The Nine of Swords tarot card description is one of pain, worry, and anguish. In the card image, a person kneels in bed looking up at nine swords hanging over their head – a symbol of the mental torture they are experiencing.
When the Nine of Swords appears in a Tarot reading it can signify excessive inner-criticism and feelings of defeat. As swords hang above our heads, mental illness weighs on our psyche and rears its ugly head in our dreams. You may be facing a reoccurring nightmare and find no peace upon waking.