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The Judgment card is easily misunderstood if we start from its name. The punishment, the damnation, and consequently the fear and fright, are the main reasons for the judgment, especially the final judgment here. The meaning of the card, however, can only be interpreted on the basis of its symbols and the underlying spiritual and mythological images. The resurrection depicted here illustrates the captivating experience of salvation, showing the liberation of the things that have been buried or detained so far, that the divine stands out from the darkness of the prisons and comes to light. This proves the happy meaning of the card. By becoming self, it represents the decisive step of a successful process of alchemical change that creates a higher order from the lower order. At the ordinary level, it means all forms of liberation: liberation from troubles, necessity, ungrateful situations and relationships, inhibitions and shyness. It may also refer to the real "treasure" of our card's intention.

XX. THE AEON

In this card it has been necessary to depart completely from the tradition of the cards, in order to carry on that tradition. 

The old card was called The Angel: or, The Last Judgment. It represented an Angel or Messenger blowing a trumpet, attached to which was a flag, bearing the symbol of the Aeon of Osiris. Below him the graves were opening, the dead rising up. There were three of them. The central one had his hands raised with right angles at the elbows and shoulders, so as to form the letter Shin, which refers to Fire. The card therefore represented the destruction of the world by Fire. This was accomplished in the year of the vulgar era 1904, when the fiery god Horus took the place of the airy god Osiris in the East as Hierophant (see Atu V). At the beginning, then, of this new Aeon, it is fit to exhibit the message of that angel who brought the news of the new Aeon to earth. The new card is thus of necessity an adaptation of the Stélé of Revealing.

Around the top of the card is the body of Nuith, the star-goddess, who is the category of unlimited possibility; her mate is Hadit, the ubiquitous point-of-view, the only philosophically tenable conception of Reality. He is represented by a globe of fire, representing eternal energy; winged, to show his power of Going. As a result of the marriage of these two, the child Horus is born. He is, however, known under his special name, Heru-ra-ha. A double god; his extroverted form is Ra-hoor-khuit; and his passive or introverted form Hoor-pa kraat. (See above, The Formula of Tetragrammaton). He is also solar in character, and is therefore shown coming forth in golden light.

The whole of this symbolism is thoroughly explained in the Book of the Law.

It should, by the way, be noted that the name Heru is identical with Hru, who is the great Angel set over the Tarot. This new Tarot may therefore be regarded as a series of illustrations to the Book of the Law; the doctrine of that Book is everywhere implicit.

At the bottom of the card we see the letter Shin itself in a form suggestive of a flower; the three Yods are occupied by three human figures arising to partake in the Essence of the new Aeon. Behind this letter is a symbolic representation of the Sign 
of Libra; this is the forth-shadowing of the Aeon which is to follow this present one, presumably in about 2,000 years-“the fall of the Great Equinox; when Hrumachis shall arise and the double-wanded one assume my throne and place”. The present 
Aeon is too young to give a more definite representation of this future event. But in this connection attention must be drawn to the figure of Ra-hoor-khuit:

“I am the Lord of the Double Wand of Power; the wand of the Force of Coph Nia; but my left hand is empty, for I have crushed an Universe; & nought remains.

There are many other details with regard to the Lord of the Aeon which should be studied in the Book of the Law.

It is also important to study very thoroughly, and meditate upon, this Book, in order to appreciate the spiritual, moral, and material events which have marked the catastrophic transition from the Aeon of Osiris. The time for the birth of an Aeon seems to be indicated by great concentration of political power with the accompanying improvements in the means of travel and communication, with a general advance in philosophy and science, with a general need of consolidation in religious thought. It is very instructive to compare the events of the five hundred years preceding and following the crisis of approximately 2,000 years ago, with those of similar periods centred in 1904 of the old era. It is a thought far from comforting to the present generation, that 500 years of Dark Ages are likely to be upon us. But, if the analogy holds, that is the case. Fortunately, to-day we have brighter torches and more torch-bearers. 

