Six of Swords Tarot Meaning: Upright and Reversed

What does the Six of Swords mean upright and reversed? We explore its symbolism, interpretation in love and career, and what it reveals about feelings, advice, and yes/no answers. 

Six of Swords Keywords Upright and Reversed 

• Upright: A rite of passage, a threshold, a poignant transition, regret. 
• Reversed: Inability to escape the past, relationship baggage, struggling to move on, inability to let go. 

Six of Swords Description and Symbolism 

On the face of the Six of Swords tarot card, we see a boat carrying a woman and a young child across water. The woman’s head is covered in a shroud, which indicates some sadness or loss as she crosses from one phase of life to another, represented by each shore of the river. The water to the right of the boat is choppy, but the water to the left, which is closer to the land to where they are travelling, is calm and steady. This evokes feelings of change and a fresh start, but with a sense of regret. 

There’s a powerful feeling of moving away from something that was unpleasant or challenging and progressing into a more positive future, but there is no feeling of joy yet. Although there are calmer waters in the distance, which represent a time of peace and escape from turmoil, the characters on the card are sad about what they are leaving behind. 

In the boat are six upright swords, and this symbolizes that it is necessary to use reason and logic rather than the emotions of the heart and intuition in this particular scenario. This represents a rational choice rather than one that was driven by desire or genuine joy. 

Upright Six of Swords Meaning 

This card is all about life transitions. It suggests that you are embarking on something new, and in a rational sense you know that this is going to be the best thing for your future. However, what you are leaving behind is still special and dear to your heart, and while there may be pain associated with the past, there is still a lot of emotion tied up in your past, making the transition difficult. 

However, the card depicts that you are resolved. You know that you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.

This card symbolises those times in life where we are forced to move on from something which was once very important to us, and the process of letting go is a bit of a wrench. We are still fairly emotionally attached to the place we were. The promise, however, of this card is that any sadness will be replaced by more clarity, peace of mind, and ultimately prosperity, and it also reminds us that we should not hold ourselves back in fear. 

Sometimes, in order to embrace our future, we must choose the option that has the greatest potential for success, and although it is a hard decision, once we have made it, things tend to get a lot easier. This card is a reminder that we will all go through many important life transitions, but they are not always entirely driven by our emotions, but rather by our needs or circumstances beyond our control. 

Love Meaning for Upright Six of Swords 

This card is very relevant to those looking for love. It may be the case that you have come out of a relationship, but you are still partly invested in the old relationship. You might be sad to let go, and even moving on may feel like something that you are not exactly ready for. It’s time to acknowledge those fears of sorrow and regret that are tied up in an old relationship. It’s important to properly grieve for a failed relationship. 

You should not try to jump into something new merely to quell feelings of pain or loss about a past relationship. However, it is important to start going out socially and getting in the right frame of mind to begin to move on. 

If you are in a long-term relationship, you may need to acknowledge the relationship could be holding you back. There may be something that you need to tackle or achieve that you are not able to do within the confines of the relationship. You will have to find ways to adjust the relationship, or potentially you may need to live far away from a partner or have a relationship pause so that you can achieve a personal goal, a work goal, or something else important in your life. 

This indicates a period where you will miss your partner, but it is essential to have this distance for your own emotional development and to move things on in terms of any other complicated life issues you have. 

Career Meaning for Upright Six of Swords 

This card is often associated with a change of career or job. You may have enjoyed your previous job, and you may be thinking that you will miss your old colleagues, but at the same time you understand that you need to either earn more money or embrace new opportunities that were perhaps lacking where you were.

In some cases, you may be moving to a new country and will have to endure a period of adaptation as you learn the ropes in both the new country and a new job. There is a sense that something important is being left behind in order for you to explore this new opportunity. This opportunity is not costless. This card indicates you are not jumping into something that is necessarily brighter and better in every way. There is a compromise involved, but you know in the long term this transition will be much better for you. 

