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La Tempérance (14)

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de La Tempérance dans la tarot de Marseille


The Fool stands on the edge of a cliff opening up to the yellow, sunlit sky and holding a white rose and stick with his few belongings tied up on the end. Below him, a white dog mimics his exuberant posture, perhaps making fun of him. There are a few ways to interpret The Fool. In our everyday lives, being called a fool is considered a diss: it means you are a mess, lazy, and incoherent, or an out-of-touch dreamer with your head in the clouds. However, this is actually an incredibly powerful and important card to draw.

The Fool is not the side of us that is good at accounting or being polite. Rather, this card is the part of us that goes back to zero: childlike, free, uninhibited, and open. Also, this card represents our sensitivity. Throughout our lives, we build up walls and numbness to protect against wounding experiences such as disappointments, failures, and betrayals. The Fool is not hung up on what happened before, wears no armor, and is vulnerable in spite of the past. In fact, it is almost as if the Fool’s mind has been wiped clean, and he has no memory of the past.

Although this opens the Fool up to being hurt or disappointed again, it also allows for new experiences and new connections. When we walk around with a guard up, our ability to participate in the exciting world around us is limited. Yes, the Fool stands on the edge of a cliff where he might easily fall, but up there the air is fresh, sun is bright, and the beautiful vistas roll out before him. Who knows what epiphanies could arise! The Fool’s innate wisdom cuts through consciousness conditioned by the material world.

Another amazing trait of the Fool is that he laughs and brings others to laughter. Laughter cuts through hierarchies, levels the playing field, and bridges even the scary expanse of the unknown.

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Vous avez tiré la tempérance à l’endroit ?


Interpretation

Don't be fooled by his shady air, The Fool could be a great help in your quest for change. From a general point of view, remember that the card is usually associated with the idea of change, which may result from circumstances beyond your control or from your own thoughtful decision. For this reason, the Fool is often associated with the desire for travel, a renewal in your love life or professional changes. It makes you aware of the limits of your current situation and gives you the strength to act, a valuable tool if you want to put aside some parts of your life and escape from a daily life that some would not hesitate to describe as paralyzing. Of course, any change inevitably gives rise to some fears. You will need to learn to control them so you can take action and to accept that upheavals can sometimes be beneficial. 

Do not, however, give in to your impulsiveness on principle, or to the desire to act for acting's sake. Any lasting decision is inevitably founded on the values of prudence, rationality and Temperance. Although the Fool is useful for giving you a boost as you set things in motion, you have to understand what you want to change in your life before you start to move.

Ask yourself

•The fool is not materialistic or tied down and is ready to change course at the drop of a hat. Is there anything in your life holding you back from making a change or taking a risk that could actually be good for you?

•Are you worried about what other people think of you, and it holds you back from expressing your true nature? Try finding a place where you can be yourself or people who encourage that in you.

•Do you or did you feel claustrophobic and small in your life, confined to a cubicle or obsessed over a worry? Try to gain perspective by climbing a mountain, planning a trip, reading travel journals, or finding the mystical in the mundane.

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La symbolique de la Tempérance


• The Cliff:Living on the edge, impending doom, or taking a risk.

• Red Feather:Inner strength and royalty; vivacity.

• White Dog:Loyalty, playfulness, and innocence. Dogged spirit and intensity.

• Distant Mountains:Not obsessing over alternative paths; making peace with current platforms.

• Yellow Sky:Warmth and wakefulness or blissful ignorance.

• White:Purity or ignorance. Freedom or opaqueness of mind.

The Fool Card #0 represents uninhibitedness, freedom, living in the present, new experiences, and fearlessness.

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