Major Arcana · XIV

Temperance

An angel pours water from one cup into another, one foot on land and one in the water: Temperance, a card of moderation and balance.

Upright

Yes / No: Yes

Temperance stands for moderation, careful management and a willingness to adapt and meet others halfway. Waite links it to the tempering and blending of the inner and material sides of life. A measured, unhurried approach may be what brings the different parts of a situation into balance.

moderation
economy
careful management
accommodation
harmonizing

Reversed

Yes / No: No

Reversed, Temperance suggests disunion, poorly matched combinations and interests pulling against each other. Waite also connects this position with churches, religious communities and clergy. Notice where the things you have tried to blend are not mixing well, and which competing demands most need your attention.

disunion
ill-matched combinations
competing interests
religious institutions

Love & relationships

Upright, Temperance speaks of patience, balance and gentle compromise in a connection, two people adjusting to each other and meeting halfway. The bond may grow steadily rather than dramatically. Different needs and rhythms can be blended with care, so that neither person loses themselves in the mix.

Reversed, Temperance can suggest disunion or a sense of being mismatched, with priorities, schedules or values pulling against each other. Efforts to blend two lives may not be working right now. Which competing demands need attention first, and do differences in belief or community deserve a respectful conversation?

The image

A winged angel, neither male nor female in Waite's description, pours the essence of life from one cup into the other. A solar sign marks the forehead, and a triangle within a square sits on the breast. One foot rests on land and the other in water. A straight path climbs toward distant heights, where a crown can be faintly seen within a great light.

Symbolism

Waite sets aside the older emblems and meanings of this card. It is called Temperance, he explains, because when its rule takes hold in consciousness, it tempers and unites our material and psychic natures. With one foot on earth and one in water, the figure shows the twofold nature of what is being poured, and the scene hints at a secret of lasting life available to us in bodily form.

In a reading

Upright, Temperance suggests slowing down, adjusting the mix and finding a middle path between competing pulls. Reversed, it highlights combinations that are not working and interests that clash, and it may touch on questions of belief and community that deserve careful, respectful thought.

The yes / no answer is our editorial reading of the card’s overall tone, not a prediction.

For self-reflection and personal insight. Not a prediction and not a substitute for professional medical, legal, financial or mental-health advice.

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