Six of Swords
The Six of Swords represents transition and leaving behind past troubles, symbolized by the monarch butterfly emerging and following the sun. It emphasizes moving toward brighter days and the possibility of discovering a higher self through change, even though past trauma remains part of you. There can be a sense of loss or disorientation when freed from old burdens, and the card invites you to trust the winds of change. Reversed, it warns of being weighed down by emotional burdens and unable or unwilling to move forward.
Keywords
Poem
As I leave this place, here a piece of me stays; but I must follow the sun and bask in its rays.
Meaning
As the monarch butterfly emerges from his cocoon, he leaves a piece of himself behind. Likewise, the Six of Swords is about moving on from past troubles. Just as the butterfly will follow the sun on his migration, so too will you leave behind your pain in search of brighter days. However traumatic your past, it is still a part of you. As such, you may feel lost without the weight of the chains that held you back. Like the Monarch, you are capable of following the winds of change to discover your higher self.
Reversed (position)
In its reversed position, this card suggests that you feel so weighed down by your emotional burdens that you cannot get past them.
Upright keywords
transition, moving on, overcoming past traumas, melancholy, regretful
Reversed keywords
stagnation, refusal to move on, weighed down by past troubles, stunted growth, regressing, relying on a crutch, hindered actualization
Visual Description
An oval vignette set against a dark border shows six ornate swords arranged horizontally across the scene. Monarch butterflies and several hanging chrysalises cling to twisting tree branches and drift among the swords, while two butterflies sit near flowers at the bottom. A small banner at the top of the oval displays the Roman numeral VI. The palette is soft, with pale yellows and muted purples giving the scene a twilight, in‑between quality.
Children of Litha tarot
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