At the very top of a windy hill sits the throne of the King of Swords – the master of mental power. He sits on a throne of stone, an image of butterflies carved into its face. The king himself wears blue robes with red sleeves, a purple robe of royalty draped over top. In his right hand, he holds a large sword with ease, and his left hand simply lays at rest on his lap. Over the king's left shoulder fly two birds. The king makes no motion – he only sits still, waiting to deal with what may come.

To start with, we'll want to disambiguate court cards. They are often the most difficult to read, due to their general nature. It is easier to remember that a court card often signifies a person or entity: the sex of the person may not match that of the court card, but the attitude and persona will seem familiar. If it's clear, however, that the court card doesn't refer to a person, remember to break it down further.

The King of Swords is a professional. He is the one who knows all the details and had the big picture in his mind. He sees the long-term plan and is an expert in his field. You can't argue with him because he knows he is right and has the knowledge to back it up. He is not a cruel or calculating person because he knows his power and feels no need to lord over others or be arrogant in his dealings.

The throne represents that the kings realm is that of the mind – his knowledge and mental acuity mean that his outward movement and action mean little to him (unless it is born of thought, of course). When it comes to the king, there is no such thing as confusion or misjudgment – he knows what he knows.

Ruling his kingdom with a fair and just hand, the king always analyzes each judgment critically before making his final statement. When this king has made up his mind, there is no changing it. Just because he lives his life putting his mind first does not mean he cannot speak it: he is actually quite skilled in communicating his ideas, due to the amount of forethought he puts into it.

There is no try, either you do it or you don't

To embody the King of Swords, Think things through entirely, applying logic in all situations. Put what you think before your impulses – your mind will serve you well. Always deal out your judgments in an objective manner, without being partial to any side. Lastly, make sure to speak your mind clearly so that all may understand exactly what it is you mean to say.

Here are some things to ask yourself when you see the King of Swords in your readings. Does the King represent a person? If so, who? What message or lesson do they hold for you? What traits of the King's do you already possess? Which would you be better off pursuing? Do you deal your judgments in an impartial, fair manner? How do you approach your own thoughts – do you try to think things through before acting, or avoid thinking too much? Why?

The King of Swords has a good deal in common with the Emperor card – both rule over their kingdoms in an impartial way, so as to not pass cruel or incorrect judgments. The Two of Wands also has a lot in common with the King of Swords, namely the power that they wield – the only difference is that the King wields a power of the mind specifically, while the Two refers to a power dealing with physical action.

What King of Swords Means for You Today

When the King of Swords shows up in a reading it means that you need to trust yourself. You know what you need to know and only self-doubt can get in your way. You probably know your field better than most. You might even know things that you shouldn't be able to know and people can be intimidated by your x-ray vision. You see straight through to the core of the situation and others may oppose you due to their own intellectual insecurity. This card can also be a sign that there is a person in your life who embodies this energy and they are willing to help you.