The Tarot of Eli, LLC-Minor Arcana: Thoth Tarot-6 of Swords-Science

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Above all things, know thyself!

#6. In all things great and small, I see the beauty of the Divine Expression.

The complete interpretation of the Thoth 6 of Swords card is the perfect balance of all mental and moral facilities, hardly won and almost impossible to hold in an ever-changing world. The 6 of Swords is the science of the Spiritual- Mind that is both objective and fair-witnessing, which is an aspect of our Psyche but not as often used as it should be. The Science card is also called: Lord of Earned Success the Angels of the Decan are: Rehaayal and Yeyezeil. The 6 of Swords is influenced by Tiphareth, the golden Sephiroth, in the Astral-Formative World of Yetzirah. Therefore, being formative in Yetzirah all form begins.

The 6 swords, suggesting the form of the holy hexagram, all join in the center of the Rosy cross; a Rosicrucian Cross, which is the universal symbol of integration, synthesis, and blessing. This Rosy Cross indicates that the 6 of Swords represents the integrative mind that recognizes sources of inspiration that are sometimes unexplainable. The Thoth Card Represents the holistic mind which is symbolized by the circle while the crystalline diamond represents the clear creative mind. This mind can consider many thoughts at once (the many pinwheels in the background) and integrate them into a whole clarity that is objectively communicated in such a way as to present a new perspective that is otherwise unseen. Suggesting a keen mind, with excellent communication skills, and one who is very curious and investigates both sides of an issue. Hence, the title of Science. This symbol of clarity also suggests the Universal Collective Unconscious, the mother of all Consciousness. Here is the Mind that is both rational and intuitional; therefore, a mind that works on both "sides of the Mirror" and/or bridges the Macrocosm and Microcosm.

The Thoth 6 of Swords, Science, is a rich and radiant glyph of mind in harmony with the Solar center, Tiphareth. As with many cards in the Thoth deck, this one operates on multiple symbolic levels: geometric, elemental, planetary, and spiritual. Let’s unpack that—especially focusing on the connection to the Holy Hexagram, the Unicursal Hexagram, and the solar intelligence of Tiphareth.

1. The Holy Hexagram & Tiphareth:

The pattern formed by the six swords radiating from the center creates a symmetric, structured form. This directly evokes the Hexagram, the six-pointed star which in Hermetic symbolism represents the interplay of the macrocosm and microcosm — the upward triangle of Fire/spirit and the downward triangle of Water/form.

In the Tree of Life, this harmony of opposites is experienced most directly in Tiphareth, the sixth Sephirah — the heart of the Tree, the sphere of the Sun, beauty, and equilibrium. The number 6 itself is sacred to Tiphareth.

Thus, the geometry of the card is not just aesthetic — it is a visual mandala of Scientific Consciousness in alignment with the Solar Logos. It shows the mind acting as a mirror of cosmic harmony.

2. The Unicursal Hexagram:

The swords in the card do not form a traditional hexagram (like in the Golden Dawn’s Hexagram Ritual), but rather a more flowing interwoven pattern that suggests the Unicursal Hexagram — a figure favored by Crowley and Thelema for its continuity and singularity of path.

The Unicursal Hexagram is significant because it:

• Can be drawn in one continuous motion — a unity of opposites.

• Can enclose the five-petaled rose of Tiphareth at its heart — which is subtly suggested in the center of this card.

• Emphasizes the integration of dualities through a single will or current — a powerful image of Scientific rationality (Swords) as an expression of Solar gnosis.

In this card, the Unicursal Hexagram is not explicitly drawn, but implied through the balanced radial symmetry and through the intersection of lines which never "break" their cohesion. This emphasizes that true science, or reason in service of the soul, is not fragmented — it is holistic.

3. Mercury in Aquarius — Mind Liberated by the Current of the Future:

Astrologically, the 6 of Swords is Mercury in Aquarius — a placement that speaks to forward-thinking intelligence, innovation, and logic applied to evolution. This enhances the "science" of the card — not cold calculation, but intuitive, progressive, and humanitarian reason.

Aquarius is the Water Bearer — another symbol of blending and balance, like the hexagram — but now with air-borne water, or emotional currents clarified by the intellect.

