Gilded Tarot - Nine of Wands
by Ciro Marchetti, companion book by Barbara Moore
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide

A soldier kneels on the ground, holding a wand in his hand, almost as a support. His helmeted head looks down at the grass, his back and shoulders stooped. Behind him stand eight more wands, planted in the earth, and beyond, a stormy sky. In front of the soldier may be a low rock wall, or it may be bones. Ivy blooms in the foreground, and a beetle crawls up the vines toward the soldier.

My impressions: The Last Man Standing. The battle has been won, but at what cost? The battlefield is empty save for this soldier, and he himself looks exhausted, so exhausted he can't even kneel without support. Is he looking at the bones of a fallen comrade? Is it a wall that marks the boundary line that so many have fought over? Was this why so many had to suffer and die? All that energy raised by the wands has now been earthed, literally. I'm reminded of the lines from William Blake: "Golden lads and girls all must, as chimney sweepers, come to dust."

Companion book: "A tired soldier retreats from an insurmountable blockade. He is holding himself up by his will, represented by his wand, alone. He did not expectt this failure, and is puzzled by this situation. His experience did not reflect his expectations. The tiny scarab to his right indicates the quiet voice of his soul. ... [T]he warrior must retreat and regroup. … You are caught by a failure unawares. Things did not turn out as you planned and you aren't sure why. Take time to reflect, to determine what happened and why. Learn from this situation and resume the battle. Be aware of despair. While the situation is difficult and perhaps confusing, do not give up. Withdraw to heal and learn, not to escape life."

Atalantaix