Aquarius 10°-20° — the Nine of Swords
The second decan of Aquarius runs Jan 30 - Feb 8, is ruled by Mercury under the Chaldean order, and carries the Nine of Swords — titled Lord of Despair and Cruelty by the Golden Dawn.
Nine of Swords
Lord of Despair and Cruelty
Upright: Anxiety, worry, fear, depression, nightmares
Reversed: Inner turmoil, deep-seated fears, releasing worry, hope
Full Nine of Swords meaning →Mercury in Aquarius
Mercury in Aquarius is the mind at its most abstract, and the Six of Swords, Lord of Earned Success, is passage rather than arrival: a ferryman poling a boat with a hooded figure and a child, six swords upright in the hull, water choppy on one side and calm on the other. The swords come along; nothing is left behind. Mercury in Aquarius makes the move considered rather than fled, and the decan reads for a transition that is genuinely improving conditions without resolving what caused it.
Using this decan for timing
In timing the Six of Swords is a crossing with a duration. Answering 'when', it points at a transition already underway that will take longer than hoped but is genuinely moving - Mercury makes the passage considered rather than hurried.
Where it sits in Aquarius
Aquarius spans thirty degrees and divides into three decans, each with its own ruler and its own card from the Suit of Swords. This one is the middle ten degrees.
| Decan | Dates | Ruler | Card | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0°-10° | Jan 20 - Jan 29 | Venus | Eight of Swords | Lord of Shortened Force |
| 10°-20° | Jan 30 - Feb 8 | Mercury | Nine of Swords | Lord of Despair and Cruelty |
| 20°-30° | Feb 9 - Feb 18 | Moon | Ten of Swords | Lord of Ruin |
The sign as a whole is attributed to The Star in the Major Arcana — see why Aquarius carries that card.