Temperance, Path 25 on the Tree of Life

Temperance walks Path 25, called the Path of Samech, on the Tree of Life which connects the Sefirot of Tiferet (Beauty, Glory and Harmony) with the Sefirot of Yesod (Foundation) both of which are on the Middle Pilar of Balance.

Temperance's path describes the essence of support such as that of a pillar and represents the pathway of upliftment.  This is the power which supports all of the processes that led to something more solid beginning form within the waters of potentiality so that it can have the strength and support to stay manifested. Samech teaches us circular thinking both to act for the good of the whole, not solely for the self, and simultaneously that in order to know spirit we must know ourselves. The Temperance card’s journey through the Tree of Life represents the connection between beauty and foundation and the process of finding balance and harmony in all aspects of our lives. This path teaches us to approach all situations with moderation and trust in the natural order of the universe.

Benefits: Rebirth, self-sufficiency, astral projection, higher forms of psychism, understanding, devotion.

Samech describes the essence of support such as that of a pillar and represents the pathway of upliftment.  In a sense the idea here is the support of the soul uses to uphold its earthly vessel and vice versa.  It is power. such as power unused as with Zayin previously. however this time the power has a function and this function is standing still with great strength.  The function is the key.  This is the power which supports all of the processes that led to something more solid beginning form within the waters of potentiality so that it can have the strength and support to stay manifested.  Samech teaches us circular thinking both to act for the good of the whole, not solely for the self, and simultaneously that in order to know spirit we must know ourselves.

In her book Kabbala Pathworking, Sandy Anastasi suggests some of the areas Path 25 can helps us work on include: Balancing your emotions and centering yourself; Energizing yourself; Maintaining a positive attitude; Belief in yourself; Recognizing and overcoming temptation; Overcoming spiritual egotism; Learning to carry your 'home' within yourself; Developing self-responsibility. "You are on your own, and must make your own choices."

Andy Matzner, in his book Tarot for Transformation, Using the Major Arcana to Discover Your Best Self and Create a Life Worth Living says of Temperance:

Know Thyself

Nothing in excess

Surety brings ruin

He says: The names of each of the major arcana cards were chosen with careful deliberation. The definition of the word Temperance revolves around moderation - whether in thought, feeling or action. Controlling your own behavior. Restraint. The avoidance of extremes.

He also says that another important focus for Temperance is that of stress reduction saying: It's necessary to become an expert in managing your stress. Otherwise, there are physical, emotional, and mental consequences that will destroy your quality of life.

There is more to life than increasing its speed. Mahatma Gandhi

In his book The Soul's Journey, Finding Spiritual Messages in the Tarot, James Ricklef says of Temperance: The title of this card has several linguistic implications that shed light on its meaning. First there is the verb 'to temper" (as in tempered steel or tempered glass), which can mean making something stronger through a stressing agency. Thus, this card says that our troubles can make us stronger. This verb also means to moderate or mitigate something, often by blending in another agent to bring it into better balance. for example, we might temper justice with mercy. Finally, the word 'temperance', has been used a lot with regards to the consumption of alcohol. However, contrary to popular opinion, temperance means moderation, not total self-denial.

Our real blessings often appear to us in the shapes of pains, losses and disappointments; but let us have patience, and we soon shall see them in their proper figures. Joseph Addison.

One of the ways he suggests one might wish to use his book is to do a daily draw and review the basic messages and then consider one of the messages for the card as a lesson or insight to keep in mind throughout the day. In the case of Temperance, the messages to choose from are: Lessons of our wounds; Turn poison into medicine; Moderation and our spiritual center; The Serenity prayer.

While both Andy Matzner and Sandy Anastasi focus only on the Major Arcana, James Ricklef also has information on the Minor Arcana. Since I chose a card for each of the Sephirot I thought I'd share some of his information on these too.

Eight of Cups: This card is often seen as an indication of leaving something behind or finding a new direction in life. Similarly, its common image of someone hiking up a mountain suggests embarking on a spiritual quest and a search for enlightenment.

His messages to consider with the Eight of Cups are: Leave behind emotional distress; Leave behind emotional attachments; Many paths up the mountain; Spirituality and bliss.

King of Pentacles: This King is adept and enterprising. Having the easy generosity that comes from wealth (or at least financial security), he typically becomes a benefactor or philanthropist.

His messages to consider with the King of Pentacles are: The flow of wealth; A spiritually successful businessman; A material "what" and a spiritual "how".

Where will your journey take you?