What Does the Nine of Wands Tarot Card Mean?

There are so many different tarot cards in the Minor Arcana deck, so what does it mean when you pull a Nine of Wands card in a tarot reading? Look no further: we’ve got the answer. The Nine of Wands is a powerfully encouraging card, and it’s thought to represent persistence in the face of life’s greatest challenges. When you see it, it typically means you’re close to victory; all you have to do now is keep moving and refuse to give in. Read on for a complete breakdown of the Nine of Wands card, from its Upright and Reversed meanings to its significance in your love life, career, and more.

Things You Should Know

The Upright Nine of Wands signifies that you’ve almost won an important battle. It represents courage, persistence, backbone, and resilience.
The Reversed Nine of Wands reflects feeling close to defeat. It signifies struggles, paranoia, defensiveness, stubbornness, fatigue, and feeling overwhelmed.
The Nine of Wands card depicts an ill or wounded man leaning on a large wand, symbolizing his resolve, willpower, and determination to win the next fight.

Section 1 of 8:

Nine of Wands Tarot Card Upright & Reversed Meanings

Download Article

1
The Upright Nine of Wands signifies resilience and perseverance. You may find this card in a tarot spread when you feel at your lowest—tired, emotionally bruised and drained, or in the midst of facing significant life challenges. The Upright Nine of Wands card is a sign of hope, asking you to trust that all the challenges you’ve endured are a test of your resilience and ability to persist. You get stronger each time you overcome an obstacle, so make your rally your strength and know that you can handle whatever life throws at you.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Common keywords: Courage, persistence, backbone, perseverance, learning from past failures, making a final stand, wounded, resilience, and boundaries.
- Nine of Wands signifies that you’ll flourish in time—as long as you stay the course and don’t give up.
- Cards that reinforce Nine of Wands’ qualities include Strength (Major Arcana), Seven of Wands, Two of Swords, and Eight of Pentacles.
2
The Reversed Nine of Wands represents struggles and defensiveness. It represents your refusal to give in or compromise, thus signifying intense stubbornness or having a chip on your shoulder. Alternatively, it can also symbolize withdrawal—feeling like you have no fight left in you and no will to keep going. The Reversed Nine of Wands may indicate a failure to learn from past mistakes, chronic fatigue, and a lack of motivation. Nonetheless, like its Upright counterpart, this card also calls on you to use your internal resources and keep moving forward, even if you feel a moment away from defeat.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Common keywords: Struggles, feeling overwhelmed, paranoia, defensiveness, using inner resources, stubbornness, fatigue, giving up, not learning from the past, and withdrawal.
- The Reversed Nine of Wands may also indicate that you feel overwhelmed by all of your responsibilities—or feel like you're not getting enough support.
- This card may also be a sign that you’re prone to paranoia, worrying that everyone is out to get you (and feeling defensive as a result).

Section 2 of 8:

Nine of Wands in Love

Download Article

1
Upright In a love tarot spread, the Upright Nine of Wands card signifies that you’re ready to face the challenges that come with love and relationships. You’ve learned karmic lessons from past loves and know what you want in your future. You also understand that relationships require adaptability, communication, and compromise—and you’re ready to put those ideals into practice. You may also be able to take a big step in your love life, whether that means asking someone out or asking them to move in with you!^{[3]
X
Research source}
- If you’re single: You may still feel hurt from previous relationships that didn’t work out, and those old hurts stop you from moving on. However, Nine of Wands indicates that you’re close to healing, so don’t give up on yourself.
- If you’re in a relationship: You and your partner may be going through a rough patch, leaving you feeling withdrawn from the relationship. However, the Nine of Wands signifies determination, so keep working at improving it!
  - This card suggests that you’ve already been through the worst of the conflict, and now, it’s time to gather your strength and work to resolve the issues before you.
2
Reversed The Reversed Nine of Wands indicates that your relationships (past or present) have been emotionally draining. While arguments are natural between partners, the Nine of Wands card urges you to reflect on your relationship and consider whether both you and your partner have been willing to put in the work to strengthen it—because your partner should be trying to meet you halfway. This card also indicates the boundaries you’ve set for yourself are keeping other people out, so try opening up a little more to potential partners!^{[4]
X
Research source}
- If you’re single: This card indicates that you’re finally ready to let your guard down and move on from the pain of past relationships.
  - Even if you don’t feel like you’re ready to move on, don’t shut out the possibility. Give yourself time to heal, but remember that new and better relationships are just around the corner.
- If you’re in a relationship: You and your partner may be going through a conflict and are currently at a standstill—with both of you refusing to back down. On the other hand, you might feel like you’ve spent so much time fighting that you don’t have any energy left.
  - Regardless, the Nine of Wands card indicates that compromise is the key to overcoming conflicts in the relationship. Ask yourself: “Is it more important to be right or to enjoy my time with my partner?”

