Six of Swords

The Six of Swords is the sixth card in the suit of Swords. It usually stands for journey by water. The route or road ahead. A pleasant voyage. An envoy bearing a message or gifts.

Six of Swords from the Rider-Waite Tarot deck

General description

In the Rider-Waite Tarot deck, Pamela Colman Smith depicts the Six of Swords as a ferryman carrying passengers in his punt to the further shore. The course is smooth, and seeing that the freight is light, it may be noted that the work is not beyond his strength.

Divinatory meaning

The card symbolizes the way or path leading out into the world from our house or living place. This explains what tradition says about envoy and emigration, though the latter is somewhat far-fetched. But it is true that the effect of that which this card represents may go far and in general signifies the message in the sphere of matter (Mercury is lord of this house), the message materialized. The message is conveyed by means of the way or the path.

It may also, however, be the passing over to that side, the crossing of the Styx, which seems to be indicated by the picture of this card. The cusp of the seventh house in the horoscope is the end, in the same way as the ascendant is the beginning. Though tradition has not rendered it so, this card must in many instances have the significance of passing away.

If reversed, the card can mean: A proposal of love. Unfavorable lawsuit or some kind of publicity.