The Temperance tarot card is all about balance, harmony, purpose, meaning, control, patience, and moderation.
It can somewhat be associated with the tarot card Justice. It is also an indicator of excess, imbalance, and lack of long-term vision.
It signifies all kinds of relationships; family, friendships, romantic, and professional relationships. It is closely associated with the zodiac sign Sagittarius, teacher of truth and beauty, champion of tolerance and enthusiasm.
On the Temperance tarot card you can see an angel with majestic wings. This angel is a hermaphrodite (from Hermes and Aphrodite), symbolizing the balance between genders.
You’ll notice that the angel has a foot dipped in the water, representing the subconscious and testing the waters before jumping in.
On the robe that she wears there is a triangle, which represents the female being protected by natural law.
In her hands are two cups that represent the subconscious and the superconscious. The water, instead of streaming down, is actually going up. This symbolizes ascending to a higher plane, the rebirth after death.
Temperance is the wise counsellor and healer. She represents the Spirit Guide or the Guardian Angel who helps you get through struggles, hurdle obstacles, and make the right decisions.
Temperance is an optimistic card as it inspires you to strike a balance in your life and handle problems with peace and serenity.
It knows that conflicting forces need not cause conflicts within you, but if they do, you will know how to work through them.
In conflict situations, Temperance advises compromise and cooperation.
Temperance Tarot and Love
In a relationship setting, Temperance will show you the need to strike a balance between yourself and your partner.
Temperance usually comes up when a relationship needs compromise or compassion.
It can mean fights and bickering, but it can also mean that all these are unnecessary if you and your partner are willing to meet halfway and work on your problems.
Temperance is a positive card and basically tells you to not throw in the towel just yet. If you think there is a real emotional connection here, you will not mind putting in more effort.
If you’re single, Temperance wants you to know that something may be blocking love from your life, as opposed to the tarot of the Lovers.
It may be because you are too busy giving too much away to another person or some other area of your life.
You say you want to be in love and be in a relationship with someone. But are you really ready to commit and put in the work?
Or are there too many distractions going on that keep you from giving your full commitment?
Bottom line is before you can be really happy, wise, and at peace in your relationships, you must have peace, wisdom and happiness within you.
Take for example the characteristics of the Hermit, contrary to this tarot being ‘alone’.
Let go of the guilt and make peace with your mistakes in the past. Forgive yourself and then let everything go. Only then can you welcome love, and keep love, in your life.
Temperance Tarot and Money
When it comes to money, Temperance wants you to go easy on your finances. Try to avoid taking risks.
Be cautious with your income or with any action or decision that can potentially affect the money flow.
Temperance often signifies that waiting on an opportunity to arise is always a good idea, and that patience and hard work pay off.
Temperance Tarot’s Meaning for the Future
No matter how strained and stressful your current struggles are and how awful your past may look like, your future is a promise of peace, serenity, and well-being.
If you’re experiencing some health problems, this is a great card. It reflects stamina and optimum physical health.
And despite pain and adversity in the past, the future that awaits you will make you rise to the occasion, whether it involves your personal relationships, romantic affairs, professional ties, or health matters.
Is the Temperance Tarot Card a Sign of Bad Luck?
The Temperance tarot card is a major arcana card that, when drawn in the upright position, is often associated with the idea of peace and having a certain degree of balance in your life.
There is also the idea of real moderation and that you may also be relatively content with your own inner self.
When you view it in this light, then it can be difficult to see how it could possibly then be a sign of bad luck or being something to worry about.
No matter where it is drawn, there is still that same sense of being at ease with everything, and also just being patient enough to cope with whatever is being thrown at you.
There is harmony in your relationships, and you are displaying patience in your career as well, and this card is not going to throw any obstacles into your path at this moment in time.
However, if you draw the Temperance card in reverse position, then things can certainly end up being slightly different to how you might have hoped things would turn out.
Even with this, there can be a sense of positivity but you are possibly guilty of overdoing things, or overindulging which can then cause some problems for you.
Alternatively, it could be trying to tell you that you have lost your focus on what makes you calm and able to enjoy life.
Losing track of all of this is not going to bode well, so the card can then be viewed as being a gentle warning that you have to get back to basics, and to do so quickly.
In this position, you can easily begin to feel as if there are some clashes in areas of your life and general annoyances that are proving to be difficult to deal with.
Even though this is more of a negative, there is still no reason for you to feel as if bad luck is coming to hit you as that is not going to be an absolute guarantee.
It may also point towards you working too hard, or not paying enough attention to your health, but it still acts as that reminder to focus on your own self and make the improvements that are going to prove to be necessary.
So, if you do draw the Temperance card, then pay close attention to whether it is in the upright or reverse position as that will have an impact on what the card is trying to tell you.
While the upright position is certainly more aligned to some good luck coming your way, the reverse position will not prove to be a complete disaster unless you are unwilling to change your ways or thoughts.
Ultimately, this card will only be linked to bad luck if you do not take that warning but if you listen then you have no reason to fear this card at any point.
Perhaps it can even give you that shake-up that you have been needing for some time.
My Final Thoughts on Temperance Tarot
Temperance can mean that you need healing, or are already healing.
It is also a sign that small shifts need to happen in order to reach the state of peace that the hermaphrodite angel seems to be enjoying in the Temperance card.
It requires a commitment to temperance, emotional stability, and a healthy dose of self-love.
When you go through life quietly and objectively, you are more aware of the patterns that are created. Temperance wants you to see these patterns and use them to find balance in your life.
Visualize the flowing waters of the Temperance card and imagine this is the chaos and instability drifting away from you.
Temperance is the Tarot’s way of letting you know that peace already lives in you, and you only need to find that safe and serene environment so that you can unleash it.
It’s a good time to teach, to learn, and to travel. The best teachers are those who have experienced a lot in life.
If people have always regarded you as a calming presence, perhaps a career in coaching or counselling may be on the horizon?
If you have a natural way of making people feel motivated and inspired, maybe you can consider a switch in career in teaching or training.
You can help others by sharing your experiences and getting them through their own difficulties. You can learn new things that will make you a better and stronger person.
You can pursue creative pursuits. You can go after your secret dreams and ambitions. You can tick off items in your bucket list.
You must help yourself and guide yourself to the path of healing and enlightenment. It will not happen magically.
Temperance wants you to know that your success in this endeavor will be easily achieved if you keep a healthy sense of purpose and approach problems or conflict with fairness.
Keep your eyes on the prize and always look at the big picture. Don’t be easily swayed or influenced into doing things that are out of character for you.
After the lessons you learned from the past, you must be aware now of the consequences of your actions.
So go slow, and go smart. Bide your time and think it through. You came from a dark and difficult place, but now you are on your way to peace and healing.
It will happen for you. Do you believe it? Do you feel the great change coming?
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