Nine of Cups

Keywords & Phrases: 

Wish fulfillment. Overindulgence. Emotional satisfaction. Enjoying the simple pleasures of life. Smugly content. Pleased with what you have achieved. Self-indulgence. Counting your blessings. Satisfaction. Over-abundance. Desires fulfilled. Enjoyment. Contentment. Comforts. Plenty. Smugness. Indulgence. Visualizing what you want. Appetites gratified.

Summary:

Traditionally, this card was known as the "wish card". Your wish will now come true! But take care that you accept the responsibility of that wish and know what you really want. We often think we want something or someone and then live to regret it afterward. But generally this card is very beneficial, giving you the chance to take pride in your achievements, to be glad for what you are doing. Caution is required that you don't bask so much in your own success that you close yourself off to others.

As opposed to the Four of Cups, where fullness lead to boredom because it did not have to be worked for and was not merited, the happiness shown in this card is of a much more profound kind. It is still a happiness linked to oneself, to the fact that one has given and received with fullness and abandon. The well-being that is born from this sensation has no shadows, even if it disappears quickly.

When the Nine of Cups appears, you will get what you desire. It is a card of satisfaction and contentment, sometimes even smugness and overindulgence. The appearance of this nine can signal the end of a major phase of a project and the need to take a well-deserved holiday before proceeding.

Traditionally, this card is referred to as the Wish Card. It depicts contentment and satisfaction with what we have, and basking in the glow of achievement. It is important to remember, however, that these emotions depend on an appreciation of what we have. The man in the Nine of Cups also bears a tinge of smugness, and so this card can serve as a warning against self-satisfaction. Sometimes this card reminds us of an ironic curse: "May all your wishes come true." In that case, it may be an admonishment to be sure we know what we really want, to be prepared for it, since we may well get it.

Blare the trumpets and raise the banners. Raise glasses and toast me. I am Nike, the Greek winged goddess. I announce glory, victory, success and achievement.

Even when buried by our feelings, we may still raise our eyes and our hands towards our goal, our hope, our inspiration.

We do not always recognize good luck, which sometimes arrives when we are unable to appreciate it.

Questions:

How might I use my talents in more meaningful ways? What satisfies me? How have your wishes been fulfilled? What pleasures are being experienced? What do you feel smug about? What do you want to manifest in your life? Can you visualize it in detail?

Nine of Pentacles

Keywords & Phrases:
Accomplishment. Refinement. Independence. Self-reliance. Being resourceful. Knowing you are in control of the situation. Material security. Enjoying the finer pleasures of life. An inner sense of security. Acting on your own. Self-discipline.Prudence. Richness. Material connections between people. Being self-sufficient. Self-mastery. Attainment. Gain. Money. Success. Leisure time. Fruitfulness. Self-worth. Well-being. Prosperity as a result of past efforts. Solitary affluence. Well-deserved success. Inheritance. Possession. Mastery of one's resources. Taking good care of yourself. The capacity to be alone. Love of nature. Enjoyment of solitary leisure. Harvest. Good results from efforts. Luxuries. Pleasures. Physical well-being.

Summary:
The Nine of Pentacles signifies that a mission has been accomplished. You are ready to enjoy yourself, indulge in your success and know that your way is the right way. As a result of your recent efforts, you have a greater sense of self-reliance and independence. This graceful Pentacles lady feels secure in herself. This card also indicates that your most important duty is to yourself.

You achieve material comfort, financial security, and a sense of inner peace. You enjoy relationships, but when they're done, you're not lonely. You relish the personal environment you've created: your home, your garden, your pets, and your comfortable lifestyle. You don't depend on constant companionship to make you feel complete. Self-reliance is the key to your prosperity; you follow your own star.

The woman in this card is reaping the benefit of the wise use of her talents and resources. She is alone and at peace with herself and her surroundings. She is in control of her thinking and of her destiny. She has a sense of self-worth and is able to manage her own affairs, but at the same time she may be experiencing a feeling of incompleteness.

The Nine of Pentacles depicts an affluent woman who has earned the fruits of her labor and is now free to enjoy the finer things in life. Thus this card may indicate rewards, abundance, accomplishment, satisfaction, and fulfillment. The implication is that this compensation is the result of hard work, discipline, prudence, self-reliance, and self-control, who are characteristics recommended by this card. Additionally, the attitude and attire of the woman in this card implies the consequent refinement, culture, self-esteem and self-confidence that come with such achievements. Consider your accomplishments and note how you achieved them in order to learn from your past successes.

What an awesome feeling to be on top of the world, mistress of your own destiny. Good job!  You've done very well. The big question now is: what next?

You sowed well and harvested many fruits without too much effort. Ration them wisely and share them with those you love. I am Rosmerta, Celtic goddess of abundance.

Questions:
How free are you? Do you welcome independence? Have you acknowledged your accomplishment? Do you fear being self-reliant or believe you have nothing to show for your efforts? Am I still seeking a purpose in life? What do I value? What are you earning by your endeavors - material wealth, security, status? How are you enjoying what you've earned? How are you spending your leisure time? How do you give thanks for all you've gained?

Nine of Swords

Keywords & Phrases:
Depression. Suffering. Guilt. Putting yourself down. Nightmares. Insomnia. Mental torments. Despair. Shame. Conscience. Remorse. Doubt. Fears. Failure. Isolation. Imagining the worst. Sad, sleepless nights. Worry. Extreme stress. Anxiety. Anguish. Pain. Feeling useless or overwhelmed. Brooding. Lack of confidence. Gloom and doom. Sorrow. Overwhelmed by negativity. Overburdened by thoughts. Feeling you have done something wrong. Wishing "if only". Regretting the past. Obsessive sorrow. Feeling vulnerable. Self-destructive tendencies. Abandonment. Desperation.

Summary:
The Nine of Swords is the nightmare card. Your sleep may be disturbed as you deal with some vexing matter. You may be plagued by fear, guilt, doubt, and worries that are - to a large extent - unfounded. The difficulties you imagine may not appear so bleak when they see the light of day. The suffering you feel is the aftermath of previous difficult circumstances.

This card can indicate worry or despair. In the midst of such suffering, it is hard not to feel as thought life is hopeless. However, this card may also indicate the tortures we put ourselves through when we surrender to our unreasonable fears. It can be the feeling we get when we wake in the middle of the night worrying about something, even though things inevitably do not turn out to be that bad in the morning. When this card turns up, remember that "the darkest hour is just before dawn", and that fear and worry are the biggest part of our problems. Also, a cure for fear is hope - so instead of focusing on the horrors of your problems, start concentrating on solutions to them.

By acknowledging feelings of sorrow, disappointment, shame, and disillusion, you take the first step towards releasing them.

Like shadows, the demons inside us always seem larger and more threatening than they really are.

We can rise and see the light of day from the depths of despair and our greatest fears and woes. We all have nights when we toss and turn, our thoughts get out of proportion, we blame ourselves, blame others, worry about our actions and flounder in our doubts. The Nine of Swords basically reminds you that it is the time to refocus your goals, because just a little tweak here and there could make a big difference.

Again Swords are given the unpleasant task of handling and describing the human soul's relationship with pain. Pain hurts but it is part of life and we must not flee it, ignore it, or negate it. When it comes, pain is real and true, and we must accept this. This card deals with remorse, responsibility, and loss. It describes the moment when not only is there no hope, we do not even want to hope. We wait only for the pain to stop, in the worst and most terrible way. Hope, however, does not just depend on us. It is there even if we cannot see it, and pain is not able to shut every door and close every light. Not even the pain that comes from within and seems to swallow everything.

The Nine of Swords represents the pain we generate from within; what tortures we put ourselves through when our fears and doubts overwhelm us. Needless to say, the Nine of Swords is not the most pleasant of cards, but it doesn't always indicate major distress. Often it is just a sign of some element of unhappiness or trouble - a vulnerable spot in your life. Use the card as a 'caution' sign.

I disturb your sleep with terrible nightmares. I heap upon you the hate, fear, envy, and wickedness that consume me. I am Ate, the Greek goddess of insanity and misfortune.

Questions:
How are you putting yourself down? What is the source of your depression? What nightmares do you need to confront? What are you suffering from? What can you do to improve the situation? What is reality and what is a nightmare? How realistic are my fears? Am I willing to be patient enough to heal?