The reversed six of swords is all about travel delays and an inability to go anywhere. I hope this doesn't apply to me. We have a big family trip planned next week for my partner's 50th birthday. Like others in the world, we haven't been anywhere in two years, so this is a pretty big deal. If it gets cancelled or there are delays and we can't go, I don't want to think about that. 

Luckily, the reversed six might also mean rocking the boat, which IS something I have done recently. My kid is having an issue in one of his classes, where he and other kids are feeling threatened, so I emailed the principal like an angry bear momma the other day, and accused them of not providing a safe and secure learning environment. 

They took awhile to get back to me and their email this morning was a simple "we know about this. If your child has any more issues they should come directly to us." It read like a form letter, which only served to make me more livid. Some kids don't feel comfortable going to anyone but their parent, you know. 

Anyway, I'm pissed and unable to move on from this, which is a very reversed six of swords way to be. I think for lunch I'll have some comfort food and watch Jurassic Park. Seeing dinosaurs eat useless authorities will bring me joy.

The Upright six depicts a gradual change or difficult journey. This is a troublesome trip, and one that is not wanted but is necessary for survival.
Reversed, someone is having trouble making that move forward. Perhaps there is a delay or cancellation of travel plans, someone has “rocked the boat” so to speak, or perhaps the worst has happened, such as a flood or a drowning.
 
Questions answered by the reversed Six of Swords:
Who? A submissive person 
What? An inability to move
Where? The water
When? The first week in February; Six weeks ago
Why? “Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” ~Lyndon B. Johnson
Yes or No? No

 
The Six of Swords reversed as:
…an action?

• Check the weather
• Listen to reason
• Stop fearing the unknown

…a place in your house?

• A shelf of memorabilia
• A plugged drain
• Dishwasher

…a place in your city?

• Your ex’s apartment
• An old workplace
• The train station
• A freeway into town

…a place in the world?

• Southern USA
• Croatia
• Poland
• France

…something to eat? 

• Comfort food
• Chicken nuggets

 
…something to clean?

• A closet
• The tub
• The boat

 
…where to find the missing item?

• It’s right near you

 
…a color? Yellow, amber, red
 
…a movie theme? An inability to move on; trapped

• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• John Wick
• Jurassic Park

 
…a new career?

• Factory work
• Warehouse employee
• Remote work
• Caretaker

​
The reversed Six of Swords
Before any card: An inability to move on from (card)
After any card: Slow progress, travel delays

I don't have much to say about the reversed Five of Swords. It's a card about ongoing resentment, rage, and holding a grudge. It could arise after a battle is over but you just can't let go of it, or it comes up during a battle that seemingly never ends. Without getting into personal issues, I'm in one of those situations and yes, I'm holding a grudge about it!

Luckily, a few of the suggestions from the reversed five of swords are right up my alley, including eating a box of chocolates in front of the movie Elf, one of my faves! I think I'll do that.

Upright, the Five represents the time after a battle or conflict. If it is a victory, it is an empty one. If it's a defeat, it requires a major regroup and re-plan.

Reversed, this card is tricky because there are so many ways to look at it. If we imagine that it has the same meaning as the upright five but that the battle or conflict is ongoing inside ourselves, it becomes a bit easier. This card could mean compromise, sacrifice, or holding on to resentment.
 
Questions answered by reversed Five of Swords:
Who? Someone holding a grudge 
What? The end of a conflict
Where? A place where a truce or mediation happened
When? The end of January; Five days after a fight
Why? “To be wronged is nothing, unless you continue to remember it.” ~Confucius
Yes or No? No

The Five of Swords reversed as:
…an action?

• Forgive and forget
• Apologize

 
…a place in your house?

• The filing cabinet
• The dining table
• A video game system

…a place in your city?

• A law office
• An ice cream shop

 
…a place in the world?

• California, USA
• Taiwan
• Japan
• Germany 

…something to eat?

• A box of chocolates
• A charceuterie board

 
…something to clean?

• Dishware
• Your room

 
…where to find the missing item?

• Where someone last apologized to you

 
…a color? Red, seafoam green
 
…a movie theme? Apologies, forgiveness

• Elf
• The Wedding Singer
• Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri

 
…a new career?

• Lawyer or Law Clerk
• Designer
• Sales representative

 
The reversed Five of Swords
Before any card: Holding a grudge about (card)
After any card: Apologies, forgiveness
​

Speaking of people who hold a grudge, have you ever met Satan? Well, in this highly recommended book, the main character Miriam was married to him - how about that for a reversed five of swords battle that seemingly never ends?

