The 9 of Wands is the highest expression of the element of Fire before it is brought back into a circle in the 10 of Wands. It is creative energy that has been found, stoked and tended to, challenged and grown into its full power and potential.

The Tiger represents that dangerous creative and destructive force.

The Woman is not sleeping here, like she was in the 8. She is awake and fully aware of what she is doing. She has complete mastery over her creative energy but at the same time she has not weakened it in any way, rather, she has directed it and channeled it.

The woman in my painting is Mystery, Babylon (which means Gate of God), the Great Whore, who rides on a mythical beast with 7 heads. She follows a fine tradition of being a strong woman being blamed for the world’s fornication, temptation and corruption; and I do believe she is a symbol pointing to an archetype. Babylon the city also appears in the story about the Tower of Babel (Hebrew for Babylon) where men built a tower celebrating their own glory rather than God and were subsequently struck down for it and forced not to understand each other any more.

Archetypes are such Mysterious things that lie in the dark reaches of our understanding, like an acorn to a scrat! I could never describe it perfectly, but I can guess that this one might have something to do with the fear of too much knowledge, that it poses a threat and challenge to a jealous god and of course language is the most potent of magick which if used carelessly and built into a tower too tall will draw the lightning of god.

This woman, though, has passed through the barrier of the immense energy and has harnessed the Fire with her unique gifts and Free Will. She is adept at directing Chaos. We all have gifts that will do the same and they are unique for each of us. The trick is to know what they are and to master them – and you will rise to your full potential.