Nine of Wands

Starting with this post we will look at one tarot card every week. This first card, the Nine Wands, was drawn from the Il Meneghello Soprafino deck. If you are used to reading with a Rider-Waite style deck, your first instinct may be to see this as a “non-illustrated pip”. If so, I ask you to set that aside for a moment and just look at the image for details and impressions.You may be surprised to find that there is more going on here with this card.

Later in the post we’ll look at some other versions of the Nine of Wands. We’ll also draw a 3 card spread to use tarot itself to help explain the card’s meaning.

First Impressions

Someone once said that wands are the suit of projects. Based on this, when I look at the Soprafino Nine of Wands I see that a lot of careful skilled work has been done. There are 8 colorful wands, equally spaced and very neatly woven together in a pleasing pattern.  Each of these 8 wands appears to be the same size in terms of width and length. To the left and right of the image are balanced and equal roman numeral nines (IX). Immediately beneath this orderly pattern is a longer and differently constructed wand which bisects it.

This extra wand disturbs and seems apart from the image. It’s beneath it, implying that it threatens the foundation of what’s been built. It’s right in the middle, so removing it may not be straightforward. It’s a different size, so even if it can be removed, it will likely not be easy to integrate it with the rest of the project.

Tarot’s Explanation – A Three Card Spread

James Ricklef, in his entertaining and enlightening Tarot tells the tale describes an idea he got from John Ballantrae to use a tarot spread to understand the meaning of a card. James’s approach is to use three cards to answer the question, “Who am I?” This is the spread we will use here.

Who am I? Spread for Nine Wands

I am a wand. Like all wands I am the physical embodiment of idea which has come into being to be made manifest with will, intention and power.

At the same time there is a feeling of tiredness and fatigue which stands opposite to the initial drive which started the project. A choice needs to be made. Do we gather up a final determination to press on to completion? Or, do we give in to the feeling of inner emptiness and leave things forever unfinished?

Of course you already know that as a nine, success is more or less predetermined.  Heaven, as it were, is working on my behalf, helping me make the right decision, to continue with determination, and to reach success despite any setback or obstacle, internal or external.

Traditional Interpretations

Paul Huson¹ suggests the Nine of Wands as strength in adversity or delay. He also provides the following (and more) traditional interpretations:

• Etteilla (1785-1807): Hindrance, intervals, separation, delay
• Mathers (1888): Order, discipline
• Golden Dawn (1888-1896): Lord of Great Strength
• Waite (1910): Strength in opposition

This Week

How will the nine of wands manifest in your life (and mine) this week?  Time will tell!

Originally posted 2010-04-11 17:15:42.

1. Mystical Origins of the Tarot. A wonderful reference book. [↩]

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Tagged as: First Impressions, Nines, Tarot, Traditional Interpretations, Wands