Balance and patience create harmony. A key lesson from the Major Arcana, this card encourages moderation and blending opposites to find peace. Everything falls into place when approached with care.

Physical Appearance

Temperance is depicted as an angelic figure, often shown with one foot in water and one on land, pouring liquid from one cup to another. This imagery represents balance, moderation, and harmony. The angel's calm and serene demeanor emphasizes the need for patience and the careful blending of opposites. The Peacemaker encourages you to seek equilibrium and find the middle path in your life.

Also Known As: The Angel, The Alchemist (Refining and Balancing), The Mediator, The Peacemaker.

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Upright Meaning

Keywords: Balance, Harmony, Moderation, Patience

Upright, Temperance symbolizes balance and moderation. It indicates that you are successfully integrating different aspects of your life and finding a harmonious way forward. This tarot card advises patience and suggests that you should approach challenges with a calm and measured mindset. It encourages you to blend various elements of your life to achieve a balanced and fulfilling existence.

• Love: Suggests a relationship marked by harmony and balance. It emphasizes the importance of compromise and understanding in maintaining a healthy connection. For singles, it encourages inner balance to attract the right partner.
• Career: Points to a balanced and harmonious work environment. It highlights effective collaboration and blending skills for professional success.
• Finance: Indicates a balanced approach to managing money. Wise decisions and careful planning will lead to long-term prosperity.

Yes or No: Upright, Temperance leans towards a "Yes," indicating a favorable outcome if you maintain balance and patience.

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Reversed Meaning

Keywords: Imbalance, Impatience, Extremes, Discord

When reversed, Temperance often points to issues of imbalance or excess. The inverted Alchemist suggests that you might be struggling with moderation and finding it hard to maintain harmony in your life. It’s a sign to address these imbalances and seek a more balanced approach.

• Love: Reflects conflicts or difficulties in finding common ground in a relationship. Focus on compromise and communication to restore harmony.
• Career: Suggests challenges with imbalance or lack of coordination at work. Address these issues to find a more integrated approach to your career.
• Finance: Points to financial imbalances or difficulties in managing resources. Review your financial habits and strive for a more disciplined approach.

Yes or No: Reversed, Temperance leans toward "No," suggesting imbalance or discord may be affecting the outcome.

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Timeframes

Temperance is associated with the time of summer or the signs of Sagittarius and Pisces. Progress toward balance and harmony often unfolds over several months, with significant developments seen during the warmer months.

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Temperance as Feelings

Temperance reflects feelings of harmony and balance. The person may feel calm and centered, focusing on patience and moderation. Their emotions are likely tied to blending different aspects of their life and finding equilibrium.

• How Someone Feels About You: They see you as a source of calm and balance in their life. They likely feel you bring harmony and patience to the relationship, helping them maintain emotional equilibrium. Temperance suggests they have a peaceful and supportive view of you.

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Who Is "Temperance" In Your Life?

Temperance represents someone who embodies balance, moderation, and harmony. This person is often a peacemaker, skilled at blending different perspectives and finding common ground. If someone in your life is known for their calm demeanor and ability to mediate conflicts, they might be represented by Temperance in your reading. However, their focus on balance might sometimes make them overly cautious or hesitant to act.

To work effectively with someone who embodies The Mediator, appreciate their calming influence and ability to find harmony. Encourage them to take action when needed, while valuing their skill in maintaining peace and balance in challenging situations.

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Worried About Drawing Temperance?

Drawing Temperance reminds you to seek balance and harmony in your life. It’s a call to approach challenges with patience and moderation, trusting that calm and measured actions will lead to positive outcomes.

“I embrace balance and harmony, blending patience and action to create a fulfilling path forward.”

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Related Cards

Temperance’s themes of balance and harmony connect it to other tarot cards that explore blending and equilibrium. These connections deepen its meaning:

• The Lovers: Highlights the importance of balance, with one card focusing on internal harmony and the other on alignment in relationships and choices.
• The Star: Blends patience with action and pairs it with hope and renewal, creating a harmony between effort and trust in the universe.
• The Hanged Man: Shows how surrender complements moderation, demonstrating the value of pausing to gain clarity and balance.
• Justice: Represents external fairness, while this card focuses on internal balance, together emphasizing the harmony of both inner and outer worlds.

Click on any card to learn more about its connections and how it complements Temperance’s message of harmony and balance.

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Frequently Asked Questions

written by Greg Swanson

updated: 2/14/2025