TAROT CARD MEANING
King of Swords: tarot card meaning
Minor Arcana · Suit of Swords
Fire of Air: the law. Intellectual authority that decides by principle and answers for the decision.
- Judgement
- Authority
- Ethics
- Rigour
- Arcana
- Minor Arcana
- Element
- Air
- Astrology
- Taurus – Gemini
Look at the image
A king faces forward holding a raised sword; his throne bears butterfly motifs.
The central meaning
Public criterion. The law of the situation.
In practice
An ethical decision, analysis, leadership by reason, fair mediation. Thinking for the group, not only for a preference.
Shadow and reversed
Intellectual authoritarianism. Or refusing to judge what asks for judgement. Judicial coldness. Using reason to avoid feeling and the rule to avoid listening.
In love
Someone upright and reserved. Or a bond where everything turns into a debate.
At work
Law, management, arbitration, consulting. Authority through competence.
As an obstacle
Principle becomes rigidity: you apply the rule and lose the person the rule existed to protect.
As advice
Decide by the criterion, not by the mood. Then explain the criterion.
Spiritual essence
The King is the Fire of Air: will applied to thought, the law that decides and takes it on. He rules from Taurus 20° to Gemini 20° — from matter to the word.
Practical imperative
Write down the rule you will follow before you look at the case. Then apply it, including against your own interest.
Whisper of the shadow
His sword leans to one side. No impartiality is perfect — and yours has a tilt you know about and do not admit.
A question to reflect on
Which fair criterion — not only my taste — should govern this decision?
Frequently asked questions
What does King of Swords mean in tarot?
Fire of Air: the law. Intellectual authority that decides by principle and answers for the decision. In the Oraculum texts, the central meaning of King of Swords is: Public criterion. The law of the situation.
What does King of Swords mean reversed?
In the shadow or reversed position, King of Swords points to: Judicial coldness. Using reason to avoid feeling and the rule to avoid listening.
What does King of Swords mean in love?
Someone upright and reserved. Or a bond where everything turns into a debate.
What does King of Swords mean for work and career?
Law, management, arbitration, consulting. Authority through competence.
