Thoth
Card name: Six of Swords
First impressions
Four slim swords – almost like fencing epées - meet at their tips in the centre of a golden Rosy Cross. Again – their hilts are varied – this time mostly by colour, though the designs are also varied – one has a rose, one a hexagram, one a ball, and I cannot actually make out the other three ! The cross is in the centre of a circle crossed my geometric lines which extend beyond it to the edges of the card; the circle glows gold at its outer edge, and outside it are more of the geometric shapes – some very much like the “windmills” of the two – which are a little like swastikas – these also have hints of gold about them, as do the lines which come from within the circle. Sigils of Aquarius and Mercury. The patterns get denser and denser towards the four corners of the card.
From the Book of Thoth
THE FOUR SIXES
These cards are attributed to Tiphareth. This Sephira is in some respects the most important of all. It is the centre of the whole system; it is the only Sephira below the Abyss which communicates directly with Kether. It is fed directly from Chokmah and Binah; also from Chesed and Geburah. It is thus admirably fitted to dominate the lower Sephiroth; it is balanced both vertically and horizontally. In the planetary system it represents the Sun; in the system of Tetragrammaton it represents the Son. The entire geometrical complex of the Ruach may be regarded as an expansion from Tiphareth. It represents consciousness in its most harmonized and balanced form; definitely in form, not only in idea, as in the case of the number Two. In other words, the Son is an interpretation of the Father in terms of the mind.
The four Sixes are thus representative of their respective elements at their practical best.
The Six of Swords is called Science. Its ruler is Mercury, so that the element of success turns away from the idea of division and quarrel; it is intelligence which has won to the goal.
SCIENCE SIX OF SWORDS
Tiphareth shows the full establishment and balance of the idea of the suit. This is particularly the case with this card, as the intellect itself is also referred to the number Six. Mercury, in Aquarius, represents the celestial Energy influencing the Kerub of the Man, thus showing intelligence and humanity.
But there is much more than this in the symbol. The perfect balance of all mental and moral faculties, hardly won, and almost impossible to hold in an ever-changing world, declares the idea of Science in its fullest interpretation.
The hilts of the Swords, which are very ornamental, are in the form of the hexagram. Their points touch the outer petals of a red rose upon a golden cross of six squares, thus showing the Rosy Cross as the central secret of scientific truth.
Images and Symbolism
Frieda Harris says in her essays:
Six of Swords = Science. Tiphareth in the suit of Air. Mercury in Aquarius.
The ornamental hilts of the Swords form a hexagon in the card. Their points touch the outer petals of the red rose upon a Golden Cross of six squares. The perfect balance of mental and moral faculties, hardly won and impossible to hold, interprets the idea of Science
Also:
Six of Swords= Science. Mercury in Aquarius. Tiphareth.
The points of the swords centre in a rose and cross. They are lying on a fencer's diagram (14th century) which was worked out scientifically to show the positions in which a fencer can stand and be invulnerable. The card suggests by its symmetrical design a perfect balance of intellect and principle.
Snuffin outlines the colour correspondences of the hilts: they are painted in the colours of the planetary paths in Atziluth: yellow (Mercury), violet (Jupiter), blue (Moon), Indigo (Saturn), Scarlet (Mars) and green (Venus.) He says that the planetary swords are brought into balance by the sun – represented by the cross - and points out that the cross is divided up into six squares. the cross itself symbolises the completion of the Greta Work. The two sigils are painted in violet, being the colour of Mercury.
Frieda’s reference to the fencers’ diagram fits with my seeing the swords as being epées !
DuQuette refers to the swords as being balanced and matched, but the different hilts trouble me; I have no idea what they mean. But I bet they were intended to mean something. The keyword is Science, which is indicated by the swords focusing “their powers of analysis upon the mysteries of being.” Other than their all pointing to the heart of the cross – I am not sure what this means !
Banzhaf sees the external striving for truth as the square, in which the circle around the rosy cross is placed – I hadn’t noticed
and it even has six smaller squares at each corner of that ! – and the inner truth as the circle itself. He sees the six swords as being within a hexagram made up of two triangles ”pushed together” – I am not sure I can see this; there are SO many lines ! - but I think I see what he is getting at, at least ! And BoT refers to the hilts forming a hexagram. I’d have said they formed a hexagon, but still.
The six squares making up the cross are symbolic of harmony – I wonder if this also applies to the six more at each corner of the bigger square ?
This card is placed on the mid-point of the Tree of Life – Tiphareth – which signifies intellectual balance – and that it certainly is !
There are tiny arrows suggesting direction on some of the lines – on the circle (suggesting clockwise momentum) and on some of the crossing lines. I have no idea why, and none of the writers mentions them. At time like this I realise that this deck is NEVER going to be scrutable !
Meaning (cribbed from Wasserman)
Six of Swords: Science. Intelligence that has realized its goal. Labor. Work. Success after anxiety. Passage from difficulty. Journey by water. III-dignified: Selfishness. Conceit. Intellectual pride.
DuQuette
Labour, work, journey by water
Success after anxiety and trouble; self-esteem, beauty, conceit, but sometimes modesty therewith; dominance, patience, labour, etc.
Traditional meanings – From Thirteen’s book of meanings:
SIXES
Sixes are the restoration of balance and harmony after the upsets of the fives. These cards predict an exchange, a give and take that results in a new equilibrium. It may not last, but for that moment, everything is stable. With this card, there is an almost "Ah-HA!" of recognition as if you've found a solution, and more than a little awe at its perfect symmetry.
If you connect the sixes to the Lovers card you'll see how it works. Like Gemini, you recognize your twin, your soul mate, your equal. Maybe you didn't even know how uneven, how lopsided your life was, but now that you've met this person or thing your inner balance is restored. Here is the give and take that the cards say you need to achieve harmony.
Six of Swords
A boat of swords being ferried across a river with a woman as passenger. The classic Rider-Waite meaning is that one is leaving difficulties behind. A trip or change of scene may be the answer to restoring balance here. But there is more to it than this. In relation to the mind, ideas and words of the sword suit, this is also about finding a solutions to math problems and brain twisters, not just troubles.
The ferryman is part of the give/take here. He has a fare thanks to this passenger, and his passenger has a way across the river. What he symbolizes is help in finding answers or solutions to problems. He might be a reference book or website, or perhaps just someone who will listen while you talk and work things out in your head. He rows you in the right direction, away from confusion and mental turmoil to smooth, thoughtful waters. Waters clear and clam that you can, in fact, see the other shore, the answer, in sight!
There it is, a way to make your idea, your argument, your formula work smoothly, perfectly, beautifully. I sometimes call this the "Eureka" card in that it has that feeling of a scientist catching sight of a solution.
The reader should warn the querent that they haven't arrived at that other shore yet. There may be a good deal to work out, but this is a break-through moment where the mind is working once again. And whoever, or whatever helped you get there also feels mentally rewarded.
Note that this card can also be about trips by boat.
(I include Thirteen’s meanings here, but the way, as while someone else was adding them to her Thoth posts, I found them enlightening in context, even though the descriptions are way different !)
My impressions (appearance of the card):
It is a welcome move away from the muddled looking cards of the 4 and 5. There ARE patterns all over it – but they aren’t as chaotic, and the line work is finer. There seems to be a lot of detail that I cannot get a handle on – especially the tiny arrows – maybe that is part of “Science” – I was never very good at it…
My take (what I make of it/what I might see in a reading where I drew it)
Attention to detail; organisation, the importance of focusing on the central issue. There is a solution.