Before my recovery in the 12 step program temperance was not something I knew how to practice, no matter how I tried, I was always going to extremes. I lived with an all or nothing attitude and behaviour.
Here we meet the beautiful angel Iris in the Major Arcana card of Temperance, linked to the Zodiac sign of Sagittarius. Temperance represents the mixing of elements within ourselves and our relationships.
The card indicates good health in a holistic and balanced manner, that promotes moderation, and control in the way we live life. Living our lives in harmony and cooperation improves our relationship with ourselves and with others.
Though Justice and Temperance appear as opposites, they are also complimentary. Iris is kind, loving and merciful. Athene (Justice) is reflective, rational, and in her judgement she fights for principles, over passion, holding her instincts in control, being fair and objective. Her thought is not based on her personal feelings, but an impartial, objective assessment.
Justice and Temperance can be seen as enemies that exist within us, and how they are manifested in the way we approach life. Perhaps we allow our heart to dominate, or we are ruled always by reason and intellect, when what we need, is to find our center, a balanced heart and approach; integrating abstract truth, with the heart.
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| Kabbalah Tree of Life - Pastel, Coloured Pencil - 2010 - Catherine Meyers |
