Getting to know deck - kind of scary.

[perspectivetarot]

Good morning, all.

I finally purchased a copy of the Wild Unknown, and I'm really loving it. With all my new decks, I do an interviewing spread where I ask the cards to tell me what they have to offer me, what their strengths and weaknesses are, etc. When I drew for the position of "tell me about yourself," the 9 of swords came up.
This card has been kind of a scary card for me in the past, and especially with the imagery on the card in this deck, I'm not sure how to handle it. Nightmares? I asked the deck to clarify what it meant by that and shuffled some more, and I drew the 9 of Wands, which is also kind of nightmarish.
Any thoughts on what this means? In the past I have interpreted 9s to be cards of near completion or a final trial, but the 9 of swords is kind of unambiguously a shadow card. What does it mean that my deck identifies itself with this card? Am I overthinking?
Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[Amanda]

Remember, every card can have a positive to it. Since you drew another 9 to clarify this 9, that's probably significant and I'd ponder over what the Hermit might mean to you. For me, the Hermit is very personal and private, so it would suggest to me that this would be a good deck to use on your own for your personal reasons.

When the 9 of Swords has appeared as advice to me, it has often suggested that someone needed to ask themselves a lot of questions... most notably of the "Why?" variety. Really dig into the mess of one's mind to get those facts and face fears or doubts by doing so. Those swords are essentially a thicket of thoughts one must get through, and you can only do that by asking questions. Notice how much more orderly the wands/steps are in the 9 of Wands? Both Swords and Wands are active elements as well, so what I get from everything here is that this deck is going to help you diffuse negative personal situations and give you positive action-steps to take.

Sometimes, what appears ugly and messy at first glance can be easily undone by pulling a single thread (the right question) to be put back together in an orderly fashion.

Just some thoughts, hope it helps!

 

[G Dren]

For my deck 9 of Swords is isolation and feeling insignificant. It state to reverse your fading into the shadows one mist open new channels of communication and be heard. 9 of Wands also states for my deck that accept support of others. Just don't get blocked off by trying to do it all yourself.

 

[obeygravity]

Oh I love this deck. To me, the nine of swords in this kind of context is that it's a deck that likely focuses on revealing the truth, no matter how ugly it may seem. I also adore the nine of wands in this deck. It feels like the most optimistic and hopeful depiction of this card in the decks I've seen. To me, it shows a necessity to have the kind of endurance to make it to the end. To know that while you may have a ways to go in your journey, the clarity, knowledge and freedom that you seek are just a bit over the hill.

With these two cards together, this deck is about being honest, even if at times it may seem cruel (nine of swords) but ultimately it'll be for you to decide to use the information you receive and use it to better yourself and gain more clarity or stay waiting and immobile (nine of wands).

 

[perspectivetarot]

Thank you guys so much! This is really helpful.
I think the thing that kept me from getting the Wild Unknown before was the brutal honesty in it, like the death and despair in some of the cards. My first deck was Fountain Tarot so I've been used to more neutral subject matter. But, I love these forums for their perspectives on the cards.
Follow up question: I am not a witch and I have no experiences with cleansing, but does anyone have suggestions for cleansing my decks? The person who gifted me my first deck suggested doing a clearing occasionally but I'm small and new and I don't know what that means.
Thanks again! You're all beautiful!

 

[G Dren]

Thank you guys so much! This is really helpful.
I think the thing that kept me from getting the Wild Unknown before was the brutal honesty in it, like the death and despair in some of the cards. My first deck was Fountain Tarot so I've been used to more neutral subject matter. But, I love these forums for their perspectives on the cards.
Follow up question: I am not a witch and I have no experiences with cleansing, but does anyone have suggestions for cleansing my decks? The person who gifted me my first deck suggested doing a clearing occasionally but I'm small and new and I don't know what that means.
Thanks again! You're all beautiful!

Cleanse my deck with smoke from incense, and waving a pendulum over the cards while sittibg on your cloth while imagining the energy being dispersed. More or less how I cleanse mine.

 

[EmpyreanKnight]

Maybe it means that your deck shall always help you get over your anxieties and nightmares (9 of Swords) and that it'll help you with your battles, never leaving your side even if both of you end up getting pummeled and battered (tho still unbroken). It sure sounds like a tough and sturdy one, a very fitting exemplar for both of the penultimate cards of the active suits of air and fire.