This is our fourth post in this series, “Modern Alternative” Tarot Meanings.

It’s been an adjustment not having Rocky and Rosie; no longer being a Grumble of Three.

*The Tarot Pugs Grumble (Cash, Rosie & Rocky) in* *Autumn 2025*

Because there’s only Cash, the “Rookie” Tarot Pug, (and two resident cats that need minimal supervision), there’s more time to do…

Well, we’re not sure exactly what yet. 🤔

In this post, we’re looking at the Judgement card.

This post is part of our series of posts that we’re writing about traditional, non-traditional and “modern” / “alternative” meanings of some tarot cards.

These interpretations and meanings are some of what we’ve learned and interpreted over the years.

The Tarot Pugs biz started in 2015 with just Rocky & Rosie by my side as I spent long hours reading every tarot book and website, practicing reading the cards and exploring other forms of cartomancy such as playing card divination and Lenormand.

We even expanded into divination with Domino tiles (which are pretty neat.)

Throughout the years, Rocky and Rosie were always by my side doing readings, quietly sleeping as I did a reading or tarot writing late into the night.

Cash the “Rookie” Tarot Pug is more rambunctious, still has puppy energy, and hasn’t learned to quietly absorb the vibes of the readings without distractions.

He’s definitely an Aries sun pug! ♈️

*To an Aries Pug / Aries Dog, they certainly believe the world revolves around them!*

He’ll slow down with time as he gets older. As much as he has a lot of energy and we wish he would settle down, the day will come when he’s a super senior and we’ll really miss these energetic days.

Cash gets a lot of playtime as he gets bored easily, so he hasn’t fully immersed himself in “Tarot Energy” quite like Rocky and Rosie did.

He definitely has a mind of his own, so we’ll just take cues from Cash about how he wants to be a Tarot Pug. 🔮🐾

Alarm Call

“I want to go on a mountain top
With a radio and good batteries
And play a joyous tune and
Free the whole human race
From suffering
It doesn’t scare me at all

I’m no f*cking Buddhist
But this is enlightenment
The less room you give me
The more space I’ve got
It doesn’t scare me at all

You can’t say no to hope
Can’t say no to happiness
It doesn’t scare me at all”

– Excerpted Lyrics from “Alarm Call” from the album Homogenic by Björk Guðmundsdóttir ©1997

The song Alarm Call by Icelandic musician / DJ / artist Björk Guðmundsdóttir seems to quite nicely give a glimpse into the Judgement card.

If you prefer not to view the Judgement card from a Christian perspective (which the Rider Waite Smith has the themes of Christianity in the deck), the Judgement card can have the similar energy as if a Bodhisattva or messenger coming to “save” someone from their suffering.

While You’re Here…

Cash and I want to let you know that we post regularly every month on our Patreon, which has a free membership available as well as paid memberships.

There’s the option for a free 7 day membership trial on Patreon.

If you have the time, check us out on Patreon.

Now, let’s see what the common meanings are for Judgement as upright and reversed.

“Modern Alternative” Tarot Meanings: Judgment

To begin with this card, we’ll look at the traditional upright and reversed meanings according to Rider Waite Smith Tarot (RWS) and Thoth Tarot.

Traditional RWS / Thoth Upright Meanings: Judgement

• Awakening

• Epiphany

• “Wake-up call”

• Enlightenment

• Higher calling or purpose

• Planet: Pluto (Astrology)

• New perspective

• Realization

• Revelation

• Judgements (using good judgement or judge of character)

• Judgements (legal issues)

• Protests / demonstrations (peaceful or “sit-ins”)

• Paradigm shift

• Accountability (for past actions)

• Redemption

• Atonement

• Repentance

• Reassessment (life, life choices, relationships, career, job, religion, etc.)

• “Born-again” (coming back to one’s faith or finding one’s true calling)

• Archangel: Gabriel

Note about Pluto (Astrology) interpretation:

This may be interpreted as an event may occur during the time period of when a transit of Pluto occurs such as making an aspect to another transit planet or an aspect to someone’s natal Pluto.

The four major astrological aspects are:

• Conjunction
• Square
• Trine
• Opposite

Thanks to search engines and astrology apps, it’s not difficult to find out when a astrological planet transit will occur.

In Traditional Astrology and Vedic astrology, Mars rules the sign of Scorpio.

If you don’t usually use Pluto in your astrology/tarot interpretations (e.g. in Vedic astrology), then Mars be substituted for Pluto.

Traditional RWS / Thoth Reversed Meanings: Judgement

• A missed opportunity

• A missed important communication (e.g., text, phone call, email, letter, etc.)

• Resistance to changes

• Ignoring the signs / “red flags”

• Protests / demonstrations (which may turn disruptive, meet resistance or may have counter-protests)

• Overly critical, prejudiced, biased, bigoted, or discriminatory

• Harsh judgement (based on religious, bigotry, discrimination)

• Accountability (trying to avoid)

• Revelation or realization that can’t be “unseen” once witnessed or realized

“Modern Alternative” Meanings for Judgement Card

Now let’s have a look at an alternative or non-traditional meaning which also is modern.
In the lists below, we’ve included some additional meanings when paired with other tarot cards.

As always, it’s recommended to trust your intuition when it comes to interpretations and when pairing tarot cards.

Some meanings may not be common or traditional when it comes to a tarot reading.

The cards act as a reflection and certain symbols, numbers, colours and imagery may prompt different interpretations and messages.

A modern or alternative take on the Judgement card may suggest the following:

• Advocacy / Campaigns / Awareness:

For people who are marginalized, overlooked, shunned, forgotten or “left out” by the majority of society. The includes minorities, refugees, children in foster care, orphans, disabled people, homeless people, and those who have life-altering or life-long illnesses, including rare diseases or illnesses.

This may perhaps indicate advocating for animals, particularly stray animals such as cats and/or dogs in cities wherein the general public or government deems them a “nuisance” without having a proper solution that’s in the best interest for the animals’ welfare.

This may include raising awareness or campaigns for the protection of endangered species.

• Music / Singing / Chanting / Kirtan (Sanskrit: “praise / glorifying” – common in the Bhakti Yoga movement):

To enhance a spiritual practice, music, singing, chanting or participating in kirtan or group music sessions centered around spiritual or religious beliefs may be indicated by the Judgement card.

This interpretation may be reinforced if Judgement card is together with any of the following cards: The Hierophant, 4 of Wands, or 3 of Cups.

• To Wake People up to the Truth:

This may be in a few ways:
o If combined with The Hierophant (but not always), this may indicate spreading the word of one’s faith or religion to help other people

o If combined with The World (but not always), this may indicate raising awareness to global issues such as climate change, soil erosion, ocean acidification, economic concerns, supply chains, natural disasters, etc.

o If combined with The Hermit and/or The High Priestess (but not always), this may indicate sharing ancient knowledge and wisdom that’s been largely ignored by modern society, but may have the answers to long-standing problems that humans have faced for millennia.

• Judge or Contestant/Participant (Contest or Show) – The Judgement card may indicate a contest or show wherein there may be a judge or panel of judges to determine the outcome / winner of the contest or show.

While the Justice card may indicate the same or similar meaning, it would lean more towards a legal matter rather than a contest of show.

To determine what kind of contest or show, use your intuition or look to other tarot cards in the reading that may offer insight or clues such as The Empress (e.g. women/beauty/pageant), Strength (e.g. body building, sports, athletics), The Chariot (e.g. car racing, horse racing), 8 of Pentacles or Ace of Swords (e.g. academics, writing) – just to name a few. There are many other possibilities.