The Nine of Wands usually shows an individual grasping one wand with eight wands behind him. He has a bandage on his head and an exhausted look on his face. Nines in the Minor Arcana show completion, or the beginning of the end, since they are the final single-digit numeral in each of the four suits. This shows in the Nine of Wands as a weary traveller after a long journey finally arriving at his destination. All nines show the most perfect that any situation can be, and are the final results of all of the work, conflict, and experience that has been endured thus far. This is truly the culmination of all that the querent has sacrificed and tried so hard to attain.
When more than one nine appears in the same spread, there is an amplified and more specific meaning available to the querent. Pairs of nines indicate answered questions from one’s past self in the area of social and professional relationships while three of them signify the need for caution as if everything before the querent in business is far too good to be true. Having four nines in a layout show the querent being surrounded by his closest friends and favourite family members. Perhaps there will be a gathering in celebration of his achievements. The Nine of Wands indicates where the querent has done well in his career and creative matters. He now has the ability to spend his time enjoying what he has earned, celebrating his successes, and pondering what he has learned.
The Nine of Wands in an Upright Position
The Nine of Wands in its upright position shows the period in one’s career where he is rounding the final turn on the road to success. He has done all of the leg work and made many sacrifices on his journey to reach this point. This card is a sign of reaching the top position or the heights of one’s career. There is an indication that the querent is finally attaining their ultimate goals and is no longer the one taking orders but the one giving them. However, this is not the end of the journey. There are measures that must be taken to keep everything that the querent has worked for protected. There could be a blockbuster deal in the works or a very important merger that could see exponential growth and ensure the querent is financially secure for quite some time.
The meaning of all Minor Arcana cards can be modified by the cards that surround it. Court cards from the Minor Arcana (Pages, Knights, Queens, and Kings) all represent people. They have corresponding physical characteristics as well as their own astrological correspondences. The Nine of Wands augurs a final push towards the end of the line in one’s career. Hard work will be paying off very soon, and there are a few big deals coming the querent’s way. Court cards falling here will show the individuals who will be present or worked with in order to complete these deals. If there are Major Arcana cards near, these will narrow down the interpretations of the reading. If the Chariot is present, the business being read for may be a car dealership, and the Lovers will reveal a visit to a banquet hall, bridal gallery, or some other romance-related place or item of significance.
The Nine of Wands in a Reversed Position
The reversed position of each card of the Minor Arcana is really as it states: an inversion of the card’s meaning. The Nine of Wands in reversal shows that the final effort was futile. Deals have been broken, relationships strained, and the prospect of the merger may be null and void. The querent has come so far, and he was expecting that his efforts would pay off, but it seems that it was all for nothing. The querent is at a point now where he can decide to push on or cut his losses, but the reversal seen here shows it as a huge waste of time. Surrounding cards can show whether or not the querent should take up his wand and travel further in search of their goal, but the imagery seen here is not very promising. There is a need for the querent to be realistic and honest about what has been done and what is possible in the future. If there is no reason to continue on, there will need to be a point of mourning for what was lost, but it must be done in order to open oneself up to new opportunities in the long term future.
With the reversal of the Nine of Wands, one will need to also re-evaluate themselves. They may need to look at how things were done before and change their plan of approach for efforts made down the road. Behaviours will need to be different and natural tendencies will have to be thoroughly examined in order to provide a clear picture of what could have been done better and what was done right from the very beginning of the creative and career journey the querent has just made. This is not going to be an easy process as is apparent by the bandage on the individual’s head in the Nine of Wands depiction. He will have a bruised ego and feel as if he is a failure. There will be a need for gentle support from loved ones during this time, and one may even find that the fake friends and others who are along for the roller coaster ride alone will fall away as things wind down and funds dwindle. As with all things, this is a necessary disappointment that will teach the querent a lot about themselves and the people around them.
Key Terms
- Nearing the end of a journey
- Reaching goals
- Protecting assets
- Final business deals
- Important mergers
- Failed efforts in business
- Reassessing one’s goals
- Moving to the next goal