Quick guide
The Six of Wands in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck shows a rider on a white horse, a laurel wreath on his head and a second wreath tied to the wand he carries, with a small crowd of wand-bearers walking beside him. Upright, the traditional keywords are victory, recognition, public success, confidence and good news. Reversed, readers speak of pride, a delayed result, praise that feels hollow, or a win that other people have not noticed yet. The question this card usually raises is simple: what have you achieved, and who do you need to see it? It is a card about being acknowledged, not a promise that a prize is on its way.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Arcana / number / suit | Minor Arcana, six, suit of Wands |
| Upright keywords | Victory, recognition, success, confidence, progress, good news, public support |
| Reversed keywords | Ego, a fall from favour, delayed success, lack of recognition, doubt, praise that does not satisfy |
| Element / astrological association (tradition) | Fire; Golden Dawn correspondence Jupiter in Leo |
| Yes/no reading (convention) | Usually read as yes, especially for questions about effort being noticed |
The image and its symbols
Pamela Colman Smith drew the Six of Wands as a small procession. A rider sits upright on a white horse, which in the RWS tradition is usually read as a sign of clear purpose and clean motives. He wears a laurel wreath, the old Roman and Greek symbol for a winner, and a second wreath hangs from the wand in his hand so that the whole crowd can see it. Around him walk five people holding their own wands, raised like a guard of honour. Arthur Waite described the scene as a laurelled horseman with footmen at his side, and his short list of meanings was victory, success and good news.
Three details matter when you read it. First, the rider is not alone: the Wands crowd carried the same kind of staff into the fight. Success in this card is shared, even if one person gets the wreath. Second, the horse is covered by a green cloth and the rider’s face is calm rather than proud. The card is about recognition being received with grace. Third, we never see where the procession is going. The Six of Wands marks a moment of applause in the middle of a longer story, which is why it sits between the struggle of the Five of Wands and the quick defence of the Seven.
Upright meaning
Upright, the Six of Wands traditionally points to a result that other people can see. A project you led gets approved, an exam result arrives, a team you support wins, or someone finally says thank you in public. The Wands are the suit of energy and drive, and six in tarot numerology is usually read as harmony after conflict, so this card describes effort that has turned into something you can show. Readers also use it for confidence: the feeling of being able to walk into a room and be taken seriously.
In a spread, position changes the tone. In a past position it can describe a high point you still measure yourself against. In a present position it suggests that recognition is here or very close, and the practical question is how you want to accept it. In an advice position it is often read as a nudge to be visible, to put your name on the work, to share the result rather than wait for someone to discover it. It does not tell you what you will win, and it cannot tell you how a particular person will react to your news.
Reversed meaning
Reversed, the rider’s wreath points down, and readers tend to read the card in one of three ways. The first is a success that nobody noticed: you did the work, but the credit went elsewhere or the moment passed quietly. The second is pride getting in the way, such as talking about a win so much that people stop listening, or needing praise more than you need the result. The third is a delay, where the recognition you expected simply has not arrived and you are left wondering whether it will.
Waite’s older reversed meanings were sharper: fear of an enemy at the gate, disloyalty, indefinite delay. Modern readers usually soften that into a question about self-worth. If the Six of Wands reversed appears, it can be useful to ask whether you are measuring your progress by applause, and what would feel like success even if nobody clapped. It is a prompt about how you value your own work, not a sign that you are about to fail.
In a love reading
In a relationship reading, the Six of Wands upright is usually read as being proud of each other. One partner has done something hard and the other has cheered them on, or the couple has come through a difficult stretch and can now be seen together with confidence. Some readers use it for a relationship that is becoming public: meeting friends, being introduced to family, or simply no longer hiding how much you care. For someone single, it is often read as a reminder that confidence is attractive and that the things you have achieved are part of who you are, not something to play down on a first date.
Reversed in a love question, the card asks about recognition inside the relationship. Does one person do most of the work and get little thanks? Is somebody keeping score? Is pride stopping an apology? These are questions to talk through with the actual person involved. A card cannot tell you how someone feels about you, whether they are faithful, or when they will call. If the questions behind a love reading involve fear, control or threats, the right step is a real conversation with a trusted person or with the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (text START to 88788), not another spread.
In a career or money reading
This is the Six of Wands at its most literal. In career spreads it is traditionally read as promotion, a successful pitch, a completed launch, a good review, or a win that raises your standing with colleagues. The procession in the image is a useful reminder that the credit is shared, so the card often suggests thanking the team in public and saying clearly what you contributed. In a job-search reading it is commonly read as an interview going well or an offer being made, though nothing in the card can confirm a date or a salary.
