Nine of Wands

Key meanings (upright): Resilience, grit, persistence, close to success, tiredness, ongoing battle, low energy level, battle-weary, backbone, learning from past failures, expecting trouble, guarded, wounded

Key meanings (Reversed): Refusing compromise, stubborn, rigid, defensive, obstinate, the last one standing, not learning from past mistakes, chronic fatigue, giving up, not wanting to fight, withdrawal, retreat, lack of courage, lack of backbone, guard down, unexpected trouble, chip on the shoulder

Nine of Wands tarot card description

The image on the Nine of Wands tarot card depicts a man, who seems to be injured, considering the bandage around his head, holding and leaning against a wand or staff in his hand. The look on the face of the man seems like he is wary about his surroundings and wants to stay alert at all costs. Even if he looks like he is tired and weak, he doesn't want anything to catch him off guard, which is the reason behind his alert demeanor.

To analyze further, we have to note the other eight wands that stand straight behind him like a fence he set up to guard himself. These staffs or wands look strong and sturdy which means that this man wants to be prepared at all costs, in case someone tries to hurt him. By looking at the image we can interpret that the man must have been in a battle before, considering his wounds, and this has made him weak, as he is leaning against the wand in his hand.

This could be interpreted as the man could currently be in an ongoing battle, which he wants to win desperately or the battle has finally ended. The look of hope and determination even after suffering for so long makes us believe that he is ready to fight his one last battle, and hopes for victory.

Nine of Wands (Upright)

Upright Nine of Wands Meaning

When the nine of wands appears upright, it indicates that you have a very strong determination and even during times of adversity, you don't back down and face the challenge upfront. Even if you are tired and exhausted from the battles of life, your determination and persistence do not fail you and you use them to get what you want. The nine of wands stand as a witness to your struggles and appear when you feel battered and bruised. You are struggling to make progress, but just as you feel you are making it, you come across an obstacle.

This card is advising you to trust the process and not give up on yourself. These setbacks are a form of test for your patience and resilience and know that after overcoming every obstacle you are becoming stronger. Even if these obstacles seem too hard to overcome, your inner strength and resources are enough to fight them. Do not back down from your position and you will eventually win the battle. The Nine of Wands (Upright) is a great indicator of success that is almost within your reach. This card tells you to keep pushing and to keep holding on and not let go, and you will soon get the success that you desire.

Even if the times seem too dire now and you feel it impossible to get through, know that this is your final battle after which you will reach your goal. Don't give up on your hopes and dreams yet. You might find out that there are people around you who are trying to make things harder for you. They are plotting against you and may even attack you, all for the sake of jealousy. Don't let their attempt to diminish your strength and determination get to you and know that they are just projecting their insecurities on you.

Love and Relationship (Upright)

The nine of wands upright indicates that you have realized that every relationship needs work and you have made plans and strategies to make sure that your relationship works. One might assume that love is just a feeling, but there is no doubt that every relationship requires a lot of attention and work, along with self-improvement and sacrifices. When two partners in a relationship work together in harmony to battle their differences and are willing to adapt for the convenience of the other, that is how a relationship works.

A true relationship is when the two partners work together as a team to tackle a problem. For the relationship to stay healthy and fruitful through the years, in which the partner feels comfortable along with being adventurous, communication is very important and vital. This card indicates that you are finally realizing these aspects of a relationship and are making plans according to them. You want your relationship to work at all costs and you are willing to do everything for it.

The Nine of Wands upright also indicates that maybe you are at the stage of your relationship where you feel you can take the next big step which will change the course of your relationship and make your life very different. Chances are that you are thinking of proposing to your partner or are thinking of suggesting that you are ready to take the next step.

Finance (Upright)

If the nine of wands is appearing upright, it is indicating that you are suffering from financial distress currently and don't know how to get out of this situation. Although the reason behind the stressful situation is not a very serious one, it is still taking a toll on you. This card signals that you are under pressure right now because of these troubles. This current situation is making you question your previous decisions and you are also considering taking out money from your savings or even going a step further and taking out a loan, to relieve yourself from this stressful situation.

Borrowing from someone close to you is also in your mind right now. But the nine of wands suggest you avoid disrupting your savings or falling prey to loans because it is a mess in itself. To tackle this problem, try finding another source of income other than your actual one. If your work allows it, try doing extra hours and performing overtime to ensure extra earnings.

