Six of Swords reversed

Labhraín

I just drew the Six of Swords reversed as the card that signifies the best approach to a situation. I can't figure this out - how can this card show the right path? It signifies worry and stress and not knowing what to do. I'm having difficulty in understanding how this is actually a good card. I need some help with the translation.
 

starrystarrynight

Labhrain said:
...I just drew the Six of Swords reversed as the card that signifies the best approach to a situation...I'm having difficulty in understanding how this is actually a good card.
You may need to consider that sometimes the best approach to a situation is not the most comfortable or easiest (or what you might currently see as "good.") So, the reversed Six of Swords may be hinting that things are not going to be easy sailing for awhile longer.

Beyond that, though, the upright Six of Swords also often suggests some new information is being churned up from the depths (in Thoth, this card is called Science, which is all about learning and categorizing new things about "the real world"); however, reversed, this new information will probably not be forthcoming and may be thwarted. So, this card may be telling you that you are going to have to do some digging yourself--some soul-searching or other kind of research to find your best path forward in the situation.
 

Starshower

Traditionally, this card (in the RWS system) means travelling away from stormy waters towards lovely calm waters ... being rowed away (i.e. possibly with help) to a happier place.
There are many ways of reading reversals. You might like to search out threads on this.
2 ideas come to my mind here:
1) Either the above retreat to smoother seas is something you're NOT doing - seeing it as the reverse or negation of the meaning - & hence reflecting back to you your current situation? or ...
2) To emphasise the importance of this card by being upside down & therefore claiming special attention. (Babs aka Sunchariot uses this method.)
Hope this helps. :)
 

Luna-Ocean

I just drew the Six of Swords reversed as the card that signifies the best approach to a situation. I can't figure this out - how can this card show the right path? It signifies worry and stress and not knowing what to do. I'm having difficulty in understanding how this is actually a good card. I need some help with the translation.

Mostly what i have learned with this 6 of Swords reversed is your currently situation has been temporally delayed and your will need to wait before things start to run smoothly again, it would of been better for you not to of had this card reversed, especially if you have been having a stressful situation of lately, so the likely thing now that you can do is just wait for a transition time of issue's clearing away. As each card in Tarot has a time associated with the card number, then i would say things will start to improve for you within the next 6 days.
 

Labhraín

Traditionally, this card (in the RWS system) means travelling away from stormy waters towards lovely calm waters ... being rowed away (i.e. possibly with help) to a happier place.
There are many ways of reading reversals. You might like to search out threads on this.
2 ideas come to my mind here:
1) Either the above retreat to smoother seas is something you're NOT doing - seeing it as the reverse or negation of the meaning - & hence reflecting back to you your current situation? or ...
2) To emphasise the importance of this card by being upside down & therefore claiming special attention. (Babs aka Sunchariot uses this method.)
Hope this helps. :)

You may need to consider that sometimes the best approach to a situation is not the most comfortable or easiest (or what you might currently see as "good.") So, the reversed Six of Swords may be hinting that things are not going to be easy sailing for awhile longer.

Beyond that, though, the upright Six of Swords also often suggests some new information is being churned up from the depths (in Thoth, this card is called Science, which is all about learning and categorizing new things about "the real world"); however, reversed, this new information will probably not be forthcoming and may be thwarted. So, this card may be telling you that you are going to have to do some digging yourself--some soul-searching or other kind of research to find your best path forward in the situation.

Starshower, I feel the first reason that you listed that I most agree with. After I posted my question, I thought to myself, perhaps the reversed card is saying that the best approach to the situation is to STOP the stress and worry that I have been doing. It is showing me that the opposite of the path I have been on is where I need to be.

starrystarrynight, I find your response helpful as well. When you said that "the best approach to a situation is not the most comfortable or easiest" is right in line with what Starshower said and what I thought myself. It is not easy to stop stressing or worrying about a situation, and the best approach is to do the reverse of what I have been doing.

Both of you have been so helpful. Thank you so much for your insight.
 

Labhraín

Mostly what i have learned with this 6 of Swords reversed is your currently situation has been temporally delayed and your will need to wait before things start to run smoothly again, it would of been better for you not to of had this card reversed, especially if you have been having a stressful situation of lately, so the likely thing now that you can do is just wait for a transition time of issue's clearing away. As each card in Tarot has a time associated with the card number, then i would say things will start to improve for you within the next 6 days.

That's an interesting point, TheSTAR. I did not know that the number of the card can have significance in how long the influence of the card lasts.
 

Luna-Ocean

That's an interesting point, TheSTAR. I did not know that the number of the card can have significance in how long the influence of the card lasts.

Its how i have been learnt, but there are Tarot books that do explain about Tarot astrological time scales, for me each card will have a astrological month, as for the Swords they come under the Air signs ( Aquarius, Gemini and Libra, so to me this will mean within those months.

Lets say you had the ( 4 of wands, so that to me would mean the month of April, which the wands come under the Fire signs, Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.

HTH
 

nisaba

I just drew the Six of Swords reversed as the card that signifies the best approach to a situation.

Sometimes the reversal of a card is a reversal of its direction-of-movement, not its meaning.

What deck are you using? ie, what image does it show you?

If it is a RW-based image of a boat with people paddling or poling away very quietly, then perhaps it signifies that you need to *approach* the situation with that same tentativeness.

Or it could mean that the next positive step in the process of the situation might be when *someone else* moves away.