This card is one of those rare tarot cards that retains its meaning essentially uncorrupted in the old and new book. This card basically represents the idea of temperance or the balancing of energies.  It is an important archetype and linked quite closely with Isis, Gaia, The Empress, and The Emperor cards except that in this case the idea of temperance refers less to the physical unit and more to the general creative process itself which is, if you believe the angel in this card, all about bringing together energy so as to create something new.

Now the idea of bringing energies together for creation is clearly represented in the Halo/Sharp card. The figure is clearly at the center of multiple vortices of energy and is standing there with hand hard at work in creation. But as you can see, the basic idea is also present in the old book version  as well. Admittedly, the old version has EPMO, but it’s pretty easy to see through that. There’s the angel  standing in the middle, bringing the energies together in an obvious process of creation.

And that’s basically what this card is about. This is about the “alchemy” of creation. I suppose that we could call this card alchemy and if we did, we’d be right on. This card does carry the idea of using energies for creation. However, I prefer the idea of temperance over alchemy because temperance sends the message that creation is a delicate thing.

The basic message of this card is simple. If one is to be involved in the process of creation, if one is to participate in the alchemy of life, managed, thoughtful, temperance is required.

That’s all there is to it really.