Gryphon Tarot: Temperance
Temperance (XIV)
One cup holds fire(red), the other water(blue), polar opposites and yet in the right proportions, she is able to combine them effectively into a brilliant violet. Ruled by the sun sign Sagittarius, Temperance is a card of moderation and balance. Like the centaur that this sign represents, Temperance reminds the querent, that with time, patience and the right amounts, even opposites can be blended effectively into a working whole. Coming right after Death, which is the end of one thing, the beginning of another, Temperance is about having a gap, or opposites, and seemingly no way to combine them. It reminds us that there is always a way, it is just a matter of finding the right combination or balance between the two, and the only reason the two won't blend, is that one isn't taking the time or effort needed to make it happen. It is a reminder that with perseverance and time, and yes moderation, that anything is possible.
Commonly shown as an angel pouring two flasks together, one holds fire, the other water and yet she is able to blend them, and is usually shown having one foot in a body of water (hence the tail in the pool, and the white wings). The zodiac sign for Sagittarius is shown in the lower left, while the constellation is illustrated in the sky to the top left.
7x10" Watercolors/gouache on Illustration board.
Image is © Kristen Buckner 2010
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