​Read T.J. Deschamp's Eastside Hedge Witch today! 

I started some new medication for my brain, and it seems to be working pretty well. Now, rather than lying in bed frozen in worry and angst, I'm able to walk around and do stuff in worry and angst. That's a pretty good first step!
I'm trying not to rush things, however. Although I have a ton of stuff to do before the holidays, I'm trying to take recovery fairly slow and methodically, like a positive reversed four of swords. 
Generally, this card has a negative vibe to it. It often means recovery is stalled or slow, or we're suffering burnout. However, the more rare alternative meaning, that we've taken our rest and are now ready to fight again, is the one I'm channeling. I need to get back to work so I'm glad I'm on the right path - even if I need to pop some pills to be there.

The four of swords upright is about withdrawal and retreat, perhaps temporary, so you can recover.
Reversed, rest and recovery is slow or difficult. There may be burnout or a lack of proper self-care. Alternatively, it could be that moment after a decent rest, when we have the mental strength to fight again.
 
Questions answered by the reversed Four of Swords:
Who? An angsty or restless individual 
What? A slow recovery
Where? A school; an office
When? The middle of October; Later; After a nap
Why? “Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap.” ~Barbara Jordan
Yes or No? Yes, but later
 
The reversed Four of Swords as:
…an action?

• Find stability
• Be prudent in your tasks

 
…a place in your house?

• The shower
• A comfy chair
• A bar

 
…a place in your city?

• A bar
• A recovery center
• An exercise studio
• A hair salon

…a place in the world?

• Atlanta, GA
• San Diego, CA
• India
• The Maldives

…something to eat?

• Coffee
• An energy drink
• Cucumber

 
…something to clean?

• Make the bed
• Your shoes

 
…where to find the missing item?

• By the front door

 
…a color? Blue; orange
 
…a movie theme? Awakening; burn-out

• Amelie
• Office Space
• I Heart Huckabees

 
…a new career?

• Freelance work
• Go back to school
• Construction

 
Four of Swords reversed
Before any card: A recovery from (card)
After any card: burn-out; lack of progres

How fitting that today is the three of swords reversed. My family is going through a particularly difficult time, one that we can't talk about, but needless to say it's stressful, and requires a lot of time with my therapist plus some new medications for generalized anxiety disorder - these are all things the three of swords reversed recommends! 

As an early October baby, I live a very three of swords life, as that's the card that was prevalent at my birth. It's a constant state of disaster and disaster recovery. Luckily, the reversed three is that recovery period - the bad thing has ended and now we have to learn how to cope after it. Even though it's still a "no" card, it's a positive no - it's a no that requires more time and patience while we deal with the aftermath of terrible things. 

​Upright, this three is a card of pain, heartbreak, and sorrow. It could be the end of a job or relationship, an accidental injury or death, or something else causing deep and difficult grief.

Reversed, the terrible events happened but we have overcome - or started to overcome - that pain. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel and are optimistic, reconciling differences, or trying to be positive.
 
Questions answered by reversed Three of Swords:
Who? Long-divorced couple; an estranged friend 
What? The light at the end of the tunnel
Where? A grief or support group
When? The beginning of October; In the past; Three hours
Why? “Even in the midst of devastation, something within us always points the way to freedom.” ~Sharon Salzberg
Yes or No? No

The Three of Swords reversed as:
 
…an action?

• Take all the time you need
• Ask for help
• Cancel something

 
…a place in your house?

• A shrine
• The back deck

• A fireplace
• The garage

…a place in your city?

• A recovery center
• Grief counseling

• An AA meeting
• Church

…a place in the world?

• Rwanda
• Japan

• British Virgin Islands

…something to eat?

• BRAT – Bananas, rice, apples, toast

 
…something to clean?

• The carpets
• Sweep the floor

 
…where to find the missing item?

• Where you last recovered it

 
…a color? Ombre, green
 
…a movie theme? Attempting to recover after devastation

• Kill Bill

• The First Wives Club
• Yesterday

 
…a new career?

• Recovery counselor
• Cleaning staff
• Construction

 
The reversed Three of Swords
Before any card: Attempting to recover after (card)
After any card: Recovery; forgiveness

For more on the three of swords reversed, read Applied Tarot Reversed: