MINOR ARCANA · SWORDS
Six of Swords
Explore the imagery, upright and reversed readings, and its place in the Royal / Dragon Tarot universe.
THE 78 CARDS · RESEARCH NOTES
Meaning & symbolism
Traditional Rider–Waite–Smith symbolism and an editorial Royal / Dragon adaptation for this card.
Upright keywords
Transition · leaving turbulence · passage
Upright meaning
A boat carries an adult and child from choppy water toward calm, with six swords set at the bow. This is change that may be sad but necessary: moving, revising a worldview, finding support, or crossing a difficult period with the resources still available.
Reversed keywords
Difficulty leaving · a slow journey · carrying the past
Reversed meaning
A direction may be clear while circumstances make the move impossible, or a change of scene may leave the old problem untouched. A safer plan and practical help might be needed.
RWS image & symbols
The boatman, cloaked passenger, and child make this a supported journey; six swords stand at the bow as experience carried forward; rough and smooth water show a change of state; the distant shore has yet to be reached.
Reader's lens
Do not romanticize leaving without a safe plan. In a psychological context, the passage might be from one pattern of thinking to another.
Royal / Dragon adaptation
Make all boat passengers royal. Preserve six swords and the contrasting water; keep the cast manageable for anatomical clarity.
Research edition based on the supplied 78-card manuscript. Symbolic interpretations are contextual, not guaranteed predictions or professional advice. Sonam Zangmo’s individual card interpretations will be added following editorial review.