Upright: courage, Protective, Resillience
Reverse: Defensive, Exhaustion, paranoia
a horse rears up on its hind legs, backlit by the sun pierced with nine lances. the horse has longtime been associated with freedom, power, hard work, and the dogged determination required to work through adversity. the sun, a symbol of power and energy, has taken a few blows, but the horse rears up to show that it is ready to plow forward anyway. the nine ofwands is a symbol of fighting through the weeds to get to the other side. though it may be difficult, we must be strong in the face of adversity.we might be beaten up along the way, but we will emerge on the other side stronger than before.
when upright, the nine ofwands tells us that the user has taken a few blows, encountered adversity in its truest sense, but still stands tall to take on what will come next. you may be feeling rundown and cowed by all that life has thrown at you, but just keep in mind that for every hurdle you clear, that’s one more notch in your belt to carry with you from this day forth. strength comes from confronting adversity head-on. it may feel daunting now, but so long as you keep pushing towards that finish line you will come out stronger than you ever thought possible. you have people who can help support you if others try to kick you while you’re down. know who your friends are and send the rest packing. you have the tools to progress. don’t hesitate to use them.
when reversed, the nine ofwands suggests that the user has lost the will to stay strong. life has taken a toll on you, beating you down again and again until you don’t feel as if you can keep your head up any longer. the way forward may seem impossible to parse out, but you need to know that you are so close to the realization of your goals. draw inwards for the strength necessary to keep going. you are resilient, resourceful, and capable. if outward support is sparse, take efforts to focus on what you can offer up on your own. resist the urge to take on additional commitments and avoid succumbing to paranoia.when the world is at its most inhospitable, it’s easy to believe everyone else is out to make it worse. stay centered and focused on what you can do for you.
