"With the Six of Swords as your guide, sail beyond turbulent seas towards tranquil shores, where new beginnings await."

6. Six of Swords

Moving forward, transition, leaving a situation, releasing baggage.
Upright:
Returning to the past, struggle to move forward, resistance to change.
Reversed:

General

Moving forward, transition, leaving a situation, releasing baggage.

The Six of Swords represents transition, moving forward from a situation that is no longer serving you, releasing people and situations that are no good for you, this is a process of moving forward.

The Six of Swords usually depicts a boat that is moving across water, it shows a figure in the boat who is looking forward to new land. This is symbolic of leaving a situation and progressing forward. Sometimes leaving the situation can be emotionally taxing, there may be baggage or good memories attached but you know that the best thing for you is to move away from this situation, escape and release what is holding you back. This is a progressive card but it carries emotional weight.

The Six of Swords can represent moving away from a familiar situation, where you may be comfortable but you are stagnating your growth by staying in that particular place. You may be leaving jobs, leaving a relationship, moving towns or countries, or perhaps you are leaving behind your old self and stepping into a new version of you. You are sad to leave behind what feels familiar to you but trust the process and you are doing the right thing by you and for your highest good.

Sometimes when the Six of Sword appears it can be a sign that running away or escaping a situation is potentially a good course of action. Sometimes we see escape as the cowards way out, but this isn't always the case. We don't need to constantly fight or withstand things, sometimes we can let go of a situation and move on our own terms, with our own justifications.

- Moving on.
- Escaping.
- Leaving a situation that is no longer serving you.
- Releasing people and situations.
- Releasing baggage.
- Moving forward.
- Transition.
- Running away.

Love and Relationships

The Six of Swords in a love and relationship tarot spread signifies a transition or a journey within the relationship:

Moving On: This card often indicates leaving behind turbulent or difficult times in a relationship, symbolizing a journey toward better times. It suggests the willingness of both partners to move past troubles or conflicts towards a more harmonious phase.

Improved Communication: It implies better communication, harmony, and understanding between partners. It may indicate that conflicts or misunderstandings are being resolved, leading to more tranquil times ahead.

Hope for the Future: The Six of Swords brings a sense of hope and optimism, signifying a positive shift or a renewed sense of hope within the relationship. It suggests a more constructive approach to problems, fostering a sense of stability and forward movement.

Seeking Support: This card can suggest seeking external support or guidance to navigate relationship issues. It might be an indication to consider couple's counseling or seeking advice from friends or family.

Mutual Healing: The card signifies mutual efforts to heal the relationship, promoting understanding and providing an opportunity to embark on a journey towards a more harmonious and peaceful future together.

Overall, the upright Six of Swords represents a transition towards a more positive and serene phase in a relationship, symbolizing hope, understanding, and mutual growth between partners.

Health and Spirituality

The Six of Swords in a tarot spread concerning health and spirituality suggests several key aspects:

Transition and Healing: This card represents a period of transition, moving away from difficult situations towards a more peaceful state. It symbolizes the journey toward emotional or physical recovery, emphasizing a positive transformation in health or a shift towards spiritual growth and understanding.

Mental Clarity: It signifies mental relief and clarity, indicating that you're leaving behind the mental burdens that may have affected your well-being. Spiritually, this denotes a period of mental peace and understanding, allowing you to move beyond past struggles and grow spiritually.

Guidance and Support: The upright Six of Swords indicates seeking guidance or counsel in health matters. You might benefit from professional advice or support on your health journey. In spirituality, it suggests seeking guidance or spiritual teachers to navigate your path effectively.

Progress and Balance: It signifies progress and a quest for equilibrium in health matters. It could indicate that you're finding a more balanced approach to health. Spiritually, it symbolizes an emerging clarity and a calmer state of mind, enabling growth and balance in your spiritual life.

Hope and Optimism: This card offers a sense of hope and optimism. It suggests that your health and spiritual journey are moving in a positive direction, and there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Overall, the upright Six of Swords represents a transformative and healing journey in both health and spirituality, providing hope and guidance toward a better state of being and understanding.

Money and Career

The Six of Swords in a tarot spread concerning money and career indicates several significant aspects:

Transition and Moving On: This card suggests that you're in a transitional phase regarding your financial or career situation. It signifies moving from turbulent or uncertain financial circumstances toward a more stable and manageable position. You might be seeking new employment, changing career paths, or shifting how you manage your finances.

