Temperance

Temperance is regarded as the fourteenth card in the Major Arcana of Tarot Cards, which comprises of twenty-two cards in total.

The Story behind Temperance

The Fool starts to feel like he no longer has to carry the burden of loss. His previous encounters get him thinking about the opportunity cost of everything – if he chooses one path, does he have to completely sacrifice the other? He then meets a man who has wings. He has one foot in some water and one on a rock.

The winged man has two containers, and is mixing fire and water together! The Fool is bewildered. The man explains that, if you have the right containers and the correct measurements, you can mix two very different things together. He also tells The Fool that the only thing holding him back are his thoughts and disbelief, and that almost anything can be mixed together if he believes it.

Meaning of The Temperance Tarot Card

The basic idea behind The Temperance Tarot Card is that it’s about two things coming together and working in harmony rather than against each other. The most obvious example of opposites coming together is a man and woman entering into a relationship. However, the meaning of this card stems much further than relationships. One must embrace and accept their fears rather than trying to ignore them and hoping they’ll go away.

You can’t have the good without the bad or the positives without the negatives. If it wasn’t for the negative and bad feelings in your life you couldn’t appreciate the good things. Balance is the key; being eternally positive or eternally negative won’t get you anywhere. Whenever a relationship between two people exists, they must both make effort to make it work. In short, you need both sides of the scale, one side will not suffice. Don’t underestimate the power of your spiritual self.