14 Temperance
A winged angel, with the sign of the sun upon his forehead and on his breast the square and triangle of the septenary. I speak of him in the masculine sense, but the figure is neither male nor female. It is held to be pouring the essences of life from chalice to chalice. It has one foot upon the earth and one upon waters, thus illustrating the nature of the essences. A direct path goes up to certain heights on the verge of the horizon, and above there is a great light, through which a crown is seen vaguely. Hereof is some part of the Secret of Eternal Life, as it is possible to man in his incarnation. All the conventional emblems are renounced herein.
So also are the conventional meanings, which refer to changes in the seasons, perpetual movement of life and even the combination of ideas. It is, moreover, untrue to say that the figure symbolizes the genius of the sun, though it is the analogy of solar light, realized in the third part of our human triplicity. It is called Temperance fantastically, because, when the rule of it obtains in our consciousness, it tempers, combines and harmonises the psychic and material natures. Under that rule we know in our rational part something of whence we came and whither we are going.
A. E. Waite, Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1911)
A quantum leap, a bridge between heaven and earth inviting the polar opposites, the creative forces of masculine and feminine, conscious and unconscious, the sun and the moon., fire and water. Connected with the function of feeling, the active, intelligent faculty of choice, a constantly changing bridge between these opposites, a careful sensing of the needs of a particular situation with the goal of harmony and relationship, balance and tolerance at the end. It is an integration of creative power inviting the others to share.
14 - Integration
The image of integration is the union mystica, the fusion of opposites. This is a time of communication between the previously experienced dualities of life. Rather than night opposing day, dark suppressing light, they work together to create a unified whole, turning endlessly one into the other, each containing in its deepest core the seed of the opposite.
The eagle and the swan are both beings of flight and majesty. The eagle is the embodiment of power and aloneness. The swan is the embodiment of space and purity, gently floating and diving upon and within the element of the emotions, entirely content and complete within her perfection and beauty. We are the union of eagle and swan: male and female, fire and water, life and death.
The card of integration is the symbol of self-creation, new life, and mystical union; otherwise known as alchemy.
Tarot of the Ages - Mario Garizio ©1988 U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
After the purging experience of Death, it is necessary to rebuild and improve on that which has been left over. Now that old habits and beliefs are gone forever, new attitudes must be acquired to fill the gaps and make you whole again. This process of reconstruction and harmonization is shown by the card called Temperance. The verb "to temper" means to modify or strengthen by adding a new component to an existing substance or mixture, and this broad defintion can be applied to many areas of your life. But all applications of Temperance share the common theme of moderation and balance, culminating in the creation of a centered and well-rounded being.
In most Tarot decks the red-on-white symbology first shown in the Magician appears on the card in some form. The temperance of desire (red) with purity (white) is one of the most fundamental manifestations of this card, as is the reverse (purity with desire). The angel on the Rider-Waite deck, who wears a white robe and has red wings, is a perfect illustration of this. Purity of heart and mind gives you a solid base to fall back upon, but only through the desire for personal growth can you ever develop. The angel's white robes give him his basic form, but only through the control of his red wings comes his ability to fly.
The act of Temperance can also refer to the coming together of two distinct beings that must function as one. Obviously this refers to relationships, but also to friendships, partnerships, and all kinds of compromises and committees. This can also take place on an internal level, when you confront your deepest desires and your most irrational fears and, instead of getting rid of them, you incorporate them into yourself and grow stronger because of the temperance. If you throw away your Shadow it cannot help you, but by accepting it you bring it under your control. Perfect harmony with oneself is one of the two lessons of this card, and the one often seen in readings.
Temperance also represents an appreciation of moderation through experience of the extremes; to use an analogy, to live through the darkest night and the brightest day to appreciate both the twilight and the dawn. Only through seeing and acknowledging both sides - the positive and the negative - can you integrate both into your personality. Another facet of the Temperance card is that you must not strive to become totally positive, even though that might seem like a good goal. Life seeks balance and if you strive to be a totally positive being you will be fighting the current all the way. Better to embrace moderation and go with the flow.
The two situations in which Temperance will most often appear are in the context of your relationships with others and with yourself. In the former case, a need for balance is often implied. Conflict can only be resolved through compromise and cooperation, and two people who both acknowledge this cannot be in conflict for long, because they always balance things out before they become problematic. Likewise, they enjoy the good times but know that they cannot last forever, and are not disappointed on darker days. If a relationship seems out of balance in any way, Temperance must be taken as a sign to start fixing things before it gets too far out of balance and it is irrevocably destroyed.
Often, though, before you can achieve harmony in your relationships with the people around you, you must make peace with yourself. Inner imbalances can often manifest in the physical world if they are not attended to, whether or not the imbalance is a negative one. Having a lifestyle that is optimistic to the point of believing yourself to be invincible will lead to problems, maybe even more so than a lifestyle of pessimism and paranoia. Balance is best achieved through turning to the Inner Voice for guidance. Temperance is a card of health, and its appearance shows that your inner power is ready to heal you and make you stronger.
Tarot of the Dream Enchantress ©2009 Lo Scarabeo