For money questions, readers link the Six of Wands to income that follows achievement: a bonus, a commission, a raise that was earned rather than hoped for. Reversed, it may point to work that is undervalued, a promised raise that keeps slipping, or spending to keep up an image of success. If a financial decision is on the table, use the card to list what you have actually achieved and what you need to ask for, then take the real numbers to an accountant or financial adviser. For a wider look at money spreads, see the hub on understanding finances with tarot.
How to work with this card
- Name the win. Write down one thing you finished in the last month that deserved more notice than it got.
- Share the credit. List the people who walked beside you on that project and tell one of them this week.
- Check the wreath. Ask whether you want this recognition for its own sake or because it will open a door, and what that door is.
- Plan the next step. The rider is still moving. Decide what you will do the day after the applause ends.
- Read the reversal honestly. If the card is reversed, write what success would look like if nobody else ever saw it.
Cards that often appear with it
With the Three of Wands, readers traditionally see a plan that has paid off: the ships you sent out have returned and the result is now visible. With the Five of Wands, the Six is read as the end of a competitive phase, where the scuffle has been settled and one approach has won support. With the Ten of Pentacles or the Four of Wands, it leans toward a celebration shared with family or community. Paired with the Five of Cups or the Three of Swords, many readers see success that came at a personal cost, or a win that one person cannot enjoy because of a loss elsewhere. None of these pairs is a rule; they are starting points for a conversation about what the result means to you.
Key takeaways
- The Six of Wands shows a laurelled rider surrounded by supporters and is traditionally read as victory, recognition and public success.
- Reversed, it raises questions about pride, delayed credit and success that nobody noticed.
- In love it points to being proud of each other and to relationships becoming visible; it cannot reveal another person’s feelings.
- In career readings it is commonly linked to promotions, good reviews and shared credit.
- Use it as a prompt to name your achievements, thank the people around you and plan what comes after the applause.
Related reading
- Understanding finances with tarot
- Nine of Wands tarot card meaning
- King of Wands tarot card meaning
- Reading reversed tarot cards
- Tarot cards for beginners
Frequently asked questions
1. What does the Six of Wands mean in one sentence?
In the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition the Six of Wands means victory and public recognition: effort that other people can now see and acknowledge.
2. What does the Six of Wands look like?
It shows a rider on a white horse wearing a laurel wreath, carrying a wand with a second wreath attached, while a crowd of people holding wands walks beside him.
3. Is the Six of Wands a yes or no card?
By convention it is read as a yes, particularly when the question is about whether your work will be recognised or a plan will succeed.
4. What does the Six of Wands reversed mean?
Reversed, readers usually see success that went unnoticed, pride getting in the way, or recognition that is delayed. It is a prompt about how you value your own work.
5. What does the Six of Wands mean in love?
Upright it is traditionally read as partners who are proud of each other, or a relationship that is becoming public and confident. It cannot tell you how a specific person feels.
6. What does the Six of Wands mean for feelings?
Readers often interpret it as admiration or respect, but a card is a prompt for reflection, not a way to read another person’s mind. Ask them directly if you need to know.
7. What does the Six of Wands mean in a career reading?
It is commonly linked to promotion, a successful presentation, a good review or an interview that goes well, along with the advice to share credit with the team.
8. Does the Six of Wands predict a win?
No. Tarot has not been shown to predict events. The card describes the theme of recognition so you can think about what you have earned and how to present it.
9. Why is the rider on a white horse?
In RWS imagery a white horse is usually read as purity of purpose and clear motives, suggesting the success was earned honestly.
10. What is the astrological association of the Six of Wands?
The Golden Dawn tradition links it to Jupiter in Leo, a pairing associated with generosity, confidence and visible success. This is a convention, not a fact about the sky.
11. Which cards pair well with the Six of Wands?
Readers often pair it with the Three of Wands for a plan paying off, the Five of Wands for the end of a competition, and the Four of Wands for a shared celebration.
12. What should I do after pulling the Six of Wands?
Name a recent achievement, thank someone who helped, and decide on the next step so that the applause becomes the start of something rather than the end.
Evidence note: The meanings on this page are conventions attached to the Rider-Waite-Smith deck (1909) and the guidebooks that follow it, including Waite’s own short list of upright and reversed keywords. Tarot began as a card game in fifteenth-century Italy, as Britannica’s entry on tarot explains, and its use for reflection came much later. No card has been shown to predict events or read minds, and the tendency to notice only the hits is a well-documented pattern called confirmation bias. If your question is about money, work contracts, health or safety, use the card to organise your thoughts and then speak with a qualified professional.