Feeling Overwhelmed by World Events? A Tarot Plea for Temperance

What if the overwhelm you're feeling isn't just about the volume of bad news, but about the constant, draining pressure to have a reaction to all of it?

In a world that demands our constant reaction—to headlines, to crises, to the endless stream of content—this feeling isn't a sign of weakness. It's your inner self putting up a “check-engine” light; a time to stop, check under the hood, tinker, and make a plan.

And you’re not alone! Many of us are finding our engines stalled and batteries drained. Some days, even a good ol’ jumpstart isn’t enough to get us moving like it did before. The burnout struggle is still real…

It's in times of collective chaos like these that we need ancient wisdom the most. History throughout the world has taught us there is just one thing we can do as individuals that guarantees success no matter what challenges are before us: to practice Temperance.

Temperance's Message for Today

What is it about Temperance that makes it so powerful for individuals and communities during periods of unrest? When there is so much going on demanding our attention, why bother taking the time for the slow, meditative approach of the Temperance card?

⚖️ Getting You Back into Alignment

Temperance speaks of balance, the need to reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. All the noise of the constant stream of news headlines and media content distract us. That perceived need to react to all of it is just that: A perception.

The Angel of Alchemy reminds us to pause, take real time to realign with our values. What is it that you actually have to do when confronted with a headline or social media post? Do you even need to do anything?

Embody Temperance’s message to pause and reflect on your core values. Balance your thoughts and feelings with what and who you are and strive to be. Let this reflection lead you to the most impactful thoughts and behaviors.

🧪 The Antidote to Impulse

The modern world–especially social media–thrives on our reactive, fight-or-flight mode. As a biological response to perceived danger, our impulses are why social media content turns negative so quickly and perpetuates the distraction cycle.

Alternatively, Temperance is the conscious choice to pause before sharing, commenting, or despairing. Here, the Angel reminds you to put your ego aside.

The ego is a natural and fundamental part of protecting us when under attack. It’s a necessary part of healthy functioning in the human experience. However, the ego is highly susceptible to reactivity. It can misinterpret anything that catches your attention as a threat and take instantaneous action to protect your psyche in response.

As you can imagine, a highly reactive ego running rampant without any checks can contribute to even more chaos in the world while also significantly draining your energy. Get beyond the needs and wants tied to impulse to take control back.

💭 The Power of Thoughtful Action

While Tarot’s Temperance reminds us to pause and still reactivity, it isn’t about inaction. Contrary to a full stop, Temperance demands action. Specifically, you need to take action from a centered and intentional place.

Here is where the non-dualistic call to balance comes in: Engage in thoughtful actions only. Break out of the “either-or”, “this or that”, “us versus them” thinking that divides while missing the point of the problem entirely.

Getting comfortable with contradictions is part of embodying Temperance. For example, I can vehemently disagree with someone’s political choices and opinions, while simultaneously recognizing them as a human being with reasons for feeling and believing the way they do, just as I feel and believe as I do. I can choose to try to understand their reasons, but understanding isn’t required. Acceptance of differences, however, is. 

Where polarized thinking separates us and cuts us off from living our values and reacting to everything, Temperance’s call to action is one of synthesizing our most important values with the things that scare, hurt, or anger us. It asks: What can we do from a place of balance instead of frenzy?

Temperance's Plea at This Time

To hear Temperance's plea for our current moment directly, I turned to a collective reading using the Inner Harmony Spread from Chris-Anne’s “Tarot for Lightseers”. While I'm often skeptical of one-size-fits-all readings, the universal archetype of Temperance felt accessible enough to offer a valuable perspective.

💀 1 - Death: There’s too much change, too fast. Whether the focus is on attempts to drag things back to how they used to be or forcing things forward toward progress faster than cultural change naturally allows for peaceful and lasting change. Everyone on all sides are feeling the hurt of grief and loss, preventing us from fully processing what’s happening.

⚔️ 2 - Two of Swords: That excess is diminishing our ability to consider multiple options without bias and choose the next best course of action without leaving anyone out. Normal policy and community/government work requires clear thinking, inclusive problem solving, and a willingness to hear and balance all relevant input from every side.

We forget that a decision at the moment isn’t set in stone forever. Rather, it’s an agreement that is the most advantageous and well-thought out as it applies to the present moment. Any decision today can impact the future, but the future is harmed by our unwillingness to cooperate on a reasonable decision. What’s “reasonable” might not be what you or I want for the long-term, but what gets us closer to cooperation and fairness for everyone in the short-term.

👑 3 - Queen of Pentacles: To restore peace and balance, we need to get right with nature. And I don’t mean just the “outdoors” kind of nature (though the environmentalist in me would really like to tie this card to climate action). I’m talking about all kinds of “nature”. Human nature. Collective nature. The nature of societies. The nature of group dynamics. The nature of trust.

Temperance is calling on us to trust the inner wisdom that is natural and capable of authentic leadership for the collective good. Just as a queen might not adore every single one of her subjects, she cares about and is responsible for their welfare, including the safety and stability of the whole kingdom that will outlast her and her personal interests.

This queen is saying, “Look. I get it. This shit sucks right now. But listen: You already know in your heart and body that the ways you’re going about this are all wrong. 

“Take a minute to settle into yourself. Close your eyes and feel the ground beneath you. Hear the whispers of the breeze and allow yourself to sway. What wisdom is calling to you? Sink your roots down into the Earth. Grow your branches high into the sky. Connect with the knowledge of the trees around you. They have witnessed much. What lessons from the long past can you apply to right now?

“Don’t bother with trying to change people’s minds or behaviors. That’s not your job. What is it in your life, your way of being, that needs your focus? How can you do and be better? When every single one of us does our individual best, the rest of the world will follow our example.

“Be the solution to the problem. You are the most beautiful and valuable to your community when you are authentically in alignment. Go be you.”

In Temperance, We Heal

The path of Temperance isn't a quick fix. It's a daily, gentle practice of remembering that we can’t pour from an empty cup, and we can’t fight every fire. By focusing on our own inner balance, we don't abandon the world—we become a more centered, clear-eyed, and effective force for good within it. The angel of Temperance reminds us that the most profound change often begins not with a shout, but with a single, conscious breath.