Okay, so I’ve been diving deep into tarot lately, and today I wanted to really get to know the Nine of Swords. Not just the usual “oh, it’s about anxiety” stuff, but like, what would this card be as a person? Here’s how I went about figuring that out.
My Little Experiment
First, I grabbed my favorite tarot deck – the one I vibe with the most. Then, I cleared a little space on my desk, lit a candle (just for the atmosphere, you know?), and shuffled the cards while focusing on the question: “Who is the Nine of Swords as a person?”
I pulled the card and, yep, it was the Nine of Swords. No surprises there! I laid it out in front of me and just… stared at it. I mean, really looked at it. The imagery, the colors, the whole vibe.

Then I grabbed my journal and started brainstorming. I used a few different approaches:
- Free Association: I just wrote down whatever words popped into my head when I looked at the card. Stuff like “sleepless,” “burdened,” “overthinking,” “isolated,” “tormented,” that kind of thing.
- Imagining a Conversation: I pretended I was meeting this person at a party (a pretty depressing party, probably). What would they be like? What would they talk about? How would they act?
- Thinking about their Backstory: What happened to this person to make them this way? What are their fears? What are their (probably hidden) hopes?
Building the Character of My Experience
After a while, I started to get a pretty clear picture. This Nine of Swords person, they’re not necessarily bad, but they’re definitely going through it. They’re probably someone who:
- Worries constantly, even about things they can’t control.
- Struggles to sleep, their mind racing with anxieties.
- Feels isolated, like nobody understands what they’re going through.
- Is hard on themselves, maybe even self-sabotaging.
- Might be dealing with some past trauma or regret.
I even came up with name, let’s call my subject “Alex”.
Also I pictured Alex as that person who always looks exhausted, who flinches at loud noises, who apologizes way too much. But, you know, there’s also a glimmer of something else there. Maybe a desire for peace, for connection, for a way out of the darkness.
The Takeaway of my Experience
This exercise helped me that the Nine of Swords isn’t just a scary card. It’s a card about the very real human experience of anxiety and mental struggle. And by seeing it as a person, I think I can understand it – and maybe even relate to it – on a much deeper level. It reminds me to be kind, both to myself and to others, because you never know what someone else is battling internally.
Next time I pull this card in a reading, I’ll definitely remember this “person” I created. It will probably add a whole new layer of meaning to the message.