Nine of Swords as a Person (Upright & Reversed) Tarot Card Meaning

The Nine of Swords is the card of anxiety, fear, negativity, breaking points, isolation, and despair. The card shows a woman sitting up in bed with her head in her hands. She seems to have been awakened from a terrible nightmare, and she is having trouble falling back asleep. The swords hang on the wall behind her, indicating all of the negative emotions and thoughts that are weighing heavily on her mind. 

The Nine of Swords reminds us that worrying excessively over a situation is not useful. Worrying does nothing to actually help the situation improve, and only makes you feel worse. Most of our worst fears will never materialize. Much of our suffering and anguish is mental and self-inflicted. Make sure that you are not letting your own limiting beliefs hold you back from happiness. The Nine of Swords reminds us that it is up to us to break the cycle.   

Upright Nine of Swords as a Person

If the Nine of Swords appears in a Tarot spread as a person, that means that this person is anxious and often self-tormenting. They are in their head a lot. It is astrologically associated with Mars in Gemini. Because both Mars and Gemini carry masculine energies, this card carries a double dose of that active, assertive energy. Especially with the aggressive influence of Mars in the cerebral, mental arena of Gemini, this person can be haunted by their own thoughts. We all have a little bit of both energies expressed in a balanced way, regardless of which gender we identify as.

For physical characteristics, the Nine of Swords as a person represents someone who has a very negative self image. They’re anxious. They constantly worry about their appearance. Their obsession with their insecurities may impact them financially as they try to keep up with the Joneses. This person needs to learn how to be more laid back, so that they can enjoy life rather than worry about it. 

For emotional characteristics, the Nine of Swords as a person represents someone who is perpetually worried. Their anxiety may even require the assistance of a qualified mental health professional. This person likes to brood alone, haunted by their own guilt and restlessness. They may overcompensate for their flaws. They can be overly kind or overly distant. If you’re romantically involved with this person, they may be holding onto traumas from past relationships. 

For careers, the Nine of Swords can represent someone who works a night shift or in a highly stressful work environment. Alternatively, they may have to deal with bedridden, or very anxious and mentally unstable patients. They may work as a night nurse at a mental health facility. Their job might be highly stressful because the stakes are high. Their job may be extremely fast paced. They could be a professional poker player, high frequency trader, or a political reporter.

The Nine of Swords as a person represents someone who makes you feel anxious. Remember, Tarot picks up on energies. For the cards to pick up on this energy, they must have high anxiety. Energy is contagious, and it rubs off on others. So it would be no surprise if being around this person made you feel anxious as well. If you’re a friend, and you intend to help them, make sure that you protect your own energy first.

Reversed Nine of Swords as a Person

If the Nine of Swords reversed appears in a Tarot spread as a person, that means that this person is either overly anxious or overly unconcerned. This person may be too laid back or too uptight. Because this is a Minor Arcana card, some of these traits will not be inherent aspects of their identity. If they are behaving unfavorably, they might just be going through a temporary phase. It may be a behavioral pattern that they can still unlearn, if they choose to. Good or bad, nobody is perfect, and people can use their free will to change for the better.

For physical characteristics, the Nine of Swords reversed as a person represents someone who tends to be neurotic about their looks. They love intense workouts. They choose all of their clothes with care. However, unlike their upright counterpart, their anxiety is not debilitating. This person is aware of their worrywart tendencies, but they just can’t help it. They also need to learn how to enjoy life and stop worrying about what other people think about them.

For emotional characteristics, the Nine of Swords reversed as a person represents someone who is anxious, but also tries their best to remain rational. This person is self aware, and they understand that their worries are often disproportionate to the situation. They understand when something is out of their control. This person is actively trying to manage their anxiety levels. They could be on medication or working with a therapist. They may be somebody who meditates frequently. 

For careers, the Nine of Swords reversed can represent someone whose profession entails easing others’ anxiety. This person may be a therapist, spiritual advisor, school counselor, or a coach. They may work with animals. Alternatively, this could be the type of person whose social anxiety hinders their career growth. They avoid socializing with their colleagues to their one detriment. While they might be hard workers, they struggle to navigate the social aspects of work.

The Nine of Swords reversed as a person represents someone who makes you feel uncomfortable. This person is not doing it on purpose, or with ill intent. They may simply lack an understanding of social cues. Something about them feels off. On the other hand, this could be an indication of normal first date anxiety.

Conclusion

For love readings, the Nine of Swords represents mental anguish and despair. Much of our suffering is self-inflicted. Make sure that you are not subconsciously allowing your own limiting beliefs to hold you back from being happy. The Nine of Swords is a reminder that we can break the cycle. 

If you find yourself needing further clarity in your relationship matters that go beyond reading for yourself, Sibyl offers unlimited tarot readings on love & relationships, as a neutral and objective third party.