A positive take on the 9 of Swords

[Guest Night Shade]

Of all the cards in the deck, the 9 of Swords is my least favorite.  When this card comes up, all I can think about is misery,suffering, and despair.  So I challenged myself to come up with something positive about it (using the RWS), and i thought I'd share what I found.

 

First, I considered the woman holding her hands to her face, and thought maybe she was crying.  I've heard that crying helps to relieve stress, so maybe a positive meaning for this card could be letting yourself have a good cry.  A lot of people believe in keeping a stiff upper lip, and won't let themselves manifest their feelings, even in private.  But keeping everything bottled up like this will only lead to more stress, mental and physical problems, and the inability to mourn your losses and move on.  So if you get this card, it could mean to cry it out, move on from the stagnation of the 8 of Swords, and move forward into the total surrender of the 10 of swords, where you can pick yourself up, and start over again.

 

Next, I looked at the patchwork quilt on the woman's bed.  My grandmother used to make quilts for the family, so for me, quilts are a symbol of love, comfort, and warmth.  Even though the woman on the card is in despair, she's covered by these qualities that will help her get through her troubles.  So if this card shows up in your reading, you should remember that there are those who are willing to help and support you, be they family, friends, or a Higher Power.  Remember also that you have these qualities within yourself, and that you can call on them in your cold, dark night of the soul.

 

Next is the drawing on the side of the bed, which shows one person striking down another.  While I would usually read this as defeat, you could turn it around and see it as having the power to defeat your demons.  Even when you're in complete misery, you can reach deep down inside to find the means to turn the tables on those things that have been torturing you.

 

Finally, I looked at the swords on the wall.  I noticed that they were ordered neatly, perfectly spaced and facing forward (meaning that they're facing in the same direction as the woman).  So this card could mean that when the period of grieving is over, after you've released your stress and negativity through tears, you'll be able to put your thoughts together, think rationally again, and move forward.

 

Even though the 9 of Swords depicts a scene of deep despair and hopelessness, there is still some hope to be found.  You just have to let yourself feel the pain and release it, then look inside, and to your loved ones, to find the strength to keep going.

 

 

 

 

[Cookie]

Of all the cards in the deck, the 9 of Swords is my least favorite.  When this card comes up, all I can think about is misery,suffering, and despair.  So I challenged myself to come up with something positive about it (using the RWS), and i thought I'd share what I found.

 

First, I considered the woman holding her hands to her face, and thought maybe she was crying.  I've heard that crying helps to relieve stress, so maybe a positive meaning for this card could be letting yourself have a good cry.  A lot of people believe in keeping a stiff upper lip, and won't let themselves manifest their feelings, even in private.  But keeping everything bottled up like this will only lead to more stress, mental and physical problems, and the inability to mourn your losses and move on.  So if you get this card, it could mean to cry it out, move on from the stagnation of the 8 of Swords, and move forward into the total surrender of the 10 of swords, where you can pick yourself up, and start over again.

 

Next, I looked at the patchwork quilt on the woman's bed.  My grandmother used to make quilts for the family, so for me, quilts are a symbol of love, comfort, and warmth.  Even though the woman on the card is in despair, she's covered by these qualities that will help her get through her troubles.  So if this card shows up in your reading, you should remember that there are those who are willing to help and support you, be they family, friends, or a Higher Power.  Remember also that you have these qualities within yourself, and that you can call on them in your cold, dark night of the soul.

 

Next is the drawing on the side of the bed, which shows one person striking down another.  While I would usually read this as defeat, you could turn it around and see it as having the power to defeat your demons.  Even when you're in complete misery, you can reach deep down inside to find the means to turn the tables on those things that have been torturing you.

 

Finally, I looked at the swords on the wall.  I noticed that they were ordered neatly, perfectly spaced and facing forward (meaning that they're facing in the same direction as the woman).  So this card could mean that when the period of grieving is over, after you've released your stress and negativity through tears, you'll be able to put your thoughts together, think rationally again, and move forward.

 

Even though the 9 of Swords depicts a scene of deep despair and hopelessness, there is still some hope to be found.  You just have to let yourself feel the pain and release it, then look inside, and to your loved ones, to find the strength to keep going.

 

How perceptive of you Night Shade[/member] & optimistic.  Interesting read.

 

I find the 5's a lot more ominous and threatening.  This 9/swords is the depression, the necessary crying, getting over whatever it was in the slow and deliberate process of healing; or it is fear and paranoia that is in one's head...not real. 

 

You are right ...if we ignore it, don't heal, it will find a way of coming out... in addiction (which will hide it), in anger & violence, etc but in the end one has to deal with it; the longer it's left the worse it is.  That's why people have complete mental breakdowns or top themselves.

