Merely the given definition of this card. Agony of
mind. Despair. Hopelessness. Worry. Suffering. Loss.
Illness. Malice. Pain. Burnden. Oppression. Subtlety
and craft. Lying. Shame. (Definitely an O-Shit card).
Nathan (naetster@yahoo.com)
the war of the mind in its most dualistic form is mars in gemini and the number nine is personal. what is the worst form of cruelty but the unwarranted rudness of the insomniac and the resulting anguish.
concern is lacking from the environment leaving the inflicted mind to suffer alone.
the extremities must manifest dually thus brilliance is indicated in the midst of the chaotic workings of unreasonability and there is always a price to pay and a possible reward to reap, standing firm in resolution.
no engagement is necessary at all and detachment is even more probable than the influence of emotions as indicated in this element of air.
put the remaining sword where it may not be necessary
taking the plunge with effort to end the cycle of cruel
brilliance and restless anguish and watch the sun come
up if you still can.
Angie (AngiPitch@aol.com)
when the attempt at reasoning does not work in the
eight of swords and the path of air is still taken. it
results in war. mercury is now used to transfer for the
lord of combat & battle, mars. if something is in your
way, and it must be out of your way, and one can find
no other way about it than cold reasoning and heartless
thought, the other is unbending so they can only be
disposed of. both are inflexable, yet one is pushing
forward blindly. they must beat it into the other which
does not see it their way. yesod can never be trusted
with air, it knows nothing of reality. and air strives
toward reality.
samuel james theil (samueltheil@blackmail.zzn.com)
I used to do welding for a living. Often I'd get a
flash or sensation of sand under my eyes from the
brightness of the arc. This card would come up in my
daily reading. When that happened I'd wakd up in the
middle of the night with my hands over my eyes and say
"oh shit." So I've nicknamed the Nine of Swords the "oh
shit" card.
However, it is also a card of laughing yourself silly
and saying "oh shit" that's hysterical.
Robert E. Graham (robert@robertegraham.com)
Nine is the highest digit and is considered the "deific
number" by ancient mystics. Nine possesses the unique
property that allows it to always retain its quality
when the digits are reduced to a single digit. For
example, two times nine equals eighteen. Reducing one
and eight (one plus eight) to a single digit gives
nine. This exercise illustrates when multiplying nine
with any number, the properties of nine are such that
they preserve the nature of nine. The presence of the
nine of swords during a reading could mean a cruel
fate, a mental or physical suffering, the imminent
possibility of pain, or the callous indifference to the
pain of another. Other cards surrounding the nine of
swords will not only give insight to the querent's
situation but will also provide the best methods in
which to proceed to a resolution. With the nine of
swords self-preservation and pattern-continuation
issues become matters for the querent to address. To
overcome this period of entrapment, worry, or
isolation, this card asks the person to tap into a
network of friends on both a physical and spiritual
level in order to receive information and guidance.
Moreover, the help of an impartial figure trusted by
both sides of a conflict may be needed to forestall a
battle that could be fought to the bitter end.
Jonathan Sive (jhsive@hotmail.com)
A card of mental torture. A troubled soul.
Strengthened with the appearance of the Tower in close
proximity. Inquirer may need professional therapy.
Other cards will give indications whether the person is
already suffering or whether an upcomming event will
cause this distress.
Vicci (jez@homemakers.u-net.com)
This is what pulls fluff off sweaters, pick at its
cuticles, bites its nails, pulls the loose thread
till it's all unravelled, and tortures half-heartedly
if giving half a chance and little else to do.
Mind-wise, this is a peptic ulcer. A stomach devouring
itself. If you don't put new, fresh, healthy food
into this mind, it and all around will be nibbled to
death
'mammal (jo@sylum.dungeon.com)
Mars in Gemini.
Beating yourself up.
Something physical in your world causing cruelty.
Sudden outburst.
Mars is moving forward & taking action, while
Gemini is thinking about ideas & possibilities.
Address issues. Look from soul's viewpoint.
Alison (alisond@anv.net)