Tarot has been a part of Barbara Moore's personal and professional lives for nearly twenty years. Right from the start, tarot intrigued her with its marvelous blending of mythology, psychology, art, history, mystery, and magic. She has studied under...
Although we may try not to worry needlessly or do things we will regret, having concerns and making mistakes we wish we hadn't are natural parts of life. The Nine of Swords is about what happens when worries or regrets become obsessive—when we don't let them go, when we feed them with our thoughts. In this card, the original concern is no longer the issue; rather, the issue is the effect the obsessing is having on us. It overwhelms us and permeates our view. It colors everything, getting in the way of our progress and potentially controlling our futures. The implication is that these effects are negative or at best neutral and hold no positive results.
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The Universal Waite card shows a person who should be resting her mind and body by sleeping. Instead, problems or concerns keep her up, robbing her of the refreshment and healing time of slumber.
Core meaning: The power of worry and regret.
The Legacy card is more ominous. The swords represent her worries taking on a life of their own, becoming hands that are reaching toward her mind. They will shape her thoughts, which will eventually affect her feelings and actions.
In the Shadowscapes card, the figure has already internalized the thought patterns created by the obsessive worries or concerns, as symbolized by the tattoos on his chest. The crows come down from the sky, representing the downward spiral that results in this case.
