Harmonious Nines

[madhavendra]

Hello!
I just quitted job (oh yes, yes, yes ) and I have few days before moving to a new place, so I don’t mind spending some time with The Nines here.

Nines speak amongst other things about fulfilment, completion, conclusion, solitude. For me they are little bit like 10s that are not completely matured.

Nine of Wands is to me the most confusing of all Nines here, but I can see the point. In RWS we had lonely fellow who guards his assets; he fought hard and now though he is tired, his position is quite strong. Still there might be some more action required to finish his business and to be completely safe. He looks tense, even suspicious. In HT we see different picture: proud and not too skinny flower-man (red petals and green leaves) holds strong and big flower. Flower is just budding; still not fully blossomed- that might be the indication of position, that is strong, but not strong enough- you’ve got to be ready for more work to finish what you started. Therefore confident and proud posture of the flower-man seems little bit odd. But maybe this is his way of defence? To show that he’s strong and not afraid. There is small child hiding behind him under huge, red flower steaming from flower-man’s dress. Is he his page? Or maybe… he is the real self of the flower man; vulnerable, naked, feeling uncertain. Outside strong and confident- inside week and tired after all these fights and power struggle, that is so connected with Wands. Yes- now I can connect this picture with RWS Nine of Wands
Otherwise Nines speak about completion of some sort- this maybe really completion of struggle, competition etc.

Nine of Chalices- as a vegetarian I don’t connect much with this picture , but the point is very clear- enjoyment. We see the chef heading probably to his kitchen. He embraces huge and fat goose (half goose-half wine creeper) who soon will become sumptuous meal. He is followed by two maidens carrying some sort of decorative vegetable stacks crowned with herbs. Generally this card emanates with feeling of pleasure, wealth, satisfaction. It is mostly sensual, or self-centred satisfaction unlike the Ten of Chalices where the happiness connects all family. Any way you feel happy and full.

Nine of Swords- card of negative thinking, mental suffering, despair. As in many HT cards author shows here the new way of presenting old meaning. He departures from RWS 9 of Swords, with the person waking up from a nightmare. Instead we have probably some mythological scene (why I didn’t study Greek mythology more then I did?? ) in which something is taken from young, beautiful women. She’s in despair, she doesn’t want to part with something (someone) and this separation gives her lots of pain.
Other way I feel this card is that she doesn’t want to let her problems fade away. Nine of Swords often means that the way we perceive the gravity of the problem is much greater then the problem itself. Let it go, don’t stick to it, focus on the positive sides of life, it is really not that big as you think.

Nine of Pentacles- I love this card! I love the way artist connected Greek Goddess with Native American woman. On the left side of the card there is Greek Goddess, holding trident in one hand and staring intensely at the coin she holds in her right hand. The coin she holds is different then the other 8 coins in the picture- it’s bigger, and there is green laurel wreath around king’s head. Behind her stands Native American girl. Unlike the Goddess she looks relax and happy. She holds in her hands some kind of plant; I presume it must be some healing herb. They both stand on the beach. Ach, yes- on the coin there is the same bird we could see in RWS 9 of Pentacles! Unfortunately I don’t know his meaning. If any RWS expert would like to give his opinion I would really appreciate.
So in RWS we could see wealthy, relaxed women enjoying in her garden. The card says about enjoying the result of your work; money you earned. You are peaceful because you may step back from the rat race and for a moment look inside you, spend some time enjoying art, maybe some things you always wanted to do, but you never had time for that. In HT the Greek Goddess represents to me the working side- the side which got us money, or other assets that give us material independence. She’s completely concentrated on her coin and her trident looked to me at the first glance as Wand- symbol of action, endeavor, struggle. The Native American girl represents her inner self which is able to emerge now. She holds healing plant- it’s time to stay for some time aloof from work, business, etc, and heal yourself. Write the diary, go to the beach (empty and hilly beach behind them- not crowded, noisy beach in Florida create the poem, I don’t know…all sort of things you feel to do. You worked hard and now you can enjoy.

Ok, that’s it. Anyone?
Martin

 

[Grip Dellabonte]

My dear madhavendra!

