THE NINE OF SWORDS
“The Lord of Despair and Cruelty”
Mars in Gemini
DESCRIPTION AND SYMBOLISM
A woman wakes in the dead of night caught in the grips of a nightmare from which she cannot escape. She sits upright in the bed holding her head in her hands and is obviously in great emotional pain or experiencing the black waters of intense mental anguish. Nine swords hang on the wall behind her and the base of the bed is decorated with a carving of a conflict in which one person is being overcome by another. Her quilt is decorated with roses and the outlines of astrological symbols.
ASTROLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
The burning power of Mars inflames the mental energies of Gemini igniting a firestorm of inner anguish as the mind begins to turn against itself and falls prey to the conflicts that haunt it. Mars can be cruel and destructive but it brings out the fighting instinct in us – the will to do or die – that forces us to face our troubles and come to grips with them.
ORACLES
When Appearing Upright in a Reading
Depression, anxiety and fear are consuming you. Your mental and emotional foundations are beginning to crumble. Your inner self has become paralyzed and you cannot escape the vise like grip of your dark thoughts and emotions. Fears and nightmares are controlling you. You must summon up your reserves of inner strength so you don’t become totally enveloped by these emotions and fall into despair. Seek out a friend or professional individual that you can talk to and let these thoughts and emotions out instead of keeping them bottled up inside of you.
When Appearing Reversed in a Reading
You must understand that time heals all wounds. Your patience and unselfishness will be rewarded by a return of inner peace. New hope lies just ahead. Tomorrow will bring a better day.
THE TREE OF LIFE
“The Foundation”
Suffering, isolation and agony in the mind are often the destiny of individuals whose relationship with the Inner Light has been severed by the selfish arrogance of the waking consciousness. Without a relationship with the deeper aspect of being we lay ourselves open to the inner torment of despair – the torture of those who live without faith.