On the eve of the millennium, Judgement as a card possibly does not lose any of its power to impress the human mind with its symbological significance. There is a fascination with this card which must stem from an awareness that the end of the world now lies within the hands of the human race as a possible fait accompli, and not necessarily through a vengeful deity. For the last fifty years, there have been generations which have grown up with the spectre of The Button in the background. As this state of affairs has developed, just in time for the millennium, it has been suggested that this in itself may help trigger the end of the world - ideas which are explored in satires like Dr. Strangelove and through horror films such as The Dead Zone and The Omen. All this must come with a shocked recognition that the human race does indeed seem to possess some kind of a collective death wish.
Yet it is still possible that opportunity may arise out of this very danger, as the Chalice pack attempts to describe with the card design. The ruined city, seen against the backdrop of the glare of a nuclear sunset is offset by the trumpet of revelation in front. The psychedelic patterns issuing forth from the trumpet on the one hand represent the idealism of a possible new age of enlightenment - as further suggested by the catastrophic cusp. Here, Zieman's catastrophe theory refers to the effects a total paradigm shift may make to a humanity awake to its true power, thereby bringing about a transformation of human consciousness. Hence the mouthless and noseless faces of humanity - of all colours - in the foreground. After the horrors described in the Biblical Revelation comes the new heaven and earth, which many see as referring to the much-vaunted coming Age of Aquarius, which will bring water for thirsty souls. In other words, this is a make or break situation in which human beings can only cooperate as closer communal units, to safeguard the power which has been unleashed by the mad Promethean scientists, or perish.
On an individual level, all this may well translate into those situations in which a complete change of essential priorities must take place. After the breakthrough shown in the Sun, many shortcomings may be discovered in the light of what it may have had to show, and Judgement may therefore represent this next stage along. An excellent example of this may take place whenever an individual is close to death, and experiences an Near Death Experience. The pattern of the entire life of such an individual may then flash before his or her eyes. Such a review may in itself represent a judgement, revealing the nature of past shortcomings in such a way as to eventuate a complete transformation of outlook.
In later life, this kind of a review may occur quite naturally, and indeed at any stage of development where the individual has a great need to review the main patterns and thread of his or her life in order to make a more inclusive sense of it. Events such as the reappearance of an old friend or relative who once played an important role in one's life may bring this about. As with the end of a good Dickens novel or detective story, unfinished business is ripe for exhumation whenever this card emerges, so that the individual is ready to go forward. Finally, it must be emphasised that a querent receiving this card in a spread is best advised not to hold back from changing his or her priorities. Current preoccupations may well seem very trivial once future developments set themselves in motion.