The Difference Between Karma and Justice

I was using my special angel deck to do a reading with a former friend of mine a short while ago. When I discovered the justice card in the reading, she asked me what it was because her deck did not have a justice card. She has a druid deck and the druids do not believe in absolutes, such as justice. I had trouble explaining the meaning of the justice card, for I didn't quite know what it was myself. We both assumed it was similar to karma.

After taking the time to ponder this information, I came upon the realization that justice is not karma. I do not believe in karma but I do believe in justice. There is actually a huge difference between the two. With karma, everything that you put out physically or mentally comes back to you regardless of your intent. However, with justice the intent matters more than the action. Did you do something questionable or harmful for a good reason?

Now, here is where it gets tricky. Most people are unsure of when it is okay to break rules or laws in the name of justice. Perhaps, some of the best modern examples are the prominent figures of the civil rights movement, such as Dr. Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. Dr. King's intention was to bring racial equality to America and he succeeded because he broke the laws that were perpetuating the negative cycle of racism. Rosa Parks broke the law by sitting in the front of the bus but she did it with purpose. If your intentions are to do good, then you will see the positive side of justice regardless of how anyone else views your actions.

The justice tarot card is interesting because, like the death card, it is dramatically misunderstood. The death card usually implies a major life change or a metaphorical death, so to speak. The justice card has to do with the tricky process of balancing the scales. Did you steal to feed your children? Did you lie to save someone's life? Do you disable someone who was going to harm you if you had not? All of these actions are about intention. Of course, I always say, do everything you can to do something the right way.

God usually gives us doors to walk through, even if they aren't easy to reach. However, only when someone is given no other option but to do a certain deed in the name of justice or the greater good must they carry out that deed. Therefore, justice is not always a form of punishment. It can be a revelation of someone's intentions or their true character. It symbolizes the balancing of the scales.

Have you worked hard for a long time only to receive very little in return? Seeing the justice card in a tarot reading in this instance can symbolize that you're finally reaping the seeds you've sown.

As a judge carefully reviews each case before making his or her final judgment, so too does the divine review our cases before giving us what it is we deserve. The difference is, of course, that God knows our intentions whereas no human judge can.

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