Swords
Six of Swords Tarot Card Meaning
Six of Swords
transition / moving on / rite of passage
Meaning at a glance
Upright
Reversed
Six of Swords Tarot Meaning
Six of Swords Upright Meaning
Six of Swords draws attention to transition, moving on, and rite of passage. Make one practical move toward calmer conditions, even if your emotions have not caught up yet.
Six of Swords Reversed Meaning
Six of Swords reversed may point to resistance to change, unfinished transition, and emotional baggage. The upright possibility of transition may be obstructed, delayed, or avoided until the source of resistance to change is addressed.
How to Read Six of Swords in a Tarot Spread
Six of Swords Daily Meaning
For example, make one practical move toward calmer conditions, even if your emotions have not caught up yet.
Six of Swords Love Meaning
In relationships, creating distance, leaving conflict, or moving into a calmer relationship phase; reversed can show repeated conflict or inability to release the past.
Six of Swords Career Meaning
In work, money, or creative practice, transitioning teams, roles, locations, or methods after strain; reversed can indicate a stalled move or unresolved issues following you.
Six of Swords Advice
Make one practical move toward calmer conditions, even if your emotions have not caught up yet. Use transition as an observable standard rather than treating the card as a forecast.
Six of Swords Symbolism and History
Six of Swords Symbolism
The imagery of Six of Swords in the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition shows the boat crossing water, the cloaked passengers, the ferryman, the six swords in the boat, and the rough water becoming calm. These details ground transition, moving on, and rite of passage in a specific scene; other decks may emphasize different symbols.
Six of Swords History
Six of Swords is presented here through the Rider-Waite-Smith visual tradition, while its earlier history belongs to tarot's suited-card structure. For broader context on Six of Swords, the linked overview explains the 1909 deck and Pamela Colman Smith's role in its influential visual language.
Read the shared Rider-Waite-Smith history overview for publication context that applies across the deck.
Six of Swords Journal Prompts
- What transition is already underway even if I feel ambivalent?
- What baggage must be named so it is not carried forward unconsciously?
Editorial details
- Published by
- Tarot Daybook
- Last content review
- 2026-08-01
- Tradition and source basis
Rider–Waite–Smith-oriented interpretation, checked against the references below and presented as reflective guidance.
- Role of automation
- Automation assists with drafting, consistency checks, and regression testing; Tarot Daybook remains responsible for publication.
Read this card in context
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