Are you avoiding the cold reality of a situation? Were you too blunt with someone who needed to be told some news in a more gingerly fashion? Is it past time for some plain talk between you and a lover? Were you so insulated from criticism that you developed a thin skin and are now having it pinched at the most casual comments from friends and strangers alike? Have you been dealing with a boss who seems to assign jobs that can never be delivered fast nor perfect enough? Look for the Knight of Swords to appear in your Tarot reading. This is not a card of bad news, so much as a signal of information arriving at an inconvenient time and delivered in an inelegant manner.
A man on horseback rides against a windstorm; he is on a white stallion and clad in armor. His cape blows up and his horse stretches for speed. The wind is blowing trees and clouds with great force right at him, but his only response to this opposition is to raise a sword even higher as he charges on.
Knights are the Tarot’s way to deliver something. Swords represent ideas, words and thoughts. When the Knight delivers his words to you, the idea behind what is being said becomes apparent quite rapidly. The white horse indicates that the message being delivered is pure. There is no intent to harm with these thoughts and words, but the person speaking them may not be aware of how they sound or the disruption they cause to the daily routine. Someone who is sensitive about his or her belief system will feel trampled by the Knight’s horse when challenges to these core beliefs are expressed.
Meaning in Past, Present and Future Positions
In every Tarot reading, the cards are dealt into positions that represent your past, your present and your future. The meaning of a card can and will change depending on which of these positions it occupies in your Tarot spread.
In the past position, this card describes a recent argument that you had which led to your current state of mind. It could also go deeper and be describing your childhood. Were you told that your dreams were unreachable? The foundation of your current situation could have been established in a climate of criticism. This card in this position asks you to ponder what your reaction to blunt words in the past might have caused you to do.
The Knight of Swords in the present position is an indicator that you are getting some unwanted news. Perhaps your very Tarot reading is not going as planned! The Knight of Swords has a pinpoint focus and stays on topic. There may be plenty you are avoiding in your life, perhaps that you have become quite good at avoiding. The Knight of Swords assures you that suddenly you are no longer able to avoid things and that confrontation can and will commence.
This card is quite powerful for you when it is dealt in the future position. The Knight of Swords is at his most powerful when his visit is a surprise. When his arrival has been announced and prepared for, you, the receiver of his visit, are in charge. This card here lets you know that a critique is coming. It warns you of unreasonable demands in a negotiation that will soon commence. It lets you know that those closest to you will not finesse words when their interests are challenged. Use the knowledge of this coming communication to protect yourself from the damage that ordinarily arrives with the Knight of Swords: damage we cause to ourselves by being unprepared.
Card Combinations
When a Tarot reading is dealt, the energy of the cards intermingles. Cards influence each other in unique ways that cannot be reproduced. Your reading is unique as cards combine to form a singular vision of your future.
When other Knight cards are dealt, the words delivered by the Knight of Swords take on a form that is not exclusively verbal. The Knight of Cups would bring out a surprise “I love you” from someone. When the Knight of Wands accompanies the Knight of Swords, art or song express an idea and do it in a shockingly powerful manner. Pairing up with the Knight of Pentacles could mean a surprising bill arrives in the mail. Pentacles are about money and it may be time to collect what you are owed in order to pay what you owe.
The Tarot’s Page cards represent new experiences and youthful vigor. The Knight of Swords paired with the Page of Pentacles means a harsh lesson in a new field of investing or otherwise risking your money. The Page of Wands is liable to make a big mess when paired with the Knight of Swords, as you will explore a creative field in which you have no experience. The Page of Swords indicates that a coming criticism will be weak and ineffective. The Page of Cups paired with the Knight of Swords assures you of a new admirer who will surprise you with an innocent proposal.
The Queen cards mix well with the Knight of Swords as it is often difficult for the internally-focused queens to express themselves. The Queen of Swords paired with this card allows you to express ideas that may be in conflict but still work toward resolution. The Queen of Wands will deliver the right words to describe a complex creative project that may not be within the realm of your vocabulary. The Queen of Cups indicates a strong declaration of love is coming your way. The Knight of Swords combines with the Queen of Pentacles to beckon as a tempting investment opportunity.
The Knight of Swords brings out the brutal and imperious side of the Tarot’s King cards. The King of Pentacles delivers a financial ultimatum to you that is impossible to ignore when he is paired with the Knight of Swords in your reading. The Knight speaks the words of emotional absolutes when he joins the King of Cups. Prepare for a demanding lover to ask for more than you may be willing to give. The King of Swords and the Knight of Swords combine to put a new idea into your head that changes the way you think about everyday things. The Knight of Wands combines with this card to master a creative way of expressing yourself.
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