Justice
Contributed by Brittani Grace
Deck: Mermaid Tarot by Leeza Robertson Illustrations by Julie, Card: #11 Justice
Hello everybody! Welcome to my column. Each month I will draw a Major Arcana tarot card which represents one of many possible paths to follow. Major Arcana cards represent the archetypical themes of life, presenting the overall possible experiences.
When we look at the Justice card we see a set of scales. The scales of life fluctuate throughout our days as moments pass into others. As an “air” sign card, we know it is connected to the Libra zodiac sign, calling for balance, fairness, and making peace in all situations. When we talk of Justice, it is commonly thought of in legal terms, and also revenge. Justice in Tarot is all of the above, but instead of revenge, we look at the word reconciliation in truth and being accountable for our own actions.
Reconciliation is not the same as revenge. One of the definitions of reconciliation is the “restoration of friendly relations.” Here is an example; I personally had a recent incident involving one very angry man, two vehicles, the gusting winds of January, and scratched paint. I pulled into a parking lot and noticed an empty space next to a black truck which I pulled into, perfectly centered within the lines, I might add. With my gloved hand I clutched the door as I opened it to exit my vehicle. At the same time the wind suddenly and forcefully burst between our vehicles ripping the door from my hand and slamming the edge of it into this man’s passenger door. I immediately looked at him through his window, waving my hand gesturing apologies.
However, before the man had even exited his vehicle, he had already begun screaming at me. As he raced around his truck, he continued to belligerently yell, cuss at me, call me names, and kick at the air. He kept switching between insinuating that I did it purposely as a malicious attack, and that I was an “idiot” who was in my own world, not paying attention or caring that other people were around. As he continued to aggressively demand my insurance information and license, all the while yelling at me to just get away from him, and to “go away,” I remained calm. Polite even. I was even calling him “Sir," as if it would de-escalate his anger. Where was my Justice in this situation?
Afterwards, when it was all over, I sat in my car and cried. The adrenaline that was coursing through me had eased, and I realized I had been terrified. I had gone into a “freeze” mode of being polite and calm because I was terrified of being hurt. I felt weak and ashamed that I hadn’t stood up to him, that I hadn’t, even politely, told him that the way he was speaking to me was completely unacceptable. Hell, I know plenty of people who are petty enough that they would have slammed their door back into his truck because of his behavior. Yet, here I was, focusing on not allowing his mood to affect my own. All I had wanted was to get some replacement light bulbs for a salt lamp, and the store didn’t even have the ones I wanted. The entire trip was completely unnecessary, and yet, it was full of lessons.
When the idea of going to this store first appeared, I thought, “No, I don’t need to go there.” However, I allowed this thought to slip away as I figured out logistically that it made sense to stop there first, before other stops I had planned on making that day. My intuition had spoken and I had ignored it. Enter the chaos. While trying to block his anger from affecting me, I had thoughts of “man this guy must really be having a bad day.” The things he yelled at me seemed very pointed and out of line with what had happened. To me, it seemed as though I was just the “cherry on top” of the rough-time sundae he had already been engrossed in.
Looking at this incident, from a “non-involved” point of view I realize that perhaps, the Justice for me was that I was able to stay true to my core. Yes, I can get angry. I can be cranky, mean, whiny, and all the above, just as anyone else; but that is about me. That’s my problem, not anyone else’s. How does putting my stuff on someone else serve me? While a part of me still wishes I had said something or called the police for witness and back up to his behavior, I am grateful that I remained in a state of calm through it all. The energy these days has felt incredibly heavy, and in a moment of complete chaotic contrast I was still able to hold space for understanding. Strength is seeing that wisdom, knowledge, inner peace, and personal energies will always outweigh violence, cruelty, and revenge. That strength protects us in the long term.
When we succumb to short-term gains, we block ourselves from the infinite possibilities of what “could be” later on. Allowing the friendly merging of opposing sides within about this situation is an example of choosing reconciliation and long-term Justice. Whereas, sinking to his energetic level would have disrupted my own peace. Above all, my inner peace and my own soul’s path takes precedent. Even if it is considered “soft,” I choose to find the light in the darkest of depths. This is me being accountable for my own actions and my own behavior. If he never acknowledges his, I still know that I can continue to live-on in a way that serves me best.
Justice doesn’t always have to be a big action. It happens in some of the most minute moments. This coming month where can you find Justice with yourself?