MARCH 2017 TAROT READING: TEMPERANCE
temperance
noun tem·per·ance \ˈtem-p(ə-)rən(t)s, -pərn(t)s\
Definition of temperance
: moderation in action, thought, or feeling : restraint
a : habitual moderation in the indulgence of the appetites or passions
b : moderation in or abstinence from the use of alcoholic beverages
The Latin word temperāre, meaning “to make mild,” “to control,” or “to soften,” gives us the root temper. Words from the Latin temperāre have something to do with mildness or control. To temper is to soften or make something less strong or difficult. Someone temperamental has little control over her or his mood and reactions to people and events.
via Merriam-Webster
It's time to be a Temperate Cat, my dear friend.
But in adding to the definitions suggested above, let's consider that temperance is not just about your reactions to things, or your ability to be temperate – it's also about your expectations.
How do you process your failures/failings? How do you move forward knowing that sometimes, even despite your best efforts, things aren't going to turn out as you hoped?
Can you temper your intemperate expectations?
Life is not inherently difficult. Alas, we make it excruciatingly, painfully difficult for ourselves through our expectations and projections.
Whether it's seeing faults in ourselves, our partners, our employers or colleagues, our roommates, or the goddamn people upstairs who bang around every time you're just about to fall asleep, we become slaves to these mind loops and our internal world becomes suffering.
When our internal world is suffering, our outer world becomes problematic and hope fades.
When Nicole and I were discussing this month's message from the Universe, we couldn't help but to keep coming back to the conversation we have pretty much every day, multiple times a day, year in and year out: the seeking of balance is and always will be the goal.
However, Temperance, is a virtue. It's a before, during and after balance attitude.
You can balance out a bender with a meditation retreat. You can balance out a 40 hour work week with a vacation in Mexico. You can balance out eating half a pizza by eating a bushel of broccoli. (Nicole's edit: or you could just eat some broccoli pizza)
Temperance is about approaching a situation without expectations or harsh judgements. It's often the more boring choice, because it places the "reward" in the future, rather than a closer present. But in the age of instant-gratification-seeking, perhaps we should sprinkle a little more temperance on everything, this month and beyond.
Coming out of the hibernation of winter, we often have expectations and a work flow or goals that we want to rush into. We have all these plans!
Mother Nature has a plan for all the flowers and the trees and the grass, but she never gets rotted when things don't go to plan or the crops don't "exceed expectations" because there are no expectations to exceed!
If we experience a beautiful sunset in the perfect location with a hard-bodied Grecian lover and it doesn't manifest the next night, have we failed? Has Mother Nature failed us? Has our reality failed us?
Life is and always will be beautiful. This month take a temperate approach and you'll be able to see it in everything.