Fenestra -- Nine of Pentacles

The woman in this card has built a place for herself and put a secure brick wall around it. Inside her enclosure there is an abundance of rich golden Pentacles and a grape vine symbolizing the success she has had in cultivating her garden and the good things she can now enjoy. Green hills in the background suggest further possibilities for growth and success.

She is wearing a furry collar-thing on her shoulder. It looks a bit like the one worn by the person on the Nine of Cups. If you look closely it has claws and looks a bit like the lion skin worn by Hercules in remembrance of one of his tasks. It implies that she has done a very difficult task in the recent past. This fits with her strong and confident demeanor. Her stance and her trousers even look a bit “tough”. She can do the hard jobs.

Her expression as she gazes at the falcon looks like she is telling it what she wants it to do. So the card could relate to being in (or earning) a position of authority as well as a comfortable life style.

This study group seems pretty slow at the moment. I am really hoping that some others will post here as well. This is a subtle deck and it is easy to miss things. The more people who post on what they see in the cards the more insights we will all have to work with.

I agree with your take on this card...

Although I feel she looks quite modern, leather trousers and tight low cut top.....and I feel she is a confident woman, someone who is pleased with what she has achieved, and has made herself a good place to be, to live, to spend time.

It's interesting to me that she is only with the bird, as if she needs no one, she doesn't crave anyone attention...but oif course that will come from the independance.

The hand on the hip and the weight on one leg.... well I used to stand like that before my hip wore away, so it is a cocky sort of strong stance....

Ang x

Ange said:

It's interesting to me that she is only with the bird, as if she needs no one, she doesn't crave anyone attention...but oif course that will come from the independance.

Ang x

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I wouldn't have thought of that. You are right it is a possible downside or warning to this card. I've never noticed that, probably because I've been more on the independant side myself. Do you want to pick a card to start the next thread, just whichever one jumps out at you?

Myrrha said:

I wouldn't have thought of that. You are right it is a possible downside or warning to this card. I've never noticed that, probably because I've been more on the independant side myself. Do you want to pick a card to start the next thread, just whichever one jumps out at you?

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i can't remember now what made me think of this at the time, but I was in my little cotage, I'd been struggling, and I have been short of money, but I'd finally got it done up, and it looked lovely....and I used to sit there in an evening and just look around me at the beautiful little Victorian place that I'd created....I was happy, contented, I then had enough money coming in to be comfortable, and I didn't need anyone, cos I was happy within myself.

That's how I see the lady in the 9....

Ang x

Fenestra~9 of Pentacles

On the 9 of Pentacles we see a young woman standing by what looks like a wall that has the pentacles on it and grape vines. She has a bird on her hand. In the back you see an empty and dreary looking space, she has gotten to the other side on her own and is enjoying the moment of achievement. The wall is made of brick, it is strong and won't easily come down. She has red hair, which I think symbolizes individuality. She has glove on her hand that has the bird on it, maybe this could represent her getting where she is without a scratch on her or it at least looks that way. Birds are independent and free, they can make it on their own. What kind of bird is it? Looks like it could be a falcon, which would work well with the card. Falcons represent liberty, freedom, and victory. The grapes represent her achievements in bloom. I also like her outfit as well. She stand very confidently and has a stylish outfit on. She is intelligent as well as beautiful.

The bird is definitely a falcon, and it looks a lot like a peregrine falcon. These birds are named for their wide-wandering habits. They can fly almost from the north pole to the south pole! They are also the premier bird for falconers, and the fastest animal in the world when they are diving (stooping). The phrase "she stoops to conquer" refers to a peregrine's dive onto its prey.

Female falcons are larger and stronger than males; there's no separate word for a female falcon the way there is for "lion, lioness" or "tiger, tigress." In fact, it's the male bird that has a different, non-generic name, a tiercel (because he's a third the size of the female!). A medieval list of the hunting birds of the nobility begins "An eagle for an emperor, a falcon for a queen..." This woman holds the bird of a queen. She is clearly self-confident, totally at home in her environment, mistress of herself, her garden, and her magnificent bird.

What do you make of the narrow loops around her upper body and arm, that look like very long necklaces or ribbons, or maybe narrow chains? A trained falcon is held by narrow leather strips around its legs. I would not say that the woman is bound by chains or thongs, not like the woman in the 8 of Swords by any means, but there is some symbolic representation of restraint going on here. Her hands are free, she could remove them if she wanted to, so I think she put them on as part of her clothing/jewelry herself; no one tied her up! Self-restraint, then, holding part of herself in herself, the way the garden is secure around her.

Funny thing is, I don't see any leashes on the bird's legs...

Hmm I wasn't sure what that was, it looks like it could be connected to the sheer fabric falling down under her arm and the eerr whatever that is that is under her hair, it actually looks like blond hair, but I don't think so, just some fluffy material. Maybe they are just accessories to show off her success?