We take in gulps of air as we settle into this new stage. What was an incredible whirlwind of a time, filled with anxiety and instability, is now coming into its peaceful interlude. With the Sixes, we start to feel a sense of balance, reprieve and reciprocity within community.

Qualities of the Sixes in Tarot

The goal of the Sixes is to achieve complete harmony of all aspects: In body, mind and spirit. The Sixes provide the resolution to the previous card in accordance to their suit. There’s a reward or resolution, but ultimately, the haywire fluctuations are being brought back into balance.

The Sixes also follow a motif of arrivals and departures. In the Six of Wands and Six of Cups, both indicate the querent’s arrival to a familiar place but for different purposes. The figure of the Six of Wands is arriving to celebrate his achievements and take in the praise and recognition for his efforts. The Six of Cups is arriving back to childhood memories or domestic bliss, either through a triggered memory or physically traveling back home.

As for the Six of Swords or Six of Pentacles in the traditional RWS, you can see both of these motifs playing out simultaneously. In the Six of Swords, the figure is leaving an old unsafe place and making their way to a newer place, hoping it’s somewhere more comfortable and safe. The Six of Pentacles also indicates concerns for safety and security, mostly coming from material resources and community care. The Six of Pentacles always shows a giver and a receiver, and usually you know which one you are when you pull this card.

The Sixes also generally indicate a transition period. These cards show what it’s like to be present during a transition back into a more manageable pace where you feel like your life is in control. During these periods of transition, these cards can tells us how to reevaluate the themes associated with the Six’s suit.

Overall, the themes associated with the Sixes are of bringing things back into balance, healing, reevaluation, recognition and praise, transitions, support and community care.

Numerology of Six

The numerology surrounding the number six is always related to the heart. Nurturance, unconditional love, beauty, balance and duty are all related to the humble six. There’s a strong need for comfort and stability, as well as loyalty and faithfulness. The number six is a relationship-oriented number, so familial, platonic and romantic connections play a pivotal role here.

Being a double three, the number six is about creativity but also sharing that creation with the community. The number six is also heavily associated with domesticity and children, but I think this mostly has to do with its nurturing qualities which are applicable in other areas of life.

Some downsides of the number six is the risk of becoming too conventional to the point of close-mindedness, squashing oneself to fit other’s points of view, and becoming too meddling in the issues of others.

Value Realignment: The Lovers & The Devil

The Lovers (VI) is a card often said to be about relationships. This is often referred to as the soulmate card because the two figures on the card resemble Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden; a “match made in heaven,” if you will. On a deeper level, the Lovers card is about choices. In the traditional RWS depiction, the image can indicate a crossroads because of an ethical dilemma. There’s the burning tree, the vice, and the fruit-bearing tree, the virtue, and the question is this: What is the right path for you? Issues arise between the heart and the head, and thus ensues the internal tug-of-war. You can sense the transitory qualities of the Sixes within the Lovers card, except this is a more philosophical transition. The remedy is to attune to what you stand for and to honor yourself and your authenticity.

The Devil (XV) is what you become or encounter when do not honor yourself at all. The image of the Devil is the visual and esoteric counterpart for the Lovers card. Instead of being met with a scenic mountain view with an angel at the helm, you’re greeted with chains from a hell spawn demon.

The pentagrams above are from the book “The Key to Black Magic” from French occultist Stanislas de Guaita. The image shows an upright pentagram representing spirit over matter, and the inverted pentagram representing matter over spirit. These differences are very much in line with the opposing meanings of The Devil card and the Lovers card.

The Devil is what happens when material wants are prioritized over spiritual needs, those needs being your beliefs and values. When you discard who you are–aka Your Soul– you become more susceptible to compulsions like substance abuse, sex, and workaholism to find meaning and purpose in life. Exercising self-compassion, fully accepting (NOT TOLERATING) one’s own reality, and perhaps exploring ideas of Buddhist detachment could provide a foundational start to the slow yet wonderous process of loving yourself again.

Keywords for the Sixes in Tarot

Upright meanings:

• Healing
• Transitioning towards a more promising future
• Reflection and reevaluation, especially when it comes to values
• Balance
• Seeking community
• Reciprocity
• Generosity
• Travel
• Praise for reaching milestones
• A rite of passage

Reversed meanings:

• Regression
• Keeping your healing journey private
• Unwillingness to change
• Retreating from your community
• Seeking internal balance
• Isolation
• Seeking distraction from internal thoughts
• Refusal to move into next phase due to the discomfort of it

Sixes in Tarot Overview

Six of Wands

Get ready to have all eyes on you. The Six of Wands is telling us that our efforts will soon be acknowledged. Praise, celebrations in your honor and good news are coming your way. There is also sense of exaltation that comes with this card. It is also a card of leadership, so if you’ve been leading a team and it’s reached its successful conclusion, now is the time to receive your flowers.

Six of Cups

The Six of Cups is your comfort TV show, the blanket you’ve had since you were six or the lovely smell of your favorite meal. The Six of Cups is telling us to hold space for the positive memories of our past, and to gush about things you find sentimental. There may be a reminder of childhood or domestic comforts that remind you of home. This card often indicates reevaluation of your past.

Six of Swords

This card symbolizes a transition taking place. Whether it’s moving house, travel, or philosophical shift, you’re leaving behind the familiar to go towards the unfamiliar. This is often a much needed change because of what occurred in the past, and there may be a tinge of grief and sadness, but it will be essential to your personal growth. Across the body of water is a renewed sense of self. Letting go of your past will be an integral part of that.

Six of Pentacles

This a card of reciprocity. Typically depicting beggars and a wealthy donor, there’s the possibility that you could be in the position of one or the other. This card is also a mini-karma card: “What goes around, comes around.” Consider the times you’ve been generous, and if you need something, you could call in a favor. If you need something and you’ve been treating your community poorly, you might need to be like the beggars and open up to charity, offering an apology to start. Overall, this could represent financial harmony, indicating the amounts flowing in and out of your account are in balance. This can be done through charitable donations, gifts, offering wisdom or just your presence.

Deck used: The Linestrider Tarot by Siolo Thompson