What does the Knight of Swords card mean in a Tarot Reading?
This card is called “Lord of Winds and Breezes” and also “King of the Spirits of Air”.
The basic meaning of the Knight of Swords is action without consideration. Whether it leads to victory or struggle is determined by the context. In any case, it is a swift action, regardless of whether this action turns out to be supported by wisdom.
Knight of Swords Tarot is the Arcana of impetuosity, movement, when energy is torn from within. By itself, it is neither positive nor negative. Other cards of the spread will indicate where the consequences of your energy will lead you.
If the card appears in the spread, then the person is in the center of the twists and turns. Minor Arcana Tarot card Knight of Swords indicates stressful situations, the vicissitudes of fate
The card symbolizes, as a rule, a young man who is at the beginning of his career. He wants to show himself and others what he is capable of. On a personal level, this may be a person who does not know how to adapt to a partner and who prefers to aggravate relations.
Often this is a “chess player” who considers any situation only as an opportunity to outplay the opponent, or even better – to gain a brilliant victory over him. Even a close person may also be in the role of “enemy”.
The atmosphere of the card is dynamic and impetuous, it conveys well the meaning of the Arcana – readiness to act, fight, determination, movement forward.
Goal: Discussion without emotion.
Element: Air
Planet: Mars, Saturn, Mercury
Astrological sign: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Depiction
A knight clad in armor with an open visor and a helmet with feathers fluttering in the wind, rides on his horse into battle. Thunderclouds are scattering in the sky, and cypresses are bending in the distance in the distance. His harness is decorated with images of butterflies and birds.
(For a detailed depiction, analysis of the Symbols and all Elements of the Knight of Swords Tarot Card, click here)
The Main Meanings of the Card In an Upright Position
Key Words and Phrases
An unexpected situation. An important event related to your thinking or conflict. New people. Fresh impressions. Active or impulsive actions. Quick solutions. Mental stimulation. Leadership. Ambition. Confidence. Fearlessness. Statement. Aggressiveness. Determination.
Persistent action. New ideas. The power of reason. Change in thinking. Professional advice. Analytic skills. Relentlessness. Diversity. Versatility. Energy of Mercury. Communication. Force. Use of force. Gallantry. Courage. Straightness. Determination. Protection in difficult times.
The main meanings of the card in an upright position
high intellectual potential;
impetuosity, perseverance;
too much confidence in success;
heated discussions, quarrels, breakdown of relations;
collapse of projects, plans, termination of cooperation;
cooling enthusiasm;
increased criticism and / or self-criticism;
heartlessness;
haste, impetuous movement;
unlucky period in personal life;
military, armed, carrying weapons, fencing teacher, duelist;
soldier of every regiment and every kind of weapon, fighter, enemy;
dispute, war, battle, duel;
attack , defense, destruction, ruin, overturning;
dislike, hatred, anger, rancor;
courage, courage;
satellite;
an indication of a soldier, military, intelligent and ambitious, cruel and ruthless to enemies;
despotism, conflict;
skill, resistance, future feat;
strong personality; for a friend – a true friend, for enemies – a dangerous enemy;
courage, professionalism, leadership skills, toughness;
victory in opposition, conflict.
Situation and Advice
Perhaps you are currently in a conflict situation that infuriates you. It will bring chaos into your life, but it will quickly resolve. You should be active and ready to take action at any time. Swords often represent a period of struggle and competition when you will have to take swift and decisive action. You will be protected by a strong and gallant young man who knows how to defend his rights. If you want, you can quickly reach your goal. Now you better listen to the voice of reason and not to the voice of the heart. Be strong and decisive, and approach problems dispassionately. Good professional advice will help you end failure and get on the road to success. Swords have a difficult relationship with emotions, so the presence of these cards in the spread does not bode well for a romantic relationship. The Knight of Swords warns you against impulsiveness and haste.
Persons designated by Upright Knight of Swords Tarot Сard
Winners. Leaders. Strong, decisive people who know how to defend their rights. Those who get whatever they want. Professional consultants. Smart young people. Lawyers. Those who work in the law enforcement system. Engineers. People who, by the nature of their profession, communicate a lot. People engaged in intellectual work. Economists. People whose work is related to technology. Powerful, aggressive, dominant and impatient people. Strong, reliable and gallant in every way young people, ready to help. Intellectuals. Those who drag you into conflict. Those who are successful in business, but who can be ruthless and selfish in pursuing their goals. Insincere people, absorbed only in themselves. Smart and lively people. Those whose mind dominates emotions.
