Meditating on Judgement

There are a few cards in the tarot deck that are particularly challenging for me because of their close association with the Christian mythology that was so thoroughly drilled into me throughout my youth. It used to be that I’d bounce past such cards in readings, easily reciting the explanation that was literally on the face of it without subjecting myself to too deep of a contemplation. Now find that I’m excited to delve into those cards and truly examine and meditate on what they bring.

One such card is the twentieth card in the Major Arcana, Judgement. Where this card falls in the major arcana is important — it is the last step before The Fool is able to complete their journey into The World, and it can only be reached cumulatively after all of the other steps. The Judgement card presents The Fool with some time to review the lessons learned on their journey. Without the prior experiences and the light of the Sun, The Fool would be unable to apply the deep introspection that’s warranted.

Pictured in the card is an angel blowing a trumpet. People rise from graves, eyes upwards and arms outstretched. Snow-capped mountains separate the bright sky from the earth.

This is the moment that all are called to be judged for their life’s acts, but it’s also a moment to reflect on one’s spiritual journey overall.

I’m going to go tangential for a second. One of my many skills in the workforce used to be project management in information technology. One of the most important phases in a project was called “lessons learned” and the intent was to review and collate all of the tough moments in a project. The sad reality of my experience with these Lessons Learned is that it was the most skipped phase of the project, and that decision often stunted the organization’s ability to meaningfully grow after each technological implementation. Without meaningful evaluation as to what had worked and what didn’t — they were essentially running to stand still.

Without introspection, and understanding what serves us on our spiritual journey, we would not be able to complete our own integration into The World.

The card itself depicts spirits rising from the graves — and this is where many readers can find an interpretation of answering a call or calling. In the Judgment time, all are called and must be accounted for. It is the ultimate consequence.

Most depictions of the card feature the visceral imagery of an arch-angel blowing the trumpet. The Zombie Tarot gives one of my favorite interpretations of those symbols. In the Zombie Tarot’s Judgment card, the imagery is focused on “The Bomb” — leaving a bleak landscape and the undead waiting for their ultimate reckoning. The Zombie Tarot makes its judgment card not just about the consequences, but also the decision making leading to them. It emphasizes how the lessons that we’ve learned from all of our past mistakes must inform our future behaviors if we are to ultimately integrate into and make sense of The World.

The Judgement card speaks not only of past action and judging ourselves on its basis — but also how we can judge and balance our decision making in the future.