The Meaning of Temperance in Tarot

The Temperance card stands as the fourteenth Major Arcana in the tarot deck, embodying the essential principles of balance, moderation, and harmony. Positioned between Death and The Devil, Temperance represents a crucial transitional phase where integration and healing occur after profound transformation. The card's very name derives from the Latin "temperantia," signifying restraint and self-control, pointing to its core message of finding equilibrium between opposing forces.

In the journey of the Major Arcana, Temperance follows the dramatic upheaval of Death, offering a period of calm reflection and integration of lessons learned. This card teaches us that true spiritual evolution comes not through extremes but through the careful blending of seemingly contradictory elements. It reminds us that patience and moderation are not passive states but active processes requiring skill and wisdom.

Temperance invites us to consider how we might bring greater harmony to our lives by tempering excesses and finding middle paths. Whether in relationships, work, or spiritual practice, this card suggests that sustainable progress comes through balance rather than through dramatic swings between extremes.

Upright Meaning: Balance, Moderation, and Harmony

When Temperance appears upright in a reading, it heralds a time of balanced action and thoughtful moderation. This card signifies the ability to remain calm amidst chaos, finding the middle path between extremes. The upright Temperance encourages temperance in the truest sense—the careful blending of seemingly opposing forces into a harmonious whole.

The card speaks to the querent's capacity for patience and self-restraint. Rather than rushing toward goals or giving in to immediate desires, Temperance advocates measured progress and thoughtful integration. It suggests that the querent possesses or needs to develop the ability to navigate complex situations with grace and composure.

Temperance upright often indicates a period of healing and recovery, particularly emotional or spiritual restoration. It suggests that finding balance between work and rest, activity and reflection, giving and receiving will lead to greater wholeness. The card may also point to successful collaboration, where different perspectives and energies combine to create something greater than the sum of their parts.

In spiritual terms, upright Temperance represents the alchemical process of transformation—turning base elements into gold through careful combination and refinement. It suggests that the querent is engaged in a process of spiritual evolution, learning to reconcile opposing aspects of their nature into a more integrated whole.

Reversed Meaning: Imbalance, Excess, and Disharmony

Reversed, Temperance reveals imbalance and disharmony. This orientation warns of extremes—either overindulgence or excessive restriction—that undermine well-being and progress. The reversal suggests that moderation has been abandoned, leading to potential consequences in various life domains.

This position often indicates that the querent is experiencing inner conflict, with different aspects of their personality or desires pulling them in contradictory directions. There may be a lack of patience or perspective, resulting in impulsive decisions or unsustainable efforts. The reversal can point to situations where the querent is either doing too much or too little, missing the mark of appropriate action.

Temperance reversed frequently signals a need to reassess priorities and restore balance. It may reveal areas where the querent has lost touch with their center, allowing external pressures or internal fears to dictate their choices. The card might indicate physical or emotional burn-out resulting from pushing too hard without adequate rest and recovery.

On a spiritual level, reversed Temperance suggests a disconnect between higher aspirations and daily practices. The querent may be experiencing fragmentation rather than integration, finding it difficult to reconcile different aspects of their experience into a coherent whole. This reversal calls for a return to center, encouraging the querent to rediscover practices that promote inner harmony and balanced living.

Symbolism in Tarot de Marseille

In the Tarot de Marseille tradition, Temperance is depicted as an angel or winged figure standing with one foot on land and one in water, symbolizing the balance between the conscious and unconscious realms. This stable yet fluid stance represents the card's essence of maintaining equilibrium while navigating different elements of existence.

The central action in the Marseille version shows the figure pouring liquid between two cups or vessels. This imagery directly references the alchemical process of combining disparate elements to create something new and refined. The careful pouring represents measured exchange and transformation rather than hasty mixture or contamination.

The Marseille Temperance typically features less elaborate symbolism than later versions, focusing on the essential act of tempering or mixing. The figure is often shown with a restrained expression, emphasizing the calm, deliberate nature of the process being depicted. The simplicity of the image reinforces the card's message about the power of straightforward, mindful action.

The wings of the figure in the Marseille tradition symbolize transcendence and the ability to rise above mundane concerns while still engaging with earthly matters. This dual nature—being both of heaven and earth—speaks to the integration of spiritual wisdom with practical living that Temperance embodies.

Symbolism in Rider-Waite

In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, Temperance maintains the angel figure but enriches the symbolism considerably. The angel is explicitly shown as neither male nor female, representing the transcendence of binary divisions. Wearing a white robe with a red triangle and blue square on the chest—symbolic of fire and water, respectively—the figure visually embodies the union of opposites.

The landscape in the Rider-Waite version is notably detailed, featuring a path winding toward distant mountains topped by a crown or halo of light. This path symbolizes the spiritual journey toward enlightenment that requires balanced progress rather than rushed advancement. The mountains represent the challenges that must be faced with temperance and wisdom.

One foot on land and one in water is maintained from earlier traditions, but the Rider-Waite version emphasizes this symbolism more clearly, showing how the angel operates at the boundary between different states of being. The flowing water represents emotional and subconscious realms, while the solid earth symbolizes the material world and conscious mind.

