Is there a new authority figure in your life who has a mastery of language? Have you arrived at a place in your life where you are the expert to whom people turn to for advice? Are issues with words your father told you surfacing? Is the advice of an old friend reassuring you about your life’s path many years later? The King of Swords is one of the most serene and certain cards in the Tarot deck.
Upon a stone throne sits the King. He is alone, wearing his golden crown and is staring straight at you. In his right hand is his sword that rises far beyond his head. He has a cape and wears a long robe. Behind him is a lush landscape of trees and birds, foliage and a blue sky with a few bubbly gray clouds all behind him.
Many Tarot decks adorn the King of Swords and his throne with interesting decor. A centuries-old French deck dresses him in a fashionable coat with smiling faces on the shoulders that form the shape of the moon. Some contemporary decks illustrate the crescent moon and monarch butterflies. The moon is a representation of wisdom and monarch butterflies are a play on words; something the King of Swords is best at. Do not get into a verbal tussle with the monarch of Swords.
Meaning in Past, Present and Future Positions
Every Tarot reading sees the cards dealt into positions representing the past, present or future. Wherever a card lands allows the story of the person receiving the Tarot reading to be told with that specific card illustrating a piece of that time frame.
When the King of Swords is in the past position it describes a person in your life, perhaps your childhood or some other formative time that made you who you are today. This person would have been great with language, a master of using words to get what he or she wanted. If the King of Swords represents you, here it would be you as a student or perhaps prior to emigrating from your native land, mastering a mother tongue that you no longer use.
In the present position, the King of Swords is especially potent. Women who are developing a crush on one of their teachers inevitably see the King of Swords in this position. When he stands in front of the class and effortlessly lectures with expertise it is as if he rules all language and guides your mind in one direction as he guides your imagination somewhere else. This can also be a person with whom you work closely who is assisting getting you through a tough time by offering sound advice. Many times we ignore the analysis of a well-intentioned friend only to regret not having followed a few wise words. The King of Swords lands here to remind you to respect the answers from an authority in your midst. If the King of Swords is actually you this indicates that what you have to say is important and you must speak up. No matter if you are a computer programmer with the right code to perfect a system’s architecture or an activist who knows how to speak truth to power, the King of Swords has the words and is compelled to use them.
In the future position, the events of the present may be steering you toward an encounter with a person whose word is law. Perhaps the King of Swords is the judge who will be overseeing your child custody battle. In the future position, this card can represent a spouse or partner delivering an ultimatum in regards to some negative behavior of yours. If the King of Swords represents you when it is in this position, you are becoming a person to whom many people turn for advice or guidance.
Regardless of the position in which this card lands, there is both power and status that comes with being the King of Swords, but the responsibility of it all makes for a heavy crown. This king wears no jewelry, his garments are plain; there is no glamour besides the power of his poetry.
Court Card Combinations
In the Tarot deck, there are Kings, Queens, Knights and Pages for each suit. They are called the Court Cards. When more than one Court Card appears in your Tarot reading, they instantly combine to tell a story even if they are placed far apart in different positions. The presence of two Court Cards allows the Tarot reader to find out which Court Card represents you. If the King of Swords is you, the other Court Card represents the person on the receiving end of your silver tongue. If the King of Swords is most definitely the other person, the character embodied by the Court Card representing you will most definitely be affected and influenced by the words and ideas of that person.
Other Card Combinations
When the King of Swords appears in a reading that features many other cards from the suit of Swords, the words of the King carry angry and confrontational overtones. When there are many Cups in a reading with this card, the balance of logic and emotion gives a sense of hopefulness about resolution. Pentacles are cards representing material issues and money; surrounding this card indicates a discussion about money will be a memorable conversation. If you are going to see a financial advisor when a reading like this transpires, take very detailed notes. When the suit of Wands is prominent in a reading that features the King of Swords, a creative project you are working on is destined for great reviews.
There are a few Tarot cards that amplify the power of the King of Swords into an unstoppable force of nature. The High Priestess, The Emperor, The Hierophant, Justice and The Devil make the most potent combinations. These cards take the articulate words of the King of Swords and empower them with deep, lasting influence for good or evil. If this is the result of your Tarot spread, understand the essence of that power before you speak, or prior to acting on an influential person’s request.
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