General
Upright General Meaning
Temperance blends opposites into a sustainable whole. Healing comes through pacing, adjustment, and the patient integration of lessons that once seemed incompatible.
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Major Arcana
Temperance
XIV
Temperance is card XIV of the 22-card Major Arcana and card 15 in this complete 78-card Rider–Waite–Smith library.
- Arcana
- Major Arcana
- Card number
- XIV
- Deck position
- 15 of 78
- Original artwork
- Pamela Colman Smith · 1909
Card meanings
How to Read Temperance
Read the card's orientation together with the question, spread position, and surrounding cards. A reversal can describe blocked, internalized, delayed, or excessive energy—not simply the opposite of the upright card.
Upright
Temperance Upright Meaning
- balance
- healing
- moderation
- integration
Love & Relationships
Upright Love Meaning
A relationship benefits from compromise, emotional steadiness, and gradual healing. Different temperaments can complement each other when neither person demands instant perfection.
Career & Purpose
Upright Career Meaning
Collaboration and careful resource management bring progress. Combine skills, test before scaling, and choose the consistent path over a dramatic but unstable leap.
Reversed
Temperance Reversed Meaning
- excess
- imbalance
- friction
- poor integration
General
Reversed General Meaning
Reversed, Temperance shows extremes pulling the situation out of harmony. Something needs recalibration before growth can be sustained.
Love & Relationships
Reversed Love Meaning
Emotional extremes, incompatible pacing, or unresolved differences are creating tension. Reduce reactivity and look for a realistic middle ground rather than temporary peace.
Career & Purpose
Reversed Career Meaning
Workload, spending, or team dynamics have become disproportionate. Simplify the process, correct the imbalance, and avoid expansion until the foundation is steadier.
Esoteric correspondences
The language behind the image.
Astrology, elements, numbers, and recurring symbols add another interpretive layer. Correspondence systems vary by tradition; Cosmic Oceans uses a consistent Rider–Waite–Smith and Golden Dawn–derived framework.
Astrology
Sagittarius
Element
Fire
Numerology
14 / 5 · integration and change
Symbols
- two cups
- one foot on land and water
- path to light
Read with this card
Let Temperance enter a complete spread.
Place in the deck
Major Arcana
The Major Arcana contains twenty-two numbered cards, beginning with The Fool and completing with The World.
Archive edition
Rider–Waite–Smith
This page displays a self-hosted scan of the original public-domain deck rather than a later recolored or redesigned edition.