Six of Swords
Crossing
“I’m not homeless. I’m just houseless.”
Nomadland
Six of Swords at a glance
Finbarre’s interpretation: The Six of Swords represents a controlled passage away from difficulty, even when grief travels with you.
| Upright | transition, leaving conflict, guided movement, gradual recovery, travel |
|---|---|
| Reversed | stalled transition, returning to conflict, emotional baggage, travel problems, resistance to help |
| Linked card | Eight of Cups |
| Soundtrack | Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground, Nico Open the full Tarot Interviews playlist on Spotify |
Upright meanings
- Transition
- Leaving conflict
- Guided movement
- Gradual recovery
- Travel
- Practical help
- A necessary departure
- Carrying lessons forward
- Calmer conditions
- Choosing the least harmful route
Reversed meanings
- Stalled transition
- Returning to conflict
- Emotional baggage
- Travel problems
- Resistance to help
- An incomplete departure
- Public disclosure
- Feeling trapped between places
- Avoidance without resolution
- Difficulty reaching safety
Six of Swords in a reading
| Area | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Love | Communication: Practical help. Reversed: An incomplete departure. |
| Career | Work: A necessary departure; carrying lessons forward. Warning: Public disclosure. |
| Money | Financial theme: Calmer conditions. Warning: Avoidance without resolution. |
| Feelings | Upright: Guided movement. Reversed: Emotional baggage. |
| Advice | Prioritise: Choosing the least harmful route. Watch for: Difficulty reaching safety. |
| Outcome | Potential: Travel. Obstacle: Resistance to help. |
| Yes or no | Yes for moving on, though the process may be gradual. |
Symbols in Six of Swords
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| The boat | Transition requires a vehicle, method or support system. |
| The ferryman | Help may be practical and quiet rather than emotionally intimate. |
| The cloaked passengers | Loss and uncertainty remain present during movement. |
| The swords in the boat | Problems are carried forward as knowledge, not simply abandoned. |
A. E. Waite's original description
A ferryman carrying passengers in his punt to the further shore. The course is smooth, and seeing that the freight is light, it may be noted that the work is not beyond his strength.
Waite's original divinatory meanings
Upright:
Journey by water, route, way, envoy, commissionary, expedient.
Reversed:
Declaration, confession, publicity; one account says that it is a proposal of love.
Source: A. E. Waite, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, first published in 1910, with illustrations by Pamela Colman Smith.
Continue through the deck
- Previous card: Five of Swords
- Next card: Seven of Swords
Written and interpreted by Finbarre Snarey, tarot researcher, founder of the British Tarot Archive and coordinator of the UK living heritage submission for Rider-Waite-Smith tarot reading practice.
These interpretations reflect Finbarre Snarey’s understanding of contemporary Rider-Waite-Smith tarot practice. They are provided for education, reflection and entertainment only and should not be treated as medical, legal, financial, psychological or relationship advice.
