Temperance

[Guest Night Shade]

Hello, everyone

 

Of all the Majors, the one I have the hardest time understanding and interpreting is Temperance.  I can't quite wrap my mind around the traditional meanings I've read in books, like mixing things together, or combining opposites.  They seem so vague, especially for, say, a daily one card reading.  Does anyone have any insights on how to interpret this card, or on how to apply it to everyday situations?

[ascetic]

I've seen this come up as a wait card. Just like the hanged man. But this one indicates a small wait time unlike the hanged man that can indicate a long hiatus.

[Guest libra]

Hello, everyone

 

Of all the Majors, the one I have the hardest time understanding and interpreting is Temperance.  I can't quite wrap my mind around the traditional meanings I've read in books, like mixing things together, or combining opposites.  They seem so vague, especially for, say, a daily one card reading.  Does anyone have any insights on how to interpret this card, or on how to apply it to everyday situations?

 

Well, I don't usually consider Major Arcana to be every day situations, really. That's the difference between the Majors and the Minors - the Majors are like Big Picture, life lessons, possibly world events, etc. The Minors are your daily circumstances. So for me, a Major in a daily draw might actually, ironically, not feel so major in circumstances that particular day. It'll be more about the background workings in my life, the lessons I'm going through.

 

One thing you might want to do is just step aside from the traditional meanings for a moment, since they are challenging you. Just look at the card and describe it. Talk about what's happening, what could be cause of the action, the intentions of the character in it, what the effect might be of that action. Digging into it this way might help you dig out a personalized meaning. Talk about what you see, but also what you feel, the symbology, even myths or deities or fictional characters that you see in the archetype.

 

As well, if you have a few decks, head over to the Comparative Tarot forum here and explore each of the Temperance cards there in depth.

 

Think about what the work "Temper" means - especially in regards to chocolate making and sword making. Go research that, even watch some videos of the process on YouTube and see if that gives you any ideas about the card!

 

A lovely friend on tumblr, @alethiomancer, wrote a in a newsletter once, and it struck a chord with me:

 

“Temperance shows a flow of energy without a suggestion of which way it’s moving or a judgement on the quality of the energy on either side."

 

As well, if you're a podcast person, Myth Tarot Love recently did an episode of the card - it's available on Soundcloud, episode 15.

 

That's a lot of words, but no definition - just invitation for you to explore & a your own <3

[XAshleyMarie]

I'm a noobie at reading the cards but I've always seen it as what it means: Patience.

 

It's somebody to me whose Patient and doesn't let the outer noise/ other peoples negative actions affect them. It also symbolizes to me somebody waiting.

 

I just think its referring to Patience in a way.

 

The angel whose pouring out water between two cups has light around their head as if in their mind they're waiting and being patient. It could be a card drawn for somebody who has been mistreated but doesn't let the actions of others get the best of them, instead they wait, are extremely patient with others.

[abalone]

Temperance to me is a message to tone it down.  Don't let things escalate or spiral out of control.  Nothing to excess. And it makes me think of The Temperance movement where they tried to reign in alcohol. 

[Guest Night Shade]

Thank you, everyone, for your help. These are all really good suggestions.  :)

[Cookie]

Hello, everyone

 

Of all the Majors, the one I have the hardest time understanding and interpreting is Temperance.  I can't quite wrap my mind around the traditional meanings I've read in books, like mixing things together, or combining opposites.  They seem so vague, especially for, say, a daily one card reading.  Does anyone have any insights on how to interpret this card, or on how to apply it to everyday situations?

 

Yes, Temperance is a very hard card to interpret I find.  However, I find it a truly beautiful card.  I believe it to be about you and you alone.  Waite & Crowley & the Golden Dawn mob considered it to be the Higher self or The Holy Guardian Angel...ourselves made perfect.  And in the Kabbalah the card Temperance is the Middle Path connecting Yesod with Tiphareth which is the pure balance of ourselves, and is the Hebrew for Beauty. 

 

 

Temperance is the love and the hate inside of us all, it is the anger and the peace, it is the pure thoroughbred Arabian stallion and the skeletal nag, the raging sea and the calm waters, the scream and the silence, and it is Temperance that will help us find the balance, our pure self.

 

When trying to interpret Temperance, I always like to use the analogy of a Judge presiding over a lawsuit, listening to the exaggeration & extremism of the Prosecution and Defense cases but knowing that there is a small truth in everything said, and reality lies somewhere in between all ... somewhere in the middle.       

 

 

[Guest Night Shade]

Hello, everyone

 

Of all the Majors, the one I have the hardest time understanding and interpreting is Temperance.  I can't quite wrap my mind around the traditional meanings I've read in books, like mixing things together, or combining opposites.  They seem so vague, especially for, say, a daily one card reading.  Does anyone have any insights on how to interpret this card, or on how to apply it to everyday situations?

 

Yes, Temperance is a very hard card to interpret I find.  However, I find it a truly beautiful card.  I believe it to be about you and you alone.  Waite & Crowley & the Golden Dawn mob considered it to be the Higher self or The Holy Guardian Angel...ourselves made perfect.  And in the Kabbalah the card Temperance is the Middle Path connecting Yesod with Tiphareth which is the pure balance of ourselves, and is the Hebrew for Beauty. 

