Tarot cards Number 14, Temperance. An angel, wings outspread, stands at the edge of a body of water, one foot in, one out. Around the pool grow yellow irises. In his hands he is pouring from one chalice into the other.  The center of his forehead Has a symbol, a circle with a dot in the middle, and his head is surrounded by a nimbus of light. At the center of his chest, is a square containing a triangle within.  A path meanders away from the water in the direction of two mountains with a sun rising in the middle
Temperance

Overview and common meanings of The Temperance Tarot Card

Temperance is about balance and harmony, about not choosing either extreme, but rather finding a way to blend both to create your own unique solutions. Temperance is also a sign that you are connecting with higher forces, the divine – or angels, if you will.  You have a clear, long-term vision for what you want to achieve, and are determined to take the balanced approach in order to see this come to fruition.  Alternative names in various decks – Art, Integration, Balance, Harmony, The Weaver.

The Middle path is the way to wisdom

Rumi

Common Meanings

When Temperance shows up, it is a good reminder to pay attention to help that will come from unexpected directions and in unusual ways, such as advice from a friend or even strangers that have been put in your path to help you through this time.  It is a good time to drop in and listen to your inner voice and the guidance that can be found there. It may herald the beginning of a sacred voyage of your own.  In regard to home, temperance says that you have the balance to succeed in all aspects.  In Love/relationships it can show new depths of faith in each other, and that the synergy in your existing relationship works well.  If you are seeking a relationship, it can indicate that you are ready for one that has the potential for marriage and long-term commitment. Stay true to this vision and trust that the right person will show up at the right time.  In a career situation it cautions to be diplomatic and pay attention to income and expenses.  As always, the middle way is the best way. 

The Many Faces of Temperance

You know that feeling in January after the excess of the holidays?  I often joke that is the one time of the year that I crave kale salad.  That is temperance showing up and gently warning you that you have created an Imbalance and the need to find that balance again through diet, exercise, spiritual practice, etc.  Other things to pay attention to with the shadow side of temperance:  feelings of unfairness, feeling like you are putting in more than you are receiving in many areas.  In any event, the shadow side of temperance Indicates a need for self-healing in order to progress.

The Journey of Temperance

The final card of the second septenary, which as you will recall is about social and moral understandings; and the separation of the ego and transformation of the Self toward spiritual equilibrium. We saw a death of the old with last weeks card, death, and now we are seeing abstract ideas becoming reality.  This is actual behavior, not conceptual, and is the integration of the balance and wisdom regained after tearing the world down in death. The energy of life after ego’s death.

Description

An angel, wings outspread, stands at the edge of a body of water, one foot in, one out. Around the pool grow yellow irises. In his hands he is pouring from one chalice into the other.  The center of his forehead Has a symbol, a circle with a dot in the middle, and his head is surrounded by a nimbus of light. At the center of his chest, is a square containing a triangle within.  A path meanders away from the water in the direction of two mountains with a sun rising in the middle.

Themes of Temperance

  • Balance
  • Cooperation
  • Duality
  • Equilibrium
  • Patience
  • Purpose
  • Yin/Yang
  • The middle path that Buddha strove for on his quest for enlightenment

The Number 14

Double of the prime number 7, the number of creation, the number 14 is an indication of the need to find that balance in life, so as not to overindulge, overspend, or become codependent.  The need expressed in the number 14 is that of the card it represents – temperance.

Elements of the temperance Card and Associated Symbolism

  • Angel – archangel Michael, protector to help facilitate moving past fear and letting go of the past. 
  • One foot in water, one out – needing to be in the flow while staying grounded
  • Chalices – one for past, one for present.  The water flowing between them is symbolic of how we blend past and the present experiences together to create our future. 
  • Circle with dot in center – sun symbol, spiritual enlightenment
  • Square with triangle – masculine energy (square) integrating with and protecting feminine energy (triangle)
  • Pool of water – purification and rejuvenation, emotions, and unconscious mind
  • Irises – Hope
  • Path – the meandering path that life takes us on
  • Mountains and sun – new dawn of hope after period of stress

Herbs for Temperance   

  • Agrimony – conquering anxiety and adverse obstacles
  • Angelica – promotes temperance; strengthens one’s connection with the physical world by bringing balance to the spirit
  • Chervil – inner wisdom, connecting with the divine
  • Cinquefoil – Balance; The five points of the leaf represent love, money, health, power, and wisdom
  • Foxglove – protection and vision
  • Valerian – clarity of dreams, reconciliation, love, and harmony

Questions that Temperance asks us

  • What area of your life is out of balance and into extreme, and how can you bring it back to center?
  • What does temperance mean for you, in finding that way to blend two extremes into something that is uniquely yours?

That is Temperance!  Wishing you a week in which the wisdom of the middle path manifests in large and small ways.  Please leave comments, or ask questions, and join me next week for:  The Devil!