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I. Six of Swords Rider Waite image description
Six of Swords depicts a woman and a young man sailing toward a land ahead. She covers her head with a towel, showing sadness or loss when trying to escape from her past. The water flow on the right side of the raft is chaotic but peaceful on the left side.
Although there is a sign of change or loss in this card, we feel that this movement is heading towards a more promising future. Even though both the woman and the man seem sad, the smooth water flow shows that they are escaping from chaos and seeking peace. Six vertical swords symbolize the power of reason in the heart and intuition.
In one detail in The Pilgrim’s Progress (1678), the hero named Christian (whose journey also like the Fool) was trapped in the Slough of Despond swamp. He made a lot of effort until he was pulled out by Help. Help told him that “A lot of fears, doubts and boredom have formed in this place”.
The name of the Slough of Despond swamp is a good name for the Six of Swords. Sometimes, it shows a vague and listless state. Nothing is seriously wrong as well as is really true. You are overcoming but not thriving. In the card, there are two people on a boat, they seem very sad and surrender everything. Life is uninteresting when we feel bored.
In a more positive side, this card can imply a recovery. This is especially true when you have just undergone a difficult time or psychological trauma. During the period of suffering, you have always felt indifferent and unconnected. There is nothing important in your mind right now. Now you are entering the stage of healing and trying to cure the damage in life. People on the boat are at least moving forward. They are coming to a new land, even if they are not ready.
Neither Six of Swords promises great joy nor mention the ultimate disappointment. A swamp is not really a bottomless pit, it is merely a place where sadness and despair are present. When you see this Swords card in a spread, even though circumstances may not be ideal, you are still moving towards a new, more positive place. Opportunities are still there; new and more hopeful conditions are ahead.
II. Six of Swords Tarot Card Meaning
Boring, Recovery, Move.
Feel bored
- Experience sadness at a low level;
- Barely enough to live on;
- Work through the day;
- Feel something sorrow;
- Be hammered to the ground;
- Feel listless;
- Still active but not much.
Recovering
- Deal with the consequences of injury;
- Overcome the difficult period;
- Repair damage;
- Start confronting;
- Start recovering health;
- Towards a more positive place;
- Feel hope once again.
Move
- Change position;
- Move from one place to another;
- Travel;
- Experience changing scenery;
- Being forced to leave;
- Take the road to join a journey;
- Approach new thinking.
III. Opposite and Support Tarot cards to the 6 of Swords
Opposite cards
- Strength – with passion, unshakable determination;
- Sun – vitality, enthusiasm;
- 4 of Wands – excited, celebrate;
- 3 of Cups – high spirit, open;
- 2 of Pentacles – joy.
Support cards
- 10 of Wands – overcome, fight;
- 4 of Cups – feel listless, stagnant, uninterested;
- 5 of Cups – sadness;
- 8 of Cups – move, are on the journey;
- 4 of Swords – rest, recovery;
- 9 of Swords – disappointed, depressed.
IV. 6 of Swords Upright Card Keywords
a necessary change, the departure
Words and Keywords
Get rid of stress and trouble, relieve stress, an expected change, reconcile, calm down, regain peace and calm in the soul, reduce tension after a stressful time, smooth sailing, get rid of conflict or difficulties, go with the flow, let things happen naturally, travel.
Resettlement, cleaning, a journey, a trip abroad, a trip worth looking forward to, dealing with people who are far away, enhance knowledge, beneficial change, cut off the binding, change attitude, a death that ends suffering, convert negative situation into a positive one, the worst is over.
Introduce
When the Six of Swords appears, it means this is a great time to move or travel in any way. It also implies a metaphor about the prospect of achieving a new development, or a change within you. Often this is a change in the better direction, both internally and externally. You can think about where you want to go.
Overview
In general, this card shows a slight decrease in the feeling of tension and restraint state. Everything may not perfect at the present, but they will gradually change in a better way than what happened in the past. You should take this time to maintain hope and decide where you will go. Even a few short breaks or changing circumstances will have many benefits for you. This does not necessarily mean costing money.
Work
You may be in the process of quitting a job which is no longer suitable for you. You should believe that the Creator will give you the position you want, and everything happens for a reason. Do not hesitate to ask for help or find new information when you face pressures in your new work environment. The Six of Swords can also imply a good change in your business.