Know that these problems and stressful situations are not permanent things and soon you will be able to get out of this situation. You just have to make sure that you are not harming your current savings as it may hinder your plans. Come up with solutions that will not affect your future because with determination and sheer will, you will surely be able to get through this.

Career (Upright)

The nine of wands upright represent your battles that are halfway complete. In most aspects of your life, you are struggling with maintaining your balance and position, and this is taking a lot of energy, but you are also determined and will not give up until you have achieved your goals. Your struggles are ongoing, but they are soon about to end. Although you are persistent and charging on with strength and resilience, all this fighting and battling is draining your energy slowly and at some points, you are feeling that it's getting out of hand and it's too much for you to handle. You feel as if you are too exhausted to carry on and just want to give up and put your body and mind to rest.

But the upright Nine of Wands have appeared as a reminder for you that you have come too far on your journey now and giving up at this point will be a waste of all your previous efforts. It will be as if you are betraying your previous self who got into the battle swearing victory. The struggles that you face right now are temporary and soon you will find relief from them. This card says that your workload is getting heavy recently, not sparing much free time for you to spend with your close ones. But it will soon lighten up and at the end of the struggle, you will be able to enjoy the fruit of your hard work.

Health (Upright)

The nine of wands upright indicates that if you are feeling sick or have fallen prey to a new illness, chances are that it is due to working too hard for way too long. The physical and mental strain is catching up to you now and that is the reason why your body has decided to take a rest even if you didn't allow it to. All your energy is getting drained and it's your body's signal to you that it's too much for it to handle and now is the time to give it some rest. But giving up now will cost you more than falling sick with a minor ailment. Gather all your remaining energy for the last battle and do not give up just yet, because after you achieve this victory, you will have all the time in your hand which you can use to give yourself a much-needed break. The nine of wands are also an indication of a chronic illness or an old illness making a comeback.

Nine of Wands Tarot Card (Reversed)

Reversed Nine of Wands Tarot Card Meaning

When the Nine of Wands (reversed) appear reversed, this is an indication that maybe you are struggling to keep your determination intact and losing the will to fight for your right. This card indicates that you have been fighting for a long time to keep hold of your position, but no matter how hard you try, the obstacles are just too frequent, not letting you restore your energy before you fight with the next one. These challenges are relentless and just won't let you move forward. The constant struggle to maintain balance is wavering your persistence and you are thinking of giving up. But know that everything good comes after a struggle. It won't feel as fulfilling if you receive them without any struggle.

The reversed Nine of Wands inform you that you are very close to achieving your goals and giving up now will mean a waste of all the efforts that you have put in so far. Try to channel your inner strength and resources and keep your mindset positive to keep yourself going. The nine of wands reversed is also an indication of stress and burden. You are feeling overwhelmed by all the responsibilities and no one around you understands or supports you.

You feel as if all you ever do is work without rest. Try to avoid taking any more responsibility and commitments at this point until you have more control over your life. Keep going until your current commitments are fulfilled. This card suggests that if the responsibilities are too much for you to handle and you are feeling crushed by them, don't hesitate to ask for help from your loved ones or seek professional help.

Love and Relationship (Reversed)

The nine of wands reversed in a love and relationship tarot card reading indicates that you are frequently facing disappointment in terms of your relationship and feel that matter how precise your plans and preparations are, nothing seems to be working out. This card means that you have been feeling unfulfilled in your relationships and your efforts are not giving out the results that you expected. Your relationship and your partner are very important to you, and you are ready to put in more work if needed for your relationship to work. But the efforts that you are putting in are going unnoticed. No matter how much you are fighting to keep your relationship intact, it all seems useless, draining your energy and exhausting you, both mentally and physically. You do feel that a healthy relationship is not what you have, but still, you are holding on.

But know that you are in this relationship with your partner, and both have equal responsibilities to make it work. If you are the only one who is trying their best to make the both of you happy, but you see no effort from their side, know that it will not be long before everything goes out of hand. Disagreements are part of every healthy relationship and you are allowed to have differences, but make sure you are not the only one who's making all the compromises and is giving up on their happiness to make the other one happy. For those who are single, the card can be interpreted as you are the one who wants it that way and making sure no one gets close enough to you. But the boundaries that you have set up to keep others at distance are not working, and despite your best efforts, some people are trying to get close to you.

