Six of Swords Tarot Card Meaning: Upright, Reversed, Love & Yes/No
You are leaving a difficult period behind. The journey may be quiet, but calmer waters are ahead.
| Arcana | Minor Arcana, suit of Swords |
|---|---|
| Element | Air |
| Number | 6 |
| Astrology | Mercury in Aquarius |
| Golden Dawn title | Lord of Earned Success |
| Yes or no | Maybe |
| Upright | transition, moving on, calmer waters, recovery |
| Reversed | resistance to moving on, unfinished business |
Six of Swords symbolism
A ferryman steers a small boat across a river. A cloaked woman and a child sit in the boat with six swords standing upright in front of them. The water on one side is rough; on the other, calm. They are moving toward a quieter shore.
The descriptions on this site refer to the Rider-Waite-Smith deck (1909), illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith and designed with Arthur Edward Waite, which is the reference for most modern tarot. Other decks may show different imagery with a similar meaning.
Upright meaning
- transition
- moving on
- calmer waters
- recovery
The Six of Swords is transition and moving on. You are leaving a difficult situation behind and moving toward calmer waters. It may not feel joyful yet, but it is the right direction.
The card favours relocation, travel, recovery and leaving behind what hurt you. Bring the lessons, not the weight.
Reversed meaning
- resistance to moving on
- unfinished business
Reversed, the Six of Swords shows resistance to moving on or unfinished business. You may be carrying baggage that makes the journey harder.
Address what is unresolved so you can move forward.
New to reversals? Our guide to reading reversed tarot cards explains the different ways readers interpret an upside-down card.
Six of Swords in love and relationships
Upright in love
In love, it can show moving on after a difficult relationship or a couple leaving a rough patch behind.
Reversed in love
Reversed in love, it can show difficulty letting go of the past.
Six of Swords as feelings
As feelings, the Six of Swords means someone is moving on emotionally or seeking peace.
Career and work
At work, it favours changing jobs, moving to a calmer environment or relocating.
Money and finances
With money, it shows gradual improvement after a difficult period.
Is Six of Swords a yes or no card?
Maybe
The Six of Swords is a maybe, leaning to yes for moving on.
Want to ask your own question? Try our yes or no tarot, which uses the same yes, no and maybe values shown on this page.
Number, element and astrology
The Six of Swords belongs to the suit of Swords (also called Blades; Spades in playing-card terms), the air suit that deals with thought, truth, communication, conflict and decisions. In tarot numerology, 6 is the number of harmony, restoration and exchange. The Golden Dawn assigned this card to Mercury in Aquarius and gave it the title Lord of Earned Success.
Six restores harmony, and in air harmony is found by moving to a calmer mental state. Mercury in Aquarius gives the card its forward-looking, rational character. The Golden Dawn called it Earned Success: calm reached after effort, not given freely.
Advice from Six of Swords
Keep moving toward calmer waters, even if it feels sad to leave.
Example reading
Illustrative example
Someone who has just left a toxic job draws the Six of Swords. The card reassures them that the difficult part is behind them.
This example is written by our editors to show how the card is read in context. It is not a real client's reading. See our tarot spreads for how positions change a card's meaning.
Related cards
Dream symbols linked to this card
Bridge. Our dream dictionary explains how the same symbolism appears in dreams.
Ask the cards about your situation
Draw three cards for your own question. Every card in your result links back to its meaning here.
Free tarot readingCard of the dayFrequently asked questions
What does Six of Swords mean in tarot?
Upright, Six of Swords means transition, moving on, calmer waters, recovery. The Six of Swords is transition and moving on.
What does Six of Swords reversed mean?
Reversed, the Six of Swords shows resistance to moving on or unfinished business. You may be carrying baggage that makes the journey harder.
What does Six of Swords mean in love?
In love, it can show moving on after a difficult relationship or a couple leaving a rough patch behind. Reversed in love, it can show difficulty letting go of the past.
Is Six of Swords a yes or no card?
The Six of Swords is a maybe, leaning to yes for moving on.
Does the Six of Swords mean travel?
Yes, it can indicate travel, relocation or moving to a new situation.