Temperance Tarot Card Meaning

Temperance began as a simple moral allegory and evolved into the card of high alchemy. In the Visconti-Sforza decks, the image was straightforward: a woman pouring water into a jug of wine. This represented the virtue of *Temperantia*—moderation and self-restraint. It was a warning against excess, part of the standard medieval set of virtues alongside Justice and Fortitude. In the Tarot de Marseille, the figure gained wings, becoming an angel. This shifted the meaning from moral behavior to spiritual flow. The angel pours liquid diagonally between two vessels, often defying gravity, suggesting a magical or energetic process rather than a physical one. The mixing of fluids (often colored red and blue) hinted at the union of spirit and matter, or fire and water. Arthur Edward Waite elevated this symbolism significantly in the RWS deck. He explicitly identified the figure as an Archangel (likely Michael, due to the solar imagery). The angel stands with one foot on the earth (material reality) and one in the water (subconscious/emotion), bridging the two worlds. On his chest is a square containing a triangle, the symbol of spirit contained within matter (or the Septenary). Behind him, a path leads to two mountains and a rising sun shaped like a crown (Kether). Waite saw Temperance not just as moderation, but as 'modification'—the alchemical process of tempering the soul to hold higher vibrations. Crowley’s Thoth card, titled *Art*, takes this alchemical theme to its conclusion. It is the direct counterpart to *The Lovers*. Where The Lovers represented the initial attraction and marriage of opposites, Art represents the consummation and synthesis. The two figures from The Lovers are now fused into one androgynous being. A white lion and red eagle have exchanged colors. They pour fire and water into a golden cauldron, creating a new substance. For Crowley, this was the card of 'The Great Work'—the artistic creation of the self through the perfect blending of contradictory forces.