Seeking Stability: It represents a quest for stability and a desire to leave behind financial difficulties or career-related challenges. This card embodies the idea of finding a way out of troubled waters, indicating that you're actively seeking more secure financial prospects or aiming to enhance your professional path.

New Opportunities: The Six of Swords is also about embracing new opportunities that lead to financial improvement. It could mean taking a new job, pursuing additional education or training, or exploring investments that promise better financial stability.

Mental and Practical Balance: This card suggests a balanced approach, combining the mental and practical aspects of finance and career. It signals the need for strategic planning and mental clarity while making financial or professional decisions.

Smooth Transition: It signifies a smooth transition, though it might not be immediate. You're on the right path to navigate your financial or career challenges and move toward a more stable and secure future.

In essence, the Six of Swords in a money and career context represents a transitional period filled with hope, new opportunities, and a shift toward greater stability and clarity in financial or professional matters.

Reversed General

Returning to the past, struggle to move forward, resistance to change.

When the Six of Swords reversed appears it's an indication that you are struggling to leave a situation that is no longer serving you. Instead, you are continuing to stay in old situations, relationships, or holding onto the past.

Often we want what is familiar, not what's good for us, this causes us to resistance change and stay stagnant in the same positions. We lack the trust that something is better over the horizon. Sometimes it feels like our happiness is in situations that aren't serving us, or perhaps we focus on the good and ignore majority of the bad.
The Six of Swords reversed asks you to question yourself. What are you struggling to let go of? What memories are you holding onto? Is holding onto this rational? It can take time for us to self-actualize these answers. Sometimes it can even feel like we are compulsively being pulled back to the same situation. You may be choosing to stay in an unhappy marriage, move on from a toxic friendship or let go of old beliefs that are no longer serving you. It takes courage to step out into the unknown, but sometimes we have to choose courage over familiarity. So it's time to make your choice.

- Holding onto the past.
- Holding onto memories.
- Resisting change.
- Resisting leaving a situation or relationship.
- Choosing what's familiar.

Reversed Love and Relationships

The Six of Swords reversed in a love and relationship tarot spread often symbolizes difficulty in moving on or leaving behind the troubles within a relationship:

Stagnation: This card reversed suggests being stuck or unable to progress beyond the existing relationship problems. It indicates the couple is facing challenges moving past conflicts or a difficult phase.

Resistance to Change: There might be a resistance to resolving issues, preventing the relationship from transitioning into a more harmonious or peaceful phase. This resistance could arise from fear or an unwillingness to leave the familiar, even if it's problematic.

Unresolved Conflict: It indicates ongoing unresolved issues or past baggage that continues to affect the relationship. This card suggests that it might be tough for the couple to agree on a way forward or find common ground.

Lack of Communication: Reversed, the Six of Swords suggests a breakdown in communication or an unwillingness to seek outside help, hindering the process of resolving differences.

Delayed Healing: It represents delayed healing or obstacles in the way of overcoming a difficult situation. The couple might struggle to find solutions and could be clinging to what's familiar despite its toxicity.

In summary, the reversed Six of Swords portrays a struggle to move forward, indicating unresolved issues, resistance to change, and challenges in overcoming past problems in the relationship.

Reversed Health and Spirituality

The Six of Swords reversed in a tarot spread focusing on health and spirituality signifies several essential themes:

Facing Challenges: In spiritual matters, the card suggests that you're encountering significant hurdles or challenges along your spiritual path, preventing growth or advancement.

Resistance to Healing: There could be resistance or delays in healing and recovery. Spiritually, this card reversed implies a struggle to find inner peace or move past emotional or spiritual challenges.

Lack of Guidance: The reversed Six of Swords implies a lack of clarity or guidance in your spiritual journey, leading to confusion or stagnation.

Overall, the reversed Six of Swords in a health and spirituality context indicates mental or spiritual turbulence, resistance to healing, and challenges in progressing forward. It emphasizes the need for addressing emotional burdens or seeking guidance to find peace and move forward in your spiritual and healing journey.

Tarot Yes or No?

In a "yes or no" tarot spread, the Six of Swords generally suggests a "yes" answer, particularly if the question is about moving away from current troubles or seeking a transition into a better situation. This card symbolizes journeys, whether literal or metaphorical, towards a more positive state. Therefore, it can indicate progress and moving forward towards something new, implying that changes or decisions will likely lead to a positive outcome​.