Upright Meaning
In a reading, this card encourages us to seek ways to mix seemingly disparate areas of our lives, and assures us that we have the capabilities to make this happen. The card also reminds us that, sometimes, moderation is the best course, and to use this concept when re-imagining our lives and figuring out how things will fit and work together.
Temperance often counsels that this is a time to practice patience and to avoid extremities in the way we react to people and events. It is a card of stability and groundedness: the angel is choosing, for the moment, to not use her wings, instead of staying rooted in the hidden, but very real, spirituality of the everyday world.
Reversed Meaning
The reversed card warns us that we are in danger of ricocheting from one extreme to the other, rather than calmly taking the time to consider what it is we want and how to achieve it. It can indicate a panicked reaction to a problem, rather than a carefully thought-out one, and can also point to a lack of self-awareness, which may be intentional.In a reversed position, Temperance advises us to calm down, still our minds for a moment, and bring our awareness back to our inner self, to avoid allowing our lives to become fragmented and chaotic.
Temperance is a reminder that choices are rarely black and white: that harmony can be achieved, not just through choosing one option at the expense of another, but by using love and an awareness of ourselves to unify disparate elements. And, in doing so, we will find we are ready to take the path leading back into the world once more.
