Justice Tarot Meaning: Upright and Reversed

Justice Keywords

• Upright: fairness, honesty, accountability, objective truth, commitments, balance, responsibility
• Reversed: bias, intolerance, unfair judgment, dishonesty, denial, lack of accountability

Justice: Description and Symbolism

As number ‘11’ in the Major Arcana, the Justice card represents balance and objective truth. The symmetry of the number eleven speaks to the card’s theme of balance, as well as the two pillars depicted on the card. Their gray color symbolizes neutrality, promoting clear judgment. Between the two pillars sits a woman with a stoic expression. She sits on a throne above a stone foundation, symbolizing the search for solid ground.

The woman holds a sword to the sky in one hand and a pair of balanced scales in the other. The double-edged sword symbolizes choice and rationality. Swords are associated with the element of air throughout the tarot, emphasizing themes of truth, intellect, and communication. In the case of the Justice card, the woman is driven to analyze a given situation to find the objective truth. 

The scales correspond to the zodiac sign Libra – the traditional astrological sign associated with the Justice card. Ruled by Venus, Libra represents themes of social consideration and agreements. This astrological correspondence speaks to the Justice card’s themes of fairness and accountability. The balanced scales in the woman’s hand symbolize her willingness to consider multiple perspectives to reach a fair conclusion.

The title “Justice,” combined with the scales, also symbolizes legal contracts and their repercussions. For better or worse, each decision must have a consequence. Therefore, the Justice card can represent themes of responsibility and lessons learned. 

With strong values of honesty and social fairness, the woman depicted in the Justice card has gained respect. She is willing to stand for truth and has gained social trust, represented by her crown. The robe’s red color symbolizes her courage to act justly. The truth isn’t always easy, but she is willing to find it to bring social balance. The purple veil behind the woman symbolizes spiritual wisdom through her objective search for truth. 

Justice – Upright Meaning

When the Justice card appears in a reading, the truth of a given situation will soon be revealed. Maintain a rational perspective now to find clarity on how to move forward. This card could be nudging you to be honest about your true feelings and concerns at this time. 

Justice could also signify that balance and fairness are needed. Perhaps you are making a decision that requires weighing multiple options or perspectives. Take your time to understand the facts set before you before making a decision.

Alternatively, the Justice card may signal a new opportunity to enter into a contractual agreement. Whether you are getting married or signing off on a new house, you are encouraged to weigh all the factors before finalizing a commitment.

Love Meaning – Justice Upright 

In the context of love, the Justice card signifies bringing balance to a relationship. It may be time to clear the air if there has been confusion about a particular topic. Justice reminds you to speak your truth, no matter how intimidating. Once both perspectives have been heard, you will be able to come to a mutually fulfilling agreement on the matter. 

If you are single, the Justice card could appear as a sign that a more balanced relationship dynamic will come into your life soon. You have learned lessons from your past relationships that will support more justified experiences in love moving forward.

Justice may appear as a sign of a contractual agreement. If you have been in a happy, committed relationship, a deeper commitment could be around the corner. Whether it’s marriage, buying a house, or starting a business together, the Justice card is a positive sign of long-term agreements.

When reading about how someone feels, Justice represents someone with genuine intentions. This romantic interest is willing to understand you on a deeper level, so it is worth seeing this connection through.

Career and Finance Meaning – Justice Upright

When the Justice card appears in a career context, it suggests that balance is being restored in your workplace. It might be time to share your opinions and ideas about the latest project. Your view on the matter is likely to be taken into consideration.

The Justice card may also signify a new contractual opportunity. Perhaps you have met someone you can partner with, or you will sign a lease for a new business location. It is a good time to commit long-term to aligned business opportunities.

Financially, the Justice card reminds you only to accept fair deals. Your money deserves to be spent for its value.

Health Meaning – Justice Upright

In a health context, the Justice card encourages you to take an objective look at your lifestyle. If there are any habits you have wanted to cut, it is a good time to do so. Your health concerns reflect the truth of your actions, so it is essential to be intentional about how you spend your downtime.

Spirituality Meaning – Justice Upright

The Justice card suggests you are driven to take intentional actions for your spiritual growth. You are ready to address lingering concerns in your relationships, work, and lifestyle to free yourself from unaligned efforts. It is a great time to learn from your past, so consider journaling or asking someone you trust for another opinion.

Justice As Feelings Meaning – Upright

When Justice appears in tarot, you are encouraged to approach your situation with an objective and rational mindset. This moment calls for an honest analysis of different factors and emotions, so try to look beyond your passing feelings. 

Justice As Actions Meaning – Upright

The Justice card represents accountability and long-term commitment. The given situation requires you to create balance through listening to new perspectives and taking mindful action. Actions inspired by this tarot card are responsible and based on fair judgment.

