Temperance: Tarot Card Meaning

Meaning of the Temperance card upright

An angel pours water from one cup into another, one foot on land and one in a stream. This is the card of the middle way, of blending different things into a whole. It asks for patience, a measured pace and a calm search for balance.

Temperance reversed

• imbalance
• extremes
• impatience

Reversed, Temperance shows extremes, haste or an imbalance in your life: too much work, too much emotion, too little rest. It is time to restore proportion and not to demand everything at once.

Temperance in love and relationships

In love it means harmony, gentle understanding and a relationship in which both partners adapt to one another. Healing after a hard period. Reversed, there is an imbalance of giving and taking or sharp swings of mood.

Temperance in work and finances

At work it favours teamwork, steady progress and combining different skills or tasks. Reversed, overload, rushing and conflicts from a lack of coordination.

Symbolism of the Temperance card

The water flowing between two cups is the exchange of conscious and unconscious. One foot on land and one in water joins two worlds. The path behind the angel leads toward the crown of the mountain, a long goal that requires steady steps.

Temperance in a yes or no reading

In yes or no spreads, Temperance upright reads as “yes” and reversed as “maybe”. The answer comes from the general meaning of the card (balance, moderation), so always take the wording of the question and the neighbouring cards into account. Try a yes or no reading.