Minor Arcana · Swords · No. 55
Upright · moving on, transition, healing journey
Reversed · feeling stuck, unresolved issues, unable to leave
A ferryman carries a cloaked woman and a child across calm water in a boat with six swords standing upright in it. The rough water on the right and smooth water ahead represent moving from turmoil to peace. The bowed passenger is leaving with sorrow, and the upright swords symbolize memories and burdens still carried along. The shore in the distance is a place of new beginnings and recovery.
“Moving on to calmer waters”
moving ontransitionhealing journey
Leaving a hard situation behind for calmer waters. You’re slowly moving toward healing.
This is a time of leaving a hard situation behind and moving little by little toward something better. Your heart isn’t light yet, but you are definitely headed toward healing. In daily life it shows up as moving house, changing schools or jobs, travel or putting distance between you and a difficult relationship. It’s okay to accept someone’s help and cross slowly.
Advice · Leave the rough waters behind and head somewhere calmer.
✓ Try · move forward slowly
✕ Avoid · dwelling on what’s behind you
A question to ask yourself
What did you learn from the place you left?
“Carrying the same baggage along”
feeling stuckunresolved issuesunable to leave
You can’t leave, or you’re carrying unresolved problems with you. Sort out your baggage so the same thing doesn’t repeat.
Reversed, this card shows wanting to leave but feeling stuck, or moving on while still carrying unresolved problems. If only your location changes and not your heart, the same difficulties may repeat. Moves may be delayed or plans may go awry. First sort out what you’ll take with you and what you’ll leave behind.
Advice · If you carry the same baggage, the same problems will follow.
✓ Try · sort through your baggage
✕ Avoid · covering up problems and leaving
A question to ask yourself
What baggage haven’t you dealt with yet?
Your past was a time of moving on to calmer waters. Read it as the background that shaped your current situation.
Right now is a time of moving on to calmer waters. Read it as the strongest force at work right now.
Ahead lies a time of moving on to calmer waters. Read it as where things are heading if they continue as they are. If reversed, it can signal that this flow may be blocked or delayed.
Upright leans toward yes — Moving on to calmer waters
Reversed leans toward no — Carrying the same baggage along
As a Minor Arcana card, treat it as a lighter answer about an everyday choice.
With The Chariot, movement and progress become even more pronounced. Set your direction with determination, and you’ll adapt quickly to new surroundings.
This emphasizes a journey of leaving a beloved place to find new meaning. Set your heart on the peace ahead rather than on regret.
You leave a hard relationship behind and find stability. The same problems keep repeating in this relationship.
You can’t leave, or you’re carrying unresolved problems with you. Sort out your baggage so the same thing doesn’t repeat. Reversed, this card shows wanting to leave but feeling stuck, or moving on while still carrying unresolved problems. If only your location changes and not your heart, the same difficulties may repeat. Moves may be delayed or plans may go awry. First sort out what you’ll take with you and what you’ll leave behind.
Upright leans toward yes, and reversed leans toward no. As a Minor Arcana card, treat it as a lighter answer about an everyday choice.
moving on, transition, healing journey / feeling stuck, unresolved issues, unable to leave