Justice – Reversed Meaning

When the Justice card appears reversed in a reading, you could be grappling with the truth. Perhaps you are in denial of someone’s true intentions, or you are unsure of how to move forward after an unexpected loss. While some things occur as a natural response to a choice you made, other circumstances aren’t necessarily deserved. In this case, you are encouraged to set reasonable expectations for yourself through this challenge. 

The reversed Justice card could signify avoiding responsibilities or commitment. If this resonates, you are guided to reflect on the meaning behind your efforts. If your given role doesn’t feel aligned with your best interests, it is best to be honest with yourself and others at this time.

Love Meaning – Justice Reversed

When the Justice card appears reversed in the context of love, you could be dealing with mistreatment in your relationship. You and your partner could be struggling to trust each other’s intentions or refusing to acknowledge your respective roles in a given conflict. This dynamic can restore balance when both parties look beyond fleeting emotions and put themselves in the other’s shoes. It may be necessary to take some space to gain a clearer perspective on recent interactions.

If you are single, the reversed Justice card may represent a time of confusion. Past heartbreak could be clouding your judgment more than you would like it to at this time. When approaching new beginnings in love, you are encouraged to reflect on the role you played in previous relationships. You are not at fault for how old connections subsided, but there could be some hidden truths in the past that will make you wiser in a new relationship. 

When representing how someone feels, the reversed Justice card represents someone who is unclear on their intentions. It is best to give this romantic interest time to reflect on the truth of their capacity to give to a new connection. An honest conversation could bring clarity to the situation.

Career and Finance Meaning – Justice Reversed

The reversed Justice card may represent an imbalance of power within the workplace. Perhaps your ideas and opinions haven’t been given the same consideration as your peers’. It could be time to present your concerns more assertively to achieve the outcome you desire.

Alternatively, the reversed Justice card could suggest that your efforts are unaligned with your true calling. If your career decisions have felt less meaningful, you are encouraged to accept opportunities that reflect your purpose. You don’t deserve to deny yourself fulfillment just for the sake of a title or paycheck, so consider how you can ground your efforts in passion.

In a financial context, the reversed Justice card suggests you may need to reconsider your budget. Consider what deals are truly worth spending your money on for long-term satisfaction. As income, this card could encourage you to redirect your focus towards opportunities that will fairly compensate you for your time and knowledge.

Health Meaning – Justice Reversed

When Justice appears reversed in a health context, it could be time to account for suppressed needs and feelings. Resist the temptation to pour your energy into productivity and others’ best interests. You are encouraged to restore balance by focusing on your health over external factors. 

Spirituality Meaning – Justice Reversed

The reversed Justice card suggests that recent spiritual lessons may feel unclear to you lately. It may be time to reflect on the deeper meaning of your recent experiences and efforts. Otherwise, you are likely to feel swept up in external events without feeling grounded in your truth.

Justice As Feelings Meaning – Reversed

The reversed Justice card emphasizes themes of imbalance and denial. There may be a truth that is difficult to accept. It will require extra patience and self-trust to feel aligned with your purpose at this time.

Justice As Actions Meaning – Reversed

When the Justice card appears reversed, your focus could be misaligned with your true intentions. It is time to ground yourself by taking a look at the bigger picture before proceeding further.

Past, Present, and Future Positions

Past Position

When the Justice card appears in the ‘past’ position, it suggests that you had to make a rational judgment call. A past experience taught you the importance of honesty and objective consideration. This card also indicates that a past event or interaction went as well as it could have to bring balance to your present situation.

Present Position

In the ‘present’ position, the Justice card advises you to have a logical perspective about your current situation. You may be going through an experience that requires you to weigh opposing factors to come to a fair conclusion. It is time to be as objective as possible to gain the clarity you need.

Future Position

With the Justice card in the ‘future’ position, you are reassured that your current situation will come to a fair conclusion. The efforts you are putting in now will yield the results you deserve, so it is important to stay aligned with your true intentions.

Yes or No Meaning of The Justice Card 

• Justice Upright: Yes
• Justice Reversed: No

When the Justice card appears upright, it gives you a ‘yes’. You have made an adequate effort to create balance and fairness in the given situation, which is likely to result in a positive outcome.

When the Justice card appears reversed in a reading, it gives you a ‘no’. There are more factors to consider before the given situation can reach a fair conclusion. 

Advice and Message of The Justice Card

The Justice card reminds you to be honest and intentional in the words and actions you choose. You will achieve the outcome most aligned with your honest efforts at this time, so it is best to embody your truth. Justice advises you to seek balance before making your next decision.

Summary of Justice Tarot Meaning

When the Justice card appears, you are encouraged to seek balance and truth. Your ability to discern different perspectives and information will get you much farther than fleeting feelings will in this moment. If Justice appears reversed, you may be struggling to maintain an objective perspective in your given situation. So long as you prioritize rational judgment over quick reactions, you will find the clarity you seek.