Up: [[Tarot]] Created: 2025-12-09 > [!Leaf] In Brief > rite of passage; movement from difficulty to clarity; a new chapter > [!Leaf] What Matters The 6 of Swords is often called the ‘rite of passage’ card. A rite of passage is more than a movement from one thing to another, different from a simple change (if change were ever simple). A rite of passage, to me, implies some discomfort in the transition, some pain in leaving something behind and heading for something new. The pain we want to abandon could be anything: past traumas; relationships or perspectives that no longer serve; mistakes and regrets of all kinds, even just a lot of uncertainty and confusion. Whatever the pain, it has some longevity to it. This isn’t about yesterday’s goof up. A difficult cycle is ending. This card is about the journey, not the destination. You are moving away from your troubles and towards who you want to be. There may be depression during this time, or calmness. Either way, there’s a quietness in your internal and external environment, giving you a chance to recover, to gain clarity. There may be help available, perhaps from unexpected sources. Watch for moments of serendipity and beauty. Trust in the process and don’t look back or second-guess yourself. It’s not an overstatement to say that if you [[surrender]] your illusions and fixed patterns, this is the beginning of a spiritual journey to healing. ![[6 of Swords.webp|500]] Rider-Waite-Smith on the left, Sacred She on the right. > [!leaf] Symbols **Water** — turbulent on one side for what you’re leaving, calm on the other for what you are going toward. **Ferryman** — A mediator between conscious and unconscious worlds; carrying us from one place to another, so represents change **Black Pole** — In tarot, black can signify potential. A black pole in the water suggests connecting with unconscious guidance. **Swords** — These could be viewed negatively as the old baggage (prejudices, memories, behaviours) that we aren’t yet able to let go of, or positively: two swords at the left representing the truce of [[2 of Swords]] and the four swords to the right representing the peace of [[4 of Swords]]. *Tarot for Life* by Paul Quinn. **Seated Figures** — usually interpreted as a mother and child. Covered head suggests sadness or loss. **Whole Scene** — The swords aren’t weighing the boat down. Movement seems to be happening at twilight. The figure is shrouded, we don’t see any faces. All of this suggests a spiritual or emotional journey. > [!Leaf] Actions to Take 1. Try entering the image, imagining yourself as one of the characters or as all three of them in turn. What are you thinking and feeling? What are you leaving behind and what are you moving toward? 2. Ask for help when you need it. Consider that help may come in the form of a book, podcast or moment of simple pleasure. 3. Write the pains you are leaving behind, one per slip of paper. Burn them safely, releasing their energy as you do. 4. Journal or freewrite in response to any of these questions or quotations - What aspect(s) of my life would benefit from a fresh start? - Where in my life am I making good progress? What learnings can I take from that to an area that feels stagnant? - What kind of assistance would help me right now? Where can I look for it? > [!Orbit] Louisa May Alcott > I’m not afraid of storms for I’m learning how to sail my ship. > [!Orbit] Oliver Wendell Holmes > I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor.