SunshineMoon Posted January 9, 2023 Posted January 9, 2023 (edited) What does Temperance mean to you and what are your experiences with this card? I was looking at the card and reading on it today. It stood out to me in my deck. I have done some research on the card and want to hear your interpretations of Temperance and what it has meant to you. Edited January 9, 2023 by SunshineMoon changed readings to research to eliminate possible confusion
FindYourSovereignty Posted January 9, 2023 Posted January 9, 2023 Hi @SunshineMoon, My quick thought on this. Temperance to me involves bringing together opposing forces, the basic underlining alchemy of blending two opposites to create a whole new thing. The energies or elements being blended aren’t necessarily added in equal measure and it can take some effort to find the right balance for the desired outcome. Great question and I look forward to hearing from others.
Grandma Posted January 9, 2023 Posted January 9, 2023 To me, Temperance is the homeostasis card. It shows that something is off kilter and must be recalibrated to optimum balance, for example. Or it can indicate blending of two disparate substances, ideas, dynamics, etc, into one new entity. Or it may signify alchemy, the idea that what one thinks will be transformative is actually not going to work. @FindYourSovereignty a note just popped up saying you have posted. I haven't even read your comment yet. I LOVE it when I know that one of my forum friends and I are commenting on the same thread at the same time!
SunshineMoon Posted January 9, 2023 Author Posted January 9, 2023 @FindYourSovereignty I love this! The part that you mention about not being in equal measure I think are key to this card. That is something that stuck out to me as well. @Grandma Homeostasis is a great word to describe this card! That helps me understand it so much actually. Alchemy seems key here as well and this card has led me to research alchemy and I am captivated by some of the things I have found. Thank you both for responding!
Wanderer Posted January 9, 2023 Posted January 9, 2023 For me, balance is the key. We are so used to thinking in terms of actions, focus and directionality that sometimes we need to be reminded that there are times when the critical point is compromise. It's not a question of staying still, so much as finding how to make the two sides of an equation balance each other, so that harmony is possible. This can lead to peace of mind, equanimity, and quiet contentment... knowing that one has done the right thing (i.e. the least disruptive, the way that heals rifts rather than striving for victory). To do this, though, we need to learn to appreciate opposing perspectives and work with them, rather than defeating them. In many versions, water is being poured from one vessel to another, showing that the contents of one can adapt to another; water is flexible, adaptable, and can occupy any space as needed. In the words of Bruce Lee... "You put water in a cup, it becomes the cup... be like water, my friend." The alchemy side is interesting as a corollary... I've never used it, but I can definitely see that angle!
FindYourSovereignty Posted January 9, 2023 Posted January 9, 2023 2 minutes ago, Wanderer said: Bruce Lee... "You put water in a cup, it becomes the cup... be like water, my friend." 😊 Such a great quote and a great post, @Wanderer. 35 minutes ago, SunshineMoon said: The part that you mention about not being in equal measure I think are key to this card. I agree. I recently went through a Temperance year and it took me the whole year to figure that out. 😊 1 hour ago, Grandma said: I LOVE it when I know that one of my forum friends and I are commenting on the same thread at the same time! So fun when that happens!
Strength Posted January 9, 2023 Posted January 9, 2023 1 hour ago, Grandma said: To me, Temperance is the homeostasis card. It shows that something is off kilter and must be recalibrated to optimum balance, for example. @Grandma I love the idea of "recalibration". In my line of work, the initial calibration is considered the optimal calibration. As time progresses, there is drift away from that perfect calibration curve and we have to recalibrate it. Just enough to nudge it back to where it needs to be.
Grandma Posted January 9, 2023 Posted January 9, 2023 17 minutes ago, Wanderer said: The alchemy side is interesting as a corollary... I've never used it, but I can definitely see that angle! 8 minutes ago, Strength said: I love the idea of "recalibration". I love how, no matter how long we have been reading Tarot, there is always something new to learn, and someone here to learn it from.