Section 3 of 8:

Nine of Wands in Careers

Download Article

1
Upright The Upright Nine of Wands represents a major struggle in your job or career. You’re in the middle of a fight—whether you’re battling a heavy workload or trying to climb the corporate ladder. And, while your battle isn’t finished yet, Nine of Wands encourages you to keep going no matter how exhausted you feel because things will get better! You have the strength to finish what you’ve started, as as long as you keep pushing forward, you’ll get where you want to go in your career.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- Tip: Lean on the people who support you most as you deal with challenges at work! Nine of Wands is a reminder that you have cheerleaders who want to see you be victorious and will be happy to help you out (or simply listen when you need to vent).
- This card is also a reminder that other people may create obstacles for you. They may be jealous of you or feel insecure and project those feelings onto you, for example—but don’t other peoples’ opinions stop your journey to success.
2
Reversed The Reversed Nine of Wands indicates that you may be dealing with fatigue or burnout—specifically in your professional life. You’ve been struggling at work recently, and it’s making you feel utterly drained of energy. Alternatively, stubbornness may be the source of your exhaustion (if you’ve been refusing to compromise on something at work). The Nine of Wands card encourages you to work on recharging your inner strength, so work is no longer such a struggle.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- Tip: Make time for self-care and relaxation in your daily schedule; this gives you a chance to decompress and recover your energy in between all that work!
- Furthermore, consider whether you’re being unnecessarily stubborn and fighting changes at work—it may be causing some of your exhaustion. Accept that change is an important part of growth and try embracing it instead.

Section 4 of 8:

Nine of Wands in Finance

Download Article

1
Upright The Upright Nine of Wands card can signify that you’re feeling some financial strain or pressure at the moment. You might be considering taking out a loan, for example, or removing a significant amount of money from your savings. Nine of Wands encourages you to be resourceful and try looking for another source of income rather than draining your savings. It’s also a hopeful sign, indicating that you won’t always feel this financial strain—but the key to prosperity is pressing forward and maintaining your steadfast drive.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- Tip: If you’re under financial strain, consider asking for extra hours at your job, working overtime, picking up a side gig, or even starting a side business yourself! The supplemental income may ease your strain.
2
Reversed In a financial tarot reading, the Reversed Nine of Wands is a sign that it’s time to take responsibility for your finances—and any financial troubles you’re having. It may be tempting to ignore them or run away from them, spending money mindlessly even though you’re stressed out about your finances, but the Nine of Wands advises you to resist that urge. Don’t compromise your finances and future; take responsibility and put earnest effort into solving your money problems.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- Tip: Consider starting a budget if you haven’t already. Track exactly how much money you can afford to spend each month and commit to making positive changes in your spending habits so you can get to a more financially stable place!
- The Reversed Nine of Wands also encourages you to keep a close eye on any valuables you own and ensure they don’t go missing at this time.