Finance (Reversed)

The Nine of Wands reversed tells us that you are feeling crushed by everything around you, even in terms of financial situation, and are thinking of running away. But you should know that running away is not the solution. It will just give you relief for now, but your responsibilities will soon catch up to you. You have to take responsibility for your financial situation and try to solve the problem. Even if you are tempted to run away from money problems, know that the longer you keep them pending the bigger the mess you will create. If you do not think of something to get relief from the financial strain, the problem will keep getting worse. And giving up now will damage the future of your finances.

To solve these issues, make plans of how you will tackle them. If you are planning to go on a trip and have saved money for it, it is suggested you cancel the plan this year, even if all your friends are going, because you could always go next year. Also try as much as possible to avoid lending money to others, if you believe that they do not need it but are asking only to fulfill their cravings. Only help those who seem to be in a worse situation than you. Keeping an account of your property is also very important right now. The Nine of Wands reversed suggests that you have to be alert if you find anything missing from your account, and find out the source of it.

Career (Reversed)

The Nine of Wands (reversed) suggests that you give yourself time to recharge. You have been feeling exhausted and professional fatigue for a long time now and need time for yourself. Chances are that you were in a professional battle for quite some time now, to make sure that your position is intact, but now that it has ended, it has drained all your energy and enthusiasm. But you have to know that you can't give everything up in your life just for work and it's only a part of your life and not the whole. With the mental state that you are currently in, you will not be able to give your all in your professional field. Try to find the connection between you and other aspects of your life.

There must be things you used to do before which gave you a lot of pleasure. Try indulging yourself in fun things in your life and let loose a little, because with the amount of stress building up, it won't be late when it drains you of all your energy and life. Try avoiding making many mistakes and failing for now as it will add up to the stress level. Times may come in your work when you feel like you have to fight your morals to keep your position, resulting in internal exhaustion. There are things that you cannot change or make a difference in and you have to be aware of them. Try letting go of those things and focusing on the task at hand.

Health (Reversed)

In a health tarot card reading, the nine of wands reversed indicates that you have been fighting an illness for a long time, but no matter how many treatments you tried or how many times you changed your diet, nothing seems to be working, and the constant struggle has taken a toll on your mental and physical strength. You have reached a point where you feel like there's nothing left to do and giving up is the only option left. You do not have the mental capacity to keep on fighting any longer.

This Minor Arcana tarot card also reveals that maybe you've been hiding your true emotions or feelings from your loved ones, trying your best not to hurt them. You have been pretending for a while that you are absolutely fine and are not struggling when the truth is you are on the verge of breaking down. Similar to the nine of wands upright, this card reversed reveals that there are signs of chronic illness or you will again have to suffer from an old illness that you thought was gone forever.

Nine of Wands: One Card Pull

One card pull is done when you want to have straight to the point and quick answers. It is for the time when you wish to know specific answers in the form of Yes or No. So, if you are going through any tough situation or are stuck in a dilemma, getting a one-card pull is always helpful. Post shuffling the card, you can choose one from the deck. Depending on your question, you shall get the answer to the question. The results for one card pull in the Nine of Wands tarot card is:

Upright Position: if you have pulled the nine of wands upright, the answer is yes to all your wishes.

Reversed Position: if you have pulled the nine of wands reversed, the answer is yes, but trusting the process is a must.

Nine of Wands Card for Timing

If the question is about the exact time when something you are wishing for will come to reality, and the nine of wands have been pulled out, this can indicate that the time is very near. To be very specific about the time, one should expect it to be during the spring, of the zodiac signs season Aries, Sagittarius, or Leo. In numbers, if one wants to count, they should expect the time to be one month later, or specifically the 9th, 18th, 27th, or the upcoming month.

Keep in mind that whatever you are wishing for is right around the corner and needs just a bit of patience. You will soon figure out the time. If the reading is done during the summer season, this does not mean that your wish will be fulfilled during the spring. It means that you should expect the time to be during the Leo season or the upcoming month.

It could also be interpreted by taking the number of the card. In this case, the number is nine, so you should expect it to be during the 9th day, 9th week, or 9th month of the reading. It is hard to predict the future taking into consideration years since our future keeps changing with every action we take.