Revelations Tarot – 9 Swords

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I agree with your thoughts on this one. The woman looks like she just can't face more swords, and the man looks sort of like he's waking up and looking around and feeling like he is going to move past whatever's troubling him.

I hope you get a warm fuzzy soon too! That is exactly what happened to me when I first started pulling cards from this deck. But there are happy cards in this deck, tho I did wonder at first!!!

My house is freezing today and my hands won't work, so I'm cruising around the forum writing odd bits.

Enchanted Serpent, I am SO glad that you found someone to study the deck with. It's a disappointing feeling not to like something you've had your heart sent on. It's very heartening to see that this has worked out for you after all.

No fear!

Okay, been absent for a while (started a job this week)

For me the nine of swords screams "OPEN YOUR EYES"

The women is there infront of these swords but she's not startled or screaming, she's just standing there with her eyes covered. When I get this card it's a warning to take a good hard look at the situation and stopped worrying or feeling self pity about the situation.

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opalle said:

For me the nine of swords screams "OPEN YOUR EYES"

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I agree wholeheartedly. That's what I get when I look at the card. She's the victim by choice. She could open her eyes and face the issue (or do a Xena move: grabbing the first sword then fighting back), but she stands there paralyzed. She's allowing all these problems or negative thoughts to attack her, build up inside her mind until she can't handle it anymore. It's almost like a mental breakdown.

I don't read reversals, but whenever I look at the man on the card (perhaps another aspect of the woman's psyche), he looks like he's trying to protect her and stop the swords. However, he's doing it in a way that when the swords come whizzing by, they'll slice his palms open... So, it's kind of like negative thoughts and mental issues manifesting physically.

CalypsoTea said:

I agree wholeheartedly. That's what I get when I look at the card. She's the victim by choice. She could open her eyes and face the issue (or do a Xena move: grabbing the first sword then fighting back), but she stands there paralyzed. She's allowing all these problems or negative thoughts to attack her, build up inside her mind until she can't handle it anymore. It's almost like a mental breakdown.

I don't read reversals, but whenever I look at the man on the card (perhaps another aspect of the woman's psyche), he looks like he's trying to protect her and stop the swords. However, he's doing it in a way that when the swords come whizzing by, they'll slice his palms open... So, it's kind of like negative thoughts and mental issues manifesting physically.

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I agree with the thought that she is choosing to be the victim, but it is not like the 8 of swords where she is still bound. Here she has thrown off the blindfold and the loosed her ropes and is ready to face the swords that until now held her captive. But as ready as she is, it is still a daunting future, so she prefers to peak at it through her fingers... like a little kid at a horror movie. Where you see her as paralyzed... I see her as taking a deep breath, steeling herself for what she is about to go through.

The reverse side is funny to me, I always thought that there was a bit of foolishness to the look of him, as if he's not smart enough to realize that there is danger still or that he has thrown off the ropes and blindfold and his eyes haven't quite adjusted enough to realize that those swords are sharp... Almost foolhardy in his approach.

(Keep forgetting to come into this section of the boards and read, I will try to remember more often).

With love.

Interesting...but to me I see the woman as being frozen into immobility. She could get out with determination and fortitude, but instead her fears of what might happen paralyze her.

On the other hand, the man has gotten the idea. He knows escape is possible and is taking the first steps to accomplish that. He may be wounded in the process (is that a trickle of blood from his left hand?), and it may be an uncomfortable time, but he'll manage.

Another very subtle clue for me is in the backgrounds. The upright background is shapeless and misty -- her fears are not given form; they are intangible and so they cause immobility. Reversed, however, the background is a series of gothic arches, highly structured and quite specific. The reversed man has given shape to his fears, he can recognize them and knows what they are, so they are less frightening. The reversed figure can deal with his environment; the upright figure can't.