The Nine of Pentacles is the 9th tarot card in the Minor Arcana suit of Pentacles and depicts a scene of abundance, natural beauty, and ease. This card relates to the cultivation of self-worth and the need to appreciate and enjoy the fruits of one’s labor. It describes the hard-won feeling of security and the finer things in life, both emotionally and financially.
The Nine of Pentacles is associated with the element of earth and the second decan of the astrological zodiac sign Virgo (10-19 degrees), which is ruled by Venus. Traditionally, the planet Venus is considered to be uncomfortable in the sign of Virgo because the Venusian drive towards beauty and pleasure can become hampered by Virgo’s insistence on perfection. The garden is a visual metaphor for this combination: the grapes are planted in orderly rows in order to maximize their beauty and usefulness.
Where the key meanings of the Major Arcana focus on life’s overarching themes and events, Minor Arcana cards like the Nine of Pentacles explore and reveal the more subtle changes impacting one’s day-to-day life and near future. The Nine of Pentacles also bears similarities with its sibling cards the Nine of Cups, Nine of Wands, and Nine of Swords, in that all four deal with the second-to-last step of a journey or cycle.
Nine of Pentacles Keywords
Upright Keywords | Reversed Keywords |
|---|---|
empowerment, working hard to attain security, appreciating the beauty around you, abundance | chasing empty markers of success, overly focused on work, lack of feelings of self-worth, loneliness, needing to slow down |
Description of the Nine of Pentacles Tarot Card
The preceding card, the Eight of Pentacles, illustrated the hard work, dedication, and self-control that goes into mastering one’s craft and the willingness to go to great lengths in order to get it right. In the Nine, we see that these efforts have paid off, resulting in a feeling of abundance, self-confidence, security, and an ability to enjoy the rewards of one’s efforts.
In the Rider Waite Smith tarot deck, a woman dressed in luxurious robes is seen waltzing through her lush garden, surrounded by verdant grapes and stacks of golden coins with pentacles. Her garden represents her appreciation for pleasure and beauty as well as the discipline to cultivate and train the plants so that they bear fruit.
Her robe is adorned with flowers that resemble the symbol of Venus, tying her to the generative and creative principles of another independent woman, the Empress (Major Arcana #3), whose throne is etched with this symbol as well. She fixes her gaze on a hooded falcon resting on her left hand. She has trained the falcon as her hunting companion, which serves as a symbol and good omen of her ability to focus her will toward achievement, accomplishment, and the attainment of her desires and material comforts.
A small snail inches past her feet, indicating that the success she’s earned has come through slow and steady progress over time. The snail also carries its home on its back, symbolizing that true security comes from within. In the background, her castle abode signifies her rootedness, self-reliance, and stability.
Nine of Pentacles Upright Meaning
In the upright position, the Nine of Pentacles suggests that you’ve worked hard to achieve stability and success, and you can now enjoy the fruits of your labor. This card reminds you to take time to appreciate what you’ve built and have gratitude for the blessings in your life. It encourages you to reflect on your accomplishments and to celebrate how far you’ve come.
Like the bird of prey perched on her hand, this card invites you to develop the discipline and the focus to go after your desires. Through a combination of drive and purposeful action, you can achieve your aims and realize your dreams. The snail reminds you that success does not come overnight and to cultivate the patience to persist through challenges.
The abundance of the garden is a reflection of her inner state and her feelings of self-worth and inner security. This card invites you to take control of your attention so that you are focusing on pleasure, ease, and growth and cultivate an environment that reflects your inner richness.
Love and Relationships (Upright Meaning)
In the upright position, the Nine of Pentacles reflects self-sufficiency and solitary pleasure. It can signify independence and the feeling of being resourced from within. There may be a comfort with and an enjoyment of solitude, or conversely, it can represent the desire to include a partner in an already full and abundant life.
Within the context of a relationship, the Nine of Pentacles can signify that you’ve arrived at a feeling of stability, security, and the ability to enjoy life’s pleasures together. You may have worked long and hard to arrive at this place and are now ready to enjoy what you’ve built together.
Love/relationships upright keywords | Career/finance upright keywords |
|---|---|
self-sufficiency, solitary pleasure, desire for a partner, security and enjoyment of life’s pleasures | financial independence and security, growth mindset, celebrating accomplishments |
Career and Finance (Upright Meaning)
In the upright position of a career and financial tarot reading, the Nine of Pentacles can signify striving for (or achieving) financial independence and material stability. You could be working hard to create a feeling of security through your career, investments, and long-term efforts to establish your roots. It signifies your ability to train your mindset on growth and abundance and for your environment to reflect that back to you through personal and financial stability.
The upright Nine of Pentacles is also a reminder to reflect on and celebrate your accomplishments and appreciate life’s luxuries and beauty that surround you. This card suggests that what you focus your attention on grows accordingly and that by purposefully cultivating moments of joy and gratitude, you invite more richness and joy into your life.
Nine of Pentacles Reversed Meaning
The Nine of Pentacles reversed can signify that you may be struggling with unrealistic or unhealthy expectations of beauty, wealth, or success. You may be striving to attain signifiers of status out of a desire to prove yourself worthy to yourself or to others and are left with resulting feelings of hollowness and an insatiable desire for more.
In an effort to appear successful, happy, or wealthy, you could be projecting an inauthentic version of self, which leads to feelings of inner fracture, discomfort, and a diminished sense of self. This card invites you to focus your energy on what brings a meaningful feeling of accomplishment and to work to redefine success so that it is more reflective of your true desires.
The Nine of Pentacles can appear reversed when you are so focused on your work and productivity that you’re speeding through life and bypassing opportunities for enjoyment and pleasure. This card reminds you to make time to enjoy life, practice gratitude for the blessings that surround you, and allow yourself to take a break from self-discipline to rest and recharge whenever possible.
Love and Relationships (Reversed Meaning)
The reversed Nine of Pentacles can signify the feeling of loneliness amidst an otherwise full or abundant life. You may have worked hard to achieve a measure of financial or material stability and are self-sufficient or independent in many ways. You may now be ready to welcome in a partner you can share your life with.
The Nine of Pentacles reversed may also represent a difficulty in trusting or opening up to others. You may have created an independent life and have become comfortable relying on yourself. This card can signify that you may benefit from cultivating more emotional vulnerability. Remember that emotional vulnerability is not the same as emotional dependency, and it can help you to form deeper bonds and relationships.
Love/relationships reversed keywords | Career/finance reversed keywords |
|---|---|
loneliness, self-sufficiency, difficulty trusting others | overly focused on work, neglecting the need for pleasure and connection, lack of belief in self |
Career and Finance (Reversed Meaning)
The Nine of Pentacles reversed may indicate that you’re overly focused on work, achievement, and external markers of success, or focused on them for the wrong reasons. For all of your hard work and accomplishments, you may be neglecting other aspects of your life, such as relationships, self-care, or your need for pleasure and connection.
The reversed Nine of Pentacles can also signify that you are struggling with your belief in yourself and your ability to materialize your goals. If you are overwhelmed with anxiety, negative thoughts, or fears, this card invites you to try to reconnect to your innate worthiness and capacity to train your attention on what you want to grow and build.