Welcome to part 15 of my 22 part Tarot Meanings Deep Dive series – each week we explore ONE major arcana card and uncover it’s secrets, symbols and messages.

Today we’re diving into Temperance – a generally unsexy and unexciting card…or is it?!

Grab a notebook, pen and a cup of tea and settle in…

Keywords: Balance, moderation, healing, walking the middle path, avoid extremes & addictions, divine guidance

Symbols:
Angel = divine guidance
One foot in/out = balance & moderation
Two cups = balance (give/receive), renewing energy
Triangle inside square (on chest) = earth containing fire, grounding & balance
Circle on third eye = divine connection
Path = walking the middle path
Iris = Greek goddess who acted as a messenger between gods and humans
Water = emotions, mystical realms

Dark side: Temperance can feel like a bit of a wet blanket sometimes, always wanting to dampen the flames of intense passion and obsession. Practice self restraint! Don’t fall prey to the siren song of addictions! Blah, blah, blah…

1) Moderation (& Healing)

Temperance is all about walking the middle path, avoiding extremes and practising self restraint. This is the key to keeping things sustainable. Once you verge into intense and extreme territory, you run the risk of burning yourself out.

Whether it’s a romantic relationship, a work project or your diet and exercise plan, avoiding extremes and practising moderation is the secret to making things work for the long haul.

The path of moderation and self restraint is actually the most pleasurable path there is, believe it or not! Too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing and overindulging in something tends to suck the pleasure out of it in the long run.

Moderation and balance will lead to healing. The body cannot heal itself if it’s out of balance. Bringing your body and life into balance will allow some things to heal almost effortlessly.

Journalling Questions:

♥ Where in your life are you NOT practising moderation?

♥ How can you cultivate more moderation in your life?

2) Balance

Temperance tells us that balance is the key to longevity, sustainability and pleasure! When things get out of balance, problems like illness, addictions and burn out can arise.

The balance between giving and receiving is particularly important here, as is the balance between being “grounded” and being able to dip your toe into the waters of emotion and feeling.

Our fiery passion (symbolized by the triangle) needs to be contained by earthy, groundedness (symbolized by the square that holds the triangle), so that it doesn’t get out of hand and cause destruction.

Journalling Questions:

♥ Where is your life unbalanced? Are you more often in offering mode (or receptive mode)? Are you too practical and grounded or too emotional and ungrounded?

♥ How can you create more balance in your life? How can you keep one foot on dry land and dip your other foot into the mystical waters?

3) Divine Guidance

Temperance tells us that divine guidance is always available to us and that practising moderation, cultivating balance and self restraint will bring us closer to the divine.

The yellow Iris flowers in this card symbolize the Greek goddess Iris who carried messages from gods to humans via rainbows. But Temperance isn’t just about getting divine guidance, it’s about using it in a practical, down to Earth way.

The foot that is submerged in water symbolizes the ability to dip one’s toe into the divine waters and the foot on dry land symbolizes the necessity to ground any spiritual wisdom you receive so that you can apply it to your day to day life.

Journalling Questions:

♥ How does divine guidance come to YOU? (ex: dreams, meditation, journalling, prayer, nature, through others, synchronicity, symbols)

♥ How can you open yourself even more to this divine connection?

Wisdom of Temperance

Temperance reminds us that if we keep one foot in the water (willing to dip our toe in and explore the mystical), but one foot on dry land, we’ll be able to get that divine guidance and actually use it in the real world as we move forward on our path.

Moderation and balance are the keys to a life of success, pleasure and divine connection.

Let me know in the comments below…How do YOU feel about the Temperance card?

♥ Join me next week as we dive into The Devil

You can find all my previous Tarot Meanings Deep Dives right here!