Love
In terms of love,
Finance
The appearance of the Six of Swords may imply that your financial situation is about to change, either in a better or worse way, depends on your attitude. If you are doing your best, you can give yourself small expenses but don’t be too wasteful, and use your cash flow wisely. If you are investing recklessly, be prepared to cope with the difficult times ahead.
Health
If you are dealing with health problems, your current healthcare professional or doctor may not be the best person to help you. You can refer to some reputable medical centers or clinics in your area. This card may show that what you really need to do is go on a vacation or experience a change of scenery. You should find a way to meet your own needs, even if the only way you can do it is to confide in someone to whom you have never talked before.
Mentality
Some mental solutions are suddenly coming into your awareness. Sometimes, this is associated with a change in habits, pilgrimage or experience with different spiritual cultures. You should pay attention to your dreams as they often show you the things you have missed.
Situation and advice
Six of Swords tells that you are leaving behind a period of stress, trouble
You are now ready to enlighten new things. This is the time to look back on the difficulties in the past to ensure a better future. An event or someone close to you can make you relief. Now you can leave behind pessimistic actions or situations.
Human
Tourists, people who are on board, people who escape the stage of suffering, people who come from a far distance or live far away, a person who helps you when you need it.
V. 6 of Swords Reversed Keywords
unable to move on, the burden
Words and Keywords
Unable to leave your troubles behind, delay, procrastination, being stuck in negative thoughts, do not accept help, unable to get out of trouble, go against the crowd, rowing upstream, lack of progress, feel stuck or stressed, be at a standstill, one problem after another, temporary release, the easiest way (though it is not the best way), cannot leave the past behind.
Boring, feel unable to find a way out of the current predicament, not dare to face reality, a trip is canceled or postponed, there are changes in travel plans, return from a journey, from bad to worse, evade reality.
Introduce
When the Six of Swords appears in reverse, you may be ready to say what you are feeling. However, communication at this time is generally quite difficult. You should think before speaking. Besides, you need to make sure the important information in your computer is fully backed up at this time.
Overview
In general, this card shows that you can have new discoveries and decisions as well as some important information that you want to share. The way you present/communicate that information is also important, so think carefully.
Work
Small mistakes can cause big problems at work. You should be especially careful with important documents and make sure your work is backed up and stored carefully. If you are looking for a job, you may feel as if you are alone in your search journey. This is not a bad thing. You should let yourself search for jobs in places where are not through anyone else’s suggestions or opinions.
Love
In terms of love, the Six of Swords reversed may imply that you are about to face some necessary challenges for your relationship to progress. This does not involve conflict or controversy, as long as you know how to communicate calmly and skillfully. This is not the time to hold on to everything, however, you should think carefully before saying anything sensitive. You will hurt the person you love if you do not think thoroughly about what to say.
Finance
This card in reverse may imply that you are feeling a bit lost when it comes to financial issues. You may feel like you do not have enough money and do not know where to start making to meet your needs. Let’s seek the help around you. This is not the time to invest recklessly; consider carefully where you place your trust and your investments.
Health
With the Six of Swords appears in reverse, one aspect of your life may be unbalanced, and this can cause challenges and disadvantages to your health. Think about where this imbalance comes from. Are you eating too much or not eating enough nutrients? Do you exercise enough or not? When you overcome this imbalance, you will find yourself feeling better and nicer, perhaps much more than many years ago.
Mentality
You can feel overwhelmed in terms of spirit when this Swords card appears in reverse. Everything and the nihility seem to give you a sense of spirit. The answer to this matter is to relax and feel comfortable rather than trying to capture the “answer”. At the right time, you will realize the direction you need to go. Currently, you should allow yourself a little peace of mind. Everything develops in stages, not in one day.
Situation and advice
You should do your best even when you cannot leave the trouble behind. You feel trapped and cannot escape from the predicament. You may have followed an inadequate solution to your problem. Perhaps you chose the easiest way (not the best way) or simply you are avoiding reality. You need to face reality and face your difficulties in order to stabilize your life. Sometimes, this card literally means a change in travel plans or cancelling a journey.
Human
People who hesitate to make a decision, the lazy, people who avoid difficulties, who comes from a trip.
In reality, the Six of Swords card may imply a trip or movement in many ways. The card can also mean a real change of the circumstances, location or a trip. A journey can also take place inside of you as we move from an old way of thinking to a new perspective.
