Element: Air
Suit of Swords
Six of Swords Meaning
A ferryman poles a boat across water carrying a woman and child toward calmer shores, six swords standing in the prow. The water ahead is smoother than behind. The Six of Swords speaks of transition, of moving through difficulty toward a quieter place, of the gradual passage from turbulence to peace and clearer thinking.
↑ Upright
↓ Reversed
Quick Meaning
What does Six of Swords mean?
Six of Swords represents a ferryman poles a boat across water carrying a woman and child toward calmer shores, six swords standing in the prow. The water ahead is smoother than behind. The Six of Swords speaks of transition, of moving through difficulty toward a quieter place, of the gradual passage from turbulence to peace and clearer thinking.
Upright meaning
Calmer waters, Healing, Progress, Moving on
Reversed meaning
Trouble coming, Out of frying pan into fire, Lack of progress, Slow healing
Love
In a love Tarot spread, if you are in a relationship the Six of Swords indicates that your relationship is moving into calmer waters after a difficult period.
Career and money
In a career Tarot reading, the Six of Swords signifies that things on the work front are calming down.
Spiritual lesson
In a spiritual context, the Six of Swords tells you that your spirit guides are all around you guiding you to the wisdom you are seeking.
Six of Swords as Advice, Feelings, and a Yes or No
Yes or No
In a yes or no tarot reading, Six of Swords is best read through its condition. Upright, it points toward Calmer waters, Healing, Progress, Moving on. Reversed, it suggests Trouble coming, Out of frying pan into fire, Lack of progress, Slow healing. The answer depends on whether the situation is moving with the upright lesson or stuck in the reversed pattern.
As Advice
As advice, Six of Swords asks you to work with the card's main lesson rather than react from fear. Start with the upright meaning: In a general context, the Six of Swords represents progress, moving into calmer waters, moving on or moving forward.
As Feelings
As feelings, Six of Swords can describe someone experiencing the card's emotional tone. In love readings, its upright energy is: In a love Tarot spread, if you are in a relationship the Six of Swords indicates that your relationship is moving into calmer waters after a difficult period.
Reversed Advice
Reversed, Six of Swords points to what may be blocked, avoided, or expressed in a harder way. Use the reversed meaning as a prompt to slow down and address Trouble coming, Out of frying pan into fire, Lack of progress, Slow healing.
Upright Six of Swords Meaning
In a general context, the Six of Swords represents progress, moving into calmer waters, moving on or moving forward. It is a Minor Arcana card of overcoming hardship, healing, relief and stability so you can expect problems in your life to settle down and things to be much easier to deal with. The Six of Swords can also represent escaping, running away, journeys, travel, travelling overseas and going on holiday. It can signify feeling lethargic and deflated after coming through a tough time or the calm after the storm. It is also a Tarot card of intuition, inner guidance and spirit guides.
Love & Relationships
Upright
In a love Tarot spread, if you are in a relationship the Six of Swords indicates that your relationship is moving into calmer waters after a difficult period. Healing, stability and open communication are all coming to the fore now and it is a positive time where the relationship can progress. If you are single, this Minor Arcana card can indicate a period of healing. You have come through the heartache of previous relationships and are now ready to move forward. If you put a lot of effort into making your last relationship work to no avail, you may be feeling slightly deflated but do not allow yourself to hold onto that negativity. You have come through the bad times and now you can allow a healthy relationship to come into your life. If your previous partner was abusive, the card would usually signify a period of healing after you have found the strength to leave the situation.
Money & Career
Upright
In a career Tarot reading, the Six of Swords signifies that things on the work front are calming down. You may be moving into an easier phase in your work life where things are under control, you are accomplishing your goals and completing tasks with ease or you may have moved to a job that is much better for you. This card can also indicate travelling overseas for business purposes or moving premises. In a financial Tarot spread, if you have been struggling financially the Six of Swords can signify overcoming hardship and a relief from financial problems. You should be moving into a calmer time financially but it does come with a warning. You cannot run away from financial issues, if you want lasting peace of mind you must deal with your money issues and not run away from them. If you finances have been going well this card indicates that they should progress nicely. However, don’t be overly cocky and start wasting money. Look at the placement and the supporting cards to ascertain whether the storm is ahead of you or behind you in terms of money.
Health
Upright
In a health Tarot reading, the Six of Swords can indicate an acute illness being brought under control or relief of symptoms and as such, it generally a good card to get. You may still be feeling lethargic or drained when it appears as recent events have taken their toll but things should be moving in the right direction so stay positive. A vacation or a weekend away would do you the world of good!
Spirituality
Upright
In a spiritual context, the Six of Swords tells you that your spirit guides are all around you guiding you to the wisdom you are seeking. Pay attention to your intuition, visions and dreams at this time as they are trying to tell you something important.
Reversed Six of Swords Meaning
In a general context, the Six of Swords reversed represents moving into troubled waters, lack of progress and jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire. In a reversed position, it is a Minor Arcana card of feeling stuck, trapped overwhelmed, restricted and having nowhere to run or choosing to stand your ground. This card signifies instability, rocking the boat, causing trouble and stormy relationships so you can expect life to be a little turbulent when it appears in your Tarot spread. This card also signifies slow healing. The Six of Swords reversed can also represent returning from travel or holidays or disrupted or cancelled travel, changing or abandoning plans and eloping to get married. It can signify floods or accidents in the water.
