The Six of Swords Tarot Card Meanings show a journey from trouble to peace. This card is about moving on and finding calm after hard times. It often tells us that better days are coming.
Have you ever felt stuck or lost? The Six of Swords can guide you through change. It offers hope and tells you when it’s time to leave problems behind.
This card shows a boat crossing water, symbolizing transition. It can mean travel, healing, or new beginnings. Whether in love, work, or life, it reminds us to keep moving forward.
Key Meaning: Better Days
The key meaning of the Six of Swords is clear: better days are coming. This card acts as a beacon of hope during tough times. It tells you that no matter how hard things are now, you are moving toward a phase of calm and healing. The card is often called the moving on tarot card because it symbolizes leaving behind difficulties, pain, or confusion.
The mental clarity tarot aspect of this card means your mind is becoming clearer. You may be finding new solutions or perspectives that help you cope with past struggles. This card encourages you to trust the process of change, even if the future looks blurry. Life is about the journey and transition tarot, and the Six of Swords reminds you that crossing over rough waters eventually leads to peaceful shores.
Number 6 Meaning In Tarot
In tarot, the number six often relates to balance, harmony, and relationships. When it appears in the Six of Swords, this number connects deeply with the idea of healing through connection and communication. Since swords represent the mind and intellect in tarot, this card highlights how your thoughts and communication affect your relationships and personal growth.
Unlike the Six of Cups (which focuses on emotional bonds) or the Six of Pentacles (which centers on generosity and material balance), the Six of Swords deals with how you process conflict resolution tarot and move forward mentally. It shows that you are ready to leave behind old patterns or toxic dynamics and create space for peace and spiritual growth through tarot.
Six of Swords Keywords

The Six of Swords keywords offer quick insight into the card’s meanings. When the card appears upright, expect themes of moving on, travel, transition, mental clarity, and healing. It signals progress after hardship and points to a fresh start.
In contrast, the reversed Six of Swords carries warnings about being stuck in a rut, experiencing delays, or feeling unable to escape difficult situations. This can manifest as fear of change, avoidance, or even disrupted travel plans. The Six of Swords reversed meaning advises caution and encourages confronting fears rather than hiding from them.
Six of Swords Description
Looking at the Six of Swords tarot card description from the Rider Waite deck helps deepen understanding. The image shows a woman and child crossing a body of water in a boat steered by a man. The right side of the water is choppy and rough, symbolizing the troubles left behind. The left side is calm, representing hope and peace ahead. The six swords standing in the boat obscure the passengers’ vision, meaning they cannot see the whole future but carry their mental clarity and determination.
This card’s imagery reflects a symbolic journey—one that involves leaving behind emotional baggage, conflict, and hardship. The ferryman archetype often represents a guide, someone helping you through transitions, much like Archangel Michael tarot guidance in spiritual journeys.
What does this Card Mean when You Ask About Personal Growth?
When you pull the Six of Swords for questions about personal growth tarot, it signals a critical phase of mental and emotional expansion. You might feel like you are trapped or stuck in old habits. This card tells you it’s time to move forward by opening your mind to new ideas and experiences.
You could start a new project, study something that challenges your thinking, or even change your environment to boost growth. This card emphasizes the importance of letting go of negativity and emotional baggage that holds you back. Growth requires courage to face uncertainty and embrace the unknown. Trust your intuition and the signs that life offers during this transformative phase.
LOVE: What does The Six of Swords Mean when You Ask About Love?
In a love tarot reading, the Six of Swords love meaning upright promises hope and healing. For those wondering if they will find love, the card suggests a positive shift: you are ready to meet healthier, more balanced relationships. It can also point to new romances involving travel, long-distance partners, or someone from a different background.
If you are already in a relationship, this card represents relationship healing tarot—moving through conflicts toward greater harmony. You and your partner may be planning to relocate or take a significant journey together, symbolizing a fresh start. On the other hand, the Six of Swords reversed meaning in love may warn of stormy relationships or feeling stuck in unhealthy patterns, signaling the need to confront issues honestly.
CAREER: What does This Card Signify when You Ask About Work?
When you ask about work or business, the Six of Swords career meaning encourages embracing change and expansion. The card indicates that you might be moving on from a stressful job or entering a phase of professional calm. It may also signal new opportunities that involve travel, further study, or connecting with new people.
Professions linked to this card include travel, shipping, teaching, psychology, and humanitarian work. The card invites you to widen your horizons beyond your current role and expand your mental and professional boundaries. If you feel overwhelmed, this card reassures you that the stressful times are passing.
MONEY: What is the Meaning of The 6 of Swords in a Money Reading?
The Six of Swords finances meaning shows a positive turning point. It often means you are moving away from money worries and toward financial stability. If you have recently started a new venture or investment, this card suggests it will improve your financial situation gradually.
