Temperance Tarot Card Meaning and Interpretation
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Temperance Meaning
Temperance is the card of acceptance where the entire natural cycle of life and death, passion and division, and all other oppositions find unity for a shared cause. It unites the masculine with the feminine, keeping us in balance when situations require strength and endurance, or tenderness and compassion. This card speaks of personal and spiritual growth, leading us towards understanding how inner conflicts and troubles reflect in the outer world. Its symbolism is one of the alchemy of life, representing the point where we get answers needed to change the course of fate or influence our life. Water pouring from one cup into the other signifies knowledge of the gods, connecting the symbolism of Jupiter with that of Uranus and Aquarius.
Love
The card of recovery, Temperance shows unity and balance, as well as mutual respect and a shared response to painful issues from the past. It symbolizes the synthesis of two, where one completes the other. Although it doesn’t speak of the distant future, it highlights the deep purpose a relationship has in our life to bring serenity and peace into our emotional world.
Career
Things get settled and times become peaceful at one's workplace when Temperance appears in a reading. This card leads us through learning, expansion, new seminars, business travel, and cooperation with foreigners. It is an excellent card for a new partnership or cooperation, especially when there is a higher mission to embark on that will protect other people or the planet.
Health
With Temperance in a health reading, time is needed for recovery and healing. This card shows that there are points of balance to hold on to, and it emphasizes the importance of listening to one's own emotions. Healing comes through bravery to follow the authentic Self, with all its quirks. This card carries the knowledge that our weakness is our strength and that true bravery lies in our readiness to embrace all our emotions.
Temperance Reversed
With Temperance reversed, we may have trouble facing actual emotions we need to face. It may come as a warning sign to stop overdoing or underdoing something. It typically shows what we hide from in our emotional world that requires attention. It requires solitary self-examination, contemplation, and for emotions to be shared honestly.
Temperance Timeline
Past - When the past is colored by this card, it shows a calm and peaceful foundation given to a certain issue. It signifies a stable and firm movement that is moral and just. The issue in question is to be deeply respected as a true, authentic choice of the individual.
Present - Temperance is the point we always reach for, the place where serenity comes after times of struggles and grief. It opens our hearts for incredible experiences and shows the balance found in our current relationships.
Future - As Temperance comes our way in the future, we may presume that we are on the right track and find peace in our footsteps. This is a strong signal that we have done good, followed our true calling, and aren’t afraid to face our struggles today.
Temperance History
In the oldest Italian card decks, this card was numbered either VI or VII, before reaching its stable XIV position. It is one of the four cardinal virtues and spoke of moderation, typically represented by a person pouring liquid from one cup into the other. Since the Thot Tarot deck showed up, it has been named “Art” instead of Temperance, turning its qualities to a more creative and physically productive nature of virtue and talent.