General
Upright General Meaning
The Six of Swords moves from turbulence toward calmer conditions. The transition may carry sadness, but distance and perspective support healing.
← All 78 tarot cards
Minor Arcana · Swords
Six of Swords
Six
Six of Swords is the six card in the suit of Swords, one of the 56 Minor Arcana cards, and card 70 in this complete library.
- Arcana
- Minor Arcana
- Suit
- Swords
- Deck position
- 70 of 78
- Original artwork
- Pamela Colman Smith · 1909
Card meanings
How to Read Six of Swords
Read the card's orientation together with the question, spread position, and surrounding cards. A reversal can describe blocked, internalized, delayed, or excessive energy—not simply the opposite of the upright card.
Upright
Six of Swords Upright Meaning
- transition
- moving on
- recovery
- passage
Love & Relationships
Upright Love Meaning
A couple may leave conflict behind together, or one person may move on from the relationship. Calm communication helps the passage remain humane.
Career & Purpose
Upright Career Meaning
A job change, relocation, or shift away from a difficult environment is favored. Carry the lesson, not the entire burden, into the next chapter.
Reversed
Six of Swords Reversed Meaning
- stuck transition
- baggage
- return
- resistance to moving on
General
Reversed General Meaning
Reversed, the Six of Swords shows a transition delayed by unfinished business or emotional baggage. The old shore cannot be left through geography alone.
Love & Relationships
Reversed Love Meaning
A couple may revisit unresolved conflict, or separation may be harder than expected. Address the thought pattern that keeps recreating the former pain.
Career & Purpose
Reversed Career Meaning
You may feel trapped in a difficult role or carry old workplace fear into a new one. Complete practical loose ends and seek support for the transition.
Esoteric correspondences
The language behind the image.
Astrology, elements, numbers, and recurring symbols add another interpretive layer. Correspondence systems vary by tradition; Cosmic Oceans uses a consistent Rider–Waite–Smith and Golden Dawn–derived framework.
Astrology
Mercury in Aquarius
Element
Air
Numerology
6 · harmony, adjustment, passage
Symbols
- double-edged blade
- wind and cloud
- thought and truth
Read with this card
Let Six of Swords enter a complete spread.
Place in the deck
Swords
Swords contains fourteen cards, beginning with the Ace and continuing through the numbered and court cards to the King.
Archive edition
Rider–Waite–Smith
This page displays a self-hosted scan of the original public-domain deck rather than a later recolored or redesigned edition.