Tarot Card Combination
Ten of Wands+Six of Swords
權杖十 & 寶劍六
You carry a heavy burden toward calmer waters. The Ten of Wands shows you bearing responsibilities that have become oppressive, while the Six of Swords reveals a necessary transition already in motion. This combination speaks of moving through difficulty toward relief—not by abandoning your duties, but by transporting them to a new landscape where their weight may be redistributed. The journey itself becomes the alchemy that transforms burden into wisdom.
The Ten of Wands depicts the moment when ambition becomes burden, when the fires of passion have burned down to embers of obligation. You carry something that once inspired you but now weighs upon your shoulders. The Six of Swords arrives as the breath of change—an intellectual realization that you cannot remain where you are. Together, they create a powerful narrative of transition: you are not dropping your wands, but carrying them across waters to a new shore. This is the journey of integration, where what you bear becomes part of your passage rather than your prison. The swords point the way forward, suggesting that mental clarity and strategic thinking will lighten the load more than physical effort ever could.
Elemental Analysis
Fire (Wands) meets Air (Swords) in a dynamic interplay. The Fire's burning passion has created smoke that obscures vision—you've been acting without clear direction. Air arrives to clear the atmosphere, bringing intellectual clarity to emotional overwhelm. This elemental marriage suggests using mental discernment (Air) to channel creative energy (Fire) more efficiently. The heat of your burdens becomes the wind in your sails for transition.
Numerology Insights
Number 16 reduces to 7 (1+6=7), blending the completion energy of 10 with the harmony of 6. In Pythagorean numerology, 16 represents spiritual responsibility and the fall from grace followed by redemption. Here it suggests that through carrying your burdens consciously (10) across transitional waters (6), you achieve spiritual insight (7)—the hidden gift within this challenging combination.
Reversal Meanings
Ten of Wands Reversed
Ten of Wands reversed suggests either refusing necessary burdens or collapsing under their weight. You may be dropping responsibilities prematurely or denying the reality of what you carry. Alternatively, it could indicate finally releasing what truly isn't yours to bear—distinguishing between sacred duty and unnecessary martyrdom.
Six of Swords Reversed
Six of Swords reversed indicates resistance to necessary transition. You're stuck in difficult waters, refusing to move toward calmer shores. This may manifest as clinging to familiar suffering, avoiding difficult decisions, or attempting to navigate change without proper preparation. The journey is delayed by refusal to embark.
Both Cards Reversed
Both reversed create a potent stagnation—burdens feel unbearable yet movement seems impossible. You may be both overwhelmed and paralyzed, caught between the weight of responsibility and fear of change. This suggests a need for external support or radical perspective shift before any forward motion can occur.
Spiritual Guidance
Spiritually, this pairing represents the pilgrimage of the burdened soul. You carry karmic lessons or spiritual responsibilities that feel heavy, yet you're being guided toward higher understanding. The journey across waters symbolizes transitioning from ego-based striving to soul-based flow. Your burdens become sacred when carried with consciousness across the threshold of transformation.
Yes/No Reading Guide
Tendency toward 'yes, but.' The answer emerges through the journey itself—you must carry your responsibilities forward to discover the resolution. Immediate relief isn't promised, but meaningful progress is possible if you commit to the transition.
Historical & Mythological Context
In medieval decks, the Ten of Wands sometimes showed a merchant overburdened with goods, while the Six of Swords depicted Charon ferrying souls—creating a powerful allegory of carrying worldly burdens toward spiritual transition. This pairing echoes ancient myths of heroes transporting sacred objects across thresholds.
Meditation & Reflection
Visualize each wand you carry as a flame. As you move across waters, watch which flames transform into guiding stars and which smoke themselves out. What remains illuminated when you reach the other shore?
Practical Advice
Don't seek to lighten your load by abandoning it. Instead, change how and where you carry it. Let the necessity of movement teach you new ways to bear what must be borne. The journey will transform both the burden and the bearer.
Things to Watch
Beware of believing you must carry everything alone. The Six of Swords often implies guidance—someone or something waits to help steer if you'll allow it. Pride in suffering serves no one.
Individual Card Meanings
Ten of Wands
權杖十
The Ten of Wands shows a person struggling to carry ten wands, bent over with the heavy load. This card represents being overburdened, taking on too many responsibilities, and feeling weighed down by obligations. Success has come, but at a cost. It suggests the need to delegate, prioritize, or lighten your load. You may be working too hard or taking on more than you can handle.
View full meaning →Six of Swords
寶劍六
The Six of Swords shows figures being ferried across water from turbulent to calm shores. This card represents transition, moving away from difficulty, and the journey toward peace. It indicates physical or emotional travel away from troubled times.
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