Greetings...Well.. interesting to be sure.
Perhaps at the time you found the cards you were under some emotional stress or troubles?
The 9 of Swords reversed could indicate the passing of emotionally trying times. It can show the resolution of emotional turmoil or perhaps even a new ability to sleep soundly after a period of insomnia or sleep troubled by dreams/nightmares.
The Tower is an awakening of sorts. It represents the crumbling of structures built on faulty ground, in other words; the Truth shall set you free from constructs built in error. It is the Mars card in the Higher Arcana, and can show a time of renewed energy... but is not ALWAYS a catastrophic event. It can be much more subtle than that.
The Empress reversed can show a lack of growth in situations. It can be pregnancies that do not go well on one level, but also it represents troubles with women on another (or even women's troubles). The Empress speaks of proper use of Creative Imagination. That is what truly creates our reality. If it is reversed, perhaps it implies that the imaginative faculty was not developed, or being used improperly, thus creating circumstances that may not work out the way that was originally intended.
Altogether it might represent a time when things were emotionally charged and not working out the way that was hoped for. Perhaps this found spread represented some sort of turning point that was going on in your life at the time, or showed that you were coming out of such a time. But it definitely shows an improvement of conditions, though not necessarily an improvement that came about easily. Often changes that we make are realized when circumstances around us seem stressful and emotionally trying.
I'm not sure that that run of cards necessarily referred to the future as much as to call attention to an internal state of growth that was coming into being.
Hope that makes sense. Either way, remember.. nothing happens by chance!
In the Light...
A
P.S. Interesting thing I just noticed: The Tower is Mars and the Empress is Venus. Perhaps there was some romantic relationship that was causing a run of high emotion. Perhaps there were relationship issues brought to light that were previously unknown? Or perhaps it has something to do with a sexual awakening? Just a thought.
Be in Peace...
A
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"The ALL is MIND; the Universe is Mental." *** The Kybalion