Temperance

A winged angel stands, one foot in water, the other on land.  This symbolizes the conscious and unconscious parts of ourselves, and the need to include both.  The angel is pouring water from one cup to another, in a way that is miraculous.  On its breast is a square in which appears a triangle.  The triangle represents Spirit; the square, Earth.  There is a hint of Hebrew lettering above the square, spelling out the Name of God – the Tetragrammaton. On its head it wears a disk with a dot in its center – a symbol of the Sun.

There are some irises nearby.  Irises can stand for messages from God or inner guides; Iris was the goddess of the rainbow, which can symbolize abundance or wishes fulfilled.  A winding road leads to a pass between mountains.  We can see a sunrise, its shape resembling a crown.

The Temperance card can stand for exactly what its name suggests – moderation, balance.  It might also represent self-discipline, taking a middle course, not going to extremes.

Reversed it can hint at imbalance, disharmony, self-indulgence; also, healing of oneself.

The angels gown contains the Name of God, Y-H-V-H.  This hints that the angel might be Michael – whose name means, “Who is like God?” (it’s a question).

Keywords: Balance. Calmness.