Six of Swords

The Six of Swords represents a move away from difficulty, a passage from turbulence towards calm. Whether the change is physical, emotional or mental, this card describes a time of letting go, healing and moving forward. You are leaving behind what no longer serves you, even if the destination is not yet clear.

It is not a triumphant card. There is often sadness in it, and the past is still with you as you go. But the direction is right. After the conflict of the Five of Swords, the Six is the quiet decision to leave, and the steady progress that follows. It is a card of necessary change and of trusting the way ahead.

• Symbolism
• Upright
• Reversed
• Love
• Career
• Spirituality
• Yes or no
• Feelings
• Advice
• As a person
• Past, present, future
• Combinations
• FAQ

Six of Swords Symbolism

On the Rider-Waite-Smith card, a ferryman poles a small boat across the water towards a distant shore. In the boat sit a cloaked, hunched figure and a child, and six swords stand upright in the front of the boat. The passengers face away from us, towards where they are going.

The water tells the story. On one side of the boat it is choppy, and on the other it is smooth, showing a move from troubled waters into calmer ones. The shore ahead is still some way off, but it is in sight.

The swords travel with the passengers. Painful thoughts and memories are not left behind all at once; they come along for the crossing. What matters is that someone is steering, the boat is moving, and the worst of the rough water is behind them.

Six of Swords Upright Meaning

Upright, the Six of Swords represents the calm after the storm. You may be recovering from hardship, stress or emotional upheaval, and now it is time to move forward, even if the change feels bittersweet. The worst is behind you.

This card often appears when you have made, or need to make, a decision to leave something: a relationship, a job, a home, a way of thinking. The leaving may be quiet and gradual rather than dramatic. What counts is that you keep moving.

It can also describe literal travel or relocation, especially a trip over water or a move that gives you distance from a difficult situation. In every case, the card promises that calmer circumstances are ahead, as long as you let yourself be carried towards them.

Key upright themes

• Moving on from pain or conflict
• Recovering from emotional wounds
• A transition to calmer circumstances
• Relocating or travelling
• A gradual shift in mindset

Six of Swords Reversed Meaning

Reversed, the Six of Swords can indicate resistance to change, unresolved issues from the past or a feeling of being stuck halfway through a transition. You may be holding on to pain, unable to move forward emotionally, or turning back towards the shore you meant to leave.

It can also show the opposite problem: leaving something behind before you have really understood or healed from it. A move, a new job or a new relationship may be an escape rather than a solution, and the same issues can follow you to the next place. Where the Eight of Cups walks away knowing what is missing, this reversal can show someone leaving simply to avoid feeling.

Sometimes the reversal points to practical delays, such as disrupted travel plans or a move that is taking longer than expected. The message is to face the past honestly before moving into the future.

Key reversed themes

• Delayed recovery or emotional baggage
• Fear of change or the unknown
• Holding on to old patterns
• Running away without resolving anything
• Needing closure before moving on

Six of Swords in Love

In love, the Six of Swords often suggests moving on from past hurt, healing after a breakup, or a relationship slowly recovering after a difficult period. It can also point to distance, whether that is time apart, a long-distance arrangement or a move that changes the relationship.

If you are single

You are likely leaving an old heartbreak behind. Even if it still aches, you are further from it than you were. The card encourages you to keep going gently, without rushing into something new just to escape the sadness. Better relationships lie on the calmer shore.

If you are in a relationship

The Six can show a couple moving through a hard time together towards more peaceful ground, perhaps after conflict, illness or stress. It may also describe a shared move or a trip that gives you both a fresh start. Occasionally it suggests that one of you needs to move on, and that leaving would ultimately be the kinder path.

Reversed in love

Reversed, it can point to difficulty letting go of an ex, unresolved emotional pain, or trying to move forward too quickly without processing what happened. It may also show a couple carrying the same old problems into every new situation. Honest conversations about the past are needed before real progress can be made.

Six of Swords in Career and Money

Career-wise, the Six of Swords may reflect leaving a stressful job, relocating for work or shifting how you think about your career. It is about moving towards something more stable and better for your peace of mind, even if the change is gradual.

With money, the card shows a steadier period after a difficult one. Debts may become more manageable, or you may be taking sensible steps to move out of a precarious position. Progress may be slow, but it is real.

Reversed, it can signal feeling stuck in a role, fearing change, or needing more time before a major move. It can also show plans for a transfer or relocation being delayed. Think carefully, and take practical or financial advice where you need it, rather than making a hasty exit.

Six of Swords in Spirituality

Spiritually, this card describes a period of healing and growth. You may be moving away from beliefs, habits or environments that caused you inner turmoil, and towards a calmer, clearer way of living.

