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Nightmare / anxiety / fear / terror / burden / breaking point
The Nine of Swords represents self-defeat, stress, burdens, and a time of great mental anguish. You are feeling deeply unhappy, and life is getting under your skin. This card signifies constant negative thinking, making you think things are much worse than they truly are. You find yourself awake in the middle of the night with anxiety and worries that affect the quality of your life. You are not able to cope with challenging situations and life in general. You have reached a breaking point.
Like the other cards in the Swords suit, this isn't about actual negative events but the battles inside your head. Your mind is filled with questions, and you keep wondering about the endless possibilities and things that could have happened differently. Try to find a way to stop worrying about the past and the future and come back to the now. Sharing your anxiety with someone you trust can always help lighten your burden.
Reverse
Hope / releasing worry / reaching out / recovering / improving
The Nine of Swords, in reverse, signals the period of worry to end at last. You will find your way out of this challenging situation, and restful nights will return to you again. You are being called to work extremely hard to shift your mind and the angle from which you view the situations. Reach out for help if you need to, but don't despair. Hope is on the way.
Generally, this card represents the light at the end of the tunnel. You are finally letting go of your negative thoughts and recovering from the anxiety that has plagued you. You are opening up and accepting a positive way of thinking. You've put in a lot of hard work to get out of this situation and finally can enjoy the peace you hardly worked for. You have found your way out, but there is still much work to be done so you can find complete release from the mind prison. Keep pushing forward.
Are my problems truly present?
What am I worried about?
