Nine of Swords Tarot Card Meaning

Nine swords are tightly arranged horizontally across the image, with their points directed to the right side. A woman dressed in a white nightgown sits up in bed, her face buried in her hands as she weeps. These swords cross over the woman, with the lower ones piercing through her upper body. The third sword from the bottom grazes the top of her head. The second sword from the bottom pierces her neck. The first sword from the bottom hits the heart area. These swords, piercing through the head and heart and passing overhead, cause her to wake up in a painful headache.

The lower half of the woman's body is covered with a quilt, which features a checkered pattern in yellow and green. The yellow squares have red patterns, while the blue squares contain astrological symbols for the twelve zodiac signs and the ten major planets. The arrangement of these astrological symbols is disordered and chaotic, with many repetitions and none of them complete.

(As arranged on the pattern)

Mars  Taurus  Cancer

Pisces  Gemini  Leo

Virgo  Scorpio  Moon

Capricorn  Aries  Saturn

Sagittarius  Leo  Mars

Mercury  Sun  Gemini

Libra  Capricorn  Pisces  Taurus

The woman cannot sleep, as indicated by the flat bed surface, suggesting she has not been lying down for long. She cries with her face covered, as if she has suffered a great injustice, with sorrow welling up from within.

On the side of the bed frame, there is a peculiar scene depicting a story of violence, where the man on the right is bullying the woman on the left, causing her to lie on the ground. This can be said to be the story of her persecution, the psychological root of her dream, and since this part is not covered by the quilt, it can be explored.

The entire background is a black space, with dark walls or corners, reflecting the deep-seated fears within the mind.

Swords Above the Figure

The nine swords that hang above the figure represent the weight of mental anguish, fears, and worries. These are the tormenting thoughts that keep one awake at night, contributing to a sense of dread and hopelessness.

Seated Figure

The seated figure, with hands over face, manifests the emotional and mental pain that is being experienced. This is not merely an external struggle but one that deeply affects the psyche. The posture suggests a lack of hope or a perception of inescapable anguish.

Dark Background

The dark and heavy background adds to the overall atmosphere of despair and sorrow. It is a representation of the oppressive emotional landscape that the figure inhabits, lacking in light, relief, or comfort.

Quilt with Astrological Symbols

The quilt that adorns the bed is embellished with astrological symbols, pointing to the cosmic and fateful dimensions of human suffering. The quilt suggests that sometimes our worries and fears are tied to larger existential questions that may be beyond our control.

Engraving on the Bed

The engraving on the side of the bed serves as a reminder of the long-standing patterns, perhaps even ancestral or karmic influences, that may be contributing to the present state of mental anguish. These engravings can be seen as a coded language, pointing to the deeper, unconscious drivers of one’s suffering which may not be easily deciphered.