s journey and it has a sense of being long overdue.
The Rider Waite deck shows the souls of the righteous dead rising from their graves at the blast of Gideon’s horn. Judgment Day has come, and those who have lived their lives honestly are going on to paradise.
It is a terrible justice that would make you wait until after you were in the grave and beyond to bring resolution, which is why this tarot card is not meant to be taken literally. The Judgment tarot card is a metaphor for what it feels like to finally have justice after so long a wait.
The Judgment tarot card is the Supreme Court decision after things have finally winded their way through all the appeals and negotiations. This is not just life-changing for you as an individual, but a culturally shifting judgment that makes things better.
The Judgment card speaks to a justice coming to the collective consciousness.
It speaks of freedoms expanded and the ability to rise and follow your highest calling. It can also speak of loved ones being reunited after a momentous separation.
It is a card of the case closed; let the healing begin.
It is no accident that this card is followed by the world card in the Rider Waite deck. Because it brings word of a final and ultimate conclusion and you can step into a whole new paradigm once this is resolved.
It is also a card indicating that you will be rewarded for ‘keeping the faith.’
Judgment – Reversed Meaning
This is a message that the journey is not over yet and you have not yet created your final masterpiece.
There is still work to be done and you have to have faith in the overall plan.
It also may be a message that you have judged yourself unworthy and cut yourself off from your highest calling and the blessing it brings
This is a reminder to find a way to love yourself more and believe in your ability to overcome and endure.
Major Arcana
| Card | Upright | Reversed |
|---|---|---|
| Fool | Fresh Start, New Adventure | Poor Planning, Poor Choices, |
| The Magician | Power, Action, Balance | Insecurity, Disorder, Ignorance |
| The High Priestess | Perception, Time, Hidden Truth | Impatience, Stagnationn |
| The Empress | Birth, Abundance of harvest | Neglect, Counterproductive |
| The Emperor | Power, Fairness, Authority | Cold, Inflexible, Lack of Control |
| The Hierophant | Ceremony, Tradition, Guidance | Hypocrisy, Disillionsioned, Disgrace |
| The Lovers | Love, Blessing, Harmony, Unification | Loss, Shame, Illusion, Hedonism |
| The Chariot | Travel, Victory, Motivation, Speed | Denial, Unstable, Unrealistic |
| Strength | Preparation, self-control, battle of will | Addiction, Abuse of Power, Struggle |
| The Hermit | Enlightenment, Contemplation, Investigation by authorities | Cerebral, Paranoid, Withdrawn |
| Wheel of Fortune | Luck, Cycles, Destiny | Look before you Leap, Prepare |
| Justice | Legalities, Judgement, Truth | Misinformation, Assumption |
| The Hanged Man | Inaction, new perspective | Exoneration, Determination |
| Death | Impermanence, Inevitability | Back to Basics, Rigid, Resistant |
| Temperance | Healing, Harmony, Creative Expression | Waste, Excess, Selfish, Inconsiderate |
| The Devil | Addiction, Abuse, Control | Realization, Relief |
| The Tower | Shock, Upheaval, Weather event | Bailing out, Overreacting |
| The Star | Inspiration, Renewal, Creativity | Exhaustion, Wastefulness |
| The Moon | Lunacy, Intuition, Right timing | Over Emotional, Cognitive Dissonance |
| The Sun | Freedom, celebration, Vitality | Carelessness, Foolhardy, Time Waste |
| Judgment | Relief, answered prayers | Rejection, Cultish behavior, |
| The World | Next level, achievement | Hindsight, more to learn |
You can click any of the names to get a more in-depth analysis of the tarot card meanings in a different context.
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