 

 

Temperance is the love and the hate inside of us all, it is the anger and the peace, it is the pure thoroughbred Arabian stallion and the skeletal nag, the raging sea and the calm waters, the scream and the silence, and it is Temperance that will help us find the balance, our pure self.

 

When trying to interpret Temperance, I always like to use the analogy of a Judge presiding over a lawsuit, listening to the exaggeration & extremism of the Prosecution and Defense cases but knowing that there is a small truth in everything said, and reality lies somewhere in between all ... somewhere in the middle.     

 

I like this interpretation - I've never heard Temperance described like this before.  I never thought about Temperance representing your Higher Self, but it really makes sense if you consider your highest, most perfect self to be balanced in every regard.  To be able to see the truth in everything, and to integrate it into yourself (the combining aspect of Temperance) would lead to true enlightenment

[Cookie]

Hello, everyone

 

Of all the Majors, the one I have the hardest time understanding and interpreting is Temperance.  I can't quite wrap my mind around the traditional meanings I've read in books, like mixing things together, or combining opposites.  They seem so vague, especially for, say, a daily one card reading.  Does anyone have any insights on how to interpret this card, or on how to apply it to everyday situations?

 

Yes, Temperance is a very hard card to interpret I find.  However, I find it a truly beautiful card.  I believe it to be about you and you alone.  Waite & Crowley & the Golden Dawn mob considered it to be the Higher self or The Holy Guardian Angel...ourselves made perfect.  And in the Kabbalah the card Temperance is the Middle Path connecting Yesod with Tiphareth which is the pure balance of ourselves, and is the Hebrew for Beauty. 

 

 

Temperance is the love and the hate inside of us all, it is the anger and the peace, it is the pure thoroughbred Arabian stallion and the skeletal nag, the raging sea and the calm waters, the scream and the silence, and it is Temperance that will help us find the balance, our pure self.

 

When trying to interpret Temperance, I always like to use the analogy of a Judge presiding over a lawsuit, listening to the exaggeration & extremism of the Prosecution and Defense cases but knowing that there is a small truth in everything said, and reality lies somewhere in between all ... somewhere in the middle.     

 

I like this interpretation - I've never heard Temperance described like this before.  I never thought about Temperance representing your Higher Self, but it really makes sense if you consider your highest, most perfect self to be balanced in every regard.  To be able to see the truth in everything, and to integrate it into yourself (the combining aspect of Temperance) would lead to true enlightenment

 

mmm nicely put Night Shade. 

 

The theory of the Higher Self/Holy Guardian Angel makes sense after the Death card and its sacrifice to make way for the spiritual awakening.  And the sun setting on one life in the Death card and the new sun rising in Temperance.  Very apt. 

[DanielJUK]

Temperance is ultimately about balance! Historically Crowley renamed this card in the Thoth deck as "Art", representing the Art of Alchemy. That is where the chemistry / alchemy / mixing different things to create one thing comes from as an association. The temperance movement was about bringing balance to people drinking and gambling too much. Tempering materials is about heating it to change the material. Tempering a Sword heats it to make it much harder and stronger but if you heat it too much or stretch the sword too much, it becomes brittle and weak, same with chocolate. It's very important that a sword is balanced or it is weighted wrongly or is weak.

 

So if you got it as your day reading?  It's about keeping your day chilled and relaxed, be patient, balanced, look for the meaning in things, put them into perspective. Avoid extremes in the day, keep calm if there is stress or anxiety. There is no rush. This is another one of the cards which is about going inside yourself, meditate, listen to your inner voice and don't let anyone externally upset or affect you :)

[Guest Night Shade]

Temperance is ultimately about balance! Historically Crowley renamed this card in the Thoth deck as "Art", representing the Art of Alchemy. That is where the chemistry / alchemy / mixing different things to create one thing comes from as an association. The temperance movement was about bringing balance to people drinking and gambling too much. Tempering materials is about heating it to change the material. Tempering a Sword heats it to make it much harder and stronger but if you heat it too much or stretch the sword too much, it becomes brittle and weak, same with chocolate. It's very important that a sword is balanced or it is weighted wrongly or is weak.

 

So if you got it as your day reading?  It's about keeping your day chilled and relaxed, be patient, balanced, look for the meaning in things, put them into perspective. Avoid extremes in the day, keep calm if there is stress or anxiety. There is no rush. This is another one of the cards which is about going inside yourself, meditate, listen to your inner voice and don't let anyone externally upset or affect you :)

 

Thank you for this, DanielJUK[/member] .  I didn't know that about Crowley - Maybe I should study the Thoth deck, because I'm missing out on a lot of information. I like your card-of-the-day interpretation too.  :)

[Dhallan]

Is not difficult...

Think of "Temperance" as a card that calms a situation. What behind, peace, balance and self control.

So if there is a complicated situation, temperance softens the problems.

If a situation is already good, "temperance" makes it even more grounded.

[Guest Night Shade]

Thank you, Dhallan.  :)