Wisest of Judges–
You bravely make the choices
that others run from
Playing Chess with the King
Being taught the art of war
with no mercy
He shows me how the pieces move
and how to set the board
and maneuver
He suggests things to look for
and avoid
then defeats me each time
He lives for the battle
and the game.
Ever ready to compete
with full force
The suit of Swords represents thought, ideas, plans and conflicts. Kings are the leaders, the shakers, the initiatory force or person that get things moving. The King of Swords is a great military commander and an insightful strategist. As shrewd as he is tho, he is a man of action and will often bring his full intensity to bear on whatever cause has most recently gathered his attention. His impulse is to act with thought as opposed to reflect and then act, an important distinction. He is a shrewd judge of character and offers great advice on practical matters such as business and law. He tends to have a strong moral code and does well as long as he does not find himself in a situation where he has to act contrary to it. Consider Javert in Les Miserables. As long as he is convinced that is is correct in his pursuit of Jean Valjean then he is able to continue his pursuit unceasingly. However when he is forced to question his own sense of right and wrong, he cannot survive it. The King of Swords also has strong debating skills with a mastery of language use.
Astrological Correspondence: 21° Taurus – 20° Gemini Elemental: Fire of Air – Taurean rigidity and steadfastness mixed with Gemini’s sociability and interest in communication makes for a very dynamic combination. This individual will want to test himself against any new idea or concept that comes his way not because he is open to changing his viewpoint as to prove that what he believes can hold its own against any comers. He has a strong drive to succeed in every endeavour but to bring as many others along for the ride as possible. At his best he is a loyal and steadfast friend. At his worst he is a harsh martinet who will place his standards and moral code above that of friendship.
I Ching Correspondence: 32)Hêng-Duration
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The trigram for Thunder is over that of the Wind. Thunder and Wind are often thought of as going together and this hexagram likewise indicates a long enduring relationship. For something to endure it is important that priority is placed on the purpose and ideals on which the relationship was based from the beginning. When this is done, any conflicts become secondary. For a relationship to last there cannot be stagnation and something new must be continually brought to the table. While neither thunder nor wind may be thought of as subsisting for long, the weather patterns that bring them are continuous.
When the King of Swords occurs in a reading there may be a legal or business matter that we need advice on. It may represent any type of problem where a logical and analytical mind can help us see the right course of action. It is definitely a time when swift action is necessary. It may also represent a time when we need to take responsibility for choices that have been made even if the choice was to delegate the matter to someone else. The King of Swords may also represent someone who has come into ourlife who is both logical and somewhat autocratic. This person gives great advice when asked but we may often feel judged in this person’s presence.
When the King of Swords is reversed, then either we or someone in our environment may be having serious control issues. The reversed King of Swords likes to throw his weight around and fully expects people to fall into line and may be quite harsh and cutting when this does not happen. There is a strong streak of cruelty in the reversal of this card and control and arrogance is everything to this person at this time. The King of Swords reversed may also refer to someone who is looked upon as an authority who finds himself unable to make a decision. This may have happened because there is nothing in his rule book that has prepared him for present circumstances.
“We are addicted to our thoughts. We cannot change anything if we cannot change our thinking.”
― Santosh Kalwar
I believe I like the converse of this statement even more. As we change our thoughts, we change our life. I don’t necessarily mean in a Law of Attraction type way that the book the Secret talks about. Oh in many cases that works as long as you keep in mind that there are other universal laws that figure into the mix, The Law of Karma etc. Still its amazing how much of our lives derive from our views. It may be as simple as do we see a beautiful flower growing in the sun or do we see a noxious weed cutting off our tomato plants? Is that woman over there a wrinkled old bag or a wise elder with a beauty highlighted by the lines of experience on her face? Is that guy over there weird or delightfully different. Even something as simple as does my life suck or am I a bit unhappy at the moment tho my life is great overall? All of the above examples were extremes where there is a wide spectrum of other possibilities within each of them. How many different viewpoint can you adopt at any given point of your day. Try shifting your viewpoint and see how your reality changes.. Out of such exercises comes a foundation of magic.
Blessings, G
King of Swords (Revised) by G A Rosenberg