The Main Meanings of the Card In a Reversed Position
Key Words and Phrases
Disorder. Haste. Hasty action. Hasty words. Violent behavior. Quirks. Boasting. Bad opinion. Impulsiveness. Sudden disappearance. Sudden departure. Prejudice. Quarreling. Selfishness. Impatience. Bad advice. Rush. Pressure. Powerfulness. Fanaticism. Malice. Confrontation. Disagreement. Advance too fast. Absentminded thinking. Goofy behavior. Lack of focus. Unsolicited and unnecessary advice. Extravagance. Sarcasm. Craftiness. Deception. Militancy. Cruelty. Excuses. Time to lay low. When it gets difficult to walk, I keep walking anyway. Catching flies with vinegar instead of honey.
The main meanings of the card in a reversed position
bad omen;
troublemaker;
secrecy;
absent-mindedness;
desire to command;
instigators;
misunderstanding, inability, stupidity, negligence;
arrogance, extravagance, ridiculous position, rusticity;
fraud, cheating;
aggression, blunder, faceless forces, wasteful extravagance;
recklessness, bad leadership;
stupid or vain person;
indiscretion, incompetence, fighting a rival (for ladies);
look back again; you have a powerful and dangerous enemy or an explosive situation;
rival, competitor;
confrontation, threatening situation, open conflict;
aggressiveness, intolerance to other people’s opinions;
the need to defend;
accident, illness, cataclysm.
Situation and Advice
Now is not the right time to start a new project. Someone actively opposes you and frustrates all your plans. Being sarcastic will further alienate those around you. Any situation can abruptly cease to exist. A person who means a lot to you may suddenly disappear from your life. Perhaps your thoughts are now scattered and you cannot concentrate in any way. You need to be patient, otherwise you will certainly quarrel with someone. Someone is trying to provoke you, guided by their own selfish motives, but it may be that your desire to command creates problems for you. The reversed Knight of Sword’s beliefs can become self-contained and aggressive. He can become cruel, unfair and rude – in thought, word or deed. As for the event, it could be an unexpected departure.
Persons designated by the Reversed Knight of Swords Tarot Сard
Powerful people. Fanatics. Dictators. Those who think only of themselves and do not take into account the feelings of other people. People who suddenly disappear. People who create problems. Aggressive young people. Unbalanced, immature people. Enemies. Instigators. Gossipers. Those who oppose you and frustrate your plans. Know-it-alls. Stubborn, belligerent, disrespectful and cocky young people. Crafty people who do everything furtively. Scattered people. Cruel people.
In the Spreads
The Knight of Swords in most cases indicates some kind of rapid change in the situation, sudden circumstances. Something will appear in the querent’s life that will awaken strong emotions, a willingness to act immediately and with pressure. Also, the card can characterize the internal state of a person – self-confidence, energy, aggressiveness, desire to influence the situation.
The treatment of an upright and a reversed card is similar, however, there are some differences depending on the area of the question.
In an Upright Position
If the card appears in the spread, then the person is in the center of the twists and turns. Minor Arcana Tarot card Knight of Swords indicates stressful situations, the vicissitudes of fate.
The upright Knight of Swords always means dynamics, will to win, energy, speed, rapid development of events, participation in a situation. You need to act right now, using all your strength and intelligence.
In an upright position, the Knight of Swords indicates the inability to choose one of several solutions. This is indecision, lack of balance and a clear understanding of the situation. In addition, the Knight of Swords denotes the coldness of alienation, heated discussions, harsh and daring conclusions, evil language and caustic irony. Often foreshadows quarrel, conflict, violent polemics and carefully planned meanness.
A conflict situation may arise out of the blue. If a quarrel has already arisen, then the Knight of Swords indicates that the situation will go far, up to the complete destruction and rupture of relations. The card symbolizes war, fight, battle and death, or a decision that was not made in favor of the questioner.
At the same time, the Knight of Swords indicates a high intellectual potential that can be used for peaceful purposes. A person is inherent in resourcefulness and the ability to do a thousand things in one moment, which in fact is not suitable for solving issues.
The card means the ability to resist someone or something, fearlessness and victory over problems. A person goes his own way, despite the circumstances and obstacles. The meaning of the Knight of Swords Tarot card is the final battle, the last dash in a righteous battle. Sometimes it indicates a trip, a business trip, associated with stress, events that occur unexpectedly and quickly.
