Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day: 6 of Observation (Swords)

The Sherlock Holmes Card of the Day is:

SIX OF OBSERVATION

6 of Swords

In The Sherlock Holmes Tarot by John Matthews and Wil Kinghan (Sterling Ethos), the suit of Observation (represented by an eye) is comparable to the suit of Swords. The quotation chosen to represent the entire suit of Observation is from The Red-Headed League: “This is a time for observation, not for talk.”

In spite of that quote, the Six of Observation depicts Holmes and Watson deep in conversation on a train. The creators of this deck note that “The Six of Swords has long been seen as a card of relationships, and especially the things we learn from sharing.” I have not thought of the Six of Swords that way, really, but I think I see what is meant. On the traditional Rider-Waite card, a woman and a young child are being rowed across a body of water towards a land that lies not far ahead. Their voyage is aided by the man who propels the boat. The woman and child have a relationship with each other, and it could be said that the man rowing the boat has a relationship with both of them, as he is helping them travel.

The Holmesian Wisdom for this card is a quote from Silver Blaze: “Nothing clears up a case so much as stating it to another person.”

Keys for this card, upright, are: “success after trouble, safety and protection, a journey, new perspectives, clearance of difficulties and blockages as a result of perceptive thought.” Reversed, the card can suggest “disclosure, revelation, unwanted surprise, change of plans or direction.”

The book that accompanies this deck also provides interpretations for each card under the headings “The Game” and “The Fog.” The former elaborates on the upright keys, while the latter expands on reversed meanings.

Examples from “The Game” for the Six of Observation: “A journey or fresh insights and clues. . . escaping from the present circumstances. . . New approaches to old problems.”  Examples from “The Fog”: “An unwillingness to leave the past life behind. Taking your troubles along with you. . . Maintaining a partnership that is over.”