Situation - Justice R
Challenge - Temperance R

Justice is the 11th Major Arcana card.  It represents balance, maintaining your equilibrium and having the courage to face the truth.  It can also symbolize the need for rational well-thought-out decisions and the ability to be fair in the distribution of the wealth and to determine where resources should be allocated for the good of everyone.  Justice usually represents a sense of fair-play, of balance and equality.  

"Negative:  Creating equilibrium, balance and fairness is a problem for your right now.  If the pendulum has been swinging in one direction, the reverse swing may create some difficulties for you.  You may be bending over backwards to be fair to others at some cost to yourself.  Or, you may be pushing you luck - be aware of the back swing!
Reversed:  You are creating a balance within your own life.  If you've been very serious, may you're lightening up a bit.  Or, if you've been very publicly active, maybe you're becoming more of a recluse.  Your bodily processes could be seeking a state of equilibrium - they could be swinging from one extreme to anther.  You're concerned with achieving some kind of psychological or internal balance in your life." - Gail Fairfield

Temperance traditionally symbolizes balance, moderation, discipline, self-control, harmony between the spiritual and material aspects, taking the middle path, spiritual healing, strengthening the spirit through moderate behavior, calm and serenity.  Temperance represents a balance of mind and body, integration of energies; synthesizing opposite forces in your life; balancing alternatives to reach an equitable compromise; tempering one's appetites, moderation.

"Negative:  You're blending things together that won't stay blended.  You're trying to mix oil and water - or you're adding so much color to your paint palette that you're just getting mud color.  It maybe that your creation is already completed and you're still trying to make it better.  At the moment, you'd be better off to let well enough alone.  It could also be that it's just not appropriate for you to be creative right now.  Maybe you need to turn your attention to other areas of your life.
Reversed:  You're blending part of yourself or your life together into a new form.  YOU are your art form; your life is your canvass.  You may also be blending or combining psychic or psychological elements into new forms." - Gail Fairfield

Once again - fascinating that I drew these cards today.  For a variety of reasons (both health and weigh related), I have been toying with the idea of trying a low-carb, Atkins-style diet.  I've always avoided this type of eating plan in the past because they've always seemed very unbalanced to me.  Of course considering that for years my diet was fairly imbalanced in the other direction just makes this position a bit ridiculous.  So I'm going to give it a try.  I need to figure a way to make some dramatic changes in my life - health-wise as well as career-wise.  

For too long I've let cravings for sweets rule my life.  There was no moderation about this (hence Temperance reversed) and no balance or equilibrium.  In fact I've been avoiding this truth for a long time (Justice reversed).  And the weight loss is becoming a serious factor for health as well as cosmetic reasons. I'm tired of listening to myself.  I really do need to rebalance my need for sweet treats with my need to be healthy and lower my blood sugars.

I think the significance of both these cards being Major Arcana cards is that they suggest this is a life path altering change.  If I can make this change and stick with then it may alter some of the health issues I've been dealing with.  I also think it's a reminder not to go too far overboard - at least initially. This is about making intelligent changes and sensible steps.  It's not about diving into the deep end.  It's about taking a careful and methodical approach so that I don't set myself up for disappointment or failure.  

And of course these cards also remind me that the way I've been living lately is very imbalanced and throwing me off my game.  Focusing so much of my energy on family issues is leaving me with little energy or interest in dealing with my own issues.  Like the eagle on the Justice card - I need to be keen-eyed and use my clear-sight to make sure I'm moving in the right direction.  And like the chameleon on the Temperance card, I need to learn how to integrate my various needs and responsibilities so that they create a balanced and healthy whole.  And the Gummi Bear cards remind me that I still need to have fun with this.  I need to appreciate the whimsical and silly side of life a bit more.  Sometimes it's so easy to get bogged down by the negatives and seriousness of the problems we face.  I need to still enjoy and celebrate the quirky moments in my life.  

I need to use my judgment and rational size to make sure I'm making moderate choices and finding some balance and keep the equilibrium in my life.  It might not be an easy task but it should prove fun.