If you’re looking for a job, you may have to move to a different town or country or travel more, and this may mean that you will be facing extra pressure or perhaps more time spent apart from your partner. However, this card involves rational choices, so the decision you are making for the future will look really good on paper, even if it feels a little bit nerve-wracking or you’re worried about how you will meet new people and replace the strong relationships you had in your current job. 

This tarot card does indicate a leap of faith, so you have to trust the calculations and the analysis you have made to be the right one. 

Health Meaning for Upright Six of Swords 

This card often accompanies a period of sorrow or even mild depression. You may be suffering from the blues, and while there is no crisis or particularly unpleasant or threatening situation, you aren’t feeling at your most happy and content. Transitions affect us at a fundamental emotional level, some people more than others. It’s important to be honest about your fears and regrets and give yourself time to adjust. 

Spiritual Meaning for Upright Six of Swords 

This tarot card is a powerful signal that you need to grow emotionally. It may be that circumstances in your life are nudging you in a new direction. The basis of this card is that you do have to summon some courage and positivity, because this is not necessarily an easy transition. It is one that encompasses concerns and feelings of excitement versus loss of what was familiar therefore, therefore there is some reluctance. However, once you gather momentum and reach the other side of the shore, as depicted in the card, you will begin to quickly adapt and understand the huge potential that you would have been missing had you not made the transition. 

Feelings or Actions Related to the Upright Six of Swords 

The advice that comes with this tarot card is to realize that you are heading towards a significant new phase that will ultimately be much better. You know in your heart that the choice is for the best, even though there is some reticence. However, it is important not to dwell on your past life.

They say that the one constant in life is change, and it’s important to remember that we must evolve as people, and that while change can be challenging, being stagnant and leading a life that is devoid of growth is not the ultimate goal for any of us. 

Reversed Six of Swords Meaning 

This reversed tarot card indicates that you are struggling to make a decision that will help you move on from a detrimental situation. You know that you have to break ties from the past, and you are on the verge of an important decision, but you may be delaying it. Perhaps you’re not emotionally ready, or you don’t feel the timing is right. 

Key to your decision is analyzing past expectations: perhaps these were misplaced and they didn’t help you, and now you may need to come to terms with a whole new decision matrix or paradigm by which to live your life. 

It’s clear that you are experiencing challenges, you want to make a break from the past, but perhaps there are people holding you back, or the past keeps catching up with you, or there is a struggle to shake off elements of the past. However, one should consistently try to untether themselves from the past so that one can move forward. 

Sometimes it’s necessary to break ties with people who are trying to hold you back for their own reasons. It’s hard to grow when the people in your life want to stay stuck, and inevitably some relationships, friendships, or associations have to be discarded because they are ultimately filled with people that are part of your past but who shouldn’t be part of your future, unless they too want to take the leap and grow. 

Love Meaning for Reversed Six of Swords 

In a love reading, this could signify that you have begun to lose interest in a relationship, or maybe you’ve actively tried to initiate a breakup, but there may be practical difficulties, for example, financial strings attached, children over which there are custody disputes, or even pets that are providing a problem. So there are many pragmatic difficulties that are making it hard for you to sever ties with a partner, and in some cases it’s better to let your lawyer or mediator deal with it so that you are not being drawn back into arguments every day. 

There are other cases in which you’ve tried to end a relationship, but the other person won’t accept it and is perhaps calling you, providing emotional guilt, or even stalking you. So you may have made a positive decision, but the other party involved is perhaps trying to thwart and sabotage your plans to move ahead, and therefore in the short run you have to deal with this person and these circumstances very carefully and draw strong boundaries.

Career Meaning of Reversed Six of Swords 

When you see this tarot card reversed, there may be a fantastic job opportunity or an offer on the table. However, you may not be able to take it because you’re tied into a contract or committed to the clients you have, or maybe you’re worried if you’re making the right decision. Perhaps you think the leap is too big. You may be doubting your ability to cope in the new role and having a crisis of confidence. 

