RWS Tarot 101 Nine of Wands

PAMUYA

What do you see in this card?

Nine of Wands

I see a wouded man holding a Wand. Behind him are 8 Wands in the ground forming a barrier between him and the outside world. He is looking over his shoulder with a look of “Oh no, what’s next?”. He is holding his Wand almost hugging it for comfort. He looks very unsure of himself. Is he awaiting the final conflict? Difficult times ahead? We are all afraid of change, but change is growth.

Direct: Inner strength, Give it everything you got. Hard times to come, Be on guard, others may be against you. Time to evaluate your situation and plan what to do next.

Reversed: Obstacles become oppressive, Extreme isolation, banishment, off guard, career setbacks, wrong decisions/actions due to not evaluating situation clearly, overwhelmed, illness.
 

rcb30872

I always think of don't give up when you are so close to the finishing line. Needing to find the inner strength to get you over the final hurdle, so to speak.
 

Summersnowflake

I think this fellow knows the battle isn't over yet. He's wary, looks a bit worse for the wear already but not going to be caught off-guard at any rate.

One way I see this card is encouragement to hang in there through a rough stretch, stand your ground.

But can it also suggest a tendency towards paranoia?
 

ridercheung

I have idea about war seems to be over.
now the man with wand have no energy to fight again
war is established by him and ended by him
therefore the outside world is peace.
 

ofbainbridge

Upright
I see someone who has had some trying times but with courage and determination has developed a strong sense of who he is and what he's about in some area...

Reversed
I see someone who is defensive and insecure so he overcompensates...
 

TeaBiscuts

9 of Wands

I am new to tarot so this will be my first post of what I see in the cards.

I agree with all above

I however also see this

yes it looks like he is looking over his shoulder, but I also see it past, he is looking to his past, I see he has fear, concerned, worried, scared, and gripping onto that wand for dear life, feeling it will save him from his fears of the past. he concerned, worried that whatever happened in his past/behind him will creep up into the now and bit his butt, or bring trouble/problems to his current situation, he's creating all these creative ideas that the past will stop/affect his progress . so to me he needs to stop creating/ worrying about what is behind/past , and create more positive and move ahead, your almost there, smarten up and be strong. get over it. or grow-up, what's done is done, no more adding more wounds to the wounds you already have. Your only hurting yourself in the end if you don't.
 

brightcrazystar

Here is the thing: 9 has many divisions, for it is the perfect self-referential number. This shows ony one of them.
5 +1 + 3

He holds 1 wand, on his left hand 3 are behind his cautious gaze.
On his right hand, he is wary of the 5. But by the will of his one wand, have the eight in the card before become grounded. Will is on the earth, and in the earth, but the battle has been hard.

1, 3, 5 are all sacred numbers, and with the "8" formed of 3 and 5, we have 8. This is the formula of the Pentagram brought to equilibrium of the trinity.

In the Three of Wands, the Venturous One sets out to the world, taking hold of his own will from the many, without even looking at it. He knows, by Virtue, which is his. Add one and we get Four. In the Four of Wands, and we get the marriage. The Venus in Aries of the work of one's aspiration as the mode of self-identity. The Will of Fraternity, and union.

In the Five of Wands, the motley bunch try to fomulate a pentagram, but their story is the same as two many chiefs, not enough indians.
Add one and we get Six. In the Six of Wands, one comes with authority, as from a wedding. He sets the others in order, resolving 5 unruly into order. This is done by aligning one with his own, and letting the others pair up as well. He however divides even the one aligned to his own, so he can keep his one among the three distinct, even as he did on the 3 of wands. When he found another with 3 wands, he added his one to the other three, and those become the boughs under which the Magician perfoms the marriage of opposites.

5 = Geburah
1 = Kether
3 = Binah

The path between is The Chariot, the canopy of which is also held up by four posts. It is the Uniting path of The Triangle with the Pentagram (of which the Cross is also a symbol). Cheth is the building of a fence / defining the right for a place for your own reality. This is the building of the chariot, which is the vehicle of the Magician's Operation, The Throne of the Priestess, The Perch of the Devil, and the Wings of the Angel depending on which direction you are facing. It is between the pillars, but this card shows that vertical connection between Geburah and Binah, only which you rotate the card 90 degrees counter-clockwise. Then you see, here is the Fate of the Herculean Knight of Wands, after his steed is gone from him, and he is left with only the Stave of Signoir Gualdi. This is the ordeal of Philosophus, to dweel from strict practice to the the tower he built, and consent it to fall.

He rules the last decan of Scorpio, to first two decans of Saggitarius.
7 of Cups, 8 of Wands, 9 of Wands. His fate in the The Hands of the King, when he joins with The Queen of Pentacles who would have the Staff from him.

He bears a bandage on his head, for he has recieved the final wound ; compare to the story of Chiram Abiff. This is the Will of the Magician that he ever manifests, RECLAIMED. But it is imperfect, it will by virtue of its own multiplicity continue onto 10. For another will come with their own wand, and try to take the whole of the bundle with them,.. consensual reality robs you of the opportunity to manifest your uncontested imagination. But this is the condition of humanity...

I say often, this card is being able to throw fireballs in your dreams, with the bitter knowledge that grenades are illegal when you wake up (10 of wands).
 

Marlo

Could this guy be a scout ?

He seems to wait in a strategic point, ready to anticipate any event and warn the rest of the group if any danger is about to occur. But with this bandage around his head, is he really able to take on this responsability....
 

Arial360

Response

As a situation:

I see a male that has made choices and has had gained experience and information through a cycle of an endeavor. He has already decided to practice defense of a conviction and a choice in that defense/defiance may result to becoming subjected to receiving more obstacles ahead in order to carry out the conviction.

The individual is prepared. 'Perseverance'

If defining a person with this card alone:

We would have a person that would refuse to yield from his/her conviction.
A survivor type.
Defiant.
Hyper-vigilant.
Strength in persevering.