What can tarot train us about temperance?

One card that I discovered exhausting to interpret after I first began studying tarot was temperance. It’s straightforward to scale back its which means to persistence and steadiness, however these ideas are already represented by the 7 and a pair of of pentacles.

One trick that helped me achieve a greater understanding of this elusive card was to see it in reference to the chariot. You see, temperance is card 14 within the main arcana whereas chariot is card 7. As such, temperance may be seen as an evolution of the chariot. Whereas the chariot provides us the conviction to channel our will and transfer towards our objectives, temperance teaches us when to push ourselves and how to drift.

In different phrases, the chariot is about taking management of our personal lives whereas temperance is the knowledge in understanding that there are lots of methods to achieve our objectives. The straightest path won’t all the time be your best option. And, typically, there will probably be no path open to us in any respect. To succeed on the earth, we should know what we wish and mix that with timing and adaptableness.

I’m not a spiritual particular person, however I feel the bible describes this lesson fairly fantastically:

For all the things there’s a season, a time for each exercise underneath heaven … a time to hunt and a time to lose … a time to maintain, and a time to forged away … a time to like, and a time to hate …

There isn’t any plan of action that’s proper for each event. What is correct isn’t absolute. As a substitute, it’s dependent upon the actual state of affairs we discover ourselves in. To make issues much more sophisticated, typically what’s finest for us received’t essentially be what’s good for the collective. Throughout these instances, we should select.

The next is a studying to see how we will incorporate the knowledge of temperance into our lives. I see every of those 3 playing cards as a side of temperance.

Card: 7 of swords

This card is usually seen as a destructive card because it speaks of deceitful concealment. For this studying, nevertheless, I’d like to supply a unique interpretation.

Nowadays, with the appearance of applied sciences that give on a regular basis folks an actual voice, folks from all walks of life are emboldened to talk their minds. Whereas that is great progress, freedom of speech should be tempered with moderation and consideration. There’s a distinction between talking our minds and talking with out considering. We should be conscious that, though we’re all entitled to our personal opinions, not each single thought in our heads are proper and type.

This 7 of swords is right here to remind us that, typically, the civil and mature factor to do is to maintain our ideas to ourselves. An instance is on-line debates. Earlier than including to a dialog, we should concentrate on our personal intentions. Will we want to take part in civil engagement and enrich our minds? Or are we coming from a spot of closed-minded frustration and anger, arguing with out contemplating the validity of the opposing argument? On this case, temperance is understanding when to chorus from talking.

Card: web page of wands

This web page is making an attempt to start out a fireplace. She holds in every hand a small bundle of twigs she has gathered from the forest. Although the forest behind her is huge, with a seemingly limitless provide of tinder, she takes solely what she wants.

Right here, temperance’s lesson is that we must always know the distinction between wants, consolation and extra. Simply because we will take extra doesn’t imply that we must always. Whereas this sounds easy, it’s in all probability one of many hardest virtues to attain. How many people have thrown away meals we don’t end? Or fill our closets with garments we don’t put on?

Card: 4 of wands

This card is about pleasure and celebration. Historically, it’s depicted as two folks holding arms beneath a embellished arch. Relying on the query, this card can symbolize a celebration or perhaps a marriage ceremony.

Curiously, on this explicit deck, this card of festivities exhibits an individual celebrating alone. Once I first noticed this card, I considered how unhappy I might be if I had nobody to have a good time my birthday with. However the peaceable smile on her face modified my emotions about this scene. It occurred to me that she needs to be alone. Typically, one of the simplest ways to have a good time ourselves is to spend time with ourselves.

Temperance’s ultimate lesson is that we should be snug about being alone. We are able to’t benefit from the firm of others till we will be taught to take pleasure in our personal firm. If we’re by no means alone with our ideas, how can we ever make certain that the ideas, beliefs and preferences we maintain are really our personal? It is just once we know who we’re that we will resolve what the precise plan of action for us could be in any given state of affairs.

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