Six of Swords
Rider-Waite
General meaning
Upright
transitionmoving away from difficultya journey toward better timesgradual healingleaving conflict behindmovement toward calma necessary crossinga conscious change of directionquiet progressleaving turbulence behindstep by step toward stabilityan emotional migrationgradual improvementdistance that healsheading toward calmer watersa guided transitionan inner moving processleaving the familiar behind for something bettera journey of recoverymoving forward despite the painnecessary changea crossing with supportserene progressdirection toward peacea path of healing
↕ Reversed
resistance to leaving the past behindstagnation despite the need to move forwardan interrupted journeyreturning to turbulencedifficulty letting go of the paina blocked transitionreturning to an already-overcome situationan inability to find calmforced movement with no real healingresistance to necessary changea journey with no clear directionemotional stagnationbeing stuck in the middle of the stormdifficulty from fear of changean inability to leave the familiar behindinterrupted healinga crossing paused by fearreturning to painful patternsdifficulty moving forward despite the circumstancesa postponed journeyresistance to the healing processmovement with no clear directionemotional gridlockan inability to see a better horizondifficulty trusting the transition
By topic
- Love
- moving away from a painful relationshipa transition toward a calmer chapter in loveleaving a romantic conflict behinda journey toward a healthier relationshipgradual healing of the heartconscious movement toward calm as a coupledistance that helps you see clearlyprogress toward a more stable bondan emotional moving process in lovedirection toward romantic peace
↕ resistance to leaving a painful relationship behind, stagnation in a repeating romantic pattern, difficulty letting go of romantic pain, returning to a relationship dynamic already overcome, a blocked transition in love, an inability to find romantic calm, forced movement toward a relationship with no real healing, resistance to necessary change as a couple, an emotional journey with no clear direction in love, interrupted romantic healing
- Friendship
- moving away from a conflictive friendshipa transition toward healthier social bondsleaving a conflict with friends behinda journey toward calmer relationshipsgradual healing of a social woundconscious movement toward calm in the groupdistance that helps you see a friendship clearlyprogress toward more stable bondsa social moving processdirection toward peace in friendships
↕ resistance to leaving a harmful friendship behind, stagnation in repeating social dynamics, difficulty letting go of the pain of a friendship, returning to a social group already overcome, a socially blocked transition, an inability to find calm in relationships, forced movement toward a friendship with no real healing, resistance to necessary change in the social circle, a social journey with no clear direction, interrupted social healing
- Family
- moving away from a conflictive family dynamica transition toward a calmer chapter at homeleaving a family conflict behinda journey toward healthier family relationshipsgradual healing of a wound at homeconscious movement toward family calmdistance that helps you see a household matter clearlyprogress toward more stable family bondsan emotional moving process within the familydirection toward peace at home
↕ resistance to leaving a harmful family dynamic behind, stagnation in repeating family patterns, difficulty letting go of family pain, returning to a household situation already overcome, a blocked transition within the family, an inability to find calm at home, forced movement toward a family relationship with no real healing, resistance to necessary change at home, a family journey with no clear direction, interrupted family healing
- Career
- moving away from a professional path that no longer adds anythinga transition toward a calmer vocational chapterleaving a difficult work situation behinda journey toward a more aligned purposegradual healing of professional frustrationconscious movement toward vocational calmdistance that helps you see your own path clearlyprogress toward a more stable careera professional moving processdirection toward vocational peace
↕ resistance to leaving an unsatisfying career behind, stagnation in a repeating professional pattern, difficulty letting go of vocational frustration, returning to a professional path already overcome, a blocked transition in your career, an inability to find professional calm, forced movement toward a change with no real healing, resistance to necessary change on your own path, a professional journey with no clear direction, interrupted vocational healing
- Work
- moving away from a tense work situationa transition toward a calmer work environmentleaving a conflict in your role behinda journey toward healthier work conditionsgradual healing of wear at workconscious movement toward work calmdistance that helps you see a situation in your role clearlyprogress toward a more stable environmenta moving process within workdirection toward peace in your role
↕ resistance to leaving a harmful work situation behind, stagnation in repeating work dynamics, difficulty letting go of work wear, returning to a role or dynamic already overcome, a blocked transition at work, an inability to find work calm, forced movement toward a change with no real healing, resistance to necessary change in your role, a work journey with no clear direction, interrupted work healing
- Studies
- changing schoolsstudying awayleaving a bad stage behindtransition to something betterstudy tripreliefmoving forward slowlynew start
↕ a delayed change, dragging problems into the new year, fear of leaving, difficult transition, going backwards, stagnation, emotional baggage, resistance
