Temperance is a symbol and time of balance. Not the balance of Justice, but the balance and flow of energy. During a time of chaotic instability in the world around us, it reminds me of the Police classic, “When the world is running down, you make the best of what’s still around.” Let’s face it, barring the end of our lives, we survive gloom or tragedy, happiness or bliss by going through it.
Temperance (1865)
If the goal of living our best lives is to find our own sense of harmony and balance both within and without, then our determination to keep going rather than giving in to either side of the continuum between bliss and despair.
Beltane, a time of fertility, fire, feasting, and good fortune reminds us of the bounty expected with summer’s radiance and warmth. The element of fire is transformative, protective, and an energetic reminder of the season.
The dregs of our most recent winter left a lot of scars on the collected human psyche including fears, insecurity, and uncertainty. These might show up in how we see the world now, in blossom filled May in the Northern Hemisphere as opposed to the long winter of psychological and emotional instability as a people. Although this mostly is occurring in the United States, for some it is a global phenomenon. Unless previous global disruptions, however, this one has no clear structure to fight, and our reactions vary depending on what life throws at us: job losses, an increased cost of living, attempts to jump ahead of the latest possible raid or removal of immigrants, and others in a long list of 145 items.
For some who see current times as a battle for the life force of a federal democracy, which is what the United States of America has used for its very existence through many an internal struggle for 248 1/2 years, this is a precipice where we can fall into a permanent chasm of chaos and Totalitarianism or we can use our combined parachutes to land safely in a renewed and revived democratic defense. The signs point to a historical past and a present that some call authoritarianism, but given the attempts to curtail and control all aspects of human existence in the United States from procreation to education to moral identity under a single leader or ideological focus as outlined in the now-sold out Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, the true term that should be said out loud is indeed Totalitarianism.
The web tightens for those who wish to see the entire plan laid out in its detailed glory as the full Project 2025 is found primarily on the Heritage Foundation website as a sale item.
Traditional Rider Waite Smith Temperance Card Pamela Colman Smith, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
It is at moments like these that we need to remember the image of Temperance and what it stands for, internally and externally. Where and what is our understanding of what we need to achieve balance in our lives in a spiritual and in a mundane or material sense? Are we willing to look inside ourselves to seek where we need change or where we need to hold fast to our ideals, beliefs, and foundational purpose? Sometimes, it is when we are feeling that all hope is lost when we desperately can and should look at our own internal flow and renew what makes us stand strong, tall, and proud. This is different for each person, but the need for balance is a commonality shared by all of us.
Magician- Modern Rider Waite Smith – Pamela Colman Smith, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
When we consider the Magician card with the right hand raised and reaching above, the left hand lowered and pointing to below, and the tools on the table that stands in front, we notice something immediately: all the tools that the Magician needs are in plain sight. If this card is a visual representation of the Hermetic principle of “as above, so below”, we also see how the Magician as the person is between the two worlds, thus forming a connection. The symbol of infinity that resides above the Magician’s head reminds us that our lives are a cycle: we create, we transform, and we are transformed.
In short, we are always the link and the key that can change our lives, even and especially when things seem like they are on the edge with an unstoppable train racing down the tracks to run us over. This is the moment and the time when we cannot let fear paralyze us.
Take the fires of Beltane, the time of prosperity to energize our path to avoid being plowed by forces of domination. We use this time to awaken ourselves, just as the earth below us continues to renew itself after a long and dormant winter. Use the fire internally to energize connection with the gods, the elements, and the Earth itself. As we let go of the old including the pains, hurts, and insecurities, we light up our renewed sense of path. For some, this means trying something new because there is nothing more to lose. For others, this means joining a demonstration, making their voices known, and letting neighbors and friends know that they are not alone during these turbulent times.
In the end, we can use the energy of Beltane, lessons inspired by Temperance with the visual reminder of the Magician to survive. Take a walk – barefoot. Embrace a tree or at the very least smell some newly blossomed flowers and plants. Reflect on your internal life map especially if it’s been awhile. Finding and speaking with your true voice. Be the Magician. Remember the ouroboros that girds the waist of each of us. We destroy what is not needed, as we replace and embrace our new creations.
Let the creative spirit inspire and give energy. Use the flow of Temperance as a reminder to continue the journey to balance and stability. Don’t let the uncertainty, insecurity, and the tumultuous currents destabilize who you are. The world may seem to be going downhill, but we owe it to ourselves as Pagans, Heathens, Polytheists, and just as humans to never give up. Make the best of what’s still around.
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