RWS Tarot 101 Six of Swords

PAMUYA

Six of Swords



When I look into the Six of Swords I see “a quiet passage through a difficult time”. Two shrouded figures being ferried across water, a spiritual journey, a morning? Or being moved physically to a safe location? No battles in this card, the swords are stuck into the bottom of the boat. If a sword is pulled out it could create a hole and sink the boat. They are dealing with their problems without attacking them, they move on, either leaving the problems and pain behind or the problem has been there so long they no longer feel the pain; it is just a part of life.

The ferryman holds a black pole, all things remain possible. By staying calm no energy is wasted and opportunities remain open. It’s s time of transition, to change direction and/or focus. To escape abuse, to move on, to let go. I see this card as a starting of a journey; physical, mental, spiritual, or a recovery, moving away from a negative past toward a more encouraging future.

Direct: Turn for the better, moving away from problems, journey, improvement, progress, moving, travel

Reversed: mentally or physically stuck, journey/travel delayed, healing ineffective, stagnation, “rocks the boat, or pulls out a sword from the boat”..

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=37661 Don’t Rock the Boat
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=38806 Six of Swords
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=32291 Six of Swords (color)
 

rcb30872

It is interesting to me that you can't see anyone's faces, they all have their backs to the card, the man, the woman and the little boy, or girl. Another thing that I find interesting is the state of the water, on one side is perfectly calm and the other side, the side where the man has the oar in the water is turbulent. It is almost like the man is stirring up emotions. The way the woman is sitting, like she is hunched over, she is making herself appear as small as possible, she is withdrawn into herself, almost makes me think that indeed she has gone through difficult times. The fact that it is actually on water, for her to find the peace, calm and tranquility she has to deal with some emotional stuff, in a sense. But the fact that she is making a journey itself, may indicate a decision as such as to remove herself from a trying time. Perhaps, also, that the fact that she is sitting the way she is, and that there is someone else steering the course of the boat, it is not entirely her own decision. Just rambling, as usual, thinking out loud :laugh:
 

grailmaiden

I drew this as study card of the day. Seems I picked up on most of what Sassyjackal and rcb30872 said, except I hadnt noticed any significance to the black pole which is interesting. I noted a couple of other things:

The woman is definitely huddled up and because she is shrouded in a cloak, she does give off an air of sadness or tiredness. But her cloak is orange, the colour of energy and joy. So this seems to me that she is saving her energy for the next phase.

I was also puzzled about why Smith had the hills and trees coloured blue. Any ideas?
 

grailmaiden

Another observation I made was that the water must be very shallow for this type of boat and steering by a pole. Yet we would usually say "still waters run deep", so this forms a paradox that I have yet found no answer to.
 

BodhiSeed

rcb30872 said:
It is interesting to me that you can't see anyone's faces, they all have their backs to the card, the man, the woman and the little boy, or girl.
I never thought of this until I read your post. It's almost like they have made a firm decision, and there is no "looking back." A definite change in beliefs/ideas that will eventually bring back emotional balance (how I see the choppy water and smooth water on either sides of the boat).
 

Cari

To me this card has always meant moving away from a difficult time. Although there is sadness coming from the woman and child, there lies ahead to opportunity to move on to something better. The swords signify the battles that have been fought and the scars that come along with those battles. An emotional loss or even a physical one, an end to a relationship, death of someone close, loss of home. It feels like the man is gently taking them to the other side, understanding the emotions they are both feeling.

It's a card signaling the time has come to move on because although you might be feeling such loss, there is still life ahead and reason to continue. The worst has passed.

grailmaiden said:
Another observation I made was that the water must be very shallow for this type of boat and steering by a pole. Yet we would usually say "still waters run deep", so this forms a paradox that I have yet found no answer to.
Good observation. I never noticed that before.
 

Sophie

grailmaiden said:
Another observation I made was that the water must be very shallow for this type of boat and steering by a pole. Yet we would usually say "still waters run deep", so this forms a paradox that I have yet found no answer to.
Not necessarily if the pole has a paddle on it, rather than being a straight pole to push against the bottom.

There is a lot of quiet in this card. I find it soothing and energising. I can see why it means clear thinking after a period of emotional turbulence and lack of perspective - the head reasserts itself as the leader and steers the emotions away from what troubles us.
 

LadyKathryn

6 of swords

I have a different deck... i use a goddess deck.

I take this card to mean...you can't run from your past... but take the lessons you've learned and experiences from your past with you... BUT don't project past mistakes or ideas from someone else... and your past.. onto future experiences.

don't expect the same results from different situations.

so say your ex cheated on you... don't EXPECT your next relationship to cheat...and treat them like they will cheat.

etc.

my companion book does talk about smooth transitions....
 

roppo

When drawing this card PCS borrowed many things from Ukiyoe, especially from Hiroshige whom she had known since her art student days. For example --

http://grimoire.blog.ocn.ne.jp/doll/files/imakiri.jpg
http://grimoire.blog.ocn.ne.jp/doll/files/kawasaki.jpg
http://grimoire.blog.ocn.ne.jp/doll/files/mitsuke.jpg

Those are from "53 stations of Tokaido" series, the masterpice of Hiroshige. My guessing is that Pixie received the key word "journey by water" from A.E.Waite and drew up a sort of conventional Ukiyoe scene.
 

BodhiSeed

Thank you, roppo, for sharing those lovely pictures and letting us know the link between PCS and Hiroshige.