Nine of Wands Tarot Card Meaning

Bandaged and wary, a figure leans on a wand before a row of eight more. The Nine of Wands is resilience: you are tired, but you are almost there.

• Suit:Wands — Fire
• Keywords:resilience, persistence, boundaries, last stretch
• Reversed:exhaustion, paranoia, giving up
• Yes or no:Yes, with persistence

What the card shows

A man with a bandaged head grips a wand and looks over his shoulder. Eight wands stand behind him like a fence.

He has been through battles and is ready for one more.

Upright meaning

Upright, the Nine of Wands shows determination and resilience. The end is near; keep going and protect your energy.

Reversed meaning

Reversed, exhaustion or suspicion may take over. Rest is not surrender.

In love and relationships

In love it shows caution after past hurt. Protect your heart, but do not close it.

In work and money

At work, the final push before completion. With money, persistence pays off.

As advice

Hold on a little longer, and rest when you can.

In Marseille and Thoth

In the Tarot de Marseille the Nine of Batons adds a vertical club to the lattice. In the Thoth deck the card is Strength: endurance and recovery.

Questions to reflect on

• What is my last stretch?
• Which wound still makes me guarded?
• What would help me recover energy?

Frequently asked questions