The Nine of Pentacles tarot card brings the lessons of the Pentacles almost full circle. It means you’ve done all the hard work and learned nearly all of your money and abundance lessons. You’re ready to enjoy the rewards!
This is a card about individual prosperity and personal luxury. But the Nine of Pentacles isn’t about resting on your laurels and never doing another day of work. Instead, it’s about enjoying yourself by recognizing and honoring what your true definition of luxury is.
There’s simplicity and honesty here; you’re in your garden of luxury, doing your own thing, and enjoying all you’ve built for yourself. This card is also about abundance, gratitude, self-sufficiency, and the satisfaction of a job well done.
When you see the Nine of Pentacles card reversed, it can be a message about self-worth. You might struggle with this idea, thinking you’re not skilled or talented enough to earn respect or a certain salary.
But know that your hard work and natural gifts have made you more than deserving of all kinds of wealth. Along these same lines, you might look to invest in yourself to gain more self-worth. This is a beautiful thing, and you do deserve it!
Feel confident indulging in life’s luxuries and splurge on something that makes you feel good. Don’t get so lost in working hard and making money that you forget to care for yourself. Take time to enjoy your abundance and remember what’s important to you.
This reversed card can also stand for financial difficulties or living beyond your means. If you can’t indulge in expensive luxuries, don’t, but still take time to treat yourself to something special and enjoyable, like a relaxing bubble bath.
Although they are nice, you can’t rely on material things to bring you happiness. If you’re making good money and have security, now may be the time to relax and take a step back from gaining more wealth.
Focus on spending time with the people you love and the things that matter most. You can always make more money, but you can’t get back precious time with friends and family.
Reading this reversed card using the “blocked/restricted” meaning
Okay, now let’s talk about how to read your reversed Nine of Pentacles card. First, you can use the “blocked/restricted” reversed card meaning. When you read your cards like this, you look for an obstacle standing in front of the card’s upright meaning.
For the Nine of Pentacles, this means something is blocking your abundance and luxury. You may feel you don’t deserve the finer things in life, so you’re holding back.
For example, say you pull the reversed Nine of Pentacles thinking about a trip you were invited on. Your friend from college reached out a couple of weeks ago telling you about an awesome group trip to Iceland.
He and his wife are going with five other people, and they want you to come along. You can afford the trip, and it’s been a while since you’ve been on vacation. But still, you’re hesitating to pull the trigger, even though you really want to go.
You’ve never been one to treat yourself, mostly because you feel you don’t deserve it. Growing up, your parents never taught you to enjoy luxury or take time to relax, so it goes against your nature to splurge on a trip like this.
Here, the reversed Nine of Pentacles tells you it’s time to care for yourself. You’re the only thing standing between yourself and the trip of a lifetime. It’s hard to break lifelong habits, like being frugal and avoiding luxuries, but it’s never too late.
Don’t stand in the way of having an awesome time with your friends and go for it! When you look back, you’ll be thankful for all the great memories.
Reading this reversed card using the “opposite” meaning
Another way to read your reversed Nine of Pentacles card is using the “opposite” reversed card meaning. When you read your cards like this, you look for the opposite of the card’s upright meaning. So for the Nine of Pentacles, instead of abundance and luxury, you have a lack of money and are just hoping to meet your basic needs. You’re still looking to build your material security.
Say you pull the reversed Nine of Pentacles thinking about what you want to do in life. You’ve hit a rough patch and have been staying with your dad in Vermont. You’re in a lot of credit card debt and don’t have any savings or any real career to fall back on.
At this point in your life, everything is up in the air, and you don’t have a plan for how to get yourself on the right track. You’ve wanted to be a freelance illustrator, but it’s just not earning you the money you need.
Recently, a friend offered you a job working at the Post Office with them. It’s not a ton of money, but it’s a regular paycheck and a steady schedule. Here, the reversed Nine of Pentacles tells you it’s time to seek stability in your life.
Even though this job doesn’t encourage your passion, it will put money in your pocket which will give you more freedom. Having money means having your own apartment, your own space. It also means having the ability to support your passion by being about to buy better art supplies.
You’ll also feel better about yourself and feel more confident, which can motivate you to get more done. Work hard and stay the course; this job is just what you need to live the life you want.
Reading this reversed card using the “worse” meaning
You can also read your reversed Nine of Pentacles using the “worse” reversed card meaning. When you read your cards like this, you take the card’s upright meaning and put it in a negative light. So for the Nine of Pentacles, you have abundance, but you might focus so much on making money that you’re neglecting other things.
For example, say you pull the reversed Nine of Pentacles thinking about your busy life. You work as an emergency veterinarian, and it’s a hustle. You work 12-hour shifts most of the time, and it’s a luxury if you can even find time to go to the bathroom.
On top of that, your job is emotionally draining. You have to put an animal down almost every week, and you often have very difficult conversations with pet owners. You also have a lot of debt from vet school, so even though your life seems successful, you’re often very stressed.
As a result, you work as much as you can to move up in this world and make as much money as possible. However, because you work so hard and are under so much stress, you can’t find time to keep up with your friends, and it’s hard for you to schedule time to visit your family back in Texas.
You live with your boyfriend, but even seeing him is a challenge. It’s been a while since the two of you sat down to a meal together or watched a movie.
Here, the reversed Nine of Pentacles card tells you it’s time to shift your priorities a bit. You’re doing great work and should be proud of it, but if you keep up this pace, you’re going to burn out.
Try cutting down on your hours here and there. The hospital will survive without you while you’re resting and spending time with loved ones. You might also look into booking a vacation with your boyfriend. It’s important to have time for the two of you without the stress of work, and spending a few nights away will give you just that.
Reading this reversed card using the “no/not” meaning
Finally, you can read your reversed Nine of Pentacles card using the “no/not” reversed card meaning. When you read your cards like this, you put a “no” or a “not” in front of the card’s upright meaning.
For the Nine of Pentacles, this can mean “no success” or “no rewards”. You might be very devoted to someone or something, but it may not pay off in the end.
Say you pull the reversed Nine of Pentacles thinking about your romantic relationship. You’ve been dating the same girl since you asked her out to senior prom, and now, seven years later, you’re renting a house together in the suburbs.
The two of you supported each other through college, grad school, and the start of your careers. Everyone assumes you’ll get married and your families are very close. You’ve always been a devoted partner, even through the hard times, and you’ve never considered leaving the relationship.
But lately, you’ve noticed that some of your “normal” routines are just not healthy. She yells at you and belittles you all the time. She critiques your sexual performance and tells you that your cooking is inedible even though you’re a talented chef.
You’re from a traditional family, so you never thought leaving was an option, but after talking to some new friends, your eyes are open for the first time. You’re not happy, and you know things are only going to get worse if you stay together.
Here, the reversed Nine of Pentacles tells you to trust your gut. It’s a scary thing to leave a long term relationship and start over, but if you stay in this toxic situation, leaving is only going to get harder. You’ll be miserable and you may never have the life you want and deserve.
Don’t worry about what people will think; the important part is getting yourself out. You might need to stay with friends or family while you find your own place, but it will be worth the inconvenience. In the long run, leaving this relationship will make you much happier and more fulfilled.