SunshineMoon Posted January 9, 2023 Author Posted January 9, 2023 23 minutes ago, Wanderer said: For me, balance is the key. We are so used to thinking in terms of actions, focus and directionality that sometimes we need to be reminded that there are times when the critical point is compromise. It's not a question of staying still, so much as finding how to make the two sides of an equation balance each other, so that harmony is possible. This can lead to peace of mind, equanimity, and quiet contentment... knowing that one has done the right thing (i.e. the least disruptive, the way that heals rifts rather than striving for victory). To do this, though, we need to learn to appreciate opposing perspectives and work with them, rather than defeating them. In many versions, water is being poured from one vessel to another, showing that the contents of one can adapt to another; water is flexible, adaptable, and can occupy any space as needed. In the words of Bruce Lee... "You put water in a cup, it becomes the cup... be like water, my friend." The alchemy side is interesting as a corollary... I've never used it, but I can definitely see that angle! @Wanderer that is an interesting word for this as well, compromise. I love the way that you explained this - working with rather than defeating. I am a pisces so this water aspect also makes sense. Temperance in this essence is being rooted while you flow, a mutability so to speak. Wonderful input! Thank you!
Wanderer Posted January 9, 2023 Posted January 9, 2023 4 minutes ago, Grandma said: I love how, no matter how long we have been reading Tarot, there is always something new to learn, and someone here to learn it from. Ain't that the truth, Grandma! 😊 Since everyone has a slightly different set of meanings for their cards, it's no surprise... but we can always expand the possibilities!
Misterei Posted January 10, 2023 Posted January 10, 2023 2 hours ago, SunshineMoon said: What does Temperance mean to you and what are your experiences with this card? I had a profound experience with Temperance some time ago. It will sound silly as I write it ... I was doing yoga and meditating on the Temperance card ... and at a particular moment my kettle whistled as I'd been heating water for tea. And I "got" it. The blending of fire and water to make something new (tea). The alchemical fusion of opposites. I began to see temperance as a far more active card. The FUSION of opposing forces more than the balance. Boiling water for tea is active ... not passive. Both water and fire become Something Else. Anyway, its difficult to put words on it ... but I hope you get the idea. And I don't apply this meaning in mundane spreads ... only if the client has a deeper issue do I apply this meaning.
Aliki Posted January 10, 2023 Posted January 10, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, SunshineMoon said: What does Temperance mean to you and what are your experiences with this card? I was looking at the card and reading on it today. It stood out to me in my deck. I have done some research on the card and want to hear your interpretations of Temperance and what it has meant to you. To me i interpret temperance as: divine love/support, something that's meant to be/something to leave to the divine, the divine in general, sometimes can be interpret that you or someone is leaving/left something on luck not doing something just leaving it to the divine, as an advice something i interpret to it is to keep your composure/not react to something/a situation, balance, and i sometimes interpret it as the grace card and a be grateful advice as well. Edited January 10, 2023 by Aliki
Grandma Posted January 10, 2023 Posted January 10, 2023 (edited) 15 minutes ago, Misterei said: It will sound silly as I write it... Nope, it did not sound silly at all. It sounded, and it is, profoundly informative. But here is a question - what is the role of the tea leaves? The combination of fire and water itself just makes hot water and eventually steam, and if you are not careful, a burned out hole in the bottom of the tea kettle. Please understand that I am not being argumentative. I am fascinated by your idea and wonder what you think of mine. Edited January 10, 2023 by Grandma
Misterei Posted January 10, 2023 Posted January 10, 2023 (edited) 14 minutes ago, Grandma said: ... here is a question - what is the role of the tea leaves? The tea leaves exist only as POTENTIAL ... until the alchemical fusion of fire and water provides boiling water to transform them. If we go into Gurdjieff's Law of Three Fire is holy affirming water is holy denying tea leaves are holy reconciling and thus ... the phenomena of Tea. Edited January 10, 2023 by Misterei
Grandma Posted January 10, 2023 Posted January 10, 2023 8 minutes ago, Misterei said: The tea leaves exist only as POTENTIAL ... until the alchemical fusion of fire and water provides boiling water to transform them. Thank you, I love this. And Gurdjieff, oh my goodness, I haven't thought of him in decades!
SunshineMoon Posted January 10, 2023 Author Posted January 10, 2023 @Grandma @Misterei Wonderful posts! I love this so much. That is profoundly informative.
SunshineMoon Posted January 10, 2023 Author Posted January 10, 2023 1 hour ago, Aliki said: To me i interpret temperance as: divine love/support, something that's meant to be/something to leave to the divine, the divine in general, sometimes can be interpret that you or someone is leaving/left something on luck not doing something just leaving it to the divine, as an advice something i interpret to it is to keep your composure/not react to something/a situation, balance, and i sometimes interpret it as the grace card and a be grateful advice as well. @Aliki This is very interesting and very different from other posts! Thank you for a new light on this topic. I think that the advice interpretation makes a lot of sense and I had not thought of that, but the lack of reaction and keeping composure would be key to not disturbing peace further. Thank you!