If you ask about buying a house or property, the card implies you are close to finding the right place, though you might not see it clearly yet. This fits with the card’s symbolism of moving toward better things but not fully knowing what lies ahead. Patience and clear-headed planning are essential here.
HEALTH: What does The Six of Swords Mean when You Ask About Health?
For health questions, the Six of Swords health meaning points to recovery and healing. It often reflects improvements after a period of illness or mental strain. This card is especially relevant if you have been working on your mental health, practicing self-care, or undergoing treatments.
Conditions linked to this card include anxiety, migraines, and chronic pain. The card can also appear during pregnancy, indicating fertility treatments or special care like C-sections. Overall, it encourages calm and steady progress toward well-being.
YES/NO: Does The Six of Swords Mean Yes or No in a Reading?
If you ask a tarot yes or no question, the Six of Swords yes or no meaning is typically yes. This card signals that positive movement and progress are possible. It affirms that you are on the right track to overcoming obstacles and reaching calmer waters. However, if the card appears reversed, it suggests delays or obstacles might slow down the process.
TIMING: Does The 6 of Swords Predict any Particular Timeframe?
In the tarot timing method, swords usually represent days. The Six of Swords tarot card timing suggests around six days for an event or change to occur. If the card is reversed, this timeframe might stretch up to nine days. Keep in mind that timing depends on the clarity of your question and the spread you use.
This practical approach to tarot timing helps you plan and anticipate outcomes without guessing. Using the card alongside others can offer even clearer timeframes and guidance.
What is the Meaning of The Six of Swords Reversed?
When the Six of Swords reversed meaning appears, it shows that you might be feeling stuck or resistant to change. Instead of moving forward, you may be hiding from your problems or feeling trapped by fears. Travel plans might be delayed, or you could experience confusion and frustration.
This reversal can also indicate emotional baggage that you haven’t yet released, preventing growth and healing. Facing these blocks honestly is necessary for transformation. The reversed card warns against avoidance and encourages you to seek support or new perspectives to regain momentum.
What Does Six Of Swords Mean In Tarot?
The Six of Swords is part of the Tarot minor arcana, in the Suit of Swords, which deals with the mind, communication, and conflict. This card’s core meaning revolves around leaving the past behind and moving toward healing and clarity. The image of a boat crossing water symbolizes transition—both physical and emotional—and the guidance of a ferryman suggests external support or spiritual guidance during difficult times.
The card encourages you to embrace change, find peace after hardship, and trust the journey ahead, even if the destination is not fully visible yet.
Six Of Swords Tarot Card Description

In the popular Rider Waite Tarot deck, the Six of Swords tarot card description shows a cloaked woman and child in a boat, being rowed by a ferryman. The water behind them is stormy, representing past struggles, while the water ahead is calm, symbolizing peace and recovery. Six swords stand upright in the boat, representing the mental burdens or lessons carried forward.
This symbolism of swords reminds us that while the journey may be difficult, clarity and healing are possible when we move on from emotional baggage and face the future with courage.
Six of Swords Upright Meaning
The Six of Swords upright meaning centers on transition and recovery. It reflects progress after difficulty, a move toward calm and stability, and the beginning of a new chapter. It can represent actual travel or a metaphorical journey such as a shift in mindset or emotional state. This card encourages embracing change and letting go of the past, symbolizing mental clarity tarot and overcoming emotional turmoil.
Read Also: Queen of Swords Tarot Meanings – Guide
Six of Swords Reversed Meaning
When reversed, the Six of Swords reversed meaning warns that you may be resisting change or struggling to let go of the past. It can indicate delays, feeling stuck in negative patterns, or facing obstacles in your journey toward healing. Sometimes this reversed card appears when travel plans get disrupted or when emotional baggage weighs too heavily, preventing progress.
The reversed Six of Swords asks you to confront fears and work through unresolved issues rather than avoiding them.
Six of Swords: Yes or No
For tarot yes or no questions, the Six of Swords generally means yes when upright. It affirms progress, healing, and positive movement forward.
However, if the card appears reversed, it often suggests delays or a no answer due to obstacles or unresolved emotional issues
. Always consider the card’s position and surrounding cards in the spread for a more accurate interpretation.
Important Card Combinations with Six of Swords
The meaning of the Six of Swords tarot card can be enhanced or altered depending on nearby cards in a spread. For example, paired with the Nine of Swords (which represents anxiety and despair), it might highlight a painful but necessary mental or emotional journey from suffering to hope.
Combining with the The Lovers tarot card can indicate healing in relationships or difficult decisions involving love. When near cards like the Ten of Wands, it could warn of carrying too much emotional burden during your transition.
These combinations deepen the narrative of healing, moving forward, and navigating complex emotional landscapes.
Six of Swords Tarot Card in a Reading
When the Six of Swords tarot card appears in a reading, it’s a sign that you are or soon will be moving through a phase of transition.
The card’s presence encourages you to acknowledge past struggles but focus on the journey and transition tarot to calmer and more hopeful conditions.
Whether the reading focuses on love, career, money, or health, this card reassures you that difficult times are temporary and better days are on the horizon. It urges patience, faith, and openness to change.
Understanding the 9 of Swords: From Despair to Hope
The Nine of Swords often represents fear, anxiety, and overwhelming emotions, sometimes called the nightmare or insomnia tarot card. In contrast, the Six of Swords offers a hopeful narrative after the despair represented by the Nine. It signals recovery and the start of healing.
While the Nine of Swords deals with mental anguish and stress, the Six of Swords highlights progress beyond those dark moments toward peace and clarity, often with the help of inner strength or external guidance.
Love – Upright Six of Swords
In love, the upright Six of Swords love meaning signals healing, moving on from past hurts, and the possibility of relationship renewal.
It may indicate travel or distance bringing two lovers closer or the need to leave a toxic relationship behind to find peace. This card brings tarot relationship guidance centered on reconciliation, emotional growth, and calm after conflict.
Finance – Upright Six of Swords
Regarding finances, the upright Six of Swords finances meaning encourages moving away from financial stress toward stability.
It suggests the end of money troubles and the beginning of financial recovery tarot meaning. This card may also indicate investments or new financial opportunities that involve change, such as relocation or career shifts.
Six of Swords – Reversed
The reversed Six of Swords shows obstacles in your path. You may feel stuck emotionally, professionally, or financially. It often signals delays, resistance to change, or difficulty letting go of painful situations. This card can also warn of travel delays or disruptions in plans.
Love – Reversed Six of Swords

In a love reading, the reversed Six of Swords love meaning can indicate ongoing emotional turbulence or inability to move past a breakup or conflict. It warns of stormy relationships or feeling trapped by unhealthy dynamics. It encourages honest communication and possibly seeking help to heal and grow.
Career – Reversed Six of Swords
The reversed Six of Swords career meaning highlights career stagnation or blocked progress. You might feel stuck in a job that drains you or face delays in projects. It advises reevaluating your professional path and taking steps to overcome resistance to change.
Finance – Reversed Six of Swords
When reversed in finance, this card warns of financial worries, delayed payments, or poor investment decisions. It suggests the need to be cautious and to avoid rushing into money-related moves before you have clarity.
Understanding the Six of Swords in both its upright and reversed forms can offer profound guidance. Whether you are seeking clarity on love and relationships, career progress, or financial stability, this card reminds you that every ending is a new beginning.
The journey might be challenging, but it leads to healing and moving on, bringing peace, stability, and personal growth tarot.
Table: Upright vs Reversed Six of Swords
Aspect | Upright Meaning | Reversed Meaning |
Main Theme | Moving on, healing, progress | Feeling stuck, delays, avoidance |
Love | Relationship healing, new beginnings | Stormy relationships, fear of change |
Career | New opportunities, calm after stress | Job dissatisfaction, blocked progress |
Money | Financial recovery, better investments | Money worries, delayed purchases |
Health | Recovery, mental clarity, healing | Anxiety, slow recovery, health setbacks |
Yes/No Answer | Yes, positive movement | Delays, obstacles |
Timing (Days) | About 6 days | 7-9 days, slower changes |
FAQ,s
Is the Six of Swords a yes or a no?
The Six of Swords usually means yes, indicating progress and moving toward better times. It signals a positive outcome after difficulty.
Is the Six of Wands a yes or no card?
The Six of Wands is a yes card, representing success, victory, and recognition. It shows things going in your favor.
What does the 6 of Swords tarot card mean?
The 6 of Swords means transition and moving on from challenges toward calm and healing. It suggests leaving troubles behind.
Which tarot cards represent yes and no?
Cups, Wands, and Swords mostly represent yes, while some Pentacles and Major Arcana can lean toward no depending on the question and context.
Are swords yes or no in tarot?
Swords usually represent yes, especially when they show clarity or action. However, reversed swords may indicate delays or obstacles, suggesting a no.
Conclusion
The Six of Swords Tarot Card Meaning shows a journey from hard times to better days. This card tells you to keep moving forward, even when things feel tough. It means you leave problems behind and find peace. When you see this card, it reminds you that change can bring healing and calm. It encourages you to stay strong and trust that good things are ahead.
This card also helps in many parts of life like love, work, money, and health. It tells you to be brave and ready for new beginnings. The Six of Swords Tarot Card Meaning teaches you that every ending leads to a fresh start. It brings hope and comfort. When life feels hard, this card shows you the way to move on and grow.

James Morris is an experienced blogger and content creator at FlapyWorld.com. With a passion for writing and sharing insightful content, James specializes in crafting engaging posts on a variety of topics, including wishes, messages, and inspirational content. His goal is to inspire, inform, and connect with readers through thoughtful and well-researched articles.