The Nine of Swords heralds the advent of persistent anguish in your life. It is associated with the mental instability which may accompany any major negative life event, one or more of which we may all experience in our life's travels.
You may be suffering from recurrent insomnia, reeling from heartbreak, managing female hormonal imbalances, or experiencing a downturn in your mental health.
It is not uncommon for the Nine of Swords to indicate female hormonal problems, but these problems are usually caused by worry rather than by any inherent physical issue. When this card appears in an outcome position, be prepared to endure a sudden emotional loss from which you may never get definite closure.
In the Rider Waite deck a female figure is shown in her bed sitting bolt upright as though she has just suddenly awoken in shock from a terrible nightmare. The bed itself is depicted as being rather spartan, bare, and not providing a great deal of comfort, thus representing both emotional and physical lack of support.
In a love reading, the Nine of Swords indicates that you or your partner's anxieties are having a negative impact on your relationship, but that things are not as bad as they seem. If you are constantly dwelling on how things could go wrong, or are reliving past traumas, you are advised to address this situation as you could unintentionally push people away.
If this card shows as your person of interest's feelings towards you, it indicates that they are feeling insecure in the relationship and may require a little reassurance or that they regret treating you in a certain way. When the Nine of Swords shows in the outcome position of a relationship reading, it may foreshadow that your relationship will break down and that you will not get a clear reason why.
In a work and career related reading, the Nine of Swords is not an encouraging omen as it signifies potential failure. It cautions you not to make any hasty decisions or act of out desperation by taking out loans which will be hard to repay. On a more positive note, this card can represent that your own lack of self-confidence is the main issue and that you might need to work on this.
Positive Aspects: needless worry, unrealised fears, the issues are mental rather than physical
Negative Aspects: circling thoughts, unresolved trauma, anguish, anxiety, insomnia, nightmares, hurt feelings, regret, sorrow
