The Six of Swords reversed isn’t the worstcase of reversal. This is one of those reversed interpretations where thepossibilities are more annoying than anything else. Like any card, the actualinterpretation could range from mild to severe, but for this card, you’relikely looking at a situation where facing facts and just getting on withthings is the key to moving toward a more positive outcome.
Sixesand Swords
The number six in the tarot is about balance.This is the number of give and take, the other end of the seesaw going up ordown, one step back two steps forward, leaving the familiar for the betterunknown, and so on. The Six of Cups, for example, is about pleasant memories ofchildhood or friendship seen from the perspective of an adult; the Six ofPentacles is literally generosity and giving/taking because it can representlending and borrowing in one of its interpretations.
When you add in the Swords, the suit of logic,air, thought, and intuition, the interpretation turns to recovery afterillness, leaving a bad situation for a better one, and even leaving one housefor another, at a very mundane level. Unsurprisingly, this card in the suit ofair and logic can also represent science, and society trades the unknown forthe more-known. True to the imagery on the card, you could have a travelcomponent in the interpretation. There is a hint of exhaustion here because ofhow the figures are usually depicted, with shawls wrapped around them likeshrouds, heads bent down.
So WhenYou Reverse Them….
The Six of Swords reversed means something isnot getting better or not moving forward. You may be reluctant to make a moveor take a trip, or you may even be refusing outright to go. If you are makingthe transition or change, it could be rough; mixups with movers, or maybeyou’re happy to move, but you’re so sad to leave your neighbors that the moveis psychologically difficult for you.
It could also mean a delayed or cancelled moveor change. At a lower level, your flight may have been cancelled, or the newapartment may not be ready for you to move in on time. The new job could getdelayed, or, on the science side, maybe results that should have allowed moreresearch to go forward are not turning out the way you thought they would.Maybe you have fantastic science news, but you’re dealing with superstitiouspeople who reject the science.
You could be isolating yourself instead ofaccepting the help you need. The card typically depicts a mother and childsetting forth in a boat steered by a man, with all people having their backs tothe viewer. Instead of letting someone help you make the change or moveforward, maybe you’ve been refusing that help.
On the medical side, if you’ve been trying torecover from an illness, maybe you aren’t getting better, or a treatment is notas effective as you’d hoped. This isn’t necessarily disastrous. For example, itcan represent a mom who caught a cold after taking care of one sick kid and whois on the road to recovery — and then the other kid gets sick and reinfectsher. She’ll get over that cold, too, but her recovery and transition to abetter state of health just got knocked off course. It can also mean that anexhausting situation will continue to be exhausting.
Yet another interpretation – nope, this isn’tover yet, fittingly – is that you’re not facing facts. The people on the cardhave their backs turned to you, and you’ve got your back turned to somethingimportant that you need to take care of. You need to face those difficulties tomake things better.
On the relationship side, you may be stuck ina bad relationship, or your hoped-for new partner isn’t turning out to be asgreat as you’d thought. Maybe you want a divorce, but the divorce is delayed bynegotiations over child support, custody, property, or pets.
Interpretations based on where the card showsup in the spread are pretty easy to spot. In an outcome position, the Six ofSwords reversed could mean that your reluctance to do something will derail achange, or, if you asked if a medical procedure or treatment will work, there’sthe indication it either won’t, or it will not be as effective. Don’t worry,though — this just means you can monitor your recovery more closely and switchto a new treatment sooner if you do realize the first one isn’t working.
A professional reading can help you sort allthis out. With so many potential interpretations, hearing from another personcould help you cut through the noise and find the real meaning.
This isn’t a card of doom, just one of hangupsand delays. Most things are fixable to an extent with the Six of Swordsreversed, but you have to face them. Don’t ignore what needs to be done.
