A woman sits up in bed, her face in her hands, with nine swords hanging on the dark wall behind her. It is anxiety, nightmares and worry: fear that is greater in the night than in reality.
The hour of the wolf: anxiety and sleepless nights.
Waite’s keywords (1911): Failure, miscarriage, delay, deception, disappointment, despair.
Reversed
Reversed, the anxiety eases: you ask for help, or, in a hard reading, despair deepens.
The nightmare fading, hope at dawn.
Waite’s keywords (1911): Imprisonment, suspicion, doubt, reasonable fear, shame.
In love
Upright Anxiety about love; sleepless nights.
Reversed Fears in love fade.
In work
Upright Stress and worry at work.
Reversed Relief from work stress.
In money
Upright Financial anxiety.
Reversed Money worries ease.
At home and in the family
Upright Worry about the family.
Reversed Family worries lighten.
On your path
Upright A dark night of the soul.
Reversed Dawn after the dark night.
Its counsel
Upright Speak your fears out loud. They shrink in daylight.
Reversed Ask for help.
Correspondences
- Arcana
- Minor Arcana, suit of Swords
- Element
- Air
- Rank
- Nines: the work is almost done; one last effort remains
Dreams that carry this card
Swords
Ace of Swords · Two of Swords · Three of Swords · Four of Swords · Five of Swords · Six of Swords · Seven of Swords · Eight of Swords · Ten of Swords · Page of Swords · Knight of Swords · Queen of Swords · King of Swords