Sagittarius, Temperance, and the Art of Finding Equilibrium

SAGITTARIUS - The Archer - November 22-December 22 Hello Sagittarius and welcome to an examination of the Temperance Card, which is a card all about you. In many decks, the Temperance Card is illustrated by a picture of an angel carefully pouring water from one urn to another. The angel usually wears a white robe and is often drawn standing with one foot in the water and one foot on dry land. The visual hint that this card belongs to Sagittarius is a subtle one. The angel is performing alchemy. She is combining two opposing forces. Sagittarius is the sign in which opposing forces combine to create a dynamic and active personality. As you can tell from the description above, it makes sense that Sagittarius and the Temperance card are closely related. Your optimism, open-mindedness, and philosophical nature are all encoded into the image on the card. Sagittarians are bold adventurers who are always ready to take on something new, whether that be a new journey or learning something new. You are driven by your joyful curiosity. So, I feel confident that you are eagerly looking forward to exploring the information below. Let’s get started!

Why This Pairing Makes Sense

Sagittarius, you are the ultimate adventurer, engaged and involved in the world and ready to go wherever life takes you. You are a lover of freedom, and hate feeling tied down to any one place. Brave and restless, you are delighted by chances to set off into the unknown. When your mobility is restricted, you feel stifled and unable to fully express yourself. The curiosity and enthusiasm that drives you is all-encompassing, fueling your interest in adventures in both the physical and spiritual world. You desire constant motion, wishing to see the world unspool before your eyes. Then you want to jump in and be a part of it all. Temperance, while being a card of calm and careful synthesis, is also a card of mental engagement and active participation in the world. Your fiery intuition guides your curiosity. You go on forays into unknown territory only to bring back new-found physical, mental, and spiritual treasures. Then you go about deciding how to blend them into your current life. You decorate your surroundings and your soul with both the familiar and the strange, striking the perfect balance. Though some may suspect you are just a thrill seeker, these drives go much deeper and are the underpinnings of your philosophy of life. The Temperance card represents the ability to create a perfect blend of opposing forces. The angel on the card can bring together old and new, hot and cold, dangerous and safe and blend each opposing pair into a miraculous combination that can do much more than its individual parts. Spurred on by wanderlust and your love of adventure, you walk through many worlds, and you find a way to feel at home in each one. Your interest in others results in a wide social circle that encompasses many different walks of life. You don’t just travel through different settings or experiences. You want to be a part of them. So, you engage with them mentally and physically to learn how to fully participate. The Temperance card illustrates the process of walking in two worlds and using them to manufacture a third, better reality.

The Temperance Card and Your Strengths

You do not shy away from a challenge, Sagittarius. In fact, you are usually so engaged with what is going on around you that you may not even recognize challenges when they happen. You can blend in and lose yourself within a setting, understanding the concerns and goals of the people who are involved. Their hopes, dreams, and fears become your own as you deeply understand and empathize with others. The Temperance card represents the social alchemy that takes place when someone understands the value and benefits that can be had from blending in and participating in what is taking place. It doesn’t take much to goad you into action. In fact, there is a part of you that is constantly seeking the stimulation of setting out on a new endeavor. There are times that you identify opportunities for action long before anyone notices them. And thanks to the joy you find in risk-taking, you don’t hesitate to get started before anyone else begins. You are not a careful planner, preferring to set things and motion and then adjust and adapt as events take place. The angel on the temperance card is calm but stands in two worlds while continuously blending them together. To achieve this miraculous accomplishment, the angel must be in a constant state of adaptation and adjustment, carefully monitoring events and even anticipating them. When you have an opinion or wish to share information with someone, you are clear and direct. You can’t stand dancing around an issue or leaving hints. Your first instinct is to address issues head-on and clearly state what you mean. While doing so, you are disarmingly honest about yourself and your own motivations. Though you can adapt to many different situations, you prefer not to take the route of diplomacy or duplicity. You’d rather state what is on your mind and move on. One of the important concepts Temperance represents is healing. During the healing process, honesty, and directness are required to get the best results. Avoiding issues or only alluding to them can result in more damage.

