Nine of Wands

Upright Meaning

A bandaged figure leans on a wand, eight more planted behind them like a defensive wall. They are wounded but standing. This is the card of resilience — the battle-scarred veteran who has been through hell and refuses to fall. The Nine of Wands appears when you're running on fumes but the finish line is in sight. You have every reason to quit, and you're not going to. The wounds are real. The strength is also real.

Reversed Meaning

Reversed, the Nine of Wands warns that resilience has become rigidity, or that you are so guarded from past wounds that you cannot let anyone in. There is a difference between healthy boundaries and a fortress. You may also be genuinely at the breaking point — if so, the card asks you to consider whether this particular battle is worth the cost.

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