Temperance
Mix opposites a little at a time to find just the right balance, and things settle naturally.
- Card
- Major Arcana · XIV
- Upright keywords
- Harmony, Moderation, Blending, Healing
- Reversed keywords
- Disharmony, Excess, Being out of step, Impatience
- Yes or no
- Leans yes
Traditional correspondences Hebrew letter: Samekh (ס, prop) / Astrology: Sagittarius / Tree of Life: 25th path (Tiphareth to Yesod) / Element: Fire
Upright meaning
A gentle balance and harmony help things grow peacefully.
An angel stands with one foot on land and one in water, pouring liquid between two cups so smoothly that it seems to flow sideways. Temperance is the art of the middle way: blending, adjusting, finding the right measure. Upright, it brings healing after hard times, cooperation between people with different strengths, and steady progress through patience. Don’t go to extremes; mix a little of this with a little of that, and keep going. The result will be something new and whole.
Reversed meaning
Excess or imbalance has thrown you off. Find your pace again.
Reversed, the balance is lost. You may be overdoing things, whether work, food, spending or emotions, or swinging between extremes. Relationships may feel out of sync, and impatience can make you force results. Step back and ask where you need to add a little and where you need to take away. Healing returns when you find your own pace.
For ways of reading reversed cards, see how to read reversals.
Love
A calm, balanced relationship that grows steadily. Compromise comes easily.
Arguments, mismatched expectations or rushing things. Slow down and meet in the middle.
Work
Good teamwork and blending different skills. Steady, patient progress.
Conflicts in a team or taking on too much. Rebalance your workload.
Money
Moderate, sensible spending and saving. Balance brings security.
Overspending or wild swings. Get back to a steady routine.
Relationships
You bring people together and calm conflicts.
Being caught between people, or losing your temper. Find the middle ground.
Health
Recovery and balance. Moderation in all things helps.
Excess or an unbalanced routine. Small adjustments will make a big difference.
Tarot does not diagnose physical conditions. If you have symptoms that worry you, please see a doctor.
Mind and spirit
Inner harmony and patience. Healing old wounds.
Restlessness. Come back to the present moment.
As a person
A calm mediator, a healer or a patient, balanced person.
Someone who goes to extremes, or who can’t settle.
Timing
Not right away: things take shape little by little, and you’ll feel the results after weeks to months of steady effort.
Advice
Find the middle way and keep a steady pace.
Cut back where you’re overdoing it.
Questions to ask yourself
- Where in my life am I going to extremes?
- What two things could I blend to create something better?
- What pace feels right for me?
A common misreading
Temperance doesn’t mean being dull or never enjoying yourself. It is active balancing, like an alchemist mixing ingredients to create something new. Nor is it only about abstaining from alcohol, though moderation in habits is part of it.
The story of this card
After the transformation of Death, the traveller meets Temperance. Fourteen is a number of reconciliation, twice seven. Here the pieces of the self that were broken apart are carefully blended together again. The traveller learns patience and healing, preparing to face their shadow in the Devil.
The Waite deck’s picture and symbols
In the Waite deck a winged angel in white, with a triangle in a square on the chest, pours water between a silver and a gold cup. One foot rests on land and the other in a pool. Irises grow beside the water, and a path leads to distant mountains where a crown shines in the light.
History and differences between traditions
Temperance is one of the cardinal virtues and appears in early decks as a woman pouring water into wine, a picture of moderation. Later occultists saw alchemy in the image: the mixing of opposites into gold. Crowley renamed it “Art” in his Thoth deck.
Words for today
I find balance one small step at a time.
I can slow down and choose the middle way.