The 6 of Wands in Tarot
The Six of Wands is all about recognition and success, often called “the victory card.”
Visual Description of the Card:
The Six of Wands depicts a person with a victory wreath around their head, riding a white horse through a cheering crowd.
The white horse symbolizes strength, purity, and the success of an endeavor, while the crowd represents public recognition of the person’s achievements.
The wand held by the rider also has a wreath attached, highlighting their success and accomplishment. They are not afraid to show others what they’ve achieved so far, and even better, the people around them cheer them on along the way.
The Six of Wands Upright
General Meaning
General Meaning The Six of Wands represents achieving and fulfilling your goals, with the added bonus of public recognition and admiration.
Whether it’s an important award, a simple acknowledgment at work, a thank-you letter, or words of gratitude from a boss, what matters is that your effort is recognized, appreciated, and taken into account.
It’s a way to move forward with even more strength, using that recognition as motivation to continue striving and achieving.
You’ve managed to focus on the best of yourself, using your talents and virtues in the most optimal way to get results.
Opposition, rivals, obstacles, and difficulties have been nothing more than challenges, and you’ve successfully overcome them all. Now, you’re in a time of reaping the rewards and receiving your well-deserved prizes.
This could be the culmination of a long journey or just your “15 minutes of fame,” depending on how intensely you’ve fought and the height of your goals. But what’s central here is that you’re standing out, and everyone sees and knows it.
You’re not afraid to have your achievements known; you’re not worried or bothered by envy, gossip, or rumors from those around you or strangers who observe from afar. You stand victorious, and because this victory wasn’t handed to you easily, you want to show it off so it can be valued properly.
The Six of Wands is an excellent card in a reading to encourage you to believe in yourself and your abilities and in the real possibility that you can achieve what you want if you set your mind to it, taking pride in it and not letting any internal guilt sabotage your project or success.
There’s no guilt here because everything has been done in a dignified manner, without malice, so you can hold your head high in front of everyone watching.
With the Six of Wands, you’re creating a personal seal of sorts—your brand. It’s your reputation, name, and fame at stake, and you want everyone to know and appreciate it. You expect well-earned applause and recognition for all this achievement, far beyond the immense personal satisfaction you feel.
The Six of Wands is undoubtedly one of the best, most positive, and triumphant cards in the entire deck. Success is guaranteed, as is public recognition. However, there’s a downside: the card warns you could easily be seduced by the “sweetness of victory” and fall into arrogance or pride, showing a side of selfishness.
You might start to believe you’re superior, with an oversized ego that prevents you from listening to or valuing others. So, you’ll need to handle victory wisely.
A little bit of internal revenge isn’t all bad if you need to feel that arrogance:
Your victory could be a way to show those who doubted you, those who said you couldn’t do it, or someone who devalued you or made you feel inferior. In this case, there’s a certain sweetness when time proves you right.
In Love
The Six of Wands speaks of improvements in all aspects of a relationship. If you’ve been waiting to get married after a long relationship, marriage is a certainty. There may also be social or family recognition for the couple as a whole.
If you’re single, love is ready to enter your life, possibly with someone you’ve been dreaming of or secretly loving for a long time. It’s an excellent sign for love.
In Work
The Six of Wands suggests that you will receive recognition and appreciation for your work. It’s success and the achievement of the goals you’ve set. If you’re starting new projects or thinking about changing jobs, success is waiting for you.
If you’re looking for a job, there’s no doubt you’ll find one, and it’ll be even better than you expect.
In Money
The Six of Wands indicates that everything will improve financially from now on, regardless of what’s happening around you. If you have projects or investments in mind, now is the time to go for them.
You might even come up with a brilliant idea that earns the admiration of those around you. It’s a great time to ask for a raise or promotion.
In Health
The Six of Wands dispels any concerns you may have about your health. If you’re going through an illness or ailment, recovery will be quick and successful. Any health-related activity you start—whether it’s a diet, an exercise program, or quitting a bad habit—will turn out well.
