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The Knight (King) of Swords represents the masculine side of the Air Element. The power of the clever, quick, brainwashed mind that appears here in its ingenious, witty, versatile, contradictory, even ironic and cunning manner. This ability makes it possible to recognize, understand, analyze, logically follow, abstain, calculate and calculate things, to circumvent and understand problems from all sides. If these forces take control, their dark side is revealed: reasoning, emotional coldness, corrosion, cynical criticism, duality, butterfly-like variability.

KNIGHT OF SWORDS

The Knights represent the powers of the letter Yod in the Name. They are the most sublime, original, active part of the Energy of the Element; for this reason they are represented on horseback and clad in complete armour. Their action is swift and violent, but transient. In the Element of Fire, for instance, the Knight corresponds to the Lightning flash; in the Element of Water, to Rain and Springs; in that of Air, to Wind; in that of Earth, to Mountains. It is very important as a mental exercise to work out for oneself these correspondences between the Symbol and the Natural Forces which they represent; and it is essential to practical Magical work to have assimilated this knowledge. 

The Knight of Swords represents the fiery part of Air; he is the wind, the storm. He represents the violent power of motion applied to an apparently manageable element. He rules from the 21st degree of Taurus to the 20th degree of Gemini. He is a warrior helmed, and for his crest he bears a revolving wing. Mounted upon a maddened steed, he drives down the Heavens, the Spirit of the Tempest. In one hand is a sword, in the other a poniard. He represents the idea of attack.

The moral qualities of a person thus indicated are activity and skill, subtlety and cleverness. He is fierce, delicate and courageous, but altogether the prey of his idea, which comes to him as an inspiration without reflection.

If ill-dignified, the vigour in all these qualities being absent, he is incapable of decision or purpose. Any action that he takes is easily brushed aside by opposition. Inadequate violence spells futility. “Chimaera bombinans in vacuo”.

In the Yi King, the fiery part of Air is represented by the 32nd hexagram, Hang. This is the first occasion on which it has been simple to demonstrate the close technical parallelism which identifies Chinese thought and experience with that of the West.

For the meaning is long continuance: “perseverance in well-doing, or continuously acting out the law of one’s being”, as Legge puts it in his note on the hexagram; and this seems incongruous with the Qabalistic idea of violent energy applied to the least stable of the elements. But the trigram of Air also indicates wood; and the hexagram may have Suggested the irresistible flow of the sap, and its effect in strengthening the tree. This conjecture is supported by the warning in line 6: “The topmost line, divided, shows its subject exciting himself to long continuance. There will be evil.”

Allowing this, the image of “the extended flame of mind”, as Zoroaster calls it, may well be subjoined to the former description. It is the True Will exploding the mind spontaneously. The influence of Taurus makes for steadiness, and that of the first decanate of Gemini for inