Continuing the series of diving deeper into each tarot card, we have just moved through Death, and are hinged on the energies of evolution and rebirth. This hinge is the beautiful alchemy of Temperance. This connective thread of death into rebirth pulls on the web of life.
Temperance stands as a testament to rising into a higher energy. We are moving into our purpose, into alignment, and into a transformed space, and we usually don’t get there without going through the loss and release that comes with the Death card. Once we have moved through Death, there is an opening, a void where the ache of loss sits. It is within that void that Temperance comes in and feels it with renewed vigor to keep going towards our evolution.
In this post, I will share with you how I read this card, and we will look at the symbolism from all of my decks. Before we venture into the alchemy of Temperance, a quick look at the numerology of 14 shows us that 14 speaks to clear communication, patience, deepened awareness, strategy, and an understanding of the whole picture, as well as the details. This is why 14 is often connected to business endeavors. Here, we will see how and why those traits will serve and aid us after we have come through the grip of Death. Click here to read about the numerology.
Transmuting Destruction into Evolution with Temperance
Moving through the second line in the Major Arcana, we have just faced Death. We have gone through the act of Destruction, and something has been lessened, lost, or destroyed within our lives, or ourselves. After moving through that heavy and hard, but necessary energy, we now approach the path forward changed. We are not the same. We have gone through something that takes the heart, soul, and howl out of many people. They spend the rest of their lives seeking comfort rather than embracing change and dealing with loss.
Temperance is here to help us rise to our evolution. This card reminds us that all of this change is an alchemy, a transmutation that is strengthening and forming our spirits into something tempered. Like a sword in the forge, we are stronger than before, wiser than before, and ready to face whatever comes our way.
The first way that I read the Temperance card is: Let your spirit be an anchor as you hinge between loss and renewal. There is a liminality to Temperance, which we will see when we get into the imagery of the cards. We have come out of the darkness, but we still have a way to go before we see the light. Many texts will say that Temperance speaks to balance, but I feel that is inaccurate because after Temperance comes the Devil and then the Tower- two cards not in balance at all.
Temperance speaks to anchoring into the spirit because the renewal is coming, but we are still moving through loss, destruction, and deep changes. Temperance says that we will get there, and we have already gone through a lot, so we need to keep the pace, trust the Universe, surrender to the bigger forces, and find the meaning behind these experiences. Temperance is ruled by the zodiac sign Sagittarius. This sign speaks to having an open mind, a free spirit, and a willingness to learn through adventure. Having just done all the work we have up to Death, we have indeed undertaken a great adventure. Temperance comes in after and says, “Find the meaning in this experience. Be present and open to it, so that you may transform in the best possible ways.”
Main invitations with Temperance:
1. Let your spirit be an anchor as you hinge between loss and renewal
2. Merge the past and present with awareness, magick, and nourishment- cultivate an ability to see into the present moment and the expansive beyond
3. Connections to the divine or bigger picture. The space of the moment is held with honor and wisdom
The next way that I read Temperance is: Merge the past and present with awareness, magick, and nourishment- cultivate an ability to see into the present moment and the expansive beyond. In Temperance, we stand on the precipice of the past and the future. We see the journey we have undertaken. We raise our eyes towards a hopeful, aligned, and wild future. At this present moment, we are asked (not to find balance!) but to bring our awareness to the ways we are changed, and changing still. We are asked to bring the magick, because we now understand that there is an energetic current or undertow to the physical world. We are asked to nurture, nourish, and tend the spirit because we have been through a lot.
Just like the process of alchemy, where the impurities of base metals are extracted and removed so that gold may be created, we are removing attachments, lessons, ego, behaviors, patterns, or physical things in our world that hold us back. As we transform, Temperance shows us that there is something bigger than us, and we are part of it. We have learned through Justice the natural laws and universal understandings that apply to all things. Through this hinge of death into rebirth, Temperance is here to remind us that we are a fingerprint of the Divine, and now we need to surrender and see past the present moment, and into the bigger picture.
The last way that I read Temperance is: Connections to the divine or the bigger picture. The space of the moment is held with honor and wisdom. In Temperance, we stand in the present moment and finally see the forest for the trees. Not only do we see the forest for the trees, but we realize how beautiful the trees are and how lush the landscape is through which we have been walking. Temperance softens us and helps us appreciate the lessons and moments, however hard, because we have been changed for the better.
There is the saying: Gratitude is attitude, which is kind of cliche, but it is also true. The hardest moments of our lives have made us who we are. Those who take the lessons of Temperance forge a resilience in the face of adversity. Temperance teaches us that our wild spirits are ready, and have always been ready, to grow. It isn’t something outside of us that moves us into our evolution. It is the internal understanding and wisdom we have gained that points us home to our wild reclamation.