The Temperance Card (Reversed) and Your Weaknesses

As you travel from place to place to satisfy your wanderlust, you may have subconsciously taught yourself that a simple way to deal with an inconvenient situation is to gather your belongings and move on to the next adventure. Though there is nothing wrong with traveling and going on internal and external adventures, it shouldn’t be used to avoid your problems or to side-step disagreements. The Temperance card is a symbol of harmony and spiritual growth. Its presence reminds you that the difficulties you experience in life are an opportunity to grow spiritually. Though you are a consummate traveler, Sagittarius, you are not necessarily a great diplomat. Your spontaneity and tendency to speak very directly can leave some people feeling offended or dismissed. You often feel as though you don’t have the time to handle a situation delicately. After all, you are probably impatient to start your next adventure. It is so much easier to say what you mean and get it out of your system. However, this approach isn’t right for everyone you interact with, so it is important to pay attention to how your message is being received. Temperance is a card of self-control that acts as a reminder to be aware of your own shortcomings and work to compensate for them. As far as you are concerned, there is nothing better than a jolt of adrenaline. Thrills can come in many different forms, and you probably have your favorites. But you love the sensation of taking a risk and having it pay off, whether that is climbing a tricky rock face, gambling it all at a casino table, or relying on your wits to get you through a dangerous situation. However, it is important that you make sure your risk-taking doesn’t devolve into recklessness. Temperance is a card of integration that encourages you to learn how to use your bravery and ability to take risks for your benefit and the benefit of others, not just for the thrill of it. It is also a card of balance which encourages you to contemplate your risky behaviors and determine if they are worth it.

The Temperance Card and Problem Solving

Improvisation is your approach to many things in life, including problem solving. Sitting down and planning out an approach doesn’t hold much appeal for you. You would much rather jump in and start trying solutions. This trial-and-error approach often pays off for you because you can easily adapt to what is required. You are used to thinking on your feet and rather enjoy it. From the outside, it may look like you have no idea what you are doing, but that’s only because observers can’t follow your internal logic as you jump from potential solution to potential solution. When friends ask for help with a problem, you are often tempted to whisk them away with you on your latest endeavor. You often feel that a change of scenery can solve many things, even if it just provides a new perspective on an existing problem. It is important that your efforts aren’t misconstrued as a simple act of escapism. There are times when you must share your experience-centered philosophy with others so that they can fully understand what you are doing and why you are doing it. Allow your natural ability to act as a spiritual guide to help people see their problems from a new perspective. Sagittarius, follow the guidance of the Temperance card when you are next confronted with a problem. Though you feel the urge to handle things quickly and jump right in, take some time to assess the opposing forces in the situation. Use your natural understanding of balance and harmony to work towards a resolution. Realize that there are times that the two sides of an argument are the same side viewed with a different perspective. Meditation can be an essential tool for brainstorming and identifying the perfect solution.

The Temperance Card and Your Work Life

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that careers centered around travel and exploration are perfect fits for you, Sagittarius. However, you are also well suited for roles that allow you to channel your enthusiasm or spiritual insight into your work. Your love of adventure could easily lead you to a job as a travel writer or tour guide. A love for adrenaline could direct you to a job as an extreme sports instructor. Your willingness to be a guide and companion for others might make a career in social work very appealing. No matter which career you find yourself working in (and as a Sagittarius you may find yourself jumping from career to career), follow the guidance of the Temperance card to ensure your success. Make integration and adaptation your top priorities. Give yourself time to explore each of your experiences and understand the lessons you can learn from them. Balance your high energy level with self-control and deliberateness.

The Temperance Card and Your Relationships

People may look at you with longing from afar, Sagittarius, simply because you are moving so fast that they feel like they can’t catch up. Your plate is always full of a variety of activities and events, and so others may perceive you as too busy or distracted to spend time with them. Though you are generous to a fault, you are sometimes not easily found, making it difficult for people to approach you. You draw people to you that have a similarly high energy level and who have a deep and abiding curiosity. If you are seeking close friends or a romantic partner, look for people who don’t cling to you too tightly. You feel most comfortable with people who have their own drives and interests. They usually catch your interest because they can share new and exciting things with you. Also, if they are busy with their own activities, you feel less tied down to them. When you do find someone that appeals to you, you employ all your skills at balance and blending in to attract them.

The Temperance Card’s Guidance

You are one of the more dynamic signs, Sagittarius, so it is important to internalize the balance and calm synthesis represented by the Temperance card. Use the method below when you need to re-center yourself and find some balance in your fast-paced life. When you have a few moments of solitude, take some deep calming breaths. When you feel ready, close your eyes and picture yourself as a part of the Temperance card. You may find yourself being an onlooker, the angel itself, or even one of the containers. However you appear in the card, focus on how your role feels. Consider what could be represented by the two different containers. Ask for inspiration about how to best balance the opposing forces in your life.