Section 5 of 8:

Nine of Wands in Health

Download Article

1
Upright If you’ve been sick for a long time, the Upright Nine of Wands card is a sign that, while your ongoing battle has used up a lot of your energy, you must keep pushing forward. Essentially, it’s a positive omen of encouragement, letting you know that your ailment will pass in time so long as you don’t give up. Alternatively, if you’ve just recently gotten sick, this card indicates that it may be because you’ve been working too hard—and the strain is finally affecting you.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- Tip: If your recent ailment is due to strain and exhaustion, the Nine of Wands advises you to gather your strength for one last fight—and once you’ve done what you need to do, give yourself plenty of time to relax!
- This card also symbolizes chronic illnesses or injuries making a comeback in time.
2
Reversed The Reversed Nine of Wands card indicates that you’ve been fighting an ailment for a long time and may feel like your energy is completely drained from that fight. You may even be wondering if there’s anything left to try in terms of medicines or cures, as it may feel like you’ve tried every possible solution already. Alternatively, if you’ve been trying to maintain a brave face for loved ones, this card is a sign that you may find it hard to keep pretending that you’re not struggling with your ailment.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- Tip: In the Nine of Wands, the lone survivor has hope and determination through his struggles—and that’s what the Reversed Nine of Wands encourages you to do as well.
  - Keep fighting, and confide in loved ones when you feel tired or dejected. It’s okay to let go of your “brave face” and tell people who care about you how you’re really feeling.
- Beyond that, the Reversed Nine of Wands is an even stronger sign that an old injury or chronic illness may be flaring up and causing problems.

Section 6 of 8:

Nine of Wands in Spirituality

Download Article

1
Upright Spiritually, the Upright Nine of Wands indicates that you’ve been through something difficult recently and may feel burnt out. Still, there’s a bright side: the card suggests that times are changing and things will start getting better soon. It’s also a sign that you’ve grown as a person and learned your karmic lessons—meaning you’re free to continue your spiritual journey in life.
- Tip: Try meditating or doing Reiki. Both are thought to have spiritual benefits and may be able to help restore your energy levels if you’re feeling burnt out as well.
- Karmic lessons are recurring themes in your life that you may not have recognized or grasped at first. They’re thought to keep occurring until you learn from them in order to facilitate growth.
2
Reversed The Reversed Nine of Wands card has similar implications to its Upright counterpart; once again, it suggests that you’re going through a rough period in your life and feeling exhausted. However, the difference is that Reversed Nine of Wands is also a sign this exhaustion may stem from stubbornness and a refusal to accept the karmic lessons that the universe is trying to teach you.
- Tip: Reflect on the challenges life has been throwing your way recently, and look for any recurring themes that you may have dealt with before. Is there a lesson to be learned? This may be the karmic lesson that the universe wants you to recognize.
- When you reject a karmic lesson, the universe just keeps sending it back. So, once you figure out what kind of message the universe is sending, try to accept and learn from it.
- Be gentle with yourself as well. Dealing with burnout and exhaustion is a much smoother process when you take care of yourself and treat yourself compassionately!

Section 7 of 8:

Nine of Wands Tarot Card Yes/No Meaning

Download Article

Typically, the Nine of Wands’ meaning varies depending on your question. When doing a Yes/No spread, if your question is about upholding an important decision that you truly believe in, the answer is more of a “Maybe,” and possibly even a “Yes.” However, if your question is about embarking on something new (like a venture in your career or a romantic relationship), the answer is usually, “Maybe not. Wait it out and see how you feel later.”^{[11]
X
Research source}

Section 8 of 8:

Nine of Wands Tarot Card Appearance & Symbolism

Download Article

Nine of Wands depicts an injured man holding onto a wand. The man—intended to look either sick, weary, or hurt—seems like he’s already been through a battle before but is determined (and ready) to fight another. His expression is one of hope and resolve, showing that he wishes to win his next fight despite the fact that he’s already battle-worn and that he’s ready to face a final challenge of strength and willpower before reaching his ultimate goal.^{[12]
X
Research source}
- In the background, there are 8 additional wands—each standing upright and forming a sort of fence behind the man, symbolizing his desire to be prepared.