The Wild Unknown Tarot - Temperance XIV

Pixna

Having drawn the Temperance card yesterday (as my daily draw), it dawned on me that the tears coming from the heron's heart indicate that the balance may need to come from within, not externally. This was significantly clearer to me in this particular card than it ever was with the Temperance card in other decks I've used. For me, that was quite a revelation, as I always considered the advice of this card to be more about what we do (external) than what we think, believe, or feel (internal), and now I see that it might very well have a much more important message about this than I was aware of or considered previously.
 

Sulis

Pixna said:
In revisiting this card (and everyone's comments), it looks like the tears dropping into the fire are being transformed. One (at the top) looks like it's turned into gold, the lowest one is in the process of turning green, and there are two splotches of yellow that might also be transformed tears. The white in the fire looks like air pockets, and there is green at the top of the flames. So it appears to me that all elements are represented: fire, air, water, and earth. The heron's open wing might be fanning the flame, keeping the fire of transformation aglow.

The background could be air, earth, or water. If it's water, the heron is "walking on water" -- indeed an incredible feat of balance. There is a calmness to the heron, along with grace and delicateness. The heron must take care not to get too close to the fire, or she'll burn her wing or feathers. The perfect combination of the elements will also help keep the flames under control.
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Yes, I love this and transformation is one of the things I associate with Temperance..

Pixna said:
Having drawn the Temperance card yesterday (as my daily draw), it dawned on me that the tears coming from the heron's heart indicate that the balance may need to come from within, not externally. This was significantly clearer to me in this particular card than it ever was with the Temperance card in other decks I've used. For me, that was quite a revelation, as I always considered the advice of this card to be more about what we do (external) than what we think, believe, or feel (internal), and now I see that it might very well have a much more important message about this than I was aware of or considered previously.
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Thanks for this too Pixna.. I think that most true transformations really do start internally.
Like many cards in this deck (well most of them really), I think the simplicity of the image hides a very deep and profound message..
 

flipperjane

Ummm - I'm struggling with this card
 

Akiwa

I am appreciating this study group so much, and already. Your comments on this card took me deeper. When I look at the heron here, I am reminded that, as a flyer, a winged-one, the heron lives closest to/travels closest to the Sun (fire), and is also a water bird, living in the wetlands. So it is a bird that literally brings water and fire together. I remember reading somewhere that as this card is sometimes called Art, it takes the next step past the Lovers. At lovers is the yearning between opposites, here they come together and actually blend, birthing something new. Anyway, going on too long, but perhaps the heron can take us (or me!) into the mists!
 

Pixna

Akiwa said:
I am appreciating this study group so much, and already. Your comments on this card took me deeper. When I look at the heron here, I am reminded that, as a flyer, a winged-one, the heron lives closest to/travels closest to the Sun (fire), and is also a water bird, living in the wetlands. So it is a bird that literally brings water and fire together. I remember reading somewhere that as this card is sometimes called Art, it takes the next step past the Lovers. At lovers is the yearning between opposites, here they come together and actually blend, birthing something new. Anyway, going on too long, but perhaps the heron can take us (or me!) into the mists!
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Such useful insights, Akiwa! Thanks so much for posting this. Your comment about the heron flying close to the sun but being a water bird helps to further explain why the artist chose this image for Temperance. Makes a lot of sense!
 

delinfrey

What I see in this card is inspiration. Temperance comes after Death and I agree with a previous poster that temperance means tempering (steel, chocolate etc) - gaining strength through hardship.

But hardship also inspires - as many an artist would confess to. So to me, the tears of the heron are transformed into the fire of creation. The hardship we went through in Key XIII transform into the beauty of art in XIV, signalling that in every loss, every grievance, every death, there is something beautiful.

There is also a lesson here, not to let your tears put out the fire - don't let the pain take control of you and disintegrate your inner core.
 

Hash

Wow! As in most of these discussions, you all did a wonderful job of analysis of this card. The one thing that I would add is that the first thing I thought of when I looked at this card was a phoenix. I think that the phoenix association is another great way that this card emphasizes healing and renewal, which are the keywords Krans uses in the guidebook.
 
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