King of Swords
King of Swords
Number 14 Air king
A swords card: thought, truth, and what you keep turning over.
Upright
judgementauthorityprincipleclear thinking
Judgement, exercised properly. The King of Swords is the card of the person who decides on principle rather than preference: lawyers, editors, anyone whose job is to be right rather than popular. As advice, it says apply the standard evenly, including to yourself.
Reversed
cold logicabuse of authorityrules over people
Logic without humanity. Reversed, this is the rule applied regardless of consequence, authority used to end conversations, or intellect deployed to avoid feeling anything.
What is in the picture
A king facing forwards, sword slightly tilted, butterflies carved on the throne. Two birds in a flat sky. He is the only king who looks entirely still.
What it says about…
The line a reading leads with, depending on what you said you were asking about.
A bit of everything
Upright: apply the principle evenly. Including to your own case.
Reversed: logic being used to avoid something.
Love and relationships
Upright: someone principled and straight with you.
Reversed: winning arguments at the cost of the relationship.
Work and direction
Upright: a fair decision, made on the merits. Take professional advice if offered.
Reversed: authority used badly. Document things.
Money and security
Upright: get proper advice from someone qualified.
Reversed: technically correct financial reasoning that ignores your actual life.
Me, honestly
Upright: your reasoning here is sound. Trust it over the noise.
Reversed: you are thinking about this to avoid feeling about it.
A decision I am stuck on
Upright: yes, on principle, and hold to it.
Reversed: you are rationalising a decision made elsewhere.
If this card leads
Apply the same standard you would apply to somebody else.
As a yes or no
Upright, it reads as yes. Reversed, no.
“I can hold myself to the standard I set.”
Draw it in a reading
The meaning above, applied to something you are actually asking about.