 

And the quilt you mention:  I don't know if you've noticed it but if you look closely you'll see it has all the signs of the zodiac stitched into & the planets too.  The signs of the zodiac, i believe, means that depression etc acts without prejudice, no one is immune, and it will hit everyone however beautiful, however rich, however lucky at some point.  And the planet motifs symbolize that it last's a long time, just like the planets return around the sun and there time in retrograde and the dark etc; but at some point they will return all the be better and wiser for the experience.   

[Guest Night Shade]

Thank your for your reply, Cookie[/member] .  You gave me more to think about.

 

I like your insights about the zodiac.  I never thought about it that way, about how depression will hit everyone as they go through the cycles of life (as Pisceans, doesn't it seem like we get a double dose of it?)

 

Interesting thought about the 5.  Maybe I'll work on that one next.

[Cookie]

Thank your for your reply, Cookie[/member] .  You gave me more to think about.

 

I like your insights about the zodiac.  I never thought about it that way, about how depression will hit everyone as they go through the cycles of life (as Pisceans, doesn't it seem like we get a double dose of it?)

 

Interesting thought about the 5.  Maybe I'll work on that one next.

 

Double dose ??...try treble!!  We are the Winter of our Own Discontent !

[DanielJUK]

The quilt always interests me, as well as the zodiac symbols on some squares, there are red roses on yellow background on alternating squares. I am not sure what the red roses represent, it could be love or courage which is associated with Roses. Also it has represented different groups in history like the Tudors here and Aphrodite in Greek times and the Virgin Mary in the Catholic Church. There is a great old thread on AT about the quilt here, in Victorian times, people made "protective quilts", maybe with symbols on? The astrology might represent lucky star signs to bless it. Another suggestion on the page is Charm Quilts which were a thing, a woman would make a patchwork quilt with no squares the same, the last square was from her new husband's shirt. It was seen as very unlucky not to finish the quilt in your lifetime  :))

 

For me, this card represents that everything is all in your mind but it's not the reality in your external world. In reality they have a nice place to sleep with a protective quilt (different to sleeping out in the snow like in the 5 of Pentacles). I have had periods of nightmares and insomnia and times of mental stress in my life and I realise now (because I am more expert at dealing with my own mental health these days) that something that seems so awful, is normally just in your mind. Like when you cannot sleep and the hours drift by and you think, omg I may never sleep! Eventually you get to a point when you are thinking that your body may just shut down from lack of sleep but it's really only been one nights sleep. It's not the end of the world! We can work ourselves up into such a state but it's not real in the external world, it's just in our heads. We see it in children when they fall and cry, if they are not comforted by talking to them and saying it's alright, they are visibly more upset. It's amazing how you can change a screaming child to silent when you say don't worry you will be okay. They could be really injured but mostly likely they are overreacting, the big thing with this card.

 

If someone is upset or stressed or in a negative place, it can seem like the end of the world but your mind can make it so much worse. There are some extreme mental health crisis cases which are different to this analogy but mostly we have an element of control, we can think about the issue and get more upset or we can ground ourselves and just do things in real life, "take our mind off it". This card's positive when it appears to me is to spend more time in my external life, find help and advice, talk to friends and family, share a problem. If I can't sleep and have insomnia or nightmares, get out of bed and make a hot drink and watch really bad tv. This card says to me to ground yourself in reality and escape the over thinking which is the negative about this card.

 

The positive of this card is that it's not the reality, it's just your thoughts! Most of the stuff we worry about in life, is never is as bad as we imagine and this card reflects just that, it's our negative perception that things are so much worse.

[Page of Ghosts]

I am to lazy and impatient to read all of your comments, I just wanted to add my own musings on this card, hehe!

 

As someone who has struggled, and still do sometimes, with some mental health crap, I don't think this card is too bad at all. Sometimes when it comes up for me it can be quite a relief, letting me know that everything I'm currently obsessing over, all the thoughts about how I'm a terrible person, are not rooted in reality. Everyone makes mistakes and it's just my wacky brain blowing everything out of proportion. It's a card that sometimes has come up for me as I'm sitting in bed at night, unable to sleep and crying over something I've made out to be much worse than it really is! (and yes, I know this is a bad time for reading cards but I can find it soothing when upset and I like to live on the wild side sometimes!)

 

To sum it up, in some situations it can be a good card to get :love:

[Guest Night Shade]

I am to lazy and impatient to read all of your comments, I just wanted to add my own musings on this card, hehe!

 

No worries - I'm the same way sometimes!  ;D

[Grandma]

I did a reading here a few months ago using the Ghetto Tarot.  The Nine of Machetes (swords) came up in the position of Here and Now.  The question was “How can (querent) achieve harmony and balance through conscious and deliberate action?” 