This card generally says, go for it. You can do it. The time is right. Don’t let the current situation hold you back indefinitely. It is time to head towards a better career future. 

Health Meaning for Reversed Six of Swords 

In terms of health, what’s done is done. It’s very important that you don’t, as the cliché goes, cry over spilt milk. You can only work with what you have. There’s a saying that wherever you’re going, you have to start where you’re at now, and therefore accept your current circumstances and start working at how you can make the best of the current situation. 

Stress and anxiety are linked to this card as well as depression, so it’s important to eat in a way that will support your mental health, particularly by paying attention to gut health. This can indicate problems with constipation or gut issues, so pay attention to those. 

Spiritual Meaning of Reversed Six of Swords 

In terms of spiritual meaning, there is a significant lesson within this tarot card. Transitions are one of the most potentially painful, yet also exciting, things that we go through as human beings. The Six of Swords reversed indicates a particularly poignant transition, and it’s vital to understand why you’re so attached to the past and any baggage you may be taking forward. However, it’s vital to grow as a person by being willing to take up the mantle and move forward despite all the fears, doubts, or detractors that may be pulling you back into the past. 

Feelings and Actions related to Reversed Six of Swords 

The message is that you have to manage your current situation carefully. Don’t underestimate the powerful emotions and fears that are holding you back, and also take into account the actions of others who perhaps resent you moving forward or are not on board with what is happening. 

Sometimes the process is slow, and there are many elements, both emotional and practical, that need to be taken care of. In a job situation, there may be contractual obligations or allegiances to clients that make it hard to move ahead in the short term, but what you shouldn’t do is make excuses. Don’t let all these things keep you stuck where you are, because the overall message is things are going to change one way or another, and the more you get on board, manage it, turn it to your advantage, and try and enjoy the growth process the better. 

Six of Swords — Past, Present, and Future Positions 

Past

You’ve recently come through a difficult time emotionally. A decision was made to leave behind conflict, stress, or instability, even though it wasn’t easy. 

Present

You are currently in transition. You aren’t fully settled yet, but you’re moving away from turbulence toward calmer emotional or mental ground. 

Future

Relief, clarity, and emotional stability lie ahead. Once this transition is complete, you’ll find greater calm, understanding, and a renewed sense of direction. 

Six of Swords – YES or NO to a question 

Upright – YES as long as you are willing to move on, create distance, or choose the calmer path. However, it is not an enthusiastic or immediate yes. 

Reversed – NO, or not yet.This suggests resistance to change, unfinished business, or emotional baggage preventing progress. 

Advice and Message of the Six of Swords 

It’s important to realize that whatever is happening, you are headed in a promising new direction. You are moving your life forward, and while there is some sense of loss, in the main you are leaving behind things that you’ve outgrown, that have outlived their purpose, or which are actually damaging you. 

It’s very important to focus on the sense of relief and the power you will achieve in the new circumstances relative to your old situation. It’s also vital to understand that you have endured a really trying period and that not all is lost. You have everything to gain and not as much to lose as you think. Don’t dwell in the past or what you’ve left behind. Be optimistic and cultivate excitement about the wonderful new opportunities and the way you can now shape your life with much more effectiveness. 

Summary

Sometimes the only way to solve life problems is to leave them behind. Often you have to move on physically, get into a new location, leave a relationship or a job, and many times you will look back and think, “Why did I wait so long? This was the best thing I ever did.” 

Many personality types struggle with change, but at the end of the day, change must happen, and often it is incredibly refreshing. It’s so important not to feel you’re giving up or letting people down. You are simply having an appropriate reaction to a situation that wasn’t moving in a positive direction or was unsolvable, and you’re taking yourself away from that situation to a more positive place where you can thrive. 

The more the process goes on, the more you will become clear-headed and resolved that what you’re doing is the right thing. The doubts will lessen with each passing day. 

There’s nothing like the power of change to refresh and excite. We were not destined to stay anchored at port. We are ships that are designed to set sail and keep discovering new lands.