Nine of Wands Tarot Card Meaning

UPRIGHT

strength, good health, obstinacy, patience

REVERSED

weakness, ill-health, adversity, obstacles

Visual Description of the Nine of Wands:

A battered and bruised man is leaning against his wand. Over his shoulder eight more wands are looming over him. He is tired and wounded after a battle, but he knows he only has one obstacle left to overcome in order to achieve his goals. His final challenge will be to defeat the eight wands around him. After that he can rest, reassured that his strength of character has stood up to the test.

Divinatory Meaning of the Nine of Wands:

Upright Meaning of the Nine of Wands Tarot Card:

On the surface the querent may be dismayed at the sight of the Nine of Wands, but at its core this card is a positive omen. It shows that the querent has survived the obstacles they have faced thus far and with a bit of determination they will reach their goals. If they remain obstinate the challenged indicated by this card will be overcome.

“You’ve been through the wars in order to reach your goals. You’re tired, but remain undefeated. Through your trials you have learned how to defend yourself and what you stand for. There is one more obstacle to face before you reach your goals. And after everything that you’ve been through you have what it takes to reach the respite of sweet success.

You have to muster your strength and be patient however. Giving up now is not an option, but speeding ahead before you’re ready will also lead to failure as you are still depleted after your strenuous journey. But luckily this is the last obstacle and you’ll get to the end post as soon as you’re fighting fit again.”

While this card is an omen of good health it is more a sign that the querent will regain their mental and physical stamina before they need to face their next obstacle rather than a sudden increase in physical health. They will be in good health to face their final obstacle. Once they have regained their strength they will have to face this obstacle though and therefore it is of utmost importance that they wait until they are ready. Until that time they are advised to take care of themselves on a physical and emotional level to ensure their healing.

Reversed Meaning of the Nine of Wands Tarot Card:

The querent has taken on more than they were ready t achieve and their greediness has led to their defeat. They did not prepare and were found to be weak in the obstacles they have faced along their path. As a result this final obstacle has the power to overthrow them completely and land them in ill-health and adversity.

“You haven’t been making the healthiest choices lately and now you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. Continuing in this manner will lead to failure. You have become weak in your resolve, but you know you have to continue. If you stop now you will end up in equally adverse circumstances. You need to take care of business in order to set yourself on track again.

To do this you need to take care of yourself first and adopt the qualities shown by the upright positioning of this card. You need to keep an eye on your physical and emotional health and be patient with yourself as you build up your strength.”

Prevention is better than cure. It is not too late for the querent to turn the situation around, but they will have to dig deep and find a source of motivation in order to overcome the obstacles that lie ahead.