New to Tarot? Just pulled the Nine of Wands? If the guarded Nine of Wands was pulled out of your deck and you want to know what it means, keep reading!
The Nine of Wands is telling you to protect yourself and seek stability! The Nine of Wands has been burned before and doesn’t want to let the same mistake happen twice. While the Nine of Wands is resilient, he’s not rash.
The Nine of Wands is about believing in your abilities and skills as you journey carefully through life, but if you completely close yourself off, then you’re going to end up pushing away the things that you want, too.
Want to know what else this card is wanting to share with you? Read on!
| Attribute | Description |
| Upright | Resilience, perseverance, last stand, preparedness, guardedness, the light at the end of the tunnel, stability, learning from mistakes |
| Reversed | Fatigue, surrender, making the same mistake twice |
| Yes or No | Maybe, you’re nearly there |
| Numerology | 9 |
| Element | Fire |
| Planet | Mars in Sagittarius, Jupiter |
| Astrological Sign | Sagittarius |
The Nine of Wands is a very resilient card, and it’s hard to knock him down! He knows what he’s capable of, and he knows how to work with what life has given him, even if sometimes it gives him some hard knocks.
This card is determined to succeed and to bring good things to his own life, so he is more self-reliant than perhaps some other cards are, providing an inner strength that will carry you past the finish line.
The Nine of Wands wants to see you use your brain and plan for your future because he loves it when he sees a plan coming together for someone who’s been making these plans for so long. He knows how much your goals mean to you!
This card wasn’t born yesterday and knows that nothing really happens without grit and willpower taking you past where you fell short in the past. You’re meant to keep getting back up and trying again and being a little smarter the next time around.
While being protected is great and prevents as many negative events from taking place in your life, sometimes this can get boring or isolating, and your boundaries might be keeping out more friends than enemies. Be aware of who you’re shutting out.
| Upright Love Meaning | Upright Career Meaning | Upright Health Meaning |
| Perseverance and strength in relationships; overcoming challenges together | Resilience in your career; overcoming obstacles and staying determined | Be cautious with your physical energy; avoid pushing yourself too hard and rest when needed |
In love, the Nine of Wands wants you to persevere with someone that you might have been struggling with or becoming stagnant with. It’s on you both to make the relationship work and if you’re sabotaging it through stagnancy, it’s time to make a change.
This card can also mean that you’re more cautious in love than you are open, and this could be preventing you from being with the person that you’re meant to be with. Make sure that your boundaries aren’t blocking out literally everyone.
In career readings, the Nine of Wands indicates that you need to continue to be resilient, even if you’ve been struggling with a boss, a coworker, or a project that’s been stumping you. You may need to be more guarded in the workplace as well to prevent theft or manipulation.
It can also mean that you’re working with someone who’s very guarded or very resilient and that this person may need more understanding as you work together because they may be paranoid or jumpy at times.
Try to maintain open and friendly communication without overstepping boundaries, either yours or theirs.
When it comes to health, the Nine of Wands is very aware of what’s good for you and what’s not good for you. He wants to encourage you to keep doing what’s right for you, protecting your future health, and if you’re not, he’s encouraging you to get back on track.
He can also let you know that you might be too closed off to new experiences that would be positive for your health. Your doctor or therapist may have given you some instructions, and you might be resisting them. It would be better to do the hard thing.
You must persevere with your goals instead of giving up halfway through because if you can keep from giving up, you’ve already won half the battle!
In your spiritual life, the Nine of Wands can encourage you to take on a more cautious approach. You may need to be more careful with your spirit right now, as there may be people around you who do not have your best interests at heart.
The Nine of Wands wants you to keep your heart protected from those who would manipulate you. There are people out there who will take advantage of you, and you need to shield against them and stay determined in the face of spiritual challenges that come your way.
Make sure that you trust your spiritual mentors and that you are learning from those who want to lead you down the right path because otherwise, you might wake up and realize that you don’t know how you got there, spiritually or emotionally.
The Nine of Wands is cautious, aware, and resilient spiritually.
When you see the Nine of Wands reversed, it’s letting you know that you’re weary and that you may feel exhausted in the face of the challenges that have been coming your way. If they’re nonstop and you’re unable to keep going, you might need to take a break.
When this card appears, it’s a good thing that you’ve been strong and trying to make sure that you didn’t let yourself down, but there’s only so much strength that one person can display, and sometimes you have to throw in the towel.
The Nine of Wands reversed can also let you know that you feel doubtful and that you might be struggling to confront a situation that is an obstacle to your success. Even though you might be scared and want to give up, you’re meant to unpack this hesitation before giving up.
Honor your feelings, and when you realize that you’re either too vulnerable or you’re too closed off and guarded, you realize that a change needs to be made. Assess the root of your hesitation and fear, and pull it up!
| Reversed Love Meaning | Reversed Career Meaning | Reversed Health Meaning |
| Feeling overwhelmed or giving up on relationships; seek support | Career burnout or exhaustion; take a break to recharge | Watch for potential health issues due to stress or fatigue; prioritize self-care |
When the Nine of Wands appears reversed in a love reading, it can mean that you need to let go of a relationship that’s been hurting you or pushing past your boundaries too often. You might have been trying to persevere, but it’s time to say goodbye.
Alternatively, this card can mean that you have been too closed off or too guarded with the other person and that you need to let your guard down, but this is likely only true if you haven’t already had conversations about how you’re feeling.
