Spiral Tarot Sixes

[tarobones]

Spiral Tarot
The Sixes
The Lovers oversee the Sixes, which express the process of creating harmony in the four different arenas. Sixes depict stability, and the four suits show four approaches to stability.

Six of Wands
The winner has moved from one achievement, is now celebrating a moment of victory, before moving on to the next achievement or goal. Our victor could be seen as harnessing energies for the next goal or project. While the moment of victory is a but a moment, it is also a transition to another worthy, energetic, creative project. A momentary “stopping off point” for joy before the next task. I noticed also how in the Spiral version of the card other people are not seen, although we know they’re holding the other wands. This is his moment, and though he is sharing the victory, the achievement is his alone. There is both togetherness and aloneness in the image.

Six of Cups
The stability in this card is emotional contentment. Of course, nothing is perfect is it? Thus the one spilled cup reminds us that there has been some pain in the journey too. As our book says, balance is achieved by making the right choices, which can be painful at times too, even though it ultimately brings harmony and happiness. There is a sense in this image of a return to a familiar place, a return home, a time for healing and a “re-gathering of energies.”

Six of Swords
A movement from churning waters to still waters, and the approach to stability is to move beyond disagreements and pain to more peaceful, reflective times. The Swords accompany us in the journey, so this is not an escape from self by any means. It shows there is a transition needed, or now occurring.

Six of Pentacles
Practical people show up in the Pentacles suit. There is a giving and receiving going on in the card, and the book says that the message is that “we reap what we sow.” In the RWS image the people who receive are beggars and it seems they are the same folks from the Five of Pentacles. In the Spiral Tarot they have been transformed into people of the same social class, or nearly so.......one a royal figure, and it is not clear to me who the other is, perhaps a Queen? The focus is on equality in the Spiral, it seems.

BB, Michael

 

[wizzle]

I think T-bones found a good word in "harmony" to describe the 6's. They are associated with the Sephira Tipareth on the Tree of Life and that, in turn, is linked to the heart. So I see these cards as dealing with the heart of the matter by suit.

The 6 of wands is very close to the RWS version, except it is set with a jockey atop the horse after winning the race. This alludes well to the race of life, benign competition, etc. Missing in this card ar the faces in the crowd. The winner is tasting the fruits of victory in solitary splendor. So there is less of a feeling of a group effort in this card.

The Victorian couple looking onto a homesite makes for an interesting card to read. Are they looking at a home in the past? The sepia tones of the home, in contrast to the colors in the rest of the card, would seem to say so. However, I've read this card as portending a "dream home" in the future if the card to the right (next to the house) is a benign one such as the 8 of wands, Sun, etc. Unlike the RWS card, there is no exchange between the couple and one of the cups is knocked over. Perhaps this is an indication that all may not be as good as it looks on the surface if neighboring cards are in detriment.

I find the 6 of swords quite poignant in that the boat is traveling through the dark of night toward a distant light. And there is no visible means of propulsion but the boat is clearliy moving as indicated by the waves around the boat as it makes way. So there seems to be a feeling that the thoughts of the querant are being guided in the right direction, although it is unclear what the goal might be. In addition, an angel hovers over the cloaked figure in the boat. I would read this card as external guidance or holding steady to a position or course of action. Also, this is a movement from the dark toward the light.

I much prefer this version of the 6 of pentacles to the RWS one because the givers and receivers of the bounty are equal. It seems to me that both are equally blessed because it is somewhat difficult who is getting the gift. This is a nice card to indicate gifts freely given or true charity..... the sort of charity that is anonymous and doesn't expect thanks.