Temperance
Temperance symbolizes balance, moderation, and the synthesis of opposing elements, represented by the rock crab connecting earth and heaven. It encourages remaining grounded, present, and patient while seeking the middle path and combining different parts of life to create something greater. Upright, it calls for self-control, measured reactions, and seeing multiple perspectives to act as a guiding voice of reason. Reversed, it warns of falling from moderation, overflow or excess, and the need to reevaluate circumstances and pursue self-healing through slowing down and restoring balance.
Keywords
Temperance
Animal
Purple Rock Crab
Fun Fact
The purple rock crab, also known by its Latin name as Leptograpsus variegatus, is a species of crab found in Australia, South America, New Zealand, and numerous islands in the Pacific Ocean. The crab lives in upper intertidal rocky zones and is often spotted running along exposed rock, hiding in cracks or under boulders. They are one of the largest shore crabs and therefore boast very powerful claws.
Keywords
Tranquility, Balance, Self-control
Reversed Keywords
Imbalance, Excess, Overflow
Meaning (Overview)
The rock crab holds its claws to the sky, connecting the earth with heaven as solidly as it navigates the waters that lie between both. Above its head sits a triangle nestled within a square, symbolic of the way humans are bound to the earth and natural law. Temperance reminds us to be moderate and to seek balance in all things. Life is full of twists and turns, and only by remaining grounded will we find the path that will lead us where we need to go.
Upright Meaning
When upright, Temperance calls on the user to remain present, to assess their reactions, and to seek the middle ground. Resist the urge to be highly opinionated or favor one extreme over the other. Work to stay patient and present. Follow a more moderate path; try to see all points of view and be a guiding voice of reason between them. This position also suggests combining elements to find better balance. Work in new mediums and try to combine different elements in your life to yield something greater than the sum of its parts. Synthesis can be the key to discovering a new workflow method, and there’s no telling just how far it’ll take you if you run with it.
Reversed Meaning
When reversed, Temperance suggests that the user has fallen off the moderate path somewhere along the line. Reel yourself in before outside elements force you to do so. Be critical of your current circumstances. Are you happy? Are you balanced in all things? If not, it may be time to make a change. This position can also suggest that the user is in need of self-healing. Moderation isn’t just to keep you walking the straight and narrow path, it can also be helpful in maintaining inner health as well. Slow down and try to find gratification in the pursuit of moderation. It may surprise you how much good it can do.
Visual Description
A large stylized crab rendered in warm oranges and yellows fills the center of the card against a deep, star-speckled black background. Behind the crab is a dark circular void framed by a ring of flowing, watery line-work and a faint geometric triangle overlaid with a small upward-pointing triangle symbol. Tiny stars and space-like speckles scatter across the field, and thin triangular outlines extend toward the card’s lower edge. The word "TEMPERANCE" appears in capital letters along the bottom of the image.
Oriens tarot
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