“The blind eyes of justice see the truth.”
– Unknown
Lady Justice is portrayed with a blindfold covering her eyes while
holding a pair of scales in one of her hands. She is also often
depicted holding a Sword in her other hand.
(Image via Wikipedia)
The Symbolism of the feminine, the blindfold, the scales and the
Sword all have very specific reasons for being incorporated
within the archetype, or portrayal, of Lady Justice.
First of all, Justice is portrayed as a woman. This is because
receptiveness is a feminine aspect of nature. Lady Justice waits
to receive the facts, or Truths, so that they can be placed in her
scales to be properly weighed. In addition, the scales which Lady
Justice holds in her hands are also a feminine Symbol; for, like a
chalice or cup, they receive and hold that which is placed within
them.
Once all of the facts, or Truths, are placed on her scales, Lady
Justice simply allows her scales to pass an impartial judgement.
This is the exact same Symbolism portrayed in the Ancient
Egyptian Ceremony of the Weighing of the Heart: in which the
heart of the recently deceased is placed on a scale in the Hall of
Justice and weighed against the Feather of Maat.
Lady Justice is associated with the astrological sign of Libra; the
Scales. Libra is an air sign and the element of air is associated
with the mind. However, in Lady Justice’s case, we are not simply
referring to the mind; we are referring to the higher mind, or higher
intellect. And that is why Lady Justice is also often depicted
holding a Sword.
The Sword has two blades which enable it to cut in both directions.
Symbolically, this means that the higher mind, which is Symbolized
by the Sword, can not only evaluate both sides of any issue as an
Unattached Observer, but it can also dissect both sides of an issue
until it eventually arrives at the Truth.
And finally, Lady Justice is wearing a blindfold. Symbolically, this
tells us that she is an impartial, and unprejudiced, dispenser of
Justice. The blindfold over her physical eyes tells us that she favors
no one. Her role is to simply weigh the facts without any regard to
a persons physical appearance, communal rank, perceived
importance, social influence or station in life. In other words, the
blindfold prevents Lady Justice from being deceived or swayed by
any false outer Perceptions that the physical world may try to use in
an attempt to confuse the issue which is being weighed.
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© copyright Joseph Panek 2014
