Talking Tarot: Let's explore the symbolism of card number twenty of the Major Arcana, Judgement.

Some tarot cards are just hard to read. For me, Judgement is one of those irritatingly mysterious cards. Yes, its main themes are rebirth and awakening, but what does this actually mean? In this week's post, I'm going to explore the symbolism in both the Rider Waite Smith deck and The Falling Card Tarot in an attempt to demystify this multidimensional card.

Let's start by looking at the card.

The first thing we notice is that there’s an angel blowing a massive horn, while people are rising out of graves like Extras in the year's most 'woo - woo' zombie apocalypse movie. It looks, quite frankly, terrifying.

But let's not ruin our nicest pair of undies just yet.

It’s not scary, it’s symbolic.

This dramatic scene, with people rising from the grave, an angel blowing a horn like it’s the crescendo of a celestial symphony, is all about rebirth, awakening, and finally answering the call of the higher self. It’s the ultimate 'Jerry Maguire' moment. The kind that makes you question everything, book that flight, and quit the job that’s been quietly soul sucking since 2019.

The Judgement card in The Falling Card Tarot borrows this symbolism and gives it an imaginative twist. Instead of the usual angel, we see a colossal, otherworldly being hovering in the sky, fiery wings outstretched, three eyes wide open, and a red cross glowing on its chest, echoing the banner tied to the trumpet in the RWS deck. That red cross is often interpreted as the meeting of opposites, or more profoundly, the intersection of the spiritual and physical realms.

Below, three hands rise from a churning, unsettled ocean, reaching skyward in both resurrection and reverence. In the traditional RWS imagery, the figures emerge from graves, naked and unashamed, a symbol of shedding past identities and stepping into one’s truest, most liberated self.

So what's it really about?

The Judgement card is like the alarm clock of the tarot. It shows up when it’s time to stop snoozing through life and actually do something with what has been learned.

It’s about:

Accountability. No more blaming Mercury retrograde for everything.

Reflection. What patterns are being broken? What truths have been realized?

Transformation. The past is the past, it's time for a new phase.

Truth. Being honest with ourselves about who we are, and what we need.

If Death is the card that tells us something is ending, Judgement is the one that tells us what to do next. It’s the final check in before The World , the last card of the Major Arcana. Think of it as the final boss fight with doubt before levelling up.

So if you draw Judgement, don’t panic. Get curious.

With the Judgement card, it's time to leave the BS behind and live life with some passion!

-Jenni Mclaughlin Art

Judgement card from The Falling Card Tarot (left, available from https://www.jennimclaughlinart.com/shop ) Judgement card from the Rider Waite Smith deck (right).