The Knight of Swords Tarot represents a strong, strong-willed personality. Combining full dedication to his cause with a sharp mind, he is self-confident and arbitrary: an influential friend, but a formidable opponent. Regarding situations, the card speaks of an approaching conflict, which, despite the initial setbacks, will end with the triumph of the querent, especially if decisive constructive measures are immediately taken.
A treacherous young man. False friend. A cunning and courageous person, actively acting in their own interests. Knight of Swords Tarot is ready to crush anyone who gets in his way.
The Knight of Swords Tarot card personifies a person who can harm, humiliate, insult. He possesses all the qualities of a leader and is able to convince others to follow him (voluntarily or not), which makes him even more dangerous for those whom he has chosen as his enemies.
Note that he is even more dangerous because even the querent admires his personality. It is better if you, if possible, resist him, rather than follow him. His followers receive no more benefit than his enemies. If the Tarot card Knight of Swords does not represent a specific personality, then it predicts conflict, confrontation and, possibly, destruction and death.
In a Reversed Position:
The reversed Arcana symbolizes retreat at the last moment, when a person seems to be ready to act, goes forward, but then suddenly slows down, and the matter remains unfinished. Or, on the contrary, emotions overwhelm him so much that he rushes into a battle that is beyond his power.
In a reversed form, the Knight of Swords describes situations associated with the manifestation and deliberate demonstration of aggression, indicating the likelihood of a major crisis in life. A person is haunted by unexpected obstacles and problems, which is most likely caused by incompetence, exaggeration, excessive impulsivity.
The Knight of Swords warns you of an open conflict, confrontation or trial, when you will have to make every effort to fight back. Therefore, it is best not to aggravate the situation by making a truce with the Knight of Swords in time or by making a compromise that suits you both.
In a reversed position, the Knight of Swords Tarot points to a young man from the entourage of the querent – a dangerous rival, adversary or opponent who can greatly harm you.
The person who stands for the Knight of Swords has such traits as self-confidence, willpower, leadership qualities, intransigence and toughness. If you get this card, it means that you are either already in a confrontation with this dangerous person, or you have yet to do it.
The Tarot card Knight of Swords with the reversed orientation speaks of the inherent personality of the Knight of aggression, intolerance and stubbornness. Possessing these qualities, he is able to exacerbate situations where tact and diplomacy are required.
Envy consumes the reversed Knight of Swords. He hates the rivals more established than himself. A person cannot decide on whose side he is and for whom he is fighting. Sometimes this is an indecisive, dependent and depressed man next to a strong woman. A reversed card also indicates unsuccessful trips, disputes, tantrums. For men, it can be the death because of a woman.
In addition, the card represents some kind of force that can really harm: illness, natural disaster or accident.
In the Spreads for Different situation
In an Upright Position:
Now you need to get together as much as possible, think over everything carefully, act quickly and clearly. Events, most likely, will develop rapidly, new circumstances will appear. Be prepared to be smart and assertive.
In a Reversed Position:
Don’t hesitate. Be more active, don’t miss your chances. A beautiful picture in your head is good, but real action is needed to achieve the goal. Carefully weigh your strengths, do not rush “right off the bat”.
In the Spreads for Relationship
In an Upright Position:
In love, the Knight of Swords is a rather unfavorable card, since it often indicates quarrels, conflicts, mutual attacks, clashes between partners on various issues. And since emotions on both sides are off scale, such conflicts can lead to the breakup of the couple.
In the sphere of personal life, the Knight of Swords in an upright position means not only a sudden cooling of the former warm feelings, but also their transformation into their opposite – anger, hatred or mockery. The card shows that even deep feelings can fall prey to disparaging remarks and sarcastic witticisms. Arcana often informs about the desire of one of the partners to break off the relationship.
In a Reversed Position:
In the sphere of relationships, the reversed Knight of Swords, like the upright one, means scandals, conflicts or quarrels on emotions. One or both partners, letting off steam, stop, but, as a rule, too late, when they have already hurt each other.
Having fallen out in fortune telling in a reversed position, the Knight of Swords means a relationship in which selfishness prevails, and partners do not hesitate in manifesting negative emotions. Sometimes Arcana describes a situation when one of the partners, without explaining the reasons, suddenly disappears somewhere, leaves, stops communication.
In the Spreads for Money
In an Upright Position:
The financial situation is unstable and wave-like. It is good, it is bad, then earnings, then waste.
In a Reversed Position:
In finance, money wasted or lost due to one’s own emotions, impulsiveness, or misbehavior.
