Six of Swords — Tarot Card Meaning
Minor Arcana · Suit of Swords (Air)
Keywords: transition, moving on, recovery
Upright meaning
Leaving troubled waters for calmer ones. A necessary, healing transition.
The Six of Swords carries figures by boat from rough water toward a calmer shore — a quiet, necessary passage away from trouble. Upright, it's transition and recovery: moving on from a hard time, leaving difficulty behind for somewhere more peaceful.
The crossing may be sad, even reluctant, but it leads somewhere better. Trust the movement toward calmer water, even if you can't yet see the far bank clearly. Healing often looks like simply getting some distance from what was hurting you.
Reversed meaning
Resistance to moving on. Unfinished business keeps you tethered to the past.
Reversed, the Six of Swords resists the crossing. Unfinished business, emotional ties, or fear keeps you tethered to troubled water — you know you need to move on, but something won't let you push off from shore.
It can also mean carrying the same problems with you wherever you go, the geography changing but not the pattern. Identify what's keeping you anchored, address it honestly, and let yourself make the passage you keep delaying.
Related cards
Common questions about the Six of Swords
What does the Six of Swords tarot card mean?
Leaving troubled waters for calmer ones. A necessary, healing transition.
What does the Six of Swords mean reversed?
Resistance to moving on. Unfinished business keeps you tethered to the past.
What are the keywords for the Six of Swords?
Key themes for the Six of Swords are: transition, moving on, recovery.
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