The Six of Wands

Part of the self-designed Healing Tarot deck – coming soon.
The Six of Wands and Its Meaning for Healing
(Victory, confidence, recognition, personal achievement, overcoming challenges, self-worth, encouragement in healing)
Overview of the Six of Wands
The Six of Wands represents victory, recognition, and personal triumph after a period of struggle. Traditionally, it depicts a figure riding a horse through a crowd, holding a wand adorned with a laurel wreath. The crowd cheers, symbolizing public recognition, validation, and the celebration of accomplishments. This card is about being seen for one’s efforts, feeling a sense of pride, and overcoming previous obstacles with confidence.
Unlike the Five of Wands, which represents conflict and struggle, the Six of Wands is about rising above challenges, gaining recognition for perseverance, and stepping into a place of self-assurance and personal empowerment. It is a card of self-belief, confidence, and the knowledge that success is possible after hardship.
When the Six of Wands appears in a reading, it signals a moment of triumph, acknowledgment, and the realization that progress is being recognized. It asks: Are you allowing yourself to feel proud of your healing and personal growth? Are you embracing the confidence that comes from overcoming struggles?
The Six of Wands and Healing
The Six of Wands is a deeply healing card because it represents overcoming struggles and stepping into a place of strength, self-recognition, and validation. Healing often involves facing challenges, enduring setbacks, and questioning progress, but this card reassures that effort leads to growth, and growth leads to success.
Many people struggle with healing because they focus on what is still left to do, rather than acknowledging how much they have already accomplished. The Six of Wands reminds us that every step forward is a victory, and recognizing personal progress is essential to sustaining motivation and emotional resilience.
Healing through the Six of Wands involves embracing self-confidence, acknowledging achievements, and allowing oneself to feel proud of the journey so far. It asks: Are you celebrating your progress, or are you still focused on what remains to be healed? Are you recognizing your own strength?
Healing Through Confidence and Self-Worth
One of the most important messages of the Six of Wands is that healing requires self-belief and the willingness to recognize one’s own strength and progress. Many people struggle with self-worth, feeling that they are not "enough" or that their healing is not significant. This card serves as a reminder that every victory, no matter how small, deserves acknowledgment.
Healing through this card involves:
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Recognizing and affirming personal growth, rather than dismissing achievements as insignificant.
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Cultivating self-confidence, self-trust, and belief in one's ability to overcome future challenges.
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Understanding that healing is not about perfection—it is about perseverance, growth, and resilience.
This card asks: Are you allowing yourself to feel proud of your progress? Are you embracing your own worth, or are you still doubting your achievements?
Healing happens when one chooses self-confidence over self-doubt and acknowledges their own inner strength.
Healing Through Acknowledging Success and Personal Triumph
The Six of Wands also teaches that recognizing and celebrating victories—both internal and external—is essential for healing. Many people struggle with feeling unseen, invalidated, or as if their healing does not matter. This card reassures that success is real, progress is happening, and achievements deserve recognition.
Healing through this card may involve:
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Taking time to celebrate milestones in the healing journey, no matter how small.
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Embracing personal triumphs and feeling proud of the effort put into self-growth.
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Allowing oneself to accept praise, validation, and recognition from others without feeling unworthy.
This card asks: Are you celebrating your successes, or are you dismissing them as unimportant? Are you allowing yourself to be seen for the progress you have made? Healing happens when one embraces success as part of the journey and allows themselves to feel proud of their achievements.
Healing Through Encouragement and Support from Others
Another key aspect of the Six of Wands is the presence of a supportive community, recognizing the role of encouragement, validation, and shared celebration in healing. Healing is not meant to be done in isolation—having others witness and acknowledge progress can be deeply affirming and motivating.
Healing through this card may involve:
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Accepting encouragement and support from others, rather than feeling the need to heal alone.
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Recognizing that being seen and acknowledged is a natural part of growth.
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Allowing oneself to feel valued, appreciated, and uplifted by the people who support their healing.
This card asks: Are you accepting support and recognition, or are you rejecting it out of discomfort? Are you allowing others to celebrate you and your progress? Healing happens when one embraces the role of community, allowing encouragement to fuel further growth and confidence.
The Six of Wands Reversed: Overview
When the Six of Wands appears reversed, its energy shifts from recognition and confidence to self-doubt, fear of failure, or struggling to acknowledge personal progress. This card reversed suggests a lack of validation, inner criticism, or feeling unrecognized for the work that has been done.
There may be imposter syndrome, where success feels unearned, or a reluctance to accept praise and acknowledgment. The reversed Six of Wands can also indicate feeling overlooked, struggling with self-esteem, or fearing that healing is not truly happening.
The Six of Wands Reversed and Healing
For healing, the reversed Six of Wands suggests that self-doubt, fear of recognition, or difficulty accepting success may be blocking progress. If healing feels incomplete, this card encourages:
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Recognizing that progress is real, even if it does not feel like "enough" yet.
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Letting go of the need for external validation while still acknowledging personal achievements.
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Challenging negative self-talk and replacing it with self-compassion and encouragement.
This card reversed can also indicate a struggle with feeling seen, either from discomfort with attention or feeling like healing is going unnoticed. Healing through this card requires:
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Understanding that being acknowledged does not mean one must be "perfect" or "done" healing.
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Allowing oneself to feel proud, even if others are not recognizing progress externally.
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Releasing the fear of failure and embracing the journey, rather than fixating on a specific outcome.
If this card appears reversed, it asks: Are you allowing self-doubt to overshadow your progress? Are you afraid to embrace success, or are you struggling with feeling unseen? Healing happens when one chooses self-belief over fear and recognizes that every step forward is a victory, even if it does not feel perfect.
Final Thoughts
The Six of Wands teaches that healing is not just about struggle—it is about victory, self-recognition, and embracing confidence. It represents the triumph that comes after difficulty, the importance of acknowledging personal growth, and the encouragement that fuels further progress. Healing is not only about fixing what is broken—it is also about recognizing and celebrating what has been accomplished.
When reversed, this card highlights self-doubt, fear of recognition, or struggling to accept personal achievements. Healing requires learning to value progress, embracing confidence, and allowing oneself to feel worthy of success and recognition.
Ultimately, the Six of Wands reminds us that healing is a journey of resilience, self-trust, and acknowledgment. By embracing personal victories, celebrating progress, and allowing confidence to grow, true healing and transformation become possible.

