Temperance XIV in the 5-Card Spread with the Rider Waite Tarot

Temperance as second card : Challenge / Obstacle
in the Rider Waite Smith 5-Card spread

Placed in the position of opposites, Temperance indicates imbalance, inner or relational disharmony, or an inability to adjust energies.

The consultant may have difficulty dealing with opposites, reconciling two aspects of their life, or maintaining emotional stability.

This card can also indicate a lack of fluid communication: blocked speech, misunderstandings, refusal to listen to others or oneself.

In some cases, it refers to a controlling or rigid attitude that prevents things from flowing naturally.

Conversely, it can also be an excess of flexibility that turns into indecision: wanting so much to avoid conflict or please everyone that one loses one’s own centre.

Temperance in opposition also refers to poorly respected rhythms: impatience, the need to rush a change that still requires time. This may be a refusal to wait, to trust the process, or, conversely, inertia that prevents any progress.

This blocking card invites us to re-evaluate how we balance our energies: is there too much or too little dialogue, fluidity, kindness? The solution will not come from direct opposition, but from a process of profound adjustment, where each party will have its rightful place.

Temperance as third card : Advice
in the Rider Waite Smith 5-Card spread

As advice, Temperance invites you to moderate, harmonise and balance.

It advises you not to force anything, to be patient and open-minded. In the situation you are going through, the wisest attitude is to seek balance, the middle way, the link between polarities. This card recommends acting gently, communicating calmly and favouring dialogue over confrontation. It invites you to listen to your inner rhythm, respect that of others and adjust without rushing.

Temperance can also encourage you to practise a form of self-care or purification, whether through the body (diet, sleep, breathing), emotions or the mind.

It is also advice to merge two elements that seem contradictory: the old and the new, willpower and letting go, the heart and the mind. The card tells you that you are in the process of creating a new balance, but that this will happen gradually, through small gestures, calm choices and appropriate responses. It is time to trust what is slowly taking shape, rather than seeking immediate or radical solutions. Peace comes from within — cultivate it.

Temperance as fourth card : Outcome
in the Rider Waite Smith 5-Card spread

In the outcome position, Temperance heralds peaceful resolution, gentle and harmonious change, and successful rebalancing. This card shows that the situation will be resolved harmoniously, even if it takes a little time. Tensions will ease, dialogue will be possible, and elements that seemed irreconcilable will eventually come together.

The result is not spectacular, but it is deeply stabilising. It may be a reconciliation, an agreement reached, or healing that takes place on all levels.

It can also represent the integration of a learning experience, an inner evolution that leads to greater peace and clarity. This card is excellent for anything related to relationships: it shows that kindness and listening will lead to a favourable outcome.

In your personal life, it can herald better management of your emotions and a greater ability to experience things with balance. If the person seeking advice was expecting a change, it is likely to happen smoothly, without disruption or upheaval.

Temperance guarantees that things will move in the right direction, provided that you respect the pace and don’t try to rush things. The result is peaceful, harmonious and lasting.