The Nines – At Full Throttle

9 of Wands – Pulsar
A pulsar is a type of neutron star that emits radio waves at a very precise rate (Neutron stars are small, dense remnants of very large stars). Pulsars are regular and predictable, and this sense of an endless routine reflects one aspect of the 9 of Wands – burnout. If you do the same thing over and over for long enough, the structure of routine becomes oppressive and burdensome. Here, the intensity of wands, turned up to full beam by the energy of the nine, is just too much of a good thing. The 9 of Wands is the card of the old soldier who has been battling for so long he has forgotten how to stop. The 9 of Wands shows us that we have the staying power to keep going and endure, but also reminds us that it may be time to call a halt and lay down our arms.

9 of Cups – Star Birth
Stars are born out of condensing clouds of dust and gas called nebulae. Gradually, the cloud accumulates mass and density, clumping together in a cascading process which leads to nuclear fusion and the ignition of the star. Nebulae, the rich, colourful clouds of star-fuel, are places of abundant star-birth activity and the 9 of Cups represents this sense of blissful abundance. This is traditionally the card of good luck – suddenly it seems possible for us to have it all. Here the beneficent side of cups reaches its apotheosis; great happiness and good fortune. The only drawback is that sometimes this contentment may stray into smugness and self-satisfaction.

9 of Swords - Matter/antimatter annihilations
Each type of matter particle has a corresponding antimatter particle. For example, each variety of quark has an anti-quark, the electron has the positron, and the neutrinos all have anti-neutrinos. When matter and anti-matter particles meet, they cannot co-exist but annihilate each other in a flash of energy. This mutual cancelling-out finds its ultimate expression in the 9 of Swords, which represents a sort of negative space incarnate. In the mental space of swords, the nine’s movement towards perfection becomes a self-defeating cycle of doubt, anxiety and fear. Often our 9-of-Swords fears are nebulous and unrealised, because is the monsters of the mind that terrorise us.

9 of Pentacles – Quasar
Quasars are mysterious, very bright objects that live at the centre of galaxies. They emit an enormous amount of energy in the form of radio waves and are thought to be powered by black holes. The 9 of Pentacles symbolises someone who, like a quasar, has amassed an awful lot of energy with no apparent means of support. Traditionally showing a lone woman in a garden enjoying her riches, it’s the card of independent means and financial security. The full-on energy of the nine is grounded in pentacles and becomes material riches and comfort. But this card is not just about money, it represents self-determination and independence on all levels.