Has it been 4 weeks?! My stars! I honestly did not forget, or give up. It's just been that busy around here.

Hope all is well with you.

I am going to tackle the Nines. Let's see where you and I converge - or not!

Nine of Wands

In this card we see a full figured woman - in full bloom, let's say! She is wearing a rich long dress of red and salmon. She has a flambouyant headdress that looks like a gigantic camellia, which matches her gown. She has draped over her a green, long leafy wrap. In her right hand she is holding forth a long stemmed flower bud as if it was a staff. Her left hand is crooked on her left hip. Her feet are planted in a very imperious position. She appears to be shielding a little child who is playing under a flower blossom, seemingly oblivious to whatever the woman has her attention trained.

The RWS card traditionally shows a man battered and bruised, defending nine wands. This was meant to signify that whatever struggles he went through, he successfully warded off all threats.

It is a card of strength, resilience, self-discipline, and courage.

While the Harmonious card does not reflect that image anywhere near the RWS image, I think the message still gets itself across.

I would not get in this woman's way! She is quite formidable!

The nine wands over her head - and the child behind her - to me, indicate what she has fought for...and, what she will defend at all costs. Whether the child is a real child, or something she protects as if it was a child, she has all the qualities listed above to make sure she is not crossed.

If this card was to come up in a reading I think the message would be along the lines of drawing upon these qualities like this woman does, and you will meet with little resistance.

Nine of Cups

I'm a bit of a wimp at times, so this card sort of bothers me a little. I tell myself that this goose is the cook's good luck charm - she lays eggs for the castle! Or some such...

The first thing that struck me is that the goose has a wreath of bay around her neck, and the cook carries a sprig of it. At least it looks like bay to me. Bay has long been considered a symbol of prosperity and fame. Judging from the starched whites of the cook, the crisp pink and white uniforms of the handmaidens, the plumpness of the goose, the spoon that the cook carries, the decorated foodstuffs that the maidens are carrying, I would say they are in the employ of someone who is probably prosperous.

The nine of cups is usually the card of good fortune, contentment, happiness, what my aunt used to call the "yes" card.

If this card comes up in a reading it usually portends a good patch of happiness, good health, maybe a wish fulfilled.

Nine of Swords
This card shows nine swords alternately pointing up and down above the head of a woman in a flowing pink dress wearing a crown. She is coming down off of what looks like steps from a porch or something. She is facing her left. Her right arm is held straight out in front of her. And her eyes follow her right arm. There is a beseeching feel to her body position. She is bent forward, as are three trumpet-like flowers next to her. These flowers are on the other side of a wall on her left side, while her left hand is on the wall, bracing her.

This is the card of nightmares and fears. But the fears are more of an internal kind. They are not necessarily founded in real-life. They could be, but aren't always. This card often signifies that our fears are unfounded...we are suffering needlessly. It could often mean that our fears are well-founded, but if we only focus on the fears, we are held trapped by them. We must face our fears so that we can get past them and move on.

We do not see what affects this woman...her fears are unseen....it doesn't make them any less painful, though, just because we can't them...

Nine of Pentacles

Well, this is an interesting card! Usually there is a solitary, pensive woman on it. The woman is often in a field of some sort, and the field seems to be rich with bounty. The woman also often has a bird.

The general meaning of the card is one of riches that one can now take the time to enjoy. The battle has been fought and won, wealth and fame has been established, nothing left to do but enjoy it for a while.

In this image, we seem to have either a merging of cultures, or a clash...depending upon how you look at it!

The figure on the right looks like Athena or Minerva - can't tell which. But the bird looks more like a hawk than an owl....just an observation...

The corn goddess is any one of a number of Native American goddesses. Maybe the two goddesses represent dual qualities of the Nine of Pentacles - battles fought and won, and a period of plenty.

The ocean is yet another symbol of bounty, and the cliffs could represent yet again the heights climbed to achieve it.

At any rate, in a reading this card more likely than not, could signify a fruitful period in one's life...a beneficial, and fortuitous card.

 

[madhavendra]

Hello Grip!
Nice to know you are still around (this topic)