The Nine of Wands in Tarot: A Card of Resilience

A model of fearlessness, resilience, and readiness to defend one’s interests — this is how the Nine of Wands card from the Tarot deck can be described. It is a card of success achieved through difficult struggle, readiness to defend one’s interests, fear of the unknown future, and a premonition of imminent achievements. It demonstrates restraint, the ability to be accountable for one’s words and actions, waiting for the result of previously taken steps, and a long-awaited temporary lull before a new turn in life.

The 9 of wands meaning is like a moment halfway to victory when a person is closer to it than ever before. One needs to gather strength and make the final push toward the dream. What meanings do the 9 wands have in love? What can the 9 of wands reversed tell about your career, and how does it describe romantic and friendly relationships? Could you read about it in this article?

Core Meaning and Symbolism of the Nine of Wands

This is a card of will and enormous inner strength. The person described by this card is an experienced and strong individual worthy of respect. You can rely on them, you can trust them. It’s better to be friends with such a person than to enter into confrontation.

What does the Nine of Wands mean in spreads about a situation or question? Incredible opportunities and prospects that will open up in the near future. The mood is uplifted, the state is excellent, optimism and creative potential are overwhelming. This is a period of happy chances and opportunities, don’t miss them. To the question «yes or no,» the card answers: «Yes, you will receive even more than you expected.»

The «fence» of Wands symbolizes a person’s desire to distance themselves from what happened to them in the past. They don’t want or aren’t ready to accept those events, that experience. However, their denial doesn’t benefit them, as they don’t claim an important part of themselves and their life. It’s possibly still too painful, too hurtful, too complicated for them. However, the symbolism of the color of the boots and tunic indicates that the heroes still have the energy, strength, and ability to accept negative experiences and learn lessons from them. They just need to «mature» morally.

The blue background of the card speaks, on one hand, of the hero’s sentimentality and spiritual purity (like the white undergarments), and on the other hand, may hint at their melancholic state. The gray foundation is a sign that the person feels stable in their limitations.

The Nine of Wands Upright: Strength, Endurance, and Vigilance

The nine wands upright can carry the meaning of vigilance and wariness regarding a question and also indicate that a person constantly expects problems that need to be solved. In Tarot cards, the Arcana corresponds to certain astrological symbols. The Nine of Wands is no exception. The symbol of this Arcana is the Moon in Sagittarius. Such a Moon speaks of fears that prevent development, moving forward and expansion.

Although the man appears in a static state, there are dynamics on the card — leaves on the staff are growing. In career spreads, the nine wands represent hope for the bright, good, and eternal. In the context of the card — for the positive development of events and the hero’s readiness to overcome their doubts, beliefs, and attitudes that prevent them from going beyond limitations.

Such a position can persist in relationships, finances, and any other card question. However, there are certain combinations of Arcana when even the Nine of Wands, which doesn’t want to change anything due to painful experiences and still «aching wounds,» becomes ready for a new path.

The Nine of Wands Reversed: Exhaustion, Resistance, and Doubt

If the card is reversed, the growing leaves appear to be falling — something is leaving the hero’s life in the past, they are saying goodbye to something and regret it. What seemed important and significant becomes a kind of rudiment, something that is no longer needed.

Nine of wands reversed as feelings can indicate isolation, a feeling of total loneliness, loss of landmarks, and a state of crisis. The person is still trying to grasp and hold onto their beliefs, but there is no sense in it.

Often, the reversed Nine of Wands in a spread about love and relationships falls on a tyrant. That is, on a person who is too jealous, striving to control their chosen one. Such a partner doesn’t give freedom of action, psychologically pressures, and seeks to remake the object of their love and passion.

Also, this position indicates that professionally, the person is losing much more than they are gaining. Therefore, it’s worth thinking about your place and your work: perhaps you have already «outgrown» your current position, and it’s time to move on. Close your eyes to your fears and doubts and take a step forward.

The Nine of Wands in Love, Career, and Spiritual Growth

The Nine of Wands indicates past negative experiences in relationships, because of which a person cannot open up and be frank. They fear that the negative scenario will repeat itself.

In the theme of love and relationships, 9 of wands reversed can indicate that the couple is in a period when one of the partners seems to be defending themselves from the other. By the way, the reason for «defense» can be both real and imagined.

If there are no relationships, then the Nine of Wands in the upright position reveals the reason for their absence: the person is afraid of repeating past negative experiences and therefore avoids relationships.

Nine of wands as feelings in the work atmosphere indicates a period when it’s important to fight for your place, to be attentive and wary, to show what you can do and what you’re capable of. The card can speak of a kind of respite if there were constant conflicts and clarifications of relationships at work before this. Only during this time, does the person not relax but wait for the attacks to repeat.