Nine of Cups

Element: Water

Imagery: A seated figure displays nine cups arranged behind them.

General Themes: Satisfaction, emotional fulfillment, gratitude.

Nine of Cups Upright

Unlike the Seven of Cups, which represents illusion and glamour, the Nine of Cups is about wishes coming true—if you put in the work. Here, a figure is seated and surrounded by nine upright cups. He is overflowing with abundance!

What’s more, the figure feels a deep gratitude for all of the proverbial wealth he’s accumulated. He doesn’t take anything for granted and likewise doesn’t hold back when it comes to celebrating his hard-earned prosperity.

Express gratitude for what you have. You’ve earned it.

Nine of Cups Reversed

Reversed, this card reminds us that happiness comes from within. All the wealth in the world won’t satisfy us if we’re drawing from an empty inner well. This is often considered the wish card, so ask yourself…are you wishing for the right thing? Will it ultimately bring you happiness?

When the Nine of Cups reversed appears, it invites you to redefine what success means to you. Sometimes, we get lost chasing external validation or accomplishments at the expense of our personal or internal lives. Remember, you can have abundance in all things, including your relational life.

The reversal can also caution against empty hedonism. Moderation in all things begets more abundance. Enjoy yourself, yes, but don’t get lost in self-medicating or the frivolous accumulation of goods. True abundance is in knowing when you have enough.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

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Nine of Wands

Element: Fire

Imagery: A wounded figure stands guarded, holding a wand with eight behind them.

General Themes: Resilience, persistence, boundaries, endurance.

Nine of Wands Upright

The figure in the Nine of Wands upright looks battered and bruised, but he’s still upright. This card wants you to hold your ground. You might not feel like you have the energy for it, but it’s important that you stay true to your mission.

Reinforce boundaries. Notice the ring of wands surrounding the figure. You are protected even if you feel low energy at the moment. Avoid giving out more than you have. Remember, protecting your energy is a form of magic. Resilience is key, as is learning from this hard lesson.

Nine of Wands Reversed

If the upright form of this card is about staying on guard, this reversal asks you to lower your defenses. You don’t always have to be looking for the next fight.

This is a great time to explore who you are outside of your warrior identity. What would it feel like to put down your wand and stand upright without fear? What would you do if you weren’t always scanning for threats? Let go of the need to fight for everything. Sometimes, the boundary is redirecting your energy to other, more life-affirming things.

Now is the time for rest, healing, and enjoyment. Resilience is important, yes, but so too is knowing when to stop fighting.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

Nine of Swords

Element: Air

Imagery: A figure sits upright in bed, distressed, with nine swords hanging above.

General Themes: Anxiety, worry, mental anguish, overthinking.

Nine of Swords Upright

The Nine of Swords is one of those cards people dread getting. But this card isn’t the doom and gloom people think it is. It’s about facing your fears. The figure in the card sits upright in bed, as if awakening from a nightmare with a start. This is not a time to ignore the monster under the bed or the thing keeping you up at night.

In our effort to silence our fears, we only make them louder. Self-doubt works the same way. The more you feed it, even by suppressing it, the more you risk creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. Instead, wrap that rose-patterned blanket around you, take a breath, and face the scary thing you’ve been trying to ignore.

Here’s the thing…that nightmare? It’s a message, not a prophecy. If you shift your perspective from defending yourself against it and instead asking it what it wants you to hear, then the medicine will follow. So go on then. Make friends with the monster under the bed.

Nine of Swords Reversed

The Nine of Swords reversed ushers in good news. You’re coming out of a nightmare situation. Often, you’re leaving behind a toxic spiral that keeps you stuck in your head, manifesting your worst fears. This is the moment you choose not to feed those thoughts.

It’s not that you suppress them anymore, either. No, you brought them into the light, looked at them for what they were, and made the conscious choice to move on from the self-doubt and negativity that kept you stuck in the past. That’s no small thing.

Now, you are integrating this shadow medicine. Let sacred, simple pleasures heal your soul and show you the way forward.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

Nine of Pentacles

Element: Earth

Imagery: A well-dressed figure stands in a lush garden with pentacles and a falcon.

General Themes: Self-sufficiency, refinement, independence, material comfort.

Nine of Pentacles Upright

This card is the embodiment of grounded joy and fulfillment. You are abundance incarnate! Enjoy the fruits of your labor—you’ve earned it. The Nine of Pentacles often appears when you have resolved the heavier issues of the Eights and have learned to celebrate the life you’ve built for yourself. Don’t shy away from fully embodying this stable and abundant phase of your life.

The figure in the card represents refinement, self-sufficiency, and empowerment. Notice the beautiful robe they wear. It is the epitome of luxury and refinement. The upright version of this card invites you to celebrate your hard-earned, luxurious lifestyle. Sometimes this card can come up when we’re feeling guilty for the abundance in our life and wondering if we deserve it. If you’re not quite at the stage of your life where material comfort seems achievable, this card appears to remind you that you have more than you think—and exuberant stability is within reach.

This card isn’t just about literal wealth. It’s about taking pride in your craft and knowing your worth. Gone are the days of having to prove yourself. You’ve arrived.

Nine of Pentacles Reversed

The reversal here enters your life when self-doubt and impostor syndrome sneak in. Ugly questions crop up like, “Do I really deserve all this? Did I earn this? Am I capable of conjuring all this?” These mental weeds have a nasty tendency to spread, so it’s important to address the underlying anxiety that caused these weeds to sprout in the first place.

Often, this card appears reversed when we are feeling isolated or wondering if we are all accomplishments and not much else. Other times, it speaks to your insecurity. From the outside looking in, it looks like you have it all together. On the inside, though? You’re wondering if this abundant life is something you can hold on to. You might be struggling to feel grounded or wondering if your life will flourish in other ways beyond finances.

Take a breath and look around. You’ve cultivated a beautiful paradise and have clothed yourself in luxury. If you can do that, you can make your next dream a reality. Reclaim your balance by saturating yourself in embodied joy.

In the end, the remedy here is the same as the upright card’s wisdom: enjoy the fruits of your labor. Know your worth and don’t get lost in things that make you feel small. Stay open and let the energy flow. You’ve got this.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

The Nines

The Nines usher in a final chapter. Things are coming full circle, and you’re about to complete an important stage in your life, but you’re not quite there yet. These cards might also reflect a need for closure or a sense of resolution before you can move on to the next chapter of your life. 

While the Eights are about reflecting on what you’ve accomplished and perhaps what you’re missing in your life, the Nines invite you to metabolize your life experiences as a way to find closure. It’s time to reflect on how your actions have shaped your present state in both good and bad ways. 

Nine of Pentacles

Nine of Swords

Nine of Wands

Nine of Cups

Image Description: Starry background with the words, “The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot: The Nines: Coming Full Circle, Seeing Closure, Moving On.”

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!