Judgment

The Judgment card is associated with the Hebrew letter Shin, symbolizing the element of Fire. It also incorporates the magical formula IHShVH, where Shin is inserted into the Name of God, IHVH, symbolizing Jesus.

On the card, the image of three figures – a child between a man and a woman – resembles the flame of Shin, symbolizing the Father, Mother, and Child. The poses of these figures form the word LVX (Latin for light ), associated with white light and the Spirit of Fire.

The figures of the child and other people in the background also resemble the shape of Shin. The angel's head and wings also reflect this letter.

The red cross on the white banner of the angel and his fiery hair emphasize the element of Fire associated with Shin. The white banner with the red cross symbolizes the magical square of Mars, linked to the fiery quality of Arcanum XX.

Although the card corresponds to the element of Fire, it contains a lot of water symbolism. For example, Gabriel, the Archangel of Water, rather than Michael, the Archangel of Fire, hovers in the sky above the clouds. Coffins float on the waters against a backdrop of icy mountains.

The interchange of Fire and Water is encoded in words beginning with Shin, such as ShMSh ( sun, symbolizing the cycle of Fire-Water-Fire) and ShMIM ( heavens, a combination of Fire and Water). This concept unites fire and water in the symbolic expression of the spiritual path.

The Judgment card symbolizes the rebirth of the soul, breaking free from earthly bonds and striving towards its spiritual origin.

It portrays the image of Archangel Gabriel, heralding awakening and guiding us to assess our entire life – actions, thoughts, and deeds.

The card also reflects the underground deities of Pluto, Vulcan, and Hades, shaping our unconscious and subconscious selves. When encountering the Archangel, the soul receives forgiveness and liberation.

It is also a symbol of the soul, attaining immortality and a new life after the transition, known as Death.

Overall, the card represents life in the spirit, the path to inner transformation and rebirth.

This symbol of Judgment is presented in all Tarot decks similarly, with some minor differences that do not change its essence. In the picture, a majestic angel is depicted, surrounded by clouds. He is blowing a trumpet adorned with a flag bearing a cross.

In the image, the dead rise from their graves – a woman on the right, a man on the left, and a child turned between them. However, more than three figures are depicted, symbolizing the limitations of conventional interpretations.

All figures express astonishment, adoration, and ecstasy, as if engulfed by a sense of delight. The Judgment card symbolizes the culmination of a great process of transformation, responding to the call of the Higher.

This symbol carries a deep meaning that is not always easy to uncover. It represents the moment when all that is base in our nature rises in response to an inner call.

For some, this card represents the Last Judgment and physical resurrection, but those with inner vision see profound truth. The Judgment card, long known as a symbol of eternal life, can be compared to the Temperance card, symbolizing spiritual rebirth and inner transformation.

The Judgment card depicts Archangel Gabriel, whose name means Strength of God. This symbol can be interpreted as representing the Last Judgment, where the dead rise from their graves.

However, in the context of Tarot, where there is no concept of death, this image needs to be interpreted more deeply.

Gabriel's trumpet with the banner symbolizes a spiritual call to awakening, directed at souls bound by earthly physical shells. This call compels them to reconsider their spiritual essence and unity.

The vast ocean, first introduced in the High Priestess card, symbolizes the universal subconscious. Human subconscious in the form of a woman, conscious mind in the form of a man, and our spiritual essence in the form of a child seek to merge with this ocean.

The Judgment card is numbered as XX (20), where the number 2 comes to the forefront, symbolizing the influence of the subconscious mind. This aspect of the subconscious, revealed in the High Priestess card, combines with the pure energy of the Fool, whose number is zero.

Pluto, the planet of deep psychological transformations, governs the Judgment card. The element of fire associated with this card symbolizes a purifying fire in which the soul is reborn, like a phoenix, from the ashes.