Alright so yesterday afternoon I’m sitting at my desk, coffee stain on the notepad like always. Been digging into tarot lately, especially the number cards. Kept seeing patterns with the “9”s pop up in different contexts, you know? For love stuff, career questions… felt like there was something there but messy. Needed to untangle it.
Grabbed the Deck
First thing, I grabbed my trusty old Rider-Waite deck – battered box, edges worn soft. Spread ’em all out face up on the faded wood of the table. Sunlight was hitting the cards just right. Started flipping through, hunting specifically for every single card labeled “IX”. Pulled ’em out one by one:
- The Hermit (IX) – guy with a lantern, looking all isolated.
- Wheel of Fortune (X? Wait no, that’s 10, skip it!) – Crap, got confused for a sec. Focus! Right, the 9s:
- Strength (VIII, not yet!) – Ugh, numbering messes with my head sometimes.
- Nine of Cups – Ah-ha! Man sitting proud with cups all lined up.
- Nine of Pentacles – Lady in a garden with a falcon, looks rich.
- Nine of Wands – Dude leaning on a staff like he’s been through the wringer.
- Nine of Swords – Someone sitting up in bed, hands over face, looking freaked out.
Started Scribbling
Had my cheap notebook open, pen almost out of ink. Decided to tackle career meanings first. Just wrote down whatever gut feeling hit me looking at each 9:
- The Hermit: Solo projects, deep research needed. Maybe slow progress, but valuable. Feels like needing to step back to see the bigger career picture.
- Nine of Pentacles: Boom. That’s the independence dream. Maybe the payoff from hard work? Or working solo successfully. Financial security vibes.
- Nine of Wands: Oof. This is burnout territory. Defensive posture. Feeling like the last one standing on a tough project. Resilience, but dang, it’s costing.
- Nine of Swords: Anxiety central. Work nightmares? Stressing over deadlines or mistakes. Feeling mentally overwhelmed by job stuff.
Noticed Pentacles and Cups felt way different from Swords and Wands for work. Pentacles solid, Cups… well, Cups felt more complicated for career.
Switched Gears to Love
Took a gulp of cold coffee. Okay, love meanings this time. Scrawled a big star shape for love:
- The Hermit: Needing space in a relationship? Or searching for a deeper connection, maybe a soulmate kind of thing. Could feel a bit emotionally distant.
- Nine of Cups: Pure wish fulfillment! Making that wish for love, having emotional needs met. Satisfaction, feels good.
- Nine of Pentacles: Self-love city. Being happy single? Or in a relationship where you maintain great independence. Feeling secure within yourself first.
- Nine of Wands: Guarded heart vibes. Maybe walls up after past hurts? Feeling defensive in love. It’s a struggle to stay open.
- Nine of Swords: Relationship anxiety overload. Worrying about your partner, the relationship, past issues keeping you awake. Mental anguish.
Stared at the Cups card. So simple, but powerful for love: satisfaction, getting what you emotionally desire. Big contrast to Swords and Wands again.
The “Aha?” Moment (Kinda)
Looking at my chicken scratch notes spread out, a pattern clicked, though it wasn’t rocket science:
The “9”s feel like reaching a point just before completion. You’ve been through the whole journey of the suit (Cups = emotions, Pentacles = money/security, Wands = action/passion, Swords = mind/stress), and now you’re at the peak… or the limit. Pentacles shows the peak reward, Swords shows the peak anxiety.
For love (mostly Cups territory), it’s often about emotional fulfillment, wishes, independence, or the mental toll relationships can take. Cups (satisfaction) vs. Swords (dread) painted totally opposite relationship states.
For career, Pentacles ruled – success, stability, burnout resilience, or mental strain. Where Pentacles is concrete reward, Wands is like battle fatigue.
The Hermit stuck out as a wildcard – solitary, deep thinker. Applied to both realms: needing space in a relationship or needing deep focus in work.
Just My Take
Finished scribbling. Took a picture of the messy notes and cards spread out. Sun was lower then. This was just my process trying to make sense of these “9” energies. Cards aren’t magic 8-balls, obviously. How it feels in the moment, the other cards nearby… it all shifts things. But seeing all nine nines laid out like that? Definitely helped me see the push-pull they have – fulfillment vs. exhaustion, satisfaction vs. anxiety. It’s all there in the number 9, like the final stretch before you hit 10. Feels important. Gotta go refill my coffee now, that mug’s been empty way too long.
#tarotpractice #9cards #lovetarot #careertarot #justmeandering #notanexpert
