Temperance is that discreet regulation of the desires and passions, by which we are enabled to enjoy pleasures without suffering any consequent inconvenience.
– Epicurus

Balance, Moderation, harmony, patience

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Overview

Restraint from investing yourself too quickly

Moderation of all things I what Temperance heralds. Balance between intuition, logic; material, spiritual; work, life. Like the woman imaged, she has one foot in, one foot out of the situation. It allows you to be more discriminative, less emotionally pulled, and observant of signs the universe could be leaving you.

Symbolism

The sun is rising between two blue mountains against a grey sky. A long trail ends at the sun and starts at a pond where an angelic being can be seen dipping their foot into the water. They have brilliant red wings, and they’re pouring water between two chalices. A halo surrounds their head and there is an upward facing triangle on the breast of their white robes. Centered on their forehead is a circular shape over the third eye chakra.

Meaning

Cartomancer’s see temperance as “moderation’. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as “Moderation in action, thought or feeling: Restraint”. It indicates a balance in a situation, work and life, relationships, spiritual and material. Don’t give yourself a way to those who are undeserving. Analyze your relationship with yourself, others, and your work. Decide how much time can be bought from you, the amount you need for self-care and the amount you have to give to others.

This card relates to alchemy; mixing multiple elements that are not similar in order to create something better. These can be facets within yourself or within the parts of a team in order to create a well-functioning machine.

Influence on Suites

During a reading, pay attention to the majority of the cards that are present. Depending on the number of Tarot cards of each suite, the meaning of the card can take a different shape.

If cups surround the Temperance card: Balance emotions with logic and intuition. This is a situation you are very passionate about, despite knowing it wasn’t made to go the distance.

With Wands dominating the spreadWhatever gear your creative drive is in, feel free to down shift a few gears. This is not a dream that can be manifested overnight. Vigilance will lead to results.

Pentacles Omnipresent in a reading with Temperance : There needs to be balance in your resources and income, and your work and life. Consider if you are giving too many of your best qualities for no recognition.

If Swords dominate a reading with Temperance: Balance your anxieties with facts and slow down your mind and gain control. Logical, rational thinking will increase your confidence, and people will look to you for leadership in this situation

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Temperance Reversed

“Exactness and neatness in moderation is a virtue but carried to extremes narrows the mind.” 
– Francois Fenelon 

Excess, imbalance, conflict, impatience

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In the Reversed position, you can turn the meaning of Temperance upside down and inside out, or it can be perceived as something else. Reversed cards can be read a few different ways. If you want to know the source of the concept of why this card is defined the way it is, check out the article “Reading Reversals” in Chapter 6 of this knowledge base.

If you simply want to know the reason and not the method of deciphering, here are some possible ways to read the card in reversed.

Deciphering Temperance reversed

If you’re feeling left from center, there’s a chance you’ll pull this card. Temperance in the reversed position indicates a need to find moderation between two forces in your life. The majority of the suit in the reading can point to which part of your life that is most prevalent in you being off kilter.

 A lot of Pentacles would indicate an issue financially or with your job. Cups, can indicate too much passion or obsession with another person. Swords indicates you are allowing your mind to run down a rabbit hole instead of tempering the truth with reality. Wands would indicate that you’re going too fast, and on a destructive war path in your pursuit of something.

Failure to learn lesson

In this sense, Termperance in reversed is a failure to break away from a cycle. The inner work was never done to consolidate what you’ve learned up until this point. If the Hermit is present that it backs up the idea that introspection is required in order to accurately navigate a familiar sitiuation. If you keep running in to the same kinds of people, chances are you haven’t learned to walk away from them yet.

Opposing desires

In this sense the temperance reversed appears as you, and someone close to your heart having different wants and needs. Whether this person is your child, spouse, a family member or a dear friend. If you want to go left, they want to go right.

There is a deep seeded need for compromise here, and you might have to twist some arms to get it.

Fast AF 

Someone is trying to push the envelope to the absolute wall. This definition of reversed temperance is that you are on a war path. This would be especially evident if the knight of pentacles is in the same reading. Instead of walking peacefully through life you are taking no prisoners.

It’s indicative of of a fast and furious lifestyle. Driving too fast, taking too many risks, looking for the thrill of the hunt. It’s an indication that you should slow down. Not in the sense of smelling the roses but so you don’t leave everyone behind in your race to the conclusion.

Teamwork

If there are a lot of the suit of pentacles in a reading, this card speaks to you being selfish with the credit and not being a team player. You are taking on too much, and moving too quickly for others to keep up. Perhaps you’re even refusing critique from those who offer it. Sometimes the best advice simply is not your own, but of those who see you struggle and fall one too many times.

Financial freedom

If you balance your check book, you balance your life. There’s a chance you could be holding on too tightly to your resources at the detriment of your joy. There is more to life than having a big number in your bank account. Always remember; you can’t be buried with your money— so go out and live a little, give a little, and make other people lives enjoyable.

This isn’t to say go bankrupt on charity, but to bring joy to yourself and your loved ones. Maybe buy that new phone, maybe book a vacation. Just don’t forget yourself in the rat race of it all.

Too much waste

Does it feel like you go grocery shopping and end up throwing out 90% of the stuff you buy? Or that you like the biggest and best of everything but never really end up enjoying it? Temperance in the reversed speaks to you losing out by going big. There is no shame in a good deal; but if buying in bulk isn’t serving you— then maybe you should not shop at Costco, no matter how good their hotdogs are.

sudden Withdrawl / cutting cold turkey

Imagine waking up one morning and not drinking a cup of coffee to wake you up. That’s the way I interpret Temperance in reversed more often than not. If you’re asking “Why am I so tired?” This card would be the simplest answer.

It’s literally defined as a withdraw. Whether that is form an actual detrimental substance, or that you are cranky because you were in a rush and forgot your brew. It also can be a direct call to do so, if you have been overindulging in something that isn’t healthy. Eating ice cream as a treat once in a blue moon is self-care; eating ice cream every night is not.

In the mildest sense, something that was once something pleasurable has lost all it’s spark. This can even be in a relationship if you have found your partner pulling away. Always remember “distance makes the heart grow fonder” sometimes taking time away from something, makes you appreciate it that much more.

Breaking Sobriety

On the other cheek, if you have abstained from something for a long time you could be facing a situation where you are tempted to break your abstinence. There are no qualms in having fun, and sometimes revisiting old habits if you can handle them and they are not too extreme. (For example: hard drugs are an extreme).

The surrounding cards will really shine light on how this will go for you. Just don’t disillusion yourself that everything will be ok if you pull the tower, and decide to go through with breaking the broken cycle. Especially if you’ve broken it before without being able to manage it.