As we come to the end of the Suit of Swords tarot guide, the King stands out as the peak of self-actualized intellectual authority. The Rider-Waite tarot deck, like many other traditional decks, portrays the court cards—Page, Knight, Queen, and King—as figures of mastery.
The tarot meaning of cards isn’t always explicitly obvious, and a lot of subtext and symbolism can fly under the radar. This tarot guide aims to clear up any confusion. By the end of it, you will learn about this Minor Arcana tarot card’s imagery and key meanings, but also be guided in how to apply the King’s messages to your own life.
King of Swords Keywords
Upright card (keywords)
Reason, authority, discipline, integrity, morality, serious, high standards, strict
Reversed card (keywords)
Irrational, dictator, oppressive, inhumane, controlling, cold, ruthless, dishonest
The King of Swords Tarot Card Description
A lot can be learned about the King of Swords tarot card meaning by its striking imagery. As we’ve seen with other Swords suit cards, the sword itself is being held in the right hand—this time, upward, but slightly tilting left. The upright sword symbolizes a conscious, rational mind, while the tilt to the left hints at an intuitive subconscious.
The King sits facing forward, ready to confront what’s next, as he sits on top of a sturdy throne with butterflies and crescent moon carvings. His upright posture shows he has been through personal growth and is now a mature man, reaching a leadership role that is fair yet with a wickedly sharp mind. Just on appearance alone, you can sense that he is a master strategist.
The empty sky behind him is a symbol of a calm mind with a neutral, balanced perspective that is free from emotional bias. The trees and mountain in the background are saying that he sees the bigger picture. Together, these elements paint a picture of a firm, intellectual leader in pursuit of truth.
The King of Swords Upright Meaning
The upright King of Swords is an indicator that you deserve high standards—and you’re capable of pursuing that. There is an intellectual power that is resonating with you, but you need to remain impartial and focus on integrity. When this card appears, the upright meaning is concerned with wisdom and ethical values, as it knows you can achieve better mental clarity by making this your focus.
Love Meaning
The love tarot reading of this card commends you of belief systems that revolve around respect and honesty. It suggests that you may need to prioritize clear communication, as the King himself is a master of clarity. You may be able to deepen your connection with romantic partners by being a little bit more self-aware and grounded, rather than being volatile through fleeting emotions. A holistic approach is therefore required to undergo the spiritual growth required to succeed in your love life.
Career Meaning
In a career tarot reading, the King of Swords is telling you about the importance of strategy. Discipline and logical thinking are crucial, sure, and these may be your strong attributes, but they’re not fully utilized without strategy. By being more analytical and cunning, you can grow professionally rather than relying on high standards alone. Success will come from careful planning, as it’s needed to know where to point your discipline and intellect in your work environment.
Finances Meaning
You may be concerned about financial matters, which is totally normal, but this financial tarot spread is advising that you take a steady, rational approach. Much like the career tarot reading, you need to analyze your situation meticulously. Emotions and short-sightedness can undo your current situation very quickly, and so a deeper understanding of how your decisions impact your long-term plan is needed.
The King of Swords Reversed Card Meaning
The reversed meaning of this card can call into question the authority figure. Perhaps you’ve misused authority, or you’ve suffered from overly rigid thinking. New ideas are necessary, and the reversed King of Swords warns you about using your intellect to be manipulative or overly critical. For example, you may have alienated others or created conflict by weaponizing your logical mind, which would misuse the King’s decisiveness.
Love Meaning
Your love life may be suffering from not setting clear boundaries or being overly critical. The reversed meaning is that your intellect could be used to create a power imbalance, and that previous relationships have led to a tendency to either be manipulative or be susceptible to manipulation. For singles, the card is a warning against being cold or too analytical in your approach, and instead should encourage some emotional openness.
Career Meaning
You may struggle with figures of authority and this could be hindering your ability to be mentored. It could be that they’re domineering or unfair, and your sense of justice is leading to confrontation. The reversed meaning of this card also highlights a potential lack of objectivity, calling into question your decision-making in the work environment.
Finances Meaning
Your struggles with financial matters are coming from an impulsivity that isn’t serving you well. Perhaps you’re living paycheck to paycheck, or you’re cutting short your early retirement plans by being overly lavish with your consumption. The reversed King of Swords suggests a confusion about financial matters, or that you’re being misled by unreliable advice. This card is calling for clarity and to avoid unethical investments or purchases, and instead reassess your strategies with clear boundaries.
Other Cards With The King of Swords
The spiritual knowledge of the King of Swords makes it an interesting card to pair with. Upon closer look, the intellectual authority it possesses can be a double-edged sword, and this is really emphasized by the different pairings. Here are five highly important ones…
The King of Swords and The High Priestess
This pairing leverages the King of Swords’ intellectual prowess with the intuition of the High Priestess. Together, they bond together creating an equilibrium of logic and inner wisdom. This is the ultimate intellectual power, when it is harnessed with a gut feeling, and it assumes a situation is coming up where both facts and feelings need to hear each other out.
The King of Swords and The Queen of Swords
This King and Queen pairing is a powerful symbol of high standards, mental clarity, and intellectual power. With the Queen of Swords, it represents a union of clarity and perception, and it can sometimes reflect on personal relationships, either with family members or romantic ones, in which trust and pragmatic thinking have become important. For your love life, it could mean connecting on a cerebral level in which you both share similar belief systems.
The King of Swords and The King of Cups
When these two authority figures come together, there is a concoction of emotion and intellectual prowess. For you, it may mean taking a leadership role in which pragmatism doesn’t override compassion, nor do you become power-hungry. This King of Cups pairing can enhance your spiritual knowledge. The dance between empathy and assertiveness can be tricky, but necessary.
The King of Swords and The Ace of Swords
This Suit of Swords pairing is a breakthrough in mental clarity that is driven by a surge in intellectual prowess. The Ace of Swords pairing is a sign to cut through any confusion in your work environment by acting with an energetic intellect, where you act decisively. This may refer to a new project you’re working on or being confronted with legal matters, but you will be guided by your unwavering commitment to truth.
The King of Swords and The Five of Wands
The Five in the Suit of Wands represents disagreements, so this pairing highlights the necessity of logic during any conflicts, and a keen eye on the truth during any clashes of ego. It suggests using your bright mind to mediate with a sense of fairness, as the King of Swords encourages, and the pairing serves as a warning against petty arguments or conflicts during struggles for power.
The King of Swords Card and Its Astrological Sign
This Minor Arcana card is deeply associated with the Air sign, just as many other Suit of Swords cards are, meaning its Zodiac connections are with Libra, Gemini, and Aquarius. These Zodiac signs are all about logic and fairness, which mirror the King’s attributes of ethical decision-making leadership. Of these, it’s Aquarius that is most strongly linked to the King.
Conclusion
During a King of Swords tarot reading, you will take away several key meanings from this guide. It’s a powerful card that is super helpful in a career reading in particular, as it’s often the holistic approach that is required to succeed.
You’re prompted with ethical and justice-seeking encouragement to really guide your intellect. But, it’s not enough to just know this; you must act on it, and continually reflect on the card’s key meanings.
You don’t need to be a tarot expert to grow your spiritual power—we can help you discover the symbolism and meanings behind even the most challenging of cards!
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