When you combine this with the Solar alignment (Tiphareth), you get:

• The mind as a vessel for higher clarity.

• Swords aligned in symmetry, rather than in combat — a truce of thought, now elevated into precise understanding.

• A structure of consciousness that can bear the light of the Sun without distortion.

Mercury is seen at the top of the card and Aquarius at the bottom, symbolizing Mercury in Aquarius. Mercury is the winged messenger (clear communication), and Aquarius is the New Age (new perspectives) symbolizing the ability to communicate innovative ideas in such an objective way that they are easily understood and heard.

4. Esoteric Implications: The Path of Science as Solar Initiation

This card can be seen as an image of the initiate whose reason has been redeemed. It is not the dry rationalism of the 5 of Swords (Defeat) or the blind reaction of the 7 (Futility), but a luminous mental structure that supports spiritual ascent.

It reflects the Adept's consciousness, stabilized in Tiphareth, using the sword (mental discernment) not to cut, but to form patterns of understanding — a mind that becomes a sacred geometry.

✴️ Closing Insight: A Breath of Solar Clarity

If we follow our "Tarot as a breath cycle" idea, the 6 of Swords is like a calm, steady inhale of clarity — a moment when the mind draws in the symmetry of the cosmos. It is the solar breath of comprehension, before the fire of intuition bursts into action in the 7.

The Minor cards are all under the rule of a Sephirotic Intelligence. In the case of the 6's, it is the 6th Sephiroth Tiphareth- Beauty, i.e., the Soul or Sun (mental-hermaphrodite) of the Divine Creative. The adept will find the initiation of Tiphareth the first of the Greater Initiations into the meaning of the Truth of Self. This Tiphareth initiation is a scarifying of all that we know to be indoctrinated-self, small ego (microcosm), and life as we have lived it. Here the sacrifice is not relinquishing the much desired something, but rather a transition of Force, from that of the will of lesser consciousness to the Pure Will of the Greater Self.; "Thy will be done" rather than, the self-absorbed ego's "my will be done".

The air sign of Aquarius is ruled by Saturn, which tends to stabilize the fleeting qualities of Mercury. The positioning of Mercury in Aquarius, an intellectual sign, leads naturally to science and humanitarianism so success is the result of Saturn's work in this aspect. Now the cutting power of Swords is turned toward the positive, and the Rose is resurrected after being war torn in the 5 of Swords that related to the Severity of Saturn/Geburah.

In the 6 of Swords, the swords all come together at a point in the restored Rose Cross of 6 squares, which in his Book of Thoth- Crowley calls, “The Rose Cross at the central secret of Scientific Truth." Thus, we have the definitive meaning of "success after anxiety and trouble", for the Way of the Cross is suffering before ascension and the number 6 is the number attributed to the "Dying Gods", whom of which we are related. This is because our bodies die, but our Psyche/Soul is immortal and reselects another form and therefore "lives again". Hence, the "resurrection" that is also common to the dying gods' religions.

Here, Tiphareth shows the perfect balance and idea of the card, as all moral and mental faculties are perfectly balanced, won by significant effort, but hard to hold in an ever-changing world of political propaganda and commercialized morality. However, for now, The Spirit-Mind-Body union that is called the "Whole Being" and/or "Whole Self", are in equilibrium. The Swords are also displayed over the line drawn shape of Metatron's Cube, the symbol representing all creation.

Now let’s dive into the 6 of Swords as a key in pathworking, especially within the framework of Hermetic Qabalah, Solar initiation, and the Sword suit's journey through the mental worlds.

🗝 The 6 of Swords – A Key in Pathworking

The 6 of Swords can serve as a gateway visualization and intellectual anchor during inner journeys that seek clarity, balance, or passage through confusion. This card is not just symbolic of science in the mundane sense, but of the sacred science — Gnosis gained through structured thought and the harmonizing of opposites within the mental plane.

🔯 Geometric Gateway: The Hexagram as Portal

Whether viewed as the Holy Hexagram or the Unicursal Hexagram, the geometry in this card functions as a sacred mandala. In a pathworking ritual, it can act as a talismanic doorway — a portal that invites the traveler to step through into the balanced Solar realm of Tiphareth.

