Temperance in January

January was named after Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and endings. As such, he is depicted with two faces; one facing backward, the other forward. Perhaps this is why we often reflect back at the year ending as we also look forward in anticipation of the new year just beginning. What changes can we make to improve ourselves in the new year?

When I pulled the cards for my New Year Reading, I wasn’t surprised to see Temperance show up. To start off the New Year with a major card suggests it’s going to be a strong opening month.

Temperance,
Radiant RWS Tarot

In the traditional Rider Waite Smith card we see an angel standing with one foot on land and one foot in water while pouring water from one chalice into another. The positions of the feet suggest an attempt to remain grounded while in touch with emotions, symbolized by the water. I can also picture the angel pouring the water back and forth between the two chalices; from one into the other and back again, almost like a mixologist would do to find the perfect balance of ingredients for a cocktail. We also see a road leading from the water to a crown symbolizing our ego in the distance, suggesting that as we travel this path of balancing our emotions and groundedness, it will lead us to a greater sense of self.

And that is the message of Temperance-balance yourself between two extremes; emotions and groundedness, strengthen yourself but don’t be either a bully or a pushover, find the middle of the road of the extremes.

I used another artist/tarot reader’s deck this year for my reading, The Grimalkin Tarot, by MJ Cullinane. She themed this deck around cats. (For more information on MJ and her decks, click the link below.)

In her interpretation of Temperance, we see a cat walking a narrow ledge across a stream of water. One side of the stream is calm and then flows over the ledge down into some turbulent waters below, while some fish are leaping over the ledge into the calmer waters, all in front of the cat. Yet, the cat remains focused on crossing to the other side, not letting the fish distract it. Understanding that chaos and darkness are as much a part of life as calmness and light is key to finding balance. Finding and maintaining that balance will lead us to a path towards a solution. Yet, we can only find that path in moments of calm inspiration.

The Grimalkin Tarot
(c) 2020, MJ Cullinane

I found this card to fit January for a number of reasons.

Here in the US we are transitioning into a new Administration from the turbulent waters of the prior one into seemingly calmer waters of the new one. It still is early in this Administration and we are headed into uncharted waters with our first biracial, female Vice-President. I am sure there are some citizens of this country who might like to leap into these uncharted waters and stir things up to test her. As a country, we must remain focused on the goal of remaining united, however difficult that might be at this time and not let those leaping fish disturb these new waters.

Yet, this was my reading, not hers. Or the country’s.

I found myself very frustrated and anxious earlier this month. Yet, I tried to remain calm, grounded and balanced. I kept focusing on what I could do to remain in the present moment and not get caught up in what was going on around me where I had no control.

I had to keep my eyes on that goal. I had to get to the other side. In this case, it was past Inauguration Day. I needed to see that transfer of power and needed to see it happen peacefully.

I also had to maintain balance surrounding this pandemic and those who choose to still ignore what health officials continually remind us of:

• Wear a mask, and wear it correctly-over your nose and mouth;

• Practice social distancing-six feet (2 Meters) apart;

• Stop getting together with people outside your household;

• Stay home as much as possible-except for essential business.

With four newer, mutant, potentially more contagious strains of this virus running around (one was found each in Britain, South Africa, Brazil and California-though the latter is not as widespread-yet), I feel we are not out of the woods, nor will be for quite some time, as this is where we are with the common flu virus-new strains are constantly mutating to avoid vaccines. 

Yet, I can only manage myself. I am prepared to wear a mask the rest of my life, if needed. With all these new variants appearing, I just may have to.

Photo by Noah Buscher on Unsplash

I also found myself drowning in my own thoughts. Particularly over prickly conversations I anticipate having at some point in the future. When, exactly? I don’t know. Would I even have them? Would I need to? Yet, there they were formulating in my head, just in case I needed to have them. They were also formulating in various formats so I could be prepared for any scenario that might occur.

In my training to be a teacher, we were trained, drilled and reminded ad nauseum to anticipate all the questions our students might ask as we prepared lesson plans. Yet, invariably a student would ask a question I hadn’t anticipated. (And I don’t mean “Can I use the restroom?” Or other such questions. I always anticipated those.) So, this may be where my anticipating these conversations comes from.

These pre-conversations were galavanting around in my head, especially when I found myself in down time or in those pesky moments when I am trying to get to sleep or those hazy moments of not being fully awake in the morning; those semi-hypnotic moments were we drift in and out of a dream-state. During these times, I would focus more on my body and its contact with the bedclothes. Could I feel the sheet against my foot or my arm? Could I feel the weight of my hand as it lies upon my chest? What about the weight of the blanket, sheet and bedspread combined? But, maintaining this focus isn’t very easy when you continually awaken between 2:00 and 4:00 AM, daily.

Urban Crow Oracle
(c) 2020 MJ Cullinane

In her Urban Crow Oracle deck, MJ Cullinane refers to these types of conversations as ‘ghosts’, as these are conversations we wanted to have or feel we should have had in the past yet still haunt us. But, how can a conversation we feel we need to have in the future be a ghost? Maybe they’re just a premonition, or a pesky poltergeist? 

I think here is also where I need to invoke Temperance. I need to be aware that I may have to have these poltergeister-ish conversations, yet remain unsure of how they’ll go. There will be unexpected turns, comments I hadn’t anticipated and I’ll just have to deal with them at that time. Just like in teaching.

I’ll have to be okay with that.

And keep my eyes focused on the goal.

Maintaining balance.

Photo by Photoholgic on Unsplash

For information on MJ Cullinane, her decks and her art, please click here