TEMPERANCE

TODAY'S CARD is Temperance. This version is from from the Mary El Tarot and is used by permission:



For comparison, here's Temperance in the Rider/ Waite/ Smith deck:



TEMPERANCE: I particularly like the Temperance card in the Mary-El Tarot above because it is one of the most unusual renderings I've seen of this card, and because Tiger is one of my power animals. I also hasten to admit that this liking is heavily influenced by Temperance being another of my "family" of cards in The Tarot -- determined by birth date, numerology, etc. Temperance is what The Hierophant -- another of my cards, as I'm a five by birth date -- is said to evolve into. I would hope that I will some day find the kind of dynamic balance that the traditional versions of this card depict.

DIFFERENT OR LESS COMMON, EVEN QUIRKY MEANINGS FOR TEMPERANCE (i.e. the below is not intended to be an exhaustive exploration of this card; a quick google will produce a wider variety of takes should you not be familiar with this card):

Balancing two demanding or opposing matters.

Temper any urge to excess right now as it could be costly; balance might be harder than ever to regain.

It's all in your hands so it's your responsibility. But don't become paralyzed by guilt or resentment, or by your awareness of the amount of effort that will be required to deal with it. You can handle it.

You may feel like you just had cold water thrown on your enthusiasm. Let this temper you, make you stronger, and lead to a deeper awareness of the true sources of your creativity.

The energies you sense gathering in yourself will need to be developed and shared soon, or they will just fade away. So prepare for a burst of activity.

You need to balance intuition and introspection with concrete action. And remember that this balance is a dynamic one. I.e., constantly shifting and rebalancing (think of a road down which you are moving that is a mobius strip).

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Resource: Glossary of Symbols Used in The Tarot, these can be quite useful in opening up a card's meaning, especially if you are feeling "stuck" with respect to it. These are based largely upon symbols in the Universal Waite (a specially colored Rider/Waite/Smith deck) and the Robin Wood Tarot, but can be generalized to a large degree with other decks.

Please see the top of the sidebar for my background with the Tarot and a recommendation to beginners.

‘til next time, keep enjoying the ride on this mobius strip of life, and exploring The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for some articles about Tarot.****

THE KING OF WANDS

TODAY'S CARD is The King of Wands. This version is from The Babylonian Tarot, published by Llewellyn :



For comparison, here's The King of Wands in The Rider/ Waite/ Smith deck:



THE KING OF WANDS: Of the four Kings in the Tarot, this one is my favorite. He can be so fatherly, in such a loving way. A sort of "hearth and home" type. When I was looking for a King of Wands to use with this post, I got quite a giggle out of what I mistakenly saw in The Babylonian Tarot's King of Wands above. See those little lamps, right and left, on the bottom? Well, I saw them as a kid's booties with toe tassels! Of course, as with all the cards this one can be about much more than fathering, or what I suggest below. Oh, and he is also one of the more charismatic characters in the deck (at least in my experience). His energy can sometimes radiate (like the Ace of Cups) and effect cards surrounding him in a positive way.

DIFFERENT OR LESS COMMON, EVEN QUIRKY MEANINGS FOR THE KING OF WANDS (i.e. the below is not intended to be an exhaustive exploration of this card; a quick google will produce a wider variety of takes should you not be familiar with this card):

Negatively aspected, you may need to be careful of taking your creative thoughts/efforts right now too seriously. They will need a lot of refining and organizing before they can be presented to others.

Do not be blinded by all the showmanship, or put off by it. There's a lot of substance beneath the flash and glitter.

If you do not share your creative projects you will implode or self-immolate (well, not literally, but I think you get the point).

Focus may seem like the last thing you can do when all seems to be burning down around you. But focus and concentration will cool the situation, both for yourself and others.

The archetypal "good father."

Trust your desire to be expressive right now. Your charisma quotient is high at present and will cover where you are not fully prepared. I.e., it's OK to "wing it" this time.

Enjoy using this energy/creative burst just for the joy of having it.

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Resource: AstroAmerica's Complete List of Tarot Decks, a "ginormous" listing with sample images for each deck.

Please see the top of the sidebar for my background with the Tarot and a recommendation to beginners.

‘til next time, keep focussing your creative efforts and enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for some articles about Tarot.****