In the Spreads for Career
In an Upright Position:
In a career matter, it means impulsiveness, hyperactivity, ambition, new ideas, a willingness to compete with competitors, to defend one’s point of view. The main thing is not to forget to first analyze the possible consequences.
The upright Tarot card Knight of Swords often means a cooling of relations between colleagues, an increase in discord and hostility. This is a period of tension when we become too picky about others or, on the contrary, are criticized ourselves. It may indicate losses, the collapse of projects, plans and other business endeavors. At the same time, the cooperation that promised to be very fruitful is terminated.
In a Reversed Position:
In work, the reversed Knight of Swords symbolizes many ideas and plans, but when it comes to the need to do something, there is a sharp inhibition. The person seems to be ready, but not 100% and so far hesitates to act. Also, the card can indicate missed chances, when it was necessary to act earlier, and now it is too late.
In a reversed position, appearing in fortune-telling and spreads, the Knight of Swords tells about the conflict for the sake of the conflict itself. The person will try to harm a colleague or boss not because of an attempt to get some material benefit from this, but simply out of a desire to cause trouble.
In the Spreads for Health
In an Upright Position:
Health indicates diseases or abnormalities associated with emotions. Various mental or nervous system problems, addictions, as well as injuries due to careless behavior.
In a Reversed Position:
In terms of health, violence, accidents and injuries are likely, especially to the arms and legs, as well as other dangerous situations in which speed plays a role in one way or another. The state of health indicates severe mental problems or diseases caused by nerves.
Answer to Yes / No Tarot Spreads
In an Upright Position:
Yes
In a Reversed Position:
No
Self-Development Lesson
This is the time to acknowledge and confront the destructive aspects of your love life and your relationships. Be patient and wait a little longer before moving on.
Type of person in an upright position:
The card indicates a young man (under 35), medium or below average height, wiry, agile. The hair is dark blond, black, less often brown. There may be early gray hair. The eyes are gray or brown.
Divorced man. Free as the wind. He is looking for women only for a short adventure, and marriage to anyone is not included in his plans at all. He is not a gallant suitor, although he tries to seem so. Very jealous, a real owner. The type of man who can be won over by inaccessibility. Then a hunting passion awakens in him, and the woman will win in contrast to more accessible ladies. He is able to fall in love with an unusual bright woman, ordinary women are of no interest to him.
By nature, regardless of gender, he is a person who hates waiting. If he is denied something, he becomes conflicted and intolerant. In a personal scenario, for a woman, she is an evil, jealous hysterical woman who can kill any man with her nagging.
Type of person in a reversed position:
The person is conflicted, spiteful, cruel. Looking for any opportunity to mock the weaker ones. An evil neighbor who sows discord among the tenants of the house. A colleague at work intriguing for the love of the process. This card means energy vampires that feed on the emotions of their victims, bloodthirsty sadists, who constantly strive to dismiss their hands.
Arcana’s warning
First, analyze the situation and the consequences, then proceed to action.
Final Advice of Arcana
Act thoughtfully, consciously, and promptly. Now the main thing is not to miss the opportunity.
In an Upright Position:
The Knight of Swords is able to sweep the gaping passer-by out of the way and not even notice it. Therefore, if you hear the sound of his horse’s hooves, hide quickly!
In a Reversed Position:
Stop here. Don’t try to mount the same horse that once threw you off.
Conclusion
The Tarot’s Knight of Swords is a young man with the characteristics of his emblematic parents, selfish, cruel, treacherous and pursuing his own goals. Due to his youth, it seems that he does not have the strength and ability to harm. But within his own sphere of influence, he is able to cause harm, as he is able to rely on others who will help to cause even more harm (or avoid the consequences of his actions).
This is a person who tests his ability to become King or Queen. He is even less scrupulous and more cruel. Spy, enemy, traitor. A person who will humiliate or insult the querent.
If the Tarot card Knight of Swords does not represent a specific personality, then it warns of hostility and confrontation. If the adjacent cards in the spread are negative, then the Knight of Swords warns of destruction or death.
Discover other Minor Arcana:
Suit of Swords
Ace of Swords
Two of Swords
Three of Swords
Four of Swords
Five of Swords
Six of Swords
Seven of Swords
Eight of Swords
Nine of Swords
Ten of Swords
Page of Swords
Knight of Swords
Queen of Swords
King of Swords
Suit of Wands
Ace of Wands
Two of Wands
Three of Wands
Four of Wands
Five of Wands
Six of Wands
Seven of Wands
Eight of Wands
Nine of Wands
Ten of Wands
Page of Wands
Knight of Wands
Queen of Wands
King of Wands