XX. THE AEON

Jupiter and Saturn in Aquarius as a symbol of liberation and redemption Tree of life: From Malkuth to Hod Element: Fire Number: 20 as 10 x 2 with the cross sum 2, the revelation of destiny

The Aeon is the trump of time and the changes dictated by the times, it addresses finality and destruction as well as liberation, hope and redemption. 

The Aeon is the symbol for the Rise of Phoenix, it stands for a time of insight, the true understanding of the circle of life, of growing and fading. The card tells us that we should leave our 'frog perspective' and watch the things from a higher level, that the time has come to face the new, that we need a good overview to build our 'Utopia'. 

In older decks the Aeon is called 'Judgment', dealing with resurrection and redemption. The limitation of this view is the involuntary association to a 'court of law', to the Christian concept of a 'Resurrection' where the pious may rise and the rest must burn. 

Although trump XX indeed does imply a judgement, it wouldn't be appropriate to restrict this meaning with such a superstitious simplification.

Drive: Birth, renewal, transformation, the realization of Utopia 

Light: Knowledge of coherences, widened perception and the liberation of hidden abilities 

Shadow: wrong indentification, self-deception

XX. THE JUDGMENT (Rebirth) - AEON (Crowley) - Jupiter / Uranus - Sun; Aquarius - Freedom

Keywords: good judgment, open to criticism, critical self-analysis

Advice: You have been invited to break your "Frog perspective" to take things from a higher level. As you recognize longer time spans and other relationships (which you are increasingly ready to do), you will tend to become more aware of things in your own existence: to see without estimates.

Question: What methods will you follow to gain deeper insight and greater wisdom?

Suggestion: Meditate on the following statement: Belief in injustice and unhappiness is a sign of ignorance.

Revelation: God is the Unknown, the Mysterious. The more I know that I do not know, the closer I am to the Divine.

Analogies:

Ji-Ching: 40. Hsieh (The Liberation, Deliverance)

Mythology: The Liberation (Innana, Osiris, Orpheus, Odysseus, Herakles, Psyche, Aeneas)

Keywords: liberation, dissolution, redemption, enlightenment

To move forward in the future, we must end everything that came from our past.

XX. JUDGEMENT

General Meaning

The Judgement card, sometimes called "Resurrection," represents the great reunion that the ancients believed would happen once in every age. This was the time when souls are harvested and taken home to their place of origin, outside the solar system. Then the world is seeded with a batch of new souls and the process starts over.

From a modern point of view, this great reunion — which includes every personality that you have ever been and every soul that you have done deep work with — reunites to consciously complete the process. In a way, we symbolically celebrate this returning to center every year on our birthday.

In personal terms, the Judgment Tarot card points to freedom from inner conflicts, and so clear a channel, that the buried talents and gifts of past incarnations can come through an individual in this lifetime. This card counsels you to trust the process of opening yourself, because what emerges is of consistently high quality. You can effortlessly manifest as a multi-dimensional being, and assist in evoking that response from others.

In the Reversed Position

The Judgment card reversed suggests that you feel like you are bumping into externally imposed restrictions, even if you thought you had let go of limitations. If that's the case, you need to accommodate those inexplicable blockages wherever they appear, without allowing the growth force rising within you to diminish.

Like water, you will find the openings and seep through, to move past whatever has been holding you back. Keep flowing and you will succeed.

In the Advice Positon

The Judgment card advises that you allow yourself to grow, transform, and release hidden potentials within yourself. Divest yourself of fruitless endeavors without neglecting your duties. At the same time, invest your energies in new growth.

It's not necessary to reject others, but refuse to be manipulated by those who cry foul. This process isn't about them anyway. It is about you and the desire you feel to change your life and become a more complete person. Trust your impulses and allow this remarkable awakening to happen.

Read more:

• » The Book of Thoth - A Short Essay on the Tarot of the Egyptians by Aleister Crowley.
• » Liber LXXVIII - On the Tarot - A complete treatise on the Tarot giving the correct designs of the cards with their attributions and symbolic meanings on all planes. - A description of the Cards of the Tarot, with their attributions, including a method of divination by their use.
• » Manuscript N - The Tarot - A Golden Dawn Manuscript - A Theoricus Adeptus Minor Paper.