The 6 of Swords can be a card of travel and especially journeys across water on a more mundane level. But, as we know, water is symbolic of emotions. And to safely traverse a vast expanse of intense emotions and navigate any upsets takes the ability to detach mentally enough to perceive what is actually going on. Passion tends to make us myopic and prone to believe whatever the ego tells us. Essentially, the 6 of Swords is about our ability to step back from drama and emotional entanglement to seek and find the solutions that help us move on.
“We see in order to move; we move in order to see.”
― William Gibson
With this card comes the possibility of clarity and new insight. We can learn and move on. Or we can learn and return. But now the informed choice is ours. We are no longer victims to whim or fancy; we are moving in harmony with our truth.
Other possible meanings for this card, aptly titled ‘Science’ in the Thoth Tarot, are scientific break-through, innovation and intellectual accord. It can also literally mean that to find a solution to a current problem, we need to get up and move about. Sometimes a short walk will suffice and sometimes we need to travel to be inspired by new scenery or new meetings with people.
Affirmation: “I detach, clear my mind and open myself up to Divine Wisdom.”
6 of Swords Prayer
Dear Mother-Father God, thank you for insights which allow me to leave behind the habits, thoughts and circumstances that lock me into a state of ignorance. Help me to always seek your wisdom and the best way forward for the Highest Good. Amen and so it is!
Correspondences for the 6 of Swords
Zodiac Sign: Aquarius
Planet: Mercury
Archangel: Raphael, ruler of the Element of Air
Gemstone: Kyanite
Scents and essential oil: Fresh snow, the North wind, peppermint
The 6 of Swords in Love and Relationships
For a couple, this card is usually an indication that you give each other a lot of intellectual freedom and that you are able to tolerate the other person’s views even if you don’t agree with them. You find the company of your partner intellectually stimulating and you value bonding through the mind.
Reversed or ill-dignified, this card could indicate intolerance and narrow-mindedness. Respect is quickly eroded without tolerance and there can be no love without respect. It can also indicate that one party is too detached and not sensitive to the needs of their partner.
Single and looking
To a single person, this card could indicate that they could meet someone on an online forum where they bond over a hobby or area of interest. It could also indicate that they need to be mindful of intellectual compatibility in a future partner – this is extra important to people with a lot of Air in their birth charts. The Air signs are Aquarius, Gemini and Libra.
Intimacy
The 6 of Swords is daring you to broaden your horizons and try something new in the bedroom. Dare to experiment! It’s OK to explore different techniques if you feel safe to do so.
The Marseille Tarot image in this post is from the CBD Tarot by Yoav Ben-Dov.
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