Grandma Posted January 10, 2023 Posted January 10, 2023 16 minutes ago, SunshineMoon said: I love this so much. Yes, this is TT&M at its best. I'm fully back into the swing of things after a year of so of little activity which followed a few years of extreme activity and I'm loving every minute of it. Here I will do a bit of shameless self-promotion. I hope you all will visit me at Welcome Back to Grandma's House, my journal here on the forum. Everyone who comes to the door is welcomed in with hot chocolate, choice of whipped cream, marshmallows, or whipped cream and marshmallows. This is the link to the current last page. Sorry about that. I sometimes lack self control. Joke? Maybe. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.
SunshineMoon Posted January 10, 2023 Author Posted January 10, 2023 55 minutes ago, Grandma said: Yes, this is TT&M at its best. I'm fully back into the swing of things after a year of so of little activity which followed a few years of extreme activity and I'm loving every minute of it. Here I will do a bit of shameless self-promotion. I hope you all will visit me at Welcome Back to Grandma's House, my journal here on the forum. Everyone who comes to the door is welcomed in with hot chocolate, choice of whipped cream, marshmallows, or whipped cream and marshmallows. This is the link to the current last page. Sorry about that. I sometimes lack self control. Joke? Maybe. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming. @Grandma This put a smile on my face, which is not easy to do these days. I thank you for that. I will absolutely visit your journal and I cannot wait to see more of you on the forum. I am grateful to be a new member of this family.
Grandma Posted January 10, 2023 Posted January 10, 2023 1 hour ago, SunshineMoon said: I am grateful to be a new member of this family. And I'm sure that I'm not the only member who is happy that you have joined us.
KiMo Posted January 10, 2023 Posted January 10, 2023 This might be a bit on the nose but I sometimes view Temperance with the idea of the tempering of metal. Interestingly that also involves using the alchemy of fire and water as per @Misterei's post. Sometimes Temperance can be the gentle creativity of combining elements in order to make something new, sometimes it can be the compromise between two or more inputs in order to bring about balance or homeostasis as @Grandma stated. But sometimes I wonder if it's also about the changing of a seemingly unchangeable thing through exposure and strong yet careful and persistent hammering and attention.
KiMo Posted January 10, 2023 Posted January 10, 2023 I just wanted to add to my comment having thought about what I wrote. In my last sentence I should actually clarify that the tempering comes about through exposure to opposing or varying forces. And maybe 'hammering' is too strong a term, I just can't get the image of a smithy out of my head! Maybe moulding is a better word? I also thought of a real world circumstance this relates to, and that's the knowledge that controlled physical exposure to extremes of temperature (like an ice bath or a sauna) can actually help to regulate and balance our nervous systems. In the moment these things can seem uncomfortable and possibly even downright painful, but over time they are supposed to help us achieve a greater level of both physical and emotional wellbeing. Just a thought.
Misterei Posted January 11, 2023 Posted January 11, 2023 15 hours ago, KiMo said: … controlled physical exposure to extremes of temperature (like an ice bath or a sauna) can actually help to regulate and balance our nervous systems … Interesting. Another meaning of temperance is sobriety. Like the Ladies’ Temperance League that got booze outlawed in the 1920s. Your comment very much resonates with Temperance as “emotional sobriety” which is often a way I read this card for clients.
KiMo Posted January 11, 2023 Posted January 11, 2023 12 hours ago, Misterei said: Interesting. Another meaning of temperance is sobriety. Like the Ladies’ Temperance League that got booze outlawed in the 1920s. Your comment very much resonates with Temperance as “emotional sobriety” which is often a way I read this card for clients. Yes, that’s another interesting angle! Tempering oneself, in one way or another, to become something new and different. Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about the fact that sometimes, it really does fit to read the card in the literal sense of its keyword, if that makes sense… And these examples seem to support that.
FindYourSovereignty Posted January 11, 2023 Posted January 11, 2023 4 hours ago, KiMo said: Yes, that’s another interesting angle! Tempering oneself, in one way or another, to become something new and different. I wish this didn’t sound, or feel, so much like conforming. As someone who has spent much of my life feeling like I’ve had to change myself to fit in, to be different than my natural self for the sake of others, this is a tough description for me to embrace. I see it, but it makes me feel like there is a need to review whether the new creation is actually a good one. I’ve been reviewing this in all areas of my life, asking “is this me or is this man-made messaging?” A new way to think about this for sure.
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