Six of Swords and The Sturgeon Moon

This card represents growth, transition and the rite of passage. The Six of Swords portrays moving away from turbulent events and feelings, toward a calmer and a peaceful state of mind.

We see Orestes standing stalwart in his boat in spite of the turbulent waters underneath. He is focused at what lies ahead, on the calm waters in the distance, until he reaches his destination.

This is a fitting card to draw today and particularly at this juncture of my life, as it coincides with the Sturgeon Moon, signifying a time of growth and abundance.

Spending a good part of my morning outside in my garden today, I planted some seeds for Fall crops. My heart did a little jump up and turn around jig, seeing that all my hard effort was finally starting to pay off. A number of my vegetables are getting established and are growing.

 I can look forward to an abundant harvest into the Fall. In spite of bugs eating my first crop of beans, drought and the seeds that didn't germinate I forged ahead. I mulched, transplanted, watered, weeded and replanted new seeds that I was certain would germinate.

I try to approach life much the way I do my garden. There are good years and not so good, but you don't give up, but persist, pray and trust that there will be a better season next year, if this one wasn't the best. There is always some kind of abundance to be found and with help, we grow, face toward the sun and the moon, grateful for the light and the dark, as we can't have one without the other.


The Six of Swords reminds me, I can't reap the harvest unless I do the work. Unless I'm persistent without getting distracted and discouraged by all the stormy waters going on around me, otherwise I will not likely reach my destination. We reap just what we sow.

Mother's Prayers Are Carried To The Grandmother

Six of Swords - The Peaceful Passage

This is not what you'd call a happy card but harmony is very much indicated and we are coming to terms with existing limitations. The Six of Swords represents personal growth, transition and rite of passage.

Orestes is focused on his goal, he stands dignified and alone. He is steadfast, confident and solidly grounded within himself, signifying a tranquil mind, and body. This individual has an acceptance and insightful comprehension of how the pattern of life works. He understands how he got to where he is now.

The body, mind, and soul work together in order to have the capacity to understand difficulties and help reduce anxiety-provoking events to move us toward a peaceful passage retaining our dignity and self-respect.

As a 63 year old woman I have been involved with personal growth, experienced many turbulent and challenging transitions, and many rites of passage throughout my life. The experiences of my youth, and during middle age have been quite different then from now, as a crone. It is a right of passage not unlike the other stages in the cycle of life, but there is much less anxiety-provoking turbulence that stemmed from my yearning to reconnect with the Divine Feminine.

Finding my way through that peaceful passage along the journey, I attribute this peaceful passage to learning how to reconnect with the sacred, which is described this way in The Heroine's Journey.

"The sacred dimension is embodied, and the soul of a human being as well as in our culture cannot evolve if the body is not reclaimed and honoured. Many men and women are dreaming about the Goddess; She is a projection of the feminine principle that needs restoration in our culture. She takes many forms embodied in the rich symbols of a person's heritage."
                                                    -The Heroine's Journey, Maureen Murdock

Minudie - Photo - Alan Shepard

Six of Swords - Open Up - Letting Go - Acceptance

The Six of Swords portrays Orestes, who is determined in reaching his goal. He's impervious to the fact that the waters below are turbulent and rough, with storm clouds on the horizon, making for a difficult passage to his destination.

He stands strong and steadfast upright in his vessel. Of course we all know how dangerous is can be to stand in a boat. I've learned that lesson the last time, while in Newfoundland, as a young student art teacher. I had one foot on a wharf and one foot in the dory. What was I thinking.  Either my art supplies were going in, or I was. I didn't kiss the cod but definitely got a Newfoundland baptism of sorts, as I clung to the slimey wharf in my gumboots, waiting for someone to fetch me out, but the art supplies were dry!

Regardless of the danger Orestes defies the odds. He almost seems to tempt fate with his calm and serene composure. His eyes are fixed, his thought and focus is completely on the island before him, where he knows there are even more challenges that lie ahead, but he is resolute to meet them full on. He appears fearless and bold. Orestes has learned that acceptance of his past, present, and future is what gives real peace of mind and serenity.

The clarity of thought that comes when an individual makes up their mind to seize the day and set their sights on achieving the goal is quiet amazing, when you see the accomplishments made. In spite of the challenges and difficulties that can become obstacles, the determined individual overcomes these, with the right kind of attitude.

This attitude is one of being positive, having the right stuff to endure with resilience and flexibility.

