The Tarot of Eli 2, LLC: Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot- Key 14-Temperance & Jungian Tarot-Temperance

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The Key 14-Temperance card is named the Intelligence of probation or trial, by Dr. Paul Foster Case, founder of the Builders of The Adytum (B.O.T.A.). He is referring to the testing through which every aspirant must pass before they can reach the heights of Initiation (the mountains behind the Jungian Image). The object is to determine one's temper and/or strength, much like the act of tempering metal and thereby, creating the right combination of flexibility and strength. There is a distinct quality of equilibration, as the initiate must be perfectly balanced with reference to all their vehicles. Here, the middle path between 2 extreme courses of action must be chosen.

The Angel in the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot illustrates a blue sky, free of clouds and a halo of wisdom around the head. However, the Jungian Feminine image has ten lit candles above her head, which represents the ten Sephirotic Beings of the Qabalistic Tree of Life. The Temperance image is usually an androgynous figure of an Angel. However, Robert Wang, chose a young female image to suggest the importance of absolute innocence (lack of prejudice), in the active and ongoing process indicated here.

The Jungian Temperance card, illustrates ritual on a natural stone altar, as water is poured into fire, and fire is immersed in water, implying that one opposite is tempered or mediated by the other. This principle is far reaching and practical, since within the context of any given experience we learn to consciously bring opposites into play.  

At the most mundane level, this card implies "counting to ten" when anger flares, helping us avoid doing anything rash. Or it can mean counting our blessings when life seems to be going wrong. At a more subtle level, this is an invocation of another point of view. This inner self debate, helps us to realize and neutralize the emotional or intellectual significance of a situation and to see as an observer. This card points out the realization that there are dualities in everything, and that we function in pendulum swings from happy to sad, from love to hate, and from thoughtful to emotional.

The 3rd level of this card, is much more refined as it refers to the wave interaction of those positive and negative sexual energies consciously through Tantric Yoga, or certain little understood Jewish or Christian meditational practices.; a process symbolized in the past by using alchemical and other symbolic terms. 

The White Robes of both Angel and the female, denotes purity. At the neck of the Jungian Female figure, is shown the Hebrew letters of Tetragramaton (triangle with a circle and dot) while the Rider-Waite- Smith Angel displays white square with a red triangle in its center. Since there is no mathematical formula for this, it must be drawn by trial and error. This also is an example of the underlying meaning of Tempering. On the Rider-Waite-Smith Angel, the white square is the "symbol for the 4 square world of mankind" and the red triangle is the symbol for the universal element of fire. The Jungian Temperance lady, stands behind a granit altar, whose front displays a Mandala designed for meditation on this card. In modern science, there are measured brain activity that shows the beneficial effects of the "mind control" of meditational practices on the body.

On the Rider-Waite-Smith card, the Angel (Michael on the Waite card) rests one foot on water, signifying the cosmic mind stuff and the other foot is on land, signifying the "solid" world of physical manifestation. The Rider-Waite-Smith Angel pours water from the cup in its left hand to the right. The cups are gold, because they represent the golden radiant light that all living creation comes from. The upper cup represents the self-consciousness, corresponding to the man in Key 6-The Lovers. The lower cup, represents the Woman and Subconsciousness. The stream of mind stuff, flows/vibrates between them.

On both cards, the Angel or young Feminine is the I AM and/or the Greater Ego of the Soul-Tiphareth the 6th Sephiroth on the Tree of Life.Therefore, the Angel is shown adapting and modifying the personal stream of psychic energy in the actions and reactions of the self-conscious and subconscious aspects of human personality. The belief here is that the Holy Guardian Angel, makes all the tests and trials, which lead us along the path of attainment. Personalities must be tempered to handle the fiery force of the Inner Sun/Son of God. The only correction necessary is the intellectual correction of both thought and emotion. Therefore, the wise man acts as if all tests, and tempering of intellectual corrections are his alone. Even though he knows better.

The twin mountain peaks represent Chokam-Wisdom and Binah-Understanding, and the crown above them represents the Primal Will of Kether (Eheieh-I Will Be).

The Qabalistic Tarot sports a Hebrew letter- Samekh, which is shown on the bottom-your right, of the B.O.T.A. Temperance Card, and Thoth -ATU 14-Art Card, means Prop or Tent Peg. Since it is what makes a tent secure, it suggests what would be a foundation for a house. Hence, it is the symbol for that which is the support for our house of life. It is that which sustains, presevers, and maintains our personal existence. You can find these cards in my other blogs.

When the Key 14-Temperance card is thrown in a divination. It implies:

• Dissolve and bind.
• Reunification of that which is dissolved (0=2, 2=1)
• The philosopher's stone is the goal.
• The search for the innermost core of being.
• The proper measure.
• Proportionality and harmony.
• Anima and Animus, blending into One.

If reversed:

• Excess (conflicts and dissipation).
• Tendency towards extremes.

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