Perhaps most significantly, the angel in the Rider-Waite deck wears a solar disk or halo, connecting Temperance to solar energies of integration and wholeness. The irises growing near the water's edge symbolize faith and wisdom, further emphasizing that the balanced approach of Temperance leads to spiritual flowering.

Contextual Interpretations: Love and Relationships

In love readings, Temperance often signals a relationship characterized by healthy balance and harmonious exchange. It suggests a partnership where both individuals maintain their individuality while creating something greater together—like the blending of liquids between vessels. This card indicates that patience and moderation serve romantic connections better than passionate extremes that cannot be sustained.

For those in established relationships, Temperance encourages finding renewed balance, particularly after periods of conflict or distance. It suggests that compromises made with genuine care can strengthen bonds rather than weaken them. The card may indicate a healing process where partners learn to better accommodate each other's differences while honoring their shared values.

For singles, Temperance often suggests taking a measured approach to dating rather than rushing into new connections. It indicates the importance of balancing self-sufficiency with openness to partnership. This card may suggest that the querent will find love not through desperate searching but through creating internal harmony that naturally attracts compatible partners.

When challenges appear in Temperance love readings, they typically center around imbalances of giving and receiving or difficulties in reconciling different values and needs. The card reminds us that lasting love requires ongoing adjustments and the willingness to blend perspectives without losing one's essential nature.

Contextual Interpretations: Career and Finances

In career contexts, Temperance represents collaborative work environments and balanced approaches to professional advancement. This card suggests that success comes through cooperation rather than competition, and through steady, consistent effort rather than erratic bursts of productivity followed by burnout.

Temperance may indicate careers that involve mediation, healing, counseling, or any field requiring the skillful integration of different elements. It points to work that values patience and precision, where quality emerges through careful refinement rather than rushed production. The card often appears when team dynamics require harmonization or when the querent needs to balance different aspects of their professional life.

Financially, Temperance advocates for moderation in both spending and saving. It warns against both miserliness and extravagance, suggesting instead a thoughtful approach to resources that allows for both security and enjoyment. This card may indicate successful financial planning that takes a long-term perspective rather than seeking immediate gains.

When reversed in career readings, Temperance points to workplace imbalances, conflicts between colleagues, or unsustainable work patterns. It may signal that the querent is either overcommitting or underperforming, missing the sweet spot of appropriate engagement. Similarly, financial reversals suggest either excessive risk or excessive caution, both of which can undermine lasting prosperity.

Astrological and Numerological Associations

Astrologically, Temperance corresponds with Sagittarius, the ninth sign of the zodiac. This connection illuminates the card's association with expansive vision and philosophical understanding. Like Sagittarius, Temperance seeks truth and meaning beyond immediate circumstances, bringing together disparate experiences into a coherent worldview.

The fiery nature of Sagittarius might seem contradictory to Temperance's measured approach, but this association reminds us that balancing opposites doesn't mean abandoning passion—rather, it's about channeling enthusiasm in sustainable ways. Jupiter, Sagittarius's ruling planet, brings themes of growth and abundance to Temperance, suggesting that moderation ultimately creates more expansion than excess does.

Numerologically, Temperance carries the vibration of number 14, which reduces to 5 (1+4=5). Five represents change, adaptation, and freedom—qualities that might seem at odds with Temperance's stability. However, this numerical association reveals that true balance isn't static but dynamic, requiring continuous adjustment in response to changing circumstances.

The reduction to 5 also connects Temperance to the Hierophant (5) and the five elements in certain esoteric traditions. This suggests that Temperance represents a more fluid, personalized integration of spiritual wisdom compared to the Hierophant's more structured approach to tradition.

Practical Guidance: Application in Readings

When Temperance appears in readings, it invites the querent to examine where greater balance might be needed in their life. Practical questions to explore include: Where are you experiencing extremes that could benefit from moderation? What opposing elements in your life need to be better integrated? How might patience serve your current situation better than immediate action?

For readers, Temperance often signals the need to blend different aspects of the reading into a coherent whole rather than focusing on individual cards in isolation. It suggests looking for patterns of exchange and flow between different elements of the spread, much like the angel blends waters between vessels.

When advising querents who receive Temperance, emphasize that moderation isn't about denying needs or desires but about fulfilling them in sustainable ways. Suggest practical strategies for finding middle paths, such as time management techniques that balance work and rest, or communication approaches that honor both self-expression and receptive listening.

Temperance may also indicate the need for healing practices that integrate mind, body, and spirit. Recommend holistic approaches like yoga, meditation, or creative activities that help the querent experience the joy of balanced living. The card often appears when the querent would benefit from practices that cultivate presence and mindfulness rather than oscillating between past regrets and future anxieties.

In challenging situations, Temperance reminds us that even small adjustments toward greater balance can produce significant effects over time. Like the careful alchemist, we transform our lives not through dramatic gestures but through consistent, mindful blending of different elements into harmonious wholes.

Check out highly detailed Tarot de Marseille Interpretation Guide