It makes me think of what a wise man once said about embracing our difficulties, struggles and challenges instead of resisting ,and dragging them around. It is when we accept and let go with trust and faith, that our burdens are lessened, and our load is much lighter. We then find an inner strength, resolution, and determination, not in spite of, but because of these challenges, we overcome when we let go. Having a tranquil mind can give us insight and understanding, allowing us to move into the future.

“ You must open up like a flower to this divine force, loosen your hold on earth, its cares, its worries. “ - Look To This Day, Twenty-Four Hours a Day for Everyone

Wild Flowers - Catherine Meyers

Six of Swords - Insight and Understanding

Here we see a man, Orestes the young prince, standing in his boat. Everyone knows you should never stand in a boat because, well we all understand what could happen. But many still do it anyway. He is impervious to the rough, turbulent waters below, and stands stalwart, resolved in his intentions with his eye on the goal to get to that island ahead..

Many years ago I went to the island of Newfoundland to teach art in an extremely remote part of Placentia Bay, an out port called Petite Forte. Only a population of 100 people lived there with the population of one black lab and several wild ponies.

After our long voyage we we finally disembarked onto the wharf from the coastal boat we had to get our art supplies into a dory. While unloading our art supplies we had to get them into the dory to row across to where we would be staying. I was all rigged out with my gumboots and so with a big box in hand I put one foot on the wharf and one foot into the dory. Brilliant. When the dory started moving, I was moving farther from the wharf, with my legs apart. It immediately dawned on me what a stupid thing I'd done. I knew that it was either the art supplies that was going into the drink or it was me. Needless to say our supplies were found very dry and intact, while I clung to the slimy wharf  still in my gumboots that were filled with water. I was very relieved, and happy to still have our much needed supplies intact and had a good laugh over my baptism by fire to this grand place of Petite Forte!
Needless to say I'd learned my lesson, and retained my self-respect and dignity, though perhaps my ego was a little bruised, I could now get on with my adventure.

We need to be brave to face the consequences of our decisions, and sometimes we need to be prepared to be humbled, before our path becomes clear with insight and understanding..

Six of Swords - Harmony - Yeii Spirit

The Six of Swords is not a happy card, but harmonious, signifying an acceptance of limitations, and what can and can't be done.  I see myself as I am.
This harmony comes from a tranquil mind, not necessarily a tranquil heart. I now have insight and understanding of how the pattern of life works and can move forward.

This card describes exactly the way I am feeling presently. I know why I am on this road, how I got here, and am beginning to know what it means, which allows for change. We all ask those life questions. Who am I, where am I going , and how much is it going to cost? Just kidding about that last bit.

No one ever completely figures out what it all means. The fun is in the trying. It's the journey that's important, not the destination.


Though the Six of Swords is not a 'happy' card,  it is one of harmony, that gives a sense of dignity and self respect.

The question of the heart, well that's a different story, but my heart is open today, if not completely tranquil. That works for me right now, one day at a time.

Yeii Spirit- Catherine Meyers

Six of Swords - More Than Ready

Well I must say, the Six of Swords is a much welcomed card that I drew this morning. Good news indeed, to see calmer seas ahead, and leaving the turbulent waters behind!

 In this card one comes to terms with their limitations,  possessing a tranquil mind regardless of their circumstance. This is not always easy, and takes practice. What is easy, is to forget that our lives have a pattern of hills and valleys, turmoil and serenity.

What is paramount, is striving to have a deep understanding of the meaning and cycle of life, of human behaviour and how this all relates to us, in order to move ahead into the future. Knowing what road we are on, and why, along with understanding how we got there, makes all the difference. We will be  more than ready for a peaceful passage with self-knowledge and insight, keeping our dignity and self-respect intact.

Six of Swords - Cut Me Some Slack!

Some times, short of pulling your hair out, and wanting to shout out loud, at the top of your lungs, because you have almost reached the saturation point, you want to yell, for God's sake somebody out there, cut me some slack! Don't worry it's coming! So says the Six of Swords!
Rest assured we have now come to the point where we have obtained some level of acceptance, and peace and the stormy seas have quelled.

Not the happiest of the Minor Arcana cards, and you may find yourself left with feelings of melancholy, but you have peace of mind, after coming to terms with your own limitations. You have left your anxieties behind and distressed. The affirmation is, you have some peace and serenity within, regardless of what has happened, you have let it go.

A time out or a vacation is in order; not to escape from reality, but to get in touch with the flow in the river of life.

You can now begin to perceive how the rhythm, cycle and pattern of your life works, and how you can change your life and yourself.

Letting go can be kind of like flying a kite. We let go, but then we pull it back, and want to take control again. This isn't letting go. You've got to let go of the string!

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