Justice, a very fitting card to draw today as I've been thinking about the qualities reflected in this Major Arcana card. Athene who taught the art of taming horses is a warrior of the highest kind, unlike Ares the war-god for whom the arts of war were based solely on conflict. Not Athene, her arts of war sprang from high principles that uphold and preserve truth.
Athene, the goddess of Justice embodies reflective judgement and rational thought, qualities that the Greeks considered divine, because it's what differentiated human beings from the beasts. Her teaching of the civilized arts symbolizes the capacity of the mind to hold untamed nature in check and transform it through clarity and to plan objectively.
The first of the four cards in the Major Arcana traditional referred to as the Four Moral Lessons which are Justice, Temperance, Strength and the Hermit, all necessary for us to function effectively in life. The lesson Justice purports, is how we must learn to think clearly and to have a balanced mind, weighing one thing against the other. If we do not respect fairness and truth as being important ethical principles, there is not Justice to be found.
Today I found this wonderful article about a beautiful 96 year old women who I think must have the courageous, and youthful adventurous heart of Athene. There is much to be said for those who are understand the art of taming horses.
As Dinnie Greenway states, she understands some people are afraid of horses but says the trick is to treat them like people.
"If they step on you, it will hurt but if you are sensible and you are kind, they'll be kind to you."
Dinnie speaks of truth and fairness based on clear thinking and having a balanced mind.
Riding horses all of her life has kept her going and keeps her young, with the true heart of Athene.
3 comments:
For me Justice is always a difficult card to read and your post was therefor very insightful.
Athene was one of the first Goddesses I admired when I was about 14 years old. In my eyes she was strong and independent and perfect role model
I have to admit one of the things I so love about Athene's story is the fact the her father Zeus was warned by Uranus if he had a child with his first wife Metis, the goddess of wisdom, that the child would be more powerful than him. So he swallowed Metis before she gave birth.
Go figure Zeus got a mammoth headache. Hephaistos the smith-god, split his head open to offer the cure, and from the gaping wound sprang fully armed Athene, shouting a victory cry! She became his favourite child but based on the fact that the other gods were jealous.
Definitely a close relationship between Athene and Epona the protector of horses, donkeys and mules. I like to think they must have been best friends. ;)
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