The six of swords and making good progress.

At first glance the six of swords doesn’t look like a particularly inspiring card in a tarot reading but actually it reflects a moment to appreciate your progress.

A man in a boat is crossing over to the other side, into smoother waters. He has his family with him, as well as six swords, to remind himself of the lessons learned from the past that has got him this far on his journey.

I got this card in a reading six months ago, or more, when I was trying to decide whether it was a good idea to try to find a place on the Isle of wight. 

To live by the sea has been a dream for years, ever since I started coming here in the summer.   The card was in response to my question what it would be like if I found a place in Seaview.  The six of swords didn’t strike me as a very ‘having a lovely time walking along the beach and swimming in the sea’ card. It spoke me more of moving on with lessons learned.  Sure, it perfectly reflected catching the ferry to cross the Solent, going from troubled waters to smooth, but I was hoping for a bit more of a ‘fun times ahead’ signal. The  ‘SUN’ tarot card would have made me very happy.

So it was with some doubt that I started my search.  January 1st it was the only thing on my new year’s resolution list. And on April 9th I found a tiny but perfectly formed boat house in Seaview that I could rent for stays this summer.

With a view overlooking the sea I swung from elation, feeling so lucky, to disbelief, unable to believe my dream had come true.  Indeed a month after finding this dream bolt hole there was still a feeling of disbelief. It was heaven and Hell.  Elation walking along miles of sandy beaches with my dog, Trumpet, hell because I kept worrying that this miracle would go wrong.  I just didn’t deserve something so wonderful to happen.

Packing up to spend another five days on the island I was conscious of preparing to write another blog.  I generally ask the Tarot to decide the topic, however I kept thinking about the six of swords and wondering whether to write about it without my normal ritual. That Saturday morning in a virtual tarot coaching reading my client pulled a support card for her ‘mission’ (her words).  She pulled the six of swords.   The syncronicity of this struck me the more we talked about the meaning of the card for her.  She easily understood how accurately it defined a definite moment of transition she was feeling about her life and new job, the only thing she would have liked was a bit more recognition of her progress from her family and friends.

It was then that I understood another aspect of the six of swords because I know this woman totally deserves her new job, the feeling of progress achieved, the feeling that she may have gone through difficult times, now she’s on her way and totally deserves her ‘mission’ to come true….as my ‘dream’ had.  It made me realise the importance of why the man in the boat has taken the 6 swords with him. It was to remind him that he deserved to move across to smoother waters, of the wisdom and growth he has achieved, the self knowledge, the hard work done.  Swords are hard work. So often in the journey of the swords you are challenged; you need to compete, you need to make sure all the loose ends are tied up, make sure you are not giving your power away to others, make sure you don’t self-sabotage, check your boundaries, make decisions, and here is the six saying YOU are on your way, on your journey, don’t give up on your mission. You deserve to be in this boat with lessons learned, living your truth, you are headed in the right direction and deserve to be on a ferry crossing the Mersey, or have a ticket to Ryde more aptly for me going to the Isle of Wight. 

There’s something else….I hadn’t appreciated the deep satisfaction possible when you do finally take on board (the swords taken on your journey) the progress made towards your mission.  Believe you deserve it.

I’ll also admit it has been tough and I have felt alone and unsure of my direction….always with the dream about living by the sea and writing….and here I am. 

When you get the six of swords in a tarot reading remember to also congratulate yourself.  You are making good progress.  You have come through stormy waters, you have understood and absorbed the lessons of the past, they are all part of the learning curve. Keep going and dreams do come true.