Major Arcana XIV
Temperance
The Alchemist
The card
Thayer’s winged angel stands in all her glory as an image of temperance. A Mayan serpent tamed at her feet, a sword at her side, she holds a beaming galaxy in her hand as if to tease the reader. She is draped in white, signifying purity and discernment. Her head is encircled with gold as if to suggest that within it lies the wisdom of the ages.
All things are brought into alignment through the alchemical power of Temperance. She tames and prunes away that which is unnecessary to create something new.
The Temperance card indicates that you are the Alchemist. Consider the physical and spiritual experiences of your life and join them with the present for a new lease on life. Remember that everything is not black and white. You have the power to create good out of those experiences you would rather forget and let them be the foundation of something beautiful. Move ahead knowing that the wisdom you’ve gathered on your journey is valuable.
Which two truths need a vessel large enough to hold them both?
Jungian lens
The archetype in motion
Opposites are held together until a third and more inclusive form emerges. Its shadow is bland compromise that avoids necessary difference. Integration does not dilute opposites; it holds their tension until something new can emerge.