In Spirituality
The Six of Wands brings great spiritual joy, with a sense of satisfaction and deep optimism, as well as immense gratitude for the achievements you’re experiencing. It’s a good time to share these experiences and spread the well-being you feel inside.
The Six of Wands Reversed
General Meaning
General Meaning The reversed Six of Wands is directly related to low self-esteem and the feeling that you’re letting yourself and others down—those who trust you or expect something from you.
This is because you doubt yourself and don’t recognize your potential. You think you lack the skills or abilities needed to achieve your goals.
It’s very important that others—whether it’s family, a partner, close loved ones, or colleagues—give you the confidence boost you’re missing. With that support, you’ll see results and prove to yourself that you’ve always been capable.
In another sense, you might be juggling too many things at once, which means your attention and efforts are spread thin. As a result, nothing gets fully accomplished.
It’s a good idea to consider reducing the number of activities, goals, or plans you have going on right now, so you can focus on one or two and bring them to success.
The reversed Six of Wands also represents the “15 minutes of fame” everyone gets—the fleeting nature of success. Every success risks being temporary, and you must accept that and be aware of it. You can certainly build something long-lasting, but if you can’t, don’t fall apart when the glory fades.
This card can suggest that people have forgotten about you or your accomplishments, or that you’re facing resistance from others, fueled by envy or their inability to achieve the same.
Oscar Wilde’s quote is very fitting here: “Anyone can sympathize with the misfortunes of a friend, but it takes a very fine nature to sympathize with a friend’s success.”
You might be surrounded by one or more people who seem supportive on the surface, but in reality, their envy and hidden attitudes are working against you.
Lastly, the reversed Six of Wands could indicate a much more negative situation, where your good name, reputation, skills, or history have been called into question or tarnished due to bad decisions. Instead of standing out for a positive achievement, you’re doing so for the wrong reasons.
This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve acted poorly or unethically. Sometimes, things just don’t go well, and public opinion is ruthless.
In such a case, it might be better to rebuild your reputation elsewhere rather than trying to fix something that’s too damaged. Starting fresh in a new place may be the best option.
In Love
The reversed Six of Wands suggests that you might be feeling insecure about your relationship, but these fears stem more from your own insecurities than any real issues. It’s important to distinguish between reality and your inner fears.
There may be third parties trying to meddle in your relationship and complicate things. People who seem friendly might not have good intentions, and they could be working behind your back to undermine your happiness.
If you’re single, you might feel like love will never come. You need to work on your self-esteem first because if you don’t love yourself, no one else will be able to.
In Work
The reversed Six of Wands indicates that you may face a lot of competition that’s hindering your progress. There could be envious and conspiratorial people around, who act friendly but are actually against you.
Open conflict won’t improve things, so it’s better to “kill them with kindness.” It’s not a good time to change jobs.
If you’re looking for a job, be careful not to believe everything you hear.
In Money
The reversed Six of Wands suggests it’s time to save and be strategic with your finances. Anything left to chance won’t work in your favor. Pay close attention to your spending and plan ahead. Avoid lending or borrowing money right now.
Someone might try to tarnish your name over financial matters. If you spend or give money in hopes of gaining recognition, it won’t come.
In Health
The reversed Six of Wands indicates that you may be receiving conflicting or contradictory opinions from those treating or evaluating you. This isn’t a card of physical illness, but mentally, you need to take care of yourself.
You might be feeling depressed or frustrated because things aren’t going as you want, or because you’re facing opposition from others or not receiving the recognition you expect. Relax and let the wheel turn—let them talk. Your time to prove you were right will come.
In Spirituality
The reversed Six of Wands can suggest that you’re waiting for the universe to provide answers or guidance without making any effort on your part.
Yes, sometimes things work out that way—the universe lends a hand out of nowhere—but more often than not, you have to take action instead of waiting for everything to align perfectly.
Take in the ideas others offer, even if they don’t seem reasonable or you disagree with them. You never know when a solution might appear right before your eyes.
