Nine of Swords
Nine of Swords
The Nine of Swords depicts a person who has waken up fearfully from the midst of a nightmare. Nine swords hang on the wall behind him/her and the base of the bed is decorated with a carving of a duel in which one person is being defeated by another. The quilt covering the individual is decorated with roses and the outlines of astrological symbols.The Nine of Swords, in the Rider deck, shows a woman sitting in bed with her hands over her eyes. She is obviously in pain or in great sorrow.
This is the card of fear and nightmares, and therefore has an apparently negative connotation. However, the troubles portended by the Nine of Swords are primarily of a psychological nature and do not necessarily indicate suffering in our external reality. Our experience of the world is greatly influenced by our expectations, desires, and fears. In large measure we are the creators of our own world, and our attitudes determine how we experience that world.The Nine of Swords indicates the paralyzing nature of our fears and negative expectations. If we allow ourselves to be bound by fear of the future we may eventually create a negative reality for ourselves by virtue of our expectations. Thus, the Nine of Swords is a card which expresses an inner reality that may be "crystallized" or manifested in the external world if we are not able to overcome the negative feelings which affect us.
The message of this card is that although all of us experience fear, frustration, and uncertainty we should not allow those negative emotions to immobilize us or keep us from pursuing our goals with enthusiasm and hope. The future will always be uncertain, yet we can face this uncertainty with inner strength and the support of our "higher power."
It makes sense that the figure on the Nine of Swords is in bed because it is during the night that our griefs and regrets come to mind most intensely. The quiet darkness strips away the distractions of the day, leaving us alone with our thoughts. Who has not lain awake at four AM filled with worries that refuse to go away?
The Nine of Swords represents this unhappiness which can strike us at any time. Unlike the pain of the Three of Swords which seems to come from without, the Nine of Swords represents the pain that we generate from within. What tortures we put ourselves through when our fears and doubts overwhelm us. Worry is probably the most common. Have I done enough? Will everything work out OK? What am I going to do? The thoughts go round and round - impossible to turn off. Guilt is another source of pain. When we have done something that we feel is wrong or hurtful - or failed to do something we think we should have - the distress can be very real. It is worse when nothing we do relieves the bad feelings or makes them go away. Finally, there is just pure anguish. Sometimes the pain of life is so total that all we feel like doing is crying into our hands. Needless to say, the Nine of Swords is not the most pleasant of cards, but it doesn't always indicate major distress. Often it is just a sign of some element of unhappiness or trouble - a vulnerable spot in your life.
This card is often a warning from your Inner Guide that the path you are going down may be a difficult one. If you approach the Nine of Swords in this spirit - as a Caution sign - you will be able to use it constructively. Examine your situation carefully to be sure you are making the best choices. Even a small change can make all the difference.
The Nine of Swords foretells the arrival of conflict in your life. You may worry more about problems which never would have bothered you in the past. Other people will be opposed to your interests. The situation will cause you to be unhappy. Have been subject to prolonged periods of depression and are not happy with your present situation and want things to come together and work out. You will have good fortune later on. Time will prove to be advantageous and you will get what you want after all.
Nightmare. You need to realize that fears, if not confronted and understood, can lead to obsession, compulsion, paranoia or physical illness. We all have a dark side that must be acknowledged. Avoid being a martyr. Get enough sleep.
I see the Nine of Swords indicating that someone is worrying excessively about something. You know how you sometimes wake in the middle of the night and obsess about something, but when you wake in the morning it doesn't seem so bad? Sometimes people go though that sort of feeling about a situation even when it isn't the middle of the night.
Straighten out circumstances. Lack of sleep. Guilt, depression, putting yourself down. Destruction = way out. Inability to see forward to positively. Usually involves a loved person suffering in some way. Cruelty. Anxiety, sleepless nights. Spite and slander which undermines confidence. Suffering which is eventually good, i.e. treatment. Female health problems. Possibly self-punishment and guilt. Mental anguish.
Since swords represent the mental realm, this card can be interpreted as mental anguish, depression, guilt, putting yourself down, nightmares, misery, a sense of hopelessness, despair, anxiety. This card represents the mind that injures itself through doubt or depression.
Traditionally, the Nine of Swords has also meant sorrow for another person who is close to you. Along these same lines, the Nine could also mean worrying about a loved one, sometimes to excess.
Keep an eye on the cards that surround or modify the Nine. If it falls next to the Star, remember that all is not lost. There is a ray of hope in there, a reason to pull out of the depression, a lifeline out of the anguish. If it falls next to the High Priestess, you must be prepared to face the truth without fear or doubt. In the same way, if it falls next to the Hermit, someone will show up to guide you out of the hole you seem to have fallen into. If there are aces in the spread, look for the light at the end of the tunnel, a way out in the form of something new and fresh.
The astrological correspondence for this card is Mars in Gemini. When you pull this card, ask yourself why you are being so hard on yourself. How are you putting yourself down or what is the source of your depression? What can you do to make yourself feel better?