Nine of Swords
The Nine Of Swords depicts a scene of nighttime anxiety—grotesque faces at a window, a small girl clutching a candle, and a pocket watch marking sleepless hours. Upright, it signifies persistent worry, guilt, and fearful imaginings that steal sleep and distort morning. The candlelight represents a fragile awareness and the possibility of guidance if tended, while reversal indicates easing of anxiety through confession, perspective, or practical acts. The card counsels naming what haunts you, caring for your inner light, and recognizing that even a thin flame alters the shape of shadow.
Keywords
Visual description
A young girl in a red dress and white cap stands in a wood-paneled room holding a lit candle. Two black cats are near her feet and a pocket watch hangs from her skirt. Behind her a window reveals several grotesque, round faces and monstrous shapes pressed against the glass. A maroon curtain is drawn to one side, the gold numeral 9 is at the top, and the word "SWORDS" appears in ornate letters along the bottom.
Meaning
Moonlit faces press at the glass as a small girl clutches a candle in the hush of a wooden chamber, the tick of a pocket watch audible in the stillness. The image reads like a midnight reverie where worry and sleeplessness take shape as leering masks peering into the mind. Upright, this card tells of nights spent turning a single thought over and over, of guilt, dread, and the heavy weight of imagined catastrophes that rob sleep and blur the edges of morning. The candlelight suggests a fragile but present reason to look, a spark of awareness that can guide you through the dark if tended. Reversed, the scene softens: the faces recede, the tight coil of anxiety begins to unwind, and relief arrives through confession, perspective, or small practical acts that reclaim quiet. Hold both truths together — name what haunts you, tend the light, and notice how even the thinnest flame changes the shape of shadow.
Visual Description
A young girl in a red dress and white cap stands in a wood-paneled room holding a lit candle. Two black cats are near her feet and a pocket watch hangs from her skirt. Behind her a window reveals several grotesque, round faces and monstrous shapes pressed against the glass. A maroon curtain is drawn to one side, the gold numeral 9 is at the top, and the word "SWORDS" appears in ornate letters along the bottom.
Trick or Treat tarot
💜 Please support creators. Buy official decks.
ℹ️ Disclaimer
All card images and descriptions are taken from public sources. They are used for review purposes only. All rights to these images and descriptions belong to their creators. If you believe there is a copyright infringement, please contact us at [email protected].