The ferryman is a reminder that you do not have to make every crossing alone. Teachers, friends, practices and routines can all help carry you through. Quiet reflection, meditation or time by water can suit this card well.

Reversed, it asks you to release what you are clinging to and trust the process of inner change, instead of paddling back to familiar but troubled waters.

Is the Six of Swords a Yes or No Card?

Expect steady progress rather than a sudden result. It is a particularly good sign for questions about moving on, recovering, relocating or travelling.

Reversed, the answer shifts to not yet. Something from the past, or a fear of change, is holding things back. Deal with what is unresolved and the way forward will open.

Have a question of your own? Try the free yes or no tarot reading: hold the question in mind and draw one card.

Six of Swords as Feelings

As feelings, the Six of Swords describes someone who is trying to move on. They may be recovering from a painful experience, possibly one involving you, and looking for peace rather than drama. Their feelings may be quiet, a little sad and reflective.

If you are in a relationship with this person, it can show that they want to leave a difficult period behind and move somewhere calmer with you. If you are apart, it may mean they are putting distance between themselves and the past.

Reversed, they may be struggling to let go. They could be stuck on old hurt, unsure whether to move forward, or carrying unresolved feelings they have not yet faced.

Six of Swords as Advice

As advice, the Six of Swords says: keep moving towards calmer water. You do not need to have everything resolved to start leaving a difficult situation behind. Take the next step, and then the next.

Be gentle with yourself on the way. It is normal to feel sad about what you are leaving, and to carry some of it with you for a while. Accept help from the people who can steer when you are tired, and let the distance do some of the healing.

Six of Swords as a Person

As a person, the Six of Swords describes someone in the middle of leaving. They may have just moved cities, left a marriage or walked out of a job that was wearing them down, and they are quiet, tired and still a little sad. They talk less about what happened and more about practical next steps. Give them time, because they are further along than they seem.

The card can also describe the person who helps someone else across. In the image a figure poles the boat while the passengers sit, and in life this is the friend who drives the van on moving day, the relative who takes you in for a while, or the adviser who helps you plan an exit. They are steady and unfussy, and they do not need to be thanked loudly.

Reversed, the Six of Swords as a person is someone who keeps looking back at the shore. They talk about leaving but never book the ticket, or they leave and then keep calling the ex, the old boss or the hometown. It can also describe someone who runs from place to place, hoping the next move will fix what they have not yet faced.

Six of Swords in the Past, Present and Future

In the past

In a past position, the Six of Swords shows a transition you have already made: a move, a departure or a slow recovery. It explains where you are standing now, and may be a reminder of how much distance you have already covered, even if the destination still feels unfamiliar.

In the present

In the present, you are mid-crossing. The old situation is behind you but the new one has not fully arrived, which can feel flat or unsettled. Keep the direction and keep the pace gentle; this is not the moment to turn round or to demand that everything feels better at once.

In the future

In a future position, the card points to a move you have not made yet. It might be a literal journey or relocation, or a decision to step away from something difficult. The reading suggests the calmer shore is reachable, and that preparing now, whether that means savings, support or simply a plan, will make the passage easier.

As the outcome

As the outcome, the Six of Swords is a gradual improvement rather than a sudden fix. You end up somewhere steadier than where you started, carrying a few memories with you, but clearly on the better side of the water.

Reversed in these positions, the crossing stalls. In the past it can point to a move that did not solve the real problem; in the present or future, delays, second thoughts or old baggage that needs dealing with before you can land.

Six of Swords Tarot Combinations

The Six of Swords is a card of passage, so the cards around it often show why you are leaving and where you are heading:

• The Star: recovery after a hard time. Both cards are gentle and gradual, so expect steady improvement rather than an overnight change (more on this pair).
• Eight of Cups: moving on in the literal sense. The decision to go is followed by the journey itself, such as relocating, changing jobs or leaving a relationship for somewhere calmer (more).
• Eight of Wands: travel with speed. A trip or move that was drifting along may come together sooner than you expect (more).
• Five of Cups: grief on board. You are leaving, but still mourning what was lost, so allow the sadness rather than pretending the move has cured it.
• Two of Swords: stuck at the water’s edge. You can see the way out but have not yet decided to take it.
• The World: arrival. The passage completes, and a chapter closes with a real sense of having reached the other side.

There are more pairs, and tips for reading combinations in your own spreads, in the tarot card combinations guide.

Six of Swords: Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

The Six of Swords is a card of hope, healing and quiet progress. You may still carry memories of the past, but you are heading towards peace. Trust the calmer waters ahead.

If you are weighing up a move or a new direction, a three-card reading can help you look at past, present and future. You can also explore the full suit of Swords cards to see where this crossing fits.