This card shows up in readings when we are engaged in some effort that requires *fortitude*, and often reflects that we are growing a bit weary. 9 of Wands can act as a cheerleader in many ways (perhaps an unlikely one! Characters in 9 of Wands typically have a bit of a trepidatious or determined countenance, but not usually a peppy one), letting us know that we have the reserves within us to achieve our goal. It can sometimes indicate that we’ve taken a bit of ‘time off’ and are returning to the battlefield so to speak; for instance, I’ve seen this card show up both for writer’s returning to their manuscripts after months of writer’s block, and for people getting back into the dating world after a period of being intentionally single. That’s where the trepidation can often come in; in Pamela Coleman Smith’s illustration, the figure’s head is bandaged. This can show that whatever effort this is has cost us in the past, and so we are wary. But it also indicates that we are invested in this pursuit, and are willing to see it through. I think this card says both that you are can *and* that you should, and it also suggests a measured and unhurried approach, as 9s relate to the Hermit, and so can often be about moving very deliberately.

For more on 9 of Wands see my YouTube video.