Can one do the six approaches and holding in VFR to maintain currency
without a view-limiting device or a safety pilot?

What does 61.57 say:
http://tinyurl.com/crdgn

I see: "...performed and logged under actual or simulated instrument
conditions..."

I read that as in IMC, "under the hood" with a safety pilot, or
possibly in a simulator with a CFII.
-harry