DruidCraft Tarot - Nine of Wands
Authors: Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm
Illustrator: Will Worthington
Connections Book Publishing, London
ISBN: 1-85906-144-3

Description:
A mature man, looking battle-weary, stands at the edge of a cliff holding on to a crudely-fashioned spear. His gaze is menacing. He appears to be leaning lightly on the spear for support and he appears ready to use it and the others at a moment's notice. There are eight similar spears planted at an angle into the ground on either side of him. His attention is focused outward in the direction the spears face. His face looks grim and one arm is in a bloody sling. The wind is blowing his clothing and hair to his back. The sky is yellow at the horizon: has he stood vigil here all night or is a long day finally coming to an end? Or is that some great fire blazing in the distance? There seems to be a drift of black smoke rising from the mid-point of all that yellowish horizon.

From the (not so little, nor white) book:

Speaking of nines in general:
"The number nine has been considered magical in many cultures ... With its associations with idealism and altruism, and hence healing in its deepest sense, the number nine in numerology or the Tarot is often associated with leadership, moral authority and high standards, but true authority requires compromise as well as idealism, otherwise self-righteousness can develop. Thus the Nines in Tarot also relate to the balance we must maintain between idealism and realism. Nine's associations with completeness, creative expression and fate also make it an extremely powerful number."

About the 9 Wands:
Key Words: final challenge/caution

"You may be going through a period when you have emerged from a struggle, but are defensively or guardedly waiting for the next problem or conflict you believe will appear. You are worried that just when the struggle seems to be finally over, something worse will come along. If you have this feeling it may be justified, and you may need to remain cautious. It is likely, however, that the final battle will be an internal one, in which you come to grips with the sources of fear and conflict that ultimately spring not from outside but from within. You may have battled you way through life, a characteristic of the Wands, and your sense of being wounded in the past may have made you isolate yourself as a means of defense. The challenge now is to open to wholeness and healing.

This card could also be offering a different message - that you have accomplished something, but that you are finding it hard to fully accept your achievements, your strengths and talents. It can also indicate recovery from an illness, and this will be enhanced as you come to open completely to the reserves of healing energy that are waiting to flow into you.

Reverse meaning: You may feel so isolated that you feel banished 'beyond the ninth wave', or you may be trying to ward off a problem or difficulty that refuses to go away. We have psychological defenses for a reason, and only you can decide whether or not they are serving your needs in this instance, or whether you need to loosen up and open yourself to a different approach to the situation. The other cards in your reading could offer guidance, or working with a counselor or therapist could help. Alternatively, the reversed card could indicate physical neglect, a lack of energy or delayed success."

marianne's musings:
This fellow looks like he will not be easily convinced to relax his vigilance. He's contemplating a serious threat and he is not letting his guard down for a moment. If the threat is all in his perception, it is a strong perception that won't be easily dissolved.

Reversed, his eyes seem frightened and surprised and the spears seem to surround him, almost blocking his freedom of movement. He seems to have locked himself into a stalemate. There seems to be some energy shifting into a grey fog spiraling downwards. Could this be depression?

blessings,
marianne