SIX OF SWORDS — Tarot Card Meaning
SIX OF SWORDS in the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot: what the card means upright, what shifts when it appears reversed, the symbols drawn on it and the correspondences traditionally assigned to it.
Transition
Core meaning
Leave troubled waters behind—calmer shores await.
- transition
- change
- moving on
- leaving behind
- travel
Upright keywords
- transition
- change
- moving on
- leaving behind
- travel
- escape
- healing journey
- mental shift
- rite of passage
- moving to better times
- recovery
- guidance
- supported journey
- releasing baggage
- gradual improvement
- necessary change
- crossing over
- calmer waters ahead
- relocation
- assisted passage
Reversed keywords
- stuck
- resistance to change
- unfinished business
- returning to past
- delays in travel
- unable to move on
- emotional baggage
- rough transition
- running from problems
- prolonged difficulty
- nowhere to go
- not learning lessons
- stalled journey
- unwanted return
- turbulent passage
Reversed and shadow side
Six of Swords reversed indicates difficulty moving forward or returning to troubled situations. The transition is stalled or the escape incomplete.
Symbolism on the card
- cloaked woman and child
- ferryman with pole
- boat on water
- six swords in boat
- calm water ahead
- choppy water behind
- distant shore
Correspondences
- Element
- Air
- Astrology
- Mercury in Aquarius (2nd decan, 10-20 degrees)
- Numerology
- 6 — transition, moving forward, mental recovery
Reading the card
- Psychological
- The gradual transition from troubled waters to calmer shores. Mental relief that comes from leaving a painful situation behind, even reluctantly.
- Personality
- Transitioning, resilient, quietly brave, melancholy but moving, pragmatic, forward-looking
- Appearance
- Cloaked figure, head slightly bowed, traveling light, muted blue tones, sitting quietly in transit
- Timing
- Mercury in Aquarius, waning crescent, early morning journey, mid-November
What it means for
- Love and romance
- Leaving a difficult relationship behind, slowly healing, a calmer love ahead.
- Work and career
- Transitioning to a new job, leaving a difficult work environment, career change underway.
- Health
- Moving toward better health gradually, transitioning to a new treatment that works.
- Family
- Family relocation for a better life, moving away from toxic family environments.
- Spirituality
- Crossing from one phase of understanding to the next, spiritual migration, guided passage.
Everyday situations
Concrete, literal situations this card can point to in a reading.
Upright keywords
- ferry ride across a calm harbor
- relocating for a fresh start
- driving away from a bad situation
- switching your kid to a new school
- one-way plane ticket
Reversed keywords
- ferry ride through choppy waters that turns back
- moving to a new city and feeling just as stuck
- driving away but turning around halfway
- new school being just as bad as the old one
- return ticket booked the same week you left
Related cards
Reinforcing cards
- EIGHT OF CUPS — moving away from pain
- DEATH — transition after loss
- THE HERMIT — quiet difficult journey
- THE FOOL — leaving the known behind
Opposing cards
- THE SUN — heaviness vs. radiant joy
- ACE OF WANDS — weariness vs. fresh fire
- FOUR OF WANDS — somber departure vs. celebration
Tarot content on mezulla is for personal reflection and exploration. It is not a substitute for medical, legal, financial or mental-health advice.