DESCRIPTION

We see an angelic presence, a being in a white robe with red wings, who stands with one foot in a pool of water and the other foot on solid ground. He’s carefully mixing liquid essences between two golden chalices and their union create the elixir of life. The figure of Temperance is constantly channeling information between what we are aware of and how we reflect and filter it into our identities. Temperance is the messenger between what is perceived and how it is perceived. It is the great filter. The figure is Archangel Michael, who is associated with fire in Golden Dawn rites, and he represents the Holy Guardian Angel of the Great Work. His name literally means the likeness of God or that which is like God, meaning that he shows us the light of our own divinity within.

The Tetragrammaton is below the neckline on the angel’s robe, and just above the triangle within a square, which is referred to as a “septenary.” This four plus three form symbolizes matter combined with the divine. The upright triangle on his chest and the red wings represents the element of fire. The angel’s forehead displays the glyph of the Sun, symbolizing Tiphareth, while the waters of the Moon lie at the angel’s feet, representing Yesod. The cups are solar gold, while the stream flowing between them is lunar blue. Michael is a fire that enlivens, purifies, and transforms our soul. He dispels ignorance, distortion, and immaturity. This pool of water that he has one of his feet in, comes from the stream of consciousness that originated in the High Priestess card. Michael’s right foot is standing in these waters of life, while his left foot is on land, which is a symbol of stability and concrete manifestation. Irises, which means rainbows in Greek, adorn the banks. The Earth plane is the outer world of expression and experience, while the waters are the inner planes of consciousness. It suggests that a spiritual foundation or practice really supports our daily physical life and having a strong physical foundation supports our spiritual growth.

The path rises over the rolling hills, which hints at the principle of vibration. In the distance on the left, the rising sun resembles a shining crown, alluding to Kether at the top of the Tree of Life, with the Middle Path leading to it. Temperance wants us to align with the energies of beauty, harmony, and moderation. Temperance is showing us not to forsake our physical foundation in pursuit of spiritual awareness. The angel’s posture, with one foot on land and the other in water, exudes a sense of serenity or concentration, while the off-center positioning of the angel on the card symbolizes that maintaining balance requires attention. Only through reaching an equilibrium can we discover our true purpose in life and really fulfill our potential.

Those who embody the Temperance archetype have a natural ability to work with the principles of alchemy in life. They’re constantly learning how two or more is always better than one so long as they can establish the right synergy among the parts, whether the parts are people or ideas. Leonardo DaVinci, the original renaissance man who blended art and science, is a quintessential example of Temperance. He was a painter, sculptor, engineer, inventor and scientist. Temperance often expresses itself through artist who are practitioners of what we might call creative alchemy. They might also be a maverick or well-connected networker who has mastered the art of relationship alchemy.