Love & Relationships
Reversed
In a love Tarot spread, if you are in a relationship the Six of Swords reversed indicates that your relationship is stormy at the moment and you are going through a rough patch or a troubled period. You may be feeling overwhelmed, trapped or stuck or the relationship may not be progressing as quickly as you would like. It can also indicate that a third party may be causing trouble in your relationship. If you are getting married, this Minor Arcana card reversed can indicate that you will elope. If you are single, the Six of Swords reversed can indicate a period of disruption in your love life or simply a time where there is nothing much happening or a lack of progress. The wounds of your previous relationship are slow to heal at the moment and you may be feeling overwhelmed. When this Minor Arcana card appears reversed in your Tarot spread it warns you that you need to allow yourself time to heal, even if healing takes longer than you would like. If you jump into a new relationship before you have processed the effects of the last one, you may find that you have jumped out of the frying pan into the fire.
Money & Career
Reversed
In a career Tarot reading, the Six of Swords reversed signifies that things on the work front are turbulent. Someone may be trying to cause trouble for you in the workplace or you may feel trapped in a job you don’t like. Plans may be cancelled or changed or you may experience delays in projects or delays completing tasks. This card can also indicate that any travel overseas for business may be disrupted or cancelled. In a financial Tarot spread, the Six of Swords reversed indicates that you may be running away from financial woes. This is not a time to tuck tail and run, you may feel like you don’t know what to do to manage the situation but if you put a little effort in and seek some professional advice you may be able to get your finances under control.
Health
Reversed
In a health Tarot reading, the Six of Swords reversed can indicate that recovery from illness or injury will take longer than you hope or anticipate. There may be delays in healing or setbacks and you may feel like your health is up in air at the moment. Try not to let the instability you feel overwhelm you, it shall pass, you just need to find some balance and allow the healing to take place in due course.
Spirituality
Reversed
In a spiritual context, the Six of Swords reversed indicates that you may be having issues with sensing your spirit guides or experiencing delays in your progression on you spiritual path, leaving you feeling stuck or frustrated. Try to relax and know that your abilities will progress at the pace they are meant to, there will be times when you progress quickly and other times less so, it is all part of a greater plan for you.
Six of Swords Tarot Card Combinations
Six of Swords and Ace of Swords
Together, Six of Swords and Ace of Swords blend the lesson of six of swords with the energy of ace of swords. This pairing asks you to read the cards as a relationship between the central theme and a hand emerges from a cloud gripping a gleaming sword crowned with a wreath of laurel and olive.
Six of Swords and Two of Swords
Together, Six of Swords and Two of Swords blend the lesson of six of swords with the energy of two of swords. This pairing asks you to read the cards as a relationship between the central theme and a blindfolded figure sits with two swords held in crossed arms before her chest, the sea choppy behind her under a crescent moon.
Six of Swords and Three of Swords
Together, Six of Swords and Three of Swords blend the lesson of six of swords with the energy of three of swords. This pairing asks you to read the cards as a relationship between the central theme and three swords pierce a red heart suspended against a stormy, rain-lashed sky.
Common Questions
What does the Six of Swords tarot card mean?
In a general context, the Six of Swords represents progress, moving into calmer waters, moving on or moving forward. It is a Minor Arcana card of overcoming hardship, healing, relief and stability so you can expect problems in your life to settle down and things to be much easier to deal with. The Six of Swords can also represent escaping, running away, journeys, travel, travelling overseas and going on holiday. It can signify feeling lethargic and deflated after coming through a tough time or the calm after the storm. It is also a Tarot card of intuition, inner guidance and spirit guides.
What does the Six of Swords reversed mean?
In a general context, the Six of Swords reversed represents moving into troubled waters, lack of progress and jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire. In a reversed position, it is a Minor Arcana card of feeling stuck, trapped overwhelmed, restricted and having nowhere to run or choosing to stand your ground. This card signifies instability, rocking the boat, causing trouble and stormy relationships so you can expect life to be a little turbulent when it appears in your Tarot spread. This card also signifies slow healing. The Six of Swords reversed can also represent returning from travel or holidays or disrupted or cancelled travel, changing or abandoning plans and eloping to get married. It can signify floods or accidents in the water.
What does the Six of Swords mean in love?
In a love Tarot spread, if you are in a relationship the Six of Swords indicates that your relationship is moving into calmer waters after a difficult period. Healing, stability and open communication are all coming to the fore now and it is a positive time where the relationship can progress. If you are single, this Minor Arcana card can indicate a period of healing. You have come through the heartache of previous relationships and are now ready to move forward. If you put a lot of effort into making your last relationship work to no avail, you may be feeling slightly deflated but do not allow yourself to hold onto that negativity. You have come through the bad times and now you can allow a healthy relationship to come into your life. If your previous partner was abusive, the card would usually signify a period of healing after you have found the strength to leave the situation.
What does the Six of Swords mean for career and money?
In a career Tarot reading, the Six of Swords signifies that things on the work front are calming down. You may be moving into an easier phase in your work life where things are under control, you are accomplishing your goals and completing tasks with ease or you may have moved to a job that is much better for you. This card can also indicate travelling overseas for business purposes or moving premises. In a financial Tarot spread, if you have been struggling financially the Six of Swords can signify overcoming hardship and a relief from financial problems. You should be moving into a calmer time financially but it does come with a warning. You cannot run away from financial issues, if you want lasting peace of mind you must deal with your money issues and not run away from them. If you finances have been going well this card indicates that they should progress nicely. However, don’t be overly cocky and start wasting money. Look at the placement and the supporting cards to ascertain whether the storm is ahead of you or behind you in terms of money.
Is the Six of Swords a yes or no card?
The Six of Swords is best read by context in yes or no questions. Upright, it points toward Calmer waters, Healing, Progress, Moving on. Reversed, it suggests Trouble coming, Out of frying pan into fire, Lack of progress, Slow healing.
Arcana Readings App
Get Early Access to Personal Readings
Join the waitlist to explore how the Six of Swords appears in spreads tailored to your specific questions. Get early access + free premium month for first 100.
Join Waitlist