 

This is from the reading (the Magician, the archetype of conscious action, concentration and power, was the base card):

 

This card symbolizes the presence of anxiety, guilt, fear, perhaps more than you consciously realize.  It’s appearance in the Here and Now suggests that this is the perfect opportunity to directly confront these negative feelings.  Transform fear into confidence, guilt into resolution, anxiety into courage.  The Magician gives you that power.  Additionally, Nines are the point in our Journey when we are almost home.  Overcome this challenge and you will realize the full potential of your mental energy.

 

The keywords for this card in this deck are “Unfounded fears and nightmares”.  Look deep within yourself to recognize and name the negative thoughts and feelings that are holding you back, that are impeding harmony and balance.  Once you have thought long and hard about this, take your hands away from your face, rise from your resting place and take those machetes down from the wall.  They no longer need to hover dangerously above your head.  Machetes are dangerous weapons, but they are also powerful tools.  Use them to cut through whatever impediments are holding you back from your goal.

[Guest Night Shade]

I did a reading here a few months ago using the Ghetto Tarot.  The Nine of Machetes (swords) came up in the position of Here and Now.  The question was “How can (querent) achieve harmony and balance through conscious and deliberate action?” 

 

This is from the reading (the Magician, the archetype of conscious action, concentration and power, was the base card):

 

This card symbolizes the presence of anxiety, guilt, fear, perhaps more than you consciously realize.  It’s appearance in the Here and Now suggests that this is the perfect opportunity to directly confront these negative feelings.  Transform fear into confidence, guilt into resolution, anxiety into courage.  The Magician gives you that power.  Additionally, Nines are the point in our Journey when we are almost home.  Overcome this challenge and you will realize the full potential of your mental energy.

 

The keywords for this card in this deck are “Unfounded fears and nightmares”.  Look deep within yourself to recognize and name the negative thoughts and feelings that are holding you back, that are impeding harmony and balance.  Once you have thought long and hard about this, take your hands away from your face, rise from your resting place and take those machetes down from the wall.  They no longer need to hover dangerously above your head.  Machetes are dangerous weapons, but they are also powerful tools.  Use them to cut through whatever impediments are holding you back from your goal.

 

This is really, really good, Grandma[/member] .  I especially like the part about using the machetes to cut down your obstacles.  Facing your fears is such a hard thing to do, so it's good to remember that you have the tools (machetes) to do so right at hand - you just have to take hold of them.

[Grandma]

Thank you, Night Shade!

[Guest Night Shade]

For me, this card represents that everything is all in your mind but it's not the reality in your external world. In reality they have a nice place to sleep with a protective quilt (different to sleeping out in the snow like in the 5 of Pentacles). I have had periods of nightmares and insomnia and times of mental stress in my life and I realise now (because I am more expert at dealing with my own mental health these days) that something that seems so awful, is normally just in your mind. Like when you cannot sleep and the hours drift by and you think, omg I may never sleep! Eventually you get to a point when you are thinking that your body may just shut down from lack of sleep but it's really only been one nights sleep. It's not the end of the world! We can work ourselves up into such a state but it's not real in the external world, it's just in our heads. We see it in children when they fall and cry, if they are not comforted by talking to them and saying it's alright, they are visibly more upset. It's amazing how you can change a screaming child to silent when you say don't worry you will be okay. They could be really injured but mostly likely they are overreacting, the big thing with this card.

 

If someone is upset or stressed or in a negative place, it can seem like the end of the world but your mind can make it so much worse. There are some extreme mental health crisis cases which are different to this analogy but mostly we have an element of control, we can think about the issue and get more upset or we can ground ourselves and just do things in real life, "take our mind off it". This card's positive when it appears to me is to spend more time in my external life, find help and advice, talk to friends and family, share a problem. If I can't sleep and have insomnia or nightmares, get out of bed and make a hot drink and watch really bad tv. This card says to me to ground yourself in reality and escape the over thinking which is the negative about this card.

 

The positive of this card is that it's not the reality, it's just your thoughts! Most of the stuff we worry about in life, is never is as bad as we imagine and this card reflects just that, it's our negative perception that things are so much worse.

 

You've just described my entire way of thinking, DanielJUK[/member] ! ( not sure whether  ;D or  :'( is more appropriate here).  I worry over everything - including things that might have happened, but didn't.  Thank you for your advice; if I can't find someone to listen to me, then I'll indulge in a cup of hot chocolate (with Hershey's kisses melted in - the cherry cordial ones make for a delicious, indulgent treat!) and watch really bad sci-fi movies (those always make me laugh).

[Guest Night Shade]

It's a card that sometimes has come up for me as I'm sitting in bed at night, unable to sleep and crying over something I've made out to be much worse than it really is! (and yes, I know this is a bad time for reading cards but I can find it soothing when upset and I like to live on the wild side sometimes!)

 

Better to get up and give yourself a reading than to lie awake in bed all night!  :)