Nine of Swords

Nine of Swords is one of the 56 minor arcana of the tarot, in the suit of Swords; in the Golden Dawn tradition it corresponds to Mars in Gemini.

The Nine of Swords sits awake at night with nine swords on the wall. It is the mind at its most anxious, often worse than reality.

Symbols on the card

The figure awake in bed

Thoughts that will not let you rest.

Swords on the wall

Worries, not wounds.

The night

Fears that grow in the dark.

Number and suit

Nines are the suit at its fullest, close to completion, often met alone. Swords are air: thought, truth, communication and the conflicts of the mind.

Upright meaning

Worry is loud right now. Write your fears down and look at them in daylight.

Love　Anxiety about a relationship; talk instead of ruminating.

Work　Stress and overthinking.

Inner life　If worry stays heavy, reach out to someone you trust or a professional.

Reversed meaning

The worst is passing. You are finding perspective and support.

Love　Sharing fears and feeling lighter.

Work　Stress easing, problems becoming manageable.

Inner life　Asking for help is a strength.

In a three-card spread

Situation

Worry and anxiety.

Challenge

Overthinking that magnifies problems.

Advice

Write it down, talk about it, and rest.

Tarot and astrology

In the Golden Dawn system this card is the decan of Mars in Gemini: the themes of Gemini, expressed the way Mars acts. Gemini →Mars →

Questions to sit with

• What is the fear, written in one sentence?
• Who could I talk to about it?

Through the suit

Tarot here is a mirror for reflection, not a prediction. The meanings follow the Waite-Smith tradition and the Golden Dawn attributions, in our own words.