A perfect example of this is when, in the Wizard of Oz, Glinda tells Dorothy that she always had the power to go back to Kansas. When Scarecrow asks why she didn’t say anything, Glinda responds that Dorothy wouldn’t have believed her. She had to learn it for herself. With Temperance, we realize that we have to surrender to the experience and the Divine, but not lose ourselves in the chaos. Instead, we dig deep into the spirit and keep going. There, we see the bigger picture and our place in it.
Symbolism and Imagery of Temperance
Looking now to the images from across my decks to understand the teachings of Temperance through the symbolism, we start at the very beginning with the Spirit Animal Tarot, and the Swan. Connected to the elements of air, water, and earth, Swan teaches us to lean into intuition for deeper understanding, take steady, mindful steps forward towards integration, and see with clarity past the immediate so we may learn and connect to the bigger picture. Also connected to the angelic or Divine, Swan encourages an integration of both divinity and practicality so that we may take more chances and embrace the cards yet to come.
From the Grimalkin’s Curious Cat Tarot, we see a river meeting the sea. A white cat is present for the abundance of fish that abound at this threshold. Holding witness to the precarious nature of the situation, while still finding gratitude and peace in the moment, is how we grow. We don’t deny, but we don’t wallow, either.
The essence of the Dragon and the Phoenix are contained in the sphere held by the angel in the Shadowscapes Tarot. Finding ways to merge the dark and the light, or life and death, helps us root into the present, yet remain open to new ways of understanding and integrating.
From the Hush Tarot, we see a woman remove the mask of the raven and sit in the company of the Finch. Removing the facades and facing the future head-on with authentic eyes, while listening to those who support us, will see us through the times ahead and help us find deeper meaning in the journey.
The Herbcrafter’s Tarot shows Camellia, the foundation for all types of teas. The magick of dried leaf combined with water to create a nourishing brew of medicinal tea is the equation of Temperance. Different things come together and create an outcome better than the sum of their parts.
Temperance from the Mystical Dream Tarot shows a woman tending the hard soil so that lush and beautiful roses can bloom. Alchemy of the elements is at the heart of gardening and Temperance. Find beauty in the simplicity of the roses so that the majesty of the mountains behind you doesn’t overwhelm.
From the Bird King Tarot, we see a Moose delicately nibbling on the Amanita muscaria mushroom, a poisonous mushroom that was used in careful, balanced doses by Siberian Shamans to achieve a high that helped them connect to the Divine. Too much, though, and the mushroom can leave you seriously ill. Here, the teaching of balance is moderation and knowledge. This card speaks to finding the right method and staying authentic is the most important thing you can do.
From the Nightmare Before Christmas Tarot, we see Sally brewing her infamous potions. Combining different ingredients, like Deadly Night Shade or Frog’s Breath, means that Sally understands the sum of the parts and how that changes the outcome of the potion. Knowing what outcome we are trying to get to, while embracing the lessons and tools that we have used in the past and present, allows us to keep going.
From the Dark Wood Tarot, we see a horned being or angel mixing cups of water, the life force of life, together in a way that would not happen if it weren’t magic. The cups represent the dichotomy of life, and the alchemy that comes when we merge the two together. We stand between the polarities of life, and that liminal space is where the magick is found. Using that magick requires that we pause and understand. The Tower awaits in the distance, but for now, we merge into something bigger than before.
The Tarot of Dragons shows a similar story. The waters of life and death, creation/destruction, or light/dark are where the beauty, wholeness, and nuance take shape. The Dragon as the element of air, with the Turtle as the element of earth, reflects this polarity and shows where the beauty of the world is found, between these two extremes.
In the Wild Unknown, a heron blends the opposing forces of water and fire, creating something new. The Heron is a symbol for self-reliance, patience, transformation, and wisdom. All these are needed to approach our past for lessons and understanding, but also our future to create and manifest what we want and need.
The Frog in the Guardian of the Night Tarot balances halfway in and out of the water. She is nourished in the emotional space, yet has a firm grip on the situation. Hinging between loss and renewal requires the emotions to move and be felt alongside a supportive foundation from which we will move on to bigger experiences.
Finally, the Crow Tarot shows the Crow pouring liquid from one cup into the other, blending and witnessing the flow of life. This witness helps keep our spirits soft, tender, and awakened to possibilities after we have been changed.
The Ostara Tarot shows a woman holding the box of life. The spirit of prey and predator animals flows into and out of the box, showing the flow and forces of life. In this cycle, all things are embodied, sacred, and supported. This hinge is where all things in life reside, in the both/and.
Ashlie McDiarmid
Hello there! I hope you liked this blog post. As a tarot and oracle reader, my goal with my blogs is to offer you content, resources, and access to the tools that have transformed my life.
I believe that your own intuition is the deepest form of knowing, but here in my little corner of the internet, I share insights based in intuition and instinct. I share my love for nature, witchcraft, and the wild spirit.
- If your spirit is at home in wild places
- If you feel the need to claim your autonomy as ritual
- If you want to more deeply trust your own intuition
- If you want resources or connections to tarot, oracle, witchcraft, and wild sovereignty, then welcome!
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