The angelic side of Temperance is about looking after each other, getting the ego out of the way and not looking for instant gratification in the material world.
The more human side of Temperance is the struggle within each and every one of us to constantly balance emotions.
I call her the *fake it till you make it* card, for in truth if we are working at keeping the emotions in balance then they are not in balance at all. She represents our ability to say *I’m ok* when we feel more like crying and ripping our hair out in a fit of anguish and despair.
Events come along and trigger dramatic emotional reactions and we lose our sense of *I AM* which The Emperor represents. We use phrases such as *thrown off balance*, feeling *out of balance* and *needing rebalancing* to try and describe this sensation of feeling lost and emotionally knocked sideways."
In readings Temperance describes the client putting on a brave face and presenting an ego mask of being *ok* even when they do not feel ok. Just think of how many times you’ve walked into work first thing in the morning feeling upset, or maybe a little unwell, and yet still managed to smile at your colleagues and get on with your daily duties. This is the power of Temperance, to set aside ones emotional burden so that one can continue life. There is a time for one's own sorrow and a time to maintain a pretence so that one may deal with issues appropriately. These are the two urns which Temperance pours the water between.
These are the same two urns which the woman in the Star card empties out. I take it to be the same woman, the same feminine side of our nature, which experiences an unburdening and freeing of the emotional ties which bind us to a repeat emotional cycle of having certain events trigger a negative response within us.
When Temperance is seen during a reading the questioner is never truly depressed, but more aware of what has upset them and how they might deal with it. For some people Temperance is their type. They go through their entire lives agreeing with others in order to keep the peace and always say that they are fine when in fact they do not feel *fine* at all.
When Temperance is seen reversed then it means that the cracks are starting to show and that the individual is no longer able to maintain such a good pretence. It’s that moment in the street when you bump into a friend and when they ask *How are you?*, you respond with *I’m fine thanks*, and they come a little closer and say quietly, “Are you? Honestly? You don’t look too bright today.* Our cover is broken, the truth is out, the mask is pulled away. In many respects it’s the first sign of a healing taking place, because only once others can see our vulnerability are we able to cry for help.
All the while Temperance is upright we are viewed by others as capable and strong, not wishing to be interfered with. Only once the water starts to spill, a small tear is seen creeping into the corner of our eye can we gain support.
For many Temperance is a temporary state, a way of coping during a hard time. Once the path is easier then one can drop the cups and let the waters flow and true emotions abound once again.
