14. Temperance

Temperance can be seen as the true integration of the personality with our higher consciousness as this card straddles the physical and the higher spiritual realms. Here begins the hard work begun with the Death card, the alchemy of turning lead into gold or our gross physical self into the gold of our higher Cosmic Selves.

 Key Words: Alchemy/ Dissolution/ Mixing of polarities of the physical and the spiritual

Libby Maynard                   Temperance

My knowledge of and involvement in the tarot was minimal, no preconceptions either way. So when Kathryne DeLorme and Carolyn Ayres asked me about the idea of mounting an exhibition of original artist interpretations of the major arcana, I thought it was a great idea.

When I finally made it to a “choosing” meeting, my card had been waiting for me till the end. The card was Temperance. After Carolyn gave me the nutshell explanation of its meaning, my first thought was: “Busted.”

Although I’d had that immediate connection with the card, I was then unmoved to explore it further until November 2011, when I had a strong urge to research more about its meaning. What I learned about it helped me successfully resolve a difficult situation. I was grateful and promptly lost the urge to work on the card again.

Finally, in January, the need to research and understand came back strongly and images drifted into view. The concept that resonated strongly with me was alchemy – combining unique elements to create something new. My image is of two “mountains” merging and creating a new reality. Both mountains overlay rainbows, but the black mountain (the Void, pregnant with possibility) obscures it, while the waves of the blue mountain (the material Earth, abundant) let it show through. The new reality is born of the alchemy wroth by the universe. The background is the light of a Big Bang, full of potential and energy.

The process and outcomes have been a wonderful journey.

Learn more about Libby http://blog.artsusa.org/?author=411%22