- Money
- moving away from a difficult financial situationa transition toward a calmer financial chapterleaving a money problem behinda journey toward greater financial stabilitygradual healing of a financial crisisconscious movement toward financial calmdistance that helps you see your own finances clearlyprogress toward a more stable financial situationa financial moving processdirection toward financial peace
↕ resistance to leaving harmful financial habits behind, stagnation in a repeating financial pattern, difficulty letting go of financial anxiety, returning to a financial situation already overcome, a blocked transition in your finances, an inability to find financial calm, forced movement toward a financial change with no real healing, resistance to necessary change with money, a financial journey with no clear direction, interrupted financial healing
- Pets
- moving away from a difficult situation related to the animala transition toward a calmer chapter of careleaving a behavioral problem behinda journey toward healthier living togethergradual healing of a difficulty with the petconscious movement toward calm in handling itdistance that helps you see its situation clearlyprogress toward a more stable routinea moving process in its caredirection toward peace in living together
↕ resistance to leaving a problem with the pet behind, stagnation in repeating care dynamics, difficulty letting go of frustration related to handling it, returning to a raising pattern already overcome, a blocked transition in its care, an inability to find calm in living together, forced movement toward a change with no real healing, resistance to necessary change in its routine, a caretaking journey with no clear direction, interrupted healing in the bond
- Health
- moving away from a difficult health chaptera transition toward more stable wellbeingleaving a physical or emotional problem behinda journey toward genuine recoverygradual healing of your own bodyconscious movement toward calm in the health processdistance that helps you see your own wellbeing clearlyprogress toward more stable healtha moving process toward healthier habitsdirection toward peace regarding the body
↕ resistance to leaving harmful health habits behind, stagnation in a repeating physical pattern, difficulty letting go of accumulated discomfort, returning to a health situation already overcome, a blocked transition in the wellbeing process, an inability to find calm regarding the body, forced movement toward a health change with no real healing, resistance to necessary change in habits, a health journey with no clear direction, interrupted physical healing
- Choices
- moving away from a paralyzing dilemmaa transition toward a clearer decisionleaving indecision behinda journey toward a more aligned choicegradual healing of the anxiety of decidingconscious movement toward calm before choosingdistance that helps you see the options clearlyprogress toward a more stable decisiona moving process in your own judgmentdirection toward peace when deciding
↕ resistance to leaving prolonged indecision behind, stagnation in a repeating pattern of doubt, difficulty letting go of the anxiety of deciding, returning to an already-resolved dilemma, a blocked transition in the decision process, an inability to find calm in the face of the choice, forced movement toward a decision with no real clarity, resistance to necessary change in judgment, a decisive journey with no clear direction, interrupted healing of the decision process
- Creative projects
- moving away from a project that generated tensiona transition toward a calmer creative processleaving an artistic block behinda journey toward work more aligned with your own visiongradual healing of creative frustrationconscious movement toward calm in the processdistance that helps you see your own project clearlyprogress toward more stable worka creative moving processdirection toward artistic peace
↕ resistance to leaving a project that no longer works behind, stagnation in a repeating creative pattern, difficulty letting go of artistic frustration, returning to a project already overcome, a blocked transition in the creative process, an inability to find calm in the work, forced movement toward a creative change with no real healing, resistance to necessary change in the project, a creative journey with no clear direction, interrupted artistic healing
- Creativity
- moving away from a style that generated frustrationa transition toward a more authentic expressionleaving a personal creative block behinda journey toward a more aligned artistic voicegradual healing of self-criticismconscious movement toward calm in your own processdistance that helps you see your own talent clearlyprogress toward a more stable practicea personal creative moving processdirection toward peace with your own expression
↕ resistance to leaving a harmful creative pattern behind, stagnation in your own self-criticism, difficulty letting go of personal artistic frustration, returning to a style already overcome, a blocked transition in your own process, an inability to find calm in your own expression, forced movement toward a creative change with no real healing, resistance to necessary change in your own talent, a personal creative journey with no clear direction, interrupted healing of your own voice
✨ 3 tips for combining it
- With The Chariot or The World, trips or moves. Example: Six of Swords + The World is going far away to start over.
- With Cups, leaving sorrow behind. Example: Six of Swords + Five of Cups speaks of slowly moving away from something that hurt.
- With calm cards, a smooth transition. Example: Six of Swords + Temperance points to a change made without drama.
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Remember cards speak of energies and tendencies, not a fixed destiny 💕