V - The Hierophant, VI - The Lovers, VII - The Chariot, VIII - Strength, IX - The Hermit,
X - The Wheel of Fortune, XI - Justice, XII - The Hanged Man, XIII - Death, XIV - Temperance,
XV - The Devil, XVI - The Tower, XVII - The Star, XVIII - The Moon, XIX - The Sun,
The twentieth card of the Major Arcana is Judgement. This is a card about change, leaving something old behind to step into something new. It's also a card symbolizing a rising up again, a rebirth or renewal. It generally means that there are decisions to be made. This is your opportunity to leave your sins behind you and start a new life. A second chance.
It's also a wake up call. It's the split second in which you're able to rise up and change for the better. It's coming to a new and improved realization after a period of confusion or misunderstanding. Judgement can also be about jumping to conclusions, or decisions that are too easily made. You may need to slow down and think things through better.
In the Visconti-Sforza Tarot, Judgement is a fatherly figure with a long white beard, dressed in a blue robe, holding a sword upright in his right hand while his left is held open. Below him are two angels, one on each side, hovering in place as they blow long blue trumpets. At the bottom center of the card are two women praying in what appears to be a an open grave while a bearded man is looking up from between them.
The Rosenwald deck calls this card the Angel for the angel dominating the upper half of the card. He has a circlet on his head and a circle behind, possibly indicating a halo. His wings are spread and he's blowing a trumpet. Below him are two figures, hands held in prayer. The Tarot de Marseille has Le Jugement, showing three naked people standing in an open grave, hands held in prayer. An angel appears through a cloud above them, wings outspread, holding a horn with a flag attached to it.
In the Etteilla Tarot this card is The Last Judgment and shows an angel sounding his trumpet while the dead arise. In the Mythic Tarot Judgement is depicted by Hermes, while in the Thoth Tarot it is referred to as The Aeon. The Rider-Waite Tarot shows the most detailed image for Judgement.
The Archangel Gabriel blows his horn from up high, its seven tones liberating man from his earthly limitations. The horn is also a symbol of clarity and divine intervention, as well as our inner calling. When we hear this horn it's time to change the direction of our lives to one more fulfilling to our purpose. The red cross on the white flag hanging from the horn is St. George's Cross. It, too, is a message to change as well as being a sign that a new day is dawning.
Beneath the angel, naked figures stand in open coffins, their arms outspread as they gaze upwards. Their bodies are grey, which is a sign of resurrection. The water the coffins appear to be floating on is thought to be a reference to the sea giving up its dead on the day of judgement, described in Revelations.
Judgements are a necessary part of life. When these times occur you need to consider the matter carefully before you decide, and then commit yourself without hesitation. If you're the one being judged, then you must take what you can from the experience and learn from it.
When Judgement appears it is time to heed our highest calling. We're at a crossroads and it's time to choose a direction. It's a pivotal time and we must be honest with ourselves in order to rise up to the challenges ahead of us before we embrace a new way of living.
When Judgement appears in a reading, it represents resurrection, not impending judgement. When Judgement is in the upright position, it indicates that a period of reflection and self-evaluation is called for. You are close to reaching a significant stage in your journey. You may have had an epiphany where you realize the changes you must make in order to live your life in such a way that you'll be true to yourself. Perhaps you've had a 'calling' in life and are getting closer to the point where you'll need to take action.
Judgement represents a much needed purging process that will leave you feeling ready to take on new challenges. Life changing decisions may be required. You could be at a point where any decision you make could bring about a significant change.
When Judgement is reversed it suggests that while you may not be able to control the initial events that happen to you, you can control how you react to these events. Don't allow yourself to indulge in doubt and self-judgement or you may miss new opportunities that are waiting for you. Don't be so hard on yourself; learn from your mistakes. Change is inevitable. Without change there is only stagnation instead of growth.
When Judgement appears in your past, it indicates that you made a decision to follow one way of thinking. This decision might have come days, weeks, or years ago and there's no guarantee the decision was the right one. Now is the time to take stock of where you and where you want to be because of that decision.
In the present, Judgement is a reflection of your inner turmoil about a big decision you need to make. You know that the choice is final, even though those around you may not see it. This is a life-altering decision and you need to make sure you're making the right choice.
If Judgement appears in your future it indicates that something is about to happen that will allow you to see all the possibilities in front of you. All the things clouding your vision are about to disappear and you will be left with a definite sense of purpose and a clear direction in which to go.
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