Major Arcana, number 14
Temperance meaning and how to read it
- upright
- harmony, moderation, compromise, healing
- reversed
- imbalance, excess, friction
Temperance shows an angel pouring water from one cup into another. It is the card of blending different things until the mix is just right.
Updated September 23, 2026
Temperance upright meaning
Upright, mind and body, you and others, are in balance. Avoiding extremes and adjusting little by little lets things settle calmly.
It also appears when meeting someone with different views halfway, or when getting your health back on track. Small daily steps do more than sudden change.
Temperance reversed meaning
Reversed, something is out of balance. Check whether you are overworking or bending too far for other people. Resetting your daily rhythm calms your mind too.
Temperance in love and feelings
Upright
A calm, steady relationship. Even with different values, you can adjust to each other bit by bit.
Reversed
A gap in feelings or in how often you meet is bothering you. Time to talk about whether one of you is carrying more.
In the place of their feelings
They want to let the relationship grow gently. A natural pace matters more to them than sudden change.
Temperance for career and money
Upright
You shine as the person who coordinates the team. You can balance several jobs at once.
Reversed
The workload is uneven or departments are out of sync. Rebalance before you run yourself down.
Temperance as a future card
As a future card, life and relationships settle into a calm order. It points to gradual recovery and stability more than big change.
Temperance in a yes or no reading
uprightYesreversedDepends
Upright, yes: go ahead within reasonable limits. Reversed, depends: restore the balance first, then decide.
Temperance as a birth card
Temperance is your personality card if the digits reduce to 14. Born on December 22, 2005: 12 + 22 + 2005 = 2039, and 2 + 0 + 3 + 9 = 14. Then 1 + 4 = 5, so the soul card is the Hierophant.