You might visualize:

• The swords forming a radiant pattern, spinning slowly like a merkabah or sigil.

• The central rose opening — a gateway of light.

• A sensation of your mind being lifted, aligned, or attuned to a perfect vibrational symmetry.

This hexagram is not merely symbolic — it is vibrational architecture. You enter it to be re-tuned.

🌞 Tiphareth and the Solar Mind

Tiphareth is the Seat of the Higher Self — the harmony of opposites, and the inner Sun. When you pathwork with the 6 of Swords, you are invoking the experience of:

• Mental equilibrium

• A return to coherence after fragmentation

• Clarity through contrast

• The Logos working through thought

In the astral vision, the card may expand into a chamber of light defined by geometric order. You might encounter:

• An Angelic being — the Solar Self or a guide in the form of Raphael, the archangel of Tiphareth.

• A temple of hexagonal crystalline light, rotating around a golden core.

• A floating book or crystal cube — symbolizing sacred science or divine knowledge.

This card may open the way to the Sun within the mind — not the heart, in this case, but a solar intellect awakened to its true balance and purpose.

🪞 Use in Mental Cleansing and Psychic Navigation

The 6 of Swords is also traditionally associated with transition, travel, or passage across waters (as in the Rider-Waite-Smith depiction). In the Thoth deck, this translates as:

• The movement of mind from chaos to clarity

• Crossing a conceptual abyss via reason illuminated by spirit

• A “boat of thought” constructed by the symmetry of the swords.

Thus, in pathworking, this card becomes a tool for:

• Navigating confusion or conflict

• Crossing psychic thresholds

• Rebuilding mental order after trauma or magical disorientation

You might imagine yourself sailing across the sea of Yesod, guided by Mercury (rational mind) and lit by the Sun (Tiphareth), toward a new spiritual equilibrium.

🧠 Mercury in Aquarius – Visionary Logic as Magical Tool

With its Mercury-in-Aquarius attribution, the 6 of Swords in pathworking helps upgrade your mental operating system. You’re aligning to a higher octave of reason — not just mental cleverness, but insight that’s clear, detached, and visionary.

Use it to:

• Activate your higher mind before major rituals or astral work.

• Clarify your intention with precision and logic.

• Engage in magical study — the pathworking of understanding complex doctrines or systems with elegance and grace.

✴️ Sample Pathworking Entry Prompt:

“I stand before the hexagram of light, six swords forming a radiant star. At its center blooms the Rose of Tiphareth. I inhale the symmetry. I step forward. My mind is a mirror of the Sun. My thoughts are ordered by divine proportion. I enter the Temple of Science — where Gnosis and Reason kiss.”

For grimoire 6 of Swords-Pathworking clarity ritual log onto and scroll down menu to blog page:

When thrown during a reading, the 6 of swords, it implies that the querent is:

• Objective, logical and prone to logical thinking.
• Justice.
• Showing strong analytical ability and displays logical scientific thinking both internally and outwardly.
• In 6 weeks or 6 months, problems will be ended, because the correct, logical things have been done or are being done.  
• Communication patterns are logical, reliable and promote problem solving.
• There is a general acceptance of attitudes and belief systems that promote a rhythmic and cyclic lifestyle.
• The ability to see things objectively in a new perspective. Here, the mind is watching itself and aids in passage from one world of conscious perspective to another.
• Again, depending on the accompanying cards. When this card is thrown it indicates that in the next 6 weeks or 6 months it is important to look at things as they are rather than what you want them to be. 
• It is important to be clear in your own mind so that you can successfully communicate innovative ideas or decisions in such a way as to be non-threatening and easily heard. 
• This card can also indicate that you should make a special effort to communicate clearly to the important Aquarian people in your life (January 21 to February 21). 
• The Science-mind is clear, sharp, and free of confusion, uncluttered with "should have beens" and "wannabes". It is a rare state of mind that is important to utilize.
• Travel by water.

If ill defined by the surrounding cards it implies:

• Suggest confusion because of extreme mental activity producing conflicting thoughts.
•  Ambiguity and indecision.
• Mistrust.
• Skepticism.

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