Be aware of how your boundaries either are or aren’t being respected and if the problems persist after you’ve tried to make it work in the past. It may be time to throw in the towel and start fresh.
When it comes to your career, the reversed Nine of Wands is letting you know that you’re becoming exhausted or overworked and that your strategy of continuously throwing yourself at this career isn’t a good idea.
The reversed Nine of Wands doesn’t want you to continue in a place that’s making you miserable and showing no signs of changing, and that’s very likely the case here. They may even be asking you to work past the confines of your job, which isn’t fair.
It could also mean that there is someone in your workplace who is exhausted, who is exhausting you, or who is not setting the correct boundaries needed for a healthy workplace. If you can’t change this, then move on if you can.
The Nine of Wands reversed in a health reading often indicates that you’re exhausting yourself when it’s unnecessary and that while you’re trying to persevere through the pain, you’re not aware of your limits, and you might actually be hurting yourself.
When you see this card, it lets you know that you likely need to set better boundaries in your health routine and make sure you’re making time for rest and rejuvenation, as well as prioritizing your well-being.
You may feel emotionally fatigued when you see the reversed Nine of Wands in a spiritual reading, and your spirit may feel like it’s on its last leg. When you think this way, it likely means that you haven’t been allowing yourself to rest spiritually, and you need to.
If you’re not grounding yourself or meditating, then you might be feeling worn down now or vulnerable, and you may want to protect yourself more. Otherwise, you might be so self-reliant that you’re not allowing anyone to help you and then burning yourself out.
When the Nine of Wands is reversed, you need to protect yourself more or open your heart up. There’s either too much or too little resilience here.
The Nine of Wands is a maybe; he wants you to make a stable and strong choice, and he wants you to be cautious as you’re making your choices. When you’re asking yes or no of the Nine of Wands, you mainly need to be concerned with how solid the question is.
If you’re pursuing an endeavor, this card leans more toward a yes, but if you’ve not been prepared or working toward this outcome being a yes, then it is more likely to be a no. This card won’t support you running off and doing something random.
When the Nine of Wands is here, the answer is maybe, but it leans more toward a yes.
In astrology, the guarded, persevering Nine of Wands is associated with Sagittarius. Ruled by Jupiter, as well as this card being associated with Mars in Sagittarius, Sagittarius shares the same wise awareness that the Nine of Wands champions.
The Nine of Wands is connected to Mars in Sagittarius, adding a layer of exploration and refusal to give up on this card. You have the power to grow from your challenges, so don’t shy away from them.
The Nine of Wands’s energy will likely feel more natural to you if you’re a Sagittarius. Similarly, if you are a fire sign, Aries will understand independence and self-reliance, and Leo will align with protection and strength.
The fire signs Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius will emotionally identify with the Nine of Wands!
In numerology, the Nine of Wands is represented by the transitional number 9. 9 represents endings, fruition, completion, and achievements.
The number 9 represents the end, and just like when you make it to the end of a long journey, you may feel a sense of fulfillment and then reap the benefits of the patience and hard work you put in.
Additionally, when the dust all clears, some friends or lovers do not come on the same journey that you go on yourself. At the end of a journey, sometimes you part ways with someone that you’ve grown apart from.
The Nine of Wands is helping you close out a chapter and look to the future with confidence.
Number 9 helps us to be strong in the face of adversity and to be grateful for what we have instead of mourning what we’ve lost.
The Nine of Wands as your daily card will challenge you to be a little more cautious as you go throughout your day. It can be stressful to be more watchful and focused since you’re not able to relax as much, but on the good side, nothing’s getting by you!
You’re meant to persevere today, so even if things get difficult, you’re still meant to give it all you’ve got and keep going in the face of adversity. You’re not going to let yourself down, not if you insist on being prepared!
Ultimately, you can’t prepare for everything, but make sure that you’re checking your to-do list carefully. If you’re being too spontaneous or carefree with your time and energy today, then you’re more likely to lose focus and hurt yourself in the long run.
The Nine of Wands wants you to be aware and prepared, but don’t be so closed off that you end up stagnating.
All tarot cards have other cards in the major and minor arcana that back them up by complementing their energy, or that challenge them by contrasting their energy. Are you doubling down or finding a balance? Let’s find out!
Complementary Cards
Contrasting Cards
When the card in the Nine of Wands is with a complementary card, it might be telling you to go for it, but in a specific way! If a card in the Nine of Wands is with a contrasting card, figure out what needs balancing out.
The Nine of Wands wants you to be prepared for what life may bring and knows that you can learn from your mistakes, heal, and make solid choices. Being resilient matters, but small changes should also be made since there’s always room for improvement.
The Nine of Wands wants you to establish your boundaries, whatever you need to feel safe and protected and to defend your boundaries as you make your way through life. People may not always understand what it is you’re doing, but you know what’s right for you.
The Nine of Wands can be a steadfast and true guide, and he wants to lead you to your purpose. Let him take you where you’re meant to go!
The Nine of Wands represents resilience, determination, and the ability to overcome challenges through perseverance and inner strength.
When the Nine of Wands appears, it suggests that you have been through difficult times but have the courage and resilience to keep going.
The Nine of Wands advises you to trust your instincts and stand firm in your beliefs, even when faced with opposition or obstacles.
When reversed, the Nine of Wands may indicate a temporary setback or feeling overwhelmed. It reminds you to take a break and recharge before continuing.
The Nine of Wands encourages you to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth, pushing you to develop resilience, determination, and inner strength.
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