I’ve written interpretations for every card in the Wild Unknown Tarot. As the box of the deck states, there are no rights or wrongs. These are simply my perspectives on the tarot card meanings. I hope you find them useful!
Click here for a directory of all posts in my Wild Unknown series.
Creator’s keywords: hope at last, travel
Carrie’s keywords: reeling, recovering
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Six of Swords Tarot Card Meanings in the Wild Unknown
Six swords rest in a heap at the bottom of the card. The scene at first glance is dark and dreary, the swords are in the midst of what seems to be a heavy rain. There is some difficulty present, but a rainbow arches high above and a clear sky waits beyond.
When we look at this card as the successor to the Five of Swords, a coherent story emerges. The five showed a picture of hostility and battle, and the six shows the aftermath. The healing process has begun, but there is still work to be done on the road to recovery.
There are times when you are surviving more than you are actually thriving, and the Six of Swords is a representation of those times. Stressful events can leave you reeling even once the actual event has passed. It is natural to require some space to to sort yourself out in such instances.
Notice that the swords here are giving themselves that ability to recover. Instead of forcing yourself to just “get over” things, sometimes you need to let yourself lie there in a metaphoric heap for a while! It is inevitable that eventually you will move from where you find yourself now and head towards your own personal rainbow. This card asks you to be patient with yourself as you navigate this tender process.
Six of Swords Tarot Card Meanings in General
As mentioned above, the Six of Swords is a sort of regathering after the turmoil of the five. So in The Spacious Tarot we show a sky that seems to be clearing after a storm. The swords huddle together as light breaks through the clouds.
Decks that draw from the Waite-Smith tarot tradition often depict this card by showing human figures huddled in a boat. One person rows the boat, while two others are huddled over and bundled up in cloaks. The boat carries them forward, but also offers them the opportunity to rest and recover. Soon they will reach new shores, but for now they are still slightly reeling.
This card is usually less associated with major traumas and more associated with the micro-struggles that impact us on a daily basis. It typically shows up during times when you are lacking the mental, physical and spiritual energy to engage deeply with life. Sometimes the best thing you can do during such occasions is to trust that you are moving towards a more holistic awareness.
There is no need to rush yourself, but there is also no need to dwell on the difficulties. Look for ways to expand your perspective of your experiences. You will not always be in this in-between place, you are already moving closer to the awaiting new land.
In a reading
This card can suggest that the climax of a struggle is over, but now we are sheltering ourselves from the storm, hoping that the rains will eventually lead us to salvation.
This card can serve as an affirmation of how far you’ve come. You may still have a way to go, but you are on your way out of the thick. Things might still seem in flux and you may not be able to see your final destination yet, but you can choose to keep traveling in the right direction.
Hi, I'm Carrie!
I'm a tarot reader and mentor. My purpose is to encourage your expansion. If you're new, start here.
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This is such a beautiful reading of this card, and really speaks to me at this time in my family’s life. Thank you.
Thank you, Carrie! This is my favorite deck and your site is my Go To! I love your perspectives on the cards!
Wow, this was so helpful! I was repeatedly drawing this card in my spreads regarding an ongoing difficult situation; and recently I started drawing the Daughter of Pentacles in its place; if you look at the imagery between the two cards, it’s almost as if the deer (observant, calm, gathering wisdom) has replaced the pile of swords (messy pile of one’s own thoughts and mental pains), and it finally clicked when i read your post as a natural progression from “surviving” to “living” (not quite thriving yet, but hopefully soon. =] ). Thanks for this helpful insight!