The Temperance Tarot represents moderation, balance, personal growth, and avoidance of extremes. As author and tarot expert Claire Goodchild tells mbg, this card shows up in our lives when we feel out of balance, and sometimes even when we’re not. feel unbalanced but actually are.
It can also indicate that we’ve been too forgiving and need to take a step back, she says. Word temperanceafter all, literally means “moderation in action, thought or feeling”, as well as abstinence from drinking alcohol.
In a traditional deck, the imagery on this card depicts an angelic figure pouring liquid from one cup into another. As Goodchild explains, this represents the process of alchemy – transforming what is into something else.
“So the main theme of the Temperance card is restoring balance, and another big part is mind over matter,” she notes, adding, “Anything you want to do, you can do it. It just takes a little bit of work and fine-tuning what’s going on.”
Whether you pull it upright or upside down, Goodchild says temperance can also be about starting a new spiritual practice. “If you feel like something is missing in your life, this card can be a signal to turn to a higher power,” she says, noting that you don’t have to be religious to take. time to meditate on your connection to things bigger than yourself.