Judgement
Major Arcana · XX
- awakening
- reckoning
- renewal
- a calling
- self-doubt
- ignoring the call
- harsh self-judgement
- regret
In the picture
An angel blows a trumpet hung with a cross-marked flag from the clouds. Below, naked men, women and children rise from open coffins floating on the water, their arms stretched up toward the call.
Upright meaning
Judgement is a wake-up call. The card points to a moment of reckoning: looking honestly at the past, accepting it and rising to something new. It can signal a calling, a second chance or a decision that marks a clear turning point.
Reversed meaning
Reversed, the call is heard but not answered. Self-doubt, regret or fear of being judged keep you from moving on. Be fair to yourself; reflection is meant to free you, not to sentence you.
About the Major Arcana
The 22 Major Arcana are the trump cards of the deck, numbered 0 to 21 from The Fool to The World. Read in order they tell the story of a journey, and in a reading they tend to point to big themes and turning points rather than day-to-day events.
