Temperance Tarot Card Meaning
Temperance pours water between two cups without spilling a drop. It is the art of the middle way — balance, patience and the slow healing that comes from blending opposites rather than choosing extremes.
- Number:XIV
- Keywords:balance, moderation, patience, healing
- Reversed:excess, impatience, imbalance
- Astrology:Sagittarius
- Yes or no:Yes, gradually
What the card shows
A winged angel stands with one foot in a pool and one on the shore, pouring water from one cup into another. A triangle within a square marks the robe; irises grow at the edge of the water. A path winds toward mountains where a crown of light rises.
The flow between the cups is continuous. Balance here is not stillness but steady exchange.
Upright meaning
Upright, Temperance brings harmony and moderation. It favours patience, compromise, healthy routines and recovery. Opposing forces — work and rest, head and heart, two people’s needs — can be blended into something better than either.
The pace is slow, but the result is lasting.
Reversed meaning
Reversed, Temperance shows imbalance: overwork, overindulgence, impatience or conflict between incompatible demands. Something is being poured in too fast or too much.
Return to the basics — sleep, food, rest — and reduce one excess at a time.
In love and relationships
In love Temperance describes a balanced, supportive relationship where both people adapt. It favours healing after conflict and patient growth.
For singles, it suggests a calm, compatible connection rather than drama.
In work and money
At work, Temperance favours collaboration, mediation, healthcare and steady progress. Avoid burnout by pacing yourself.
With money, it advises moderation and a balanced budget.
As advice
Find the middle way. Mix what seems opposite, and let time do part of the work.
In Marseille and Thoth
In the Tarot de Marseille Tempérance is a winged figure pouring liquid between two vases, often read as the blending of the soul. In the Thoth deck the card becomes Art (XIV), an alchemical figure mixing fire and water — the creative union of opposites.
Questions to reflect on
- Where in my life am I living in an extreme?
- What two needs could I blend instead of choosing between?
- What would a sustainable pace look like?
Frequently asked questions
What does Temperance mean in love?
Balance, patience and harmony. It often points to a relationship that heals and grows through compromise.
Is Temperance a yes or no card?
Generally yes, but the outcome may come gradually rather than immediately.