Temperance, numbered XIV in the Major Arcana, represents balance, moderation, patience, and the blending of elements to create harmony. This card encourages well-measured action for positive transformation.
The Temperance card depicts an angel with wings standing with one foot on land and one foot in water, symbolizing the union of opposites. The angel blends together water poured between two chalices, representing the combination of higher and earthly natures. A triangle hangs from the angel’s neck, signifying balanced integration between spirit, mind and body.
Upright, Temperance reflects the stabilization that comes from harmonizing extremes and exercising wise patience, restraint, and timely action.
Reversed, Temperance signifies a lack of moderation, cooperation, and patience. Out of imbalance, we tend toward impatient, impulsive, or obsessive behavior.
When Temperance appears upright, your path requires cultivating more alignment between opposing aspects of life – action and rest, work and play – to find fulfillment. Exercise moderation. Cooperation and adaptation allow harmony. Timely adjustments stabilize progress.
However, reversed Temperance cautions present excesses throw you off balance – overwork, quick temper, impatience, poor health habits. Restore equilibrium through self-care, communication, and well-paced efforts.
Upright Temperance reflects the spiritual fruits yielded through patiently blending life’s contrasts – light and dark, masculine and feminine, higher and lower. Integration and unconditional acceptance bring wholeness.
Reversed signifies spiritual dimensions are at conflict. Examine imbalance between beliefs, logic, desires, and intuitive wisdom. Seek unity through the heart’s wisdom.
Professionally, upright Temperance suggests sustainable success comes by steadily pacing work, balancing projects, and cooperating across differences. See the bigger picture.
However, reversed reveals poor work-life balance. Impatience also undermines progress. Improving health and teamwork restore equilibrium.
Financially, avoid speculation. Make balanced budgets and savings goals. Pay off debts before pursuing new opportunities.
For relationships, upright Temperance reflects practicing moderation in bonding – allowing proper space while also nurturing consistency and intimacy. Prioritize mutual support.
Reversed can mean excessive bonding time causes neglect of individual needs. Impatience with differences also strains relations. Restore patience and boundaries.
Reflect on these questions inspired by Temperance:
Temperance emerges to help align all dimensions of your journey – integrate with grace.
The reversed Temperance card often reflects significant excess, impatience, internal conflicts, and misalignment resulting from a lack of moderation and balance. In upright Temperance’s proportion, patience and synthesis, you’ve lost your center. Left unchecked, indulgence turns to addiction, emotion becomes fragility, and passion warps to obsession in the reversal. To restore equilibrium, carefully examine life areas calling for more restraint, cooperation and more gradual cultivation. Seek harmony between work, relationships, self-care, spirituality, finances and personal growth. Exercise temperance without repressing needs. Thereby, you realign with the angel’s wisdom, blending opposites beautifully to find wholeness.