The Major Arcana and the Hero’s Journey: Temperance, Part I

One of my first tarot teachers was fond of saying, “Always remember that Temperance stands in between Death and The Devil.”

That angel may look calm and serene, but he/she is struggling to reconcile opposites. He/she is a hermaphrodite, with one foot on stable land (consious mind) and the other in a pool of water (subconscious mind). On his/her breast is a triangle (creativity) inside a square (stability). On his/her left are two (polarity) irises. Iris is the Greek goddess of the rainbow, a symbol of promise and diversity. On his/her right is a single path to mountains topped with a golden crown, a symbol of success, but only if one keeps to that single path. The previous card is Death—transformation through letting go of the material world or the perceived status quo. The next card is The Devil—faith in materialism or the perceived status quo. The central image of the card is two cups. But they aren’t just sitting there being apart, aloof, or quarrelsome; the angel is pouring the contents of one into the other, taking two different things, blending them, and coming up with a new and more useful or beautiful substance.

Like so many other major arcana cards (The Hierophant The Lovers, The Chariot, The Devil, The Moon, The Star, and Judgement) Temperance has a theme of three, two opposite or different things and a third, central thing. In Temperance’s case, the two opposites, (thesis and antithesis) are combined in the central image of one cup pouring into the other (synthesis).

But this process is not anywhere near as simple as the card makes it look. Yin and yang don’t mix easily. When hot air mixes with cold air hurricanes and tornadoes happen and every tragic and tempestuous love story is about the mixing of male and female. But through trial and error, hard work, and the all-important miracle, things can work out. Rain falls and nourishes crops, the sun shines, and yes, there are even happy families. In his Thoth deck, Aleister Crowley calls this card Art, not Temperance, because the above process is very similar to the creative act. There is the magical moment of inspiration, but the rest, as they say, is perspiration. Others have suggested that the arduous discipline of Alchemy, which links practical chemistry to spiritual/magical transformation, might also be a good name for this card.

If I were to choose one card to represent the Occupy movement, it would be Temperance. The movement’s goal is seemingly impossible: to unite the Democratic and Republican people into a force that will transform the present government policy into a new and improved policy that will insure the rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness for everyone, not just the wealthy. Not only will this require blood, sweat, and tears, but also a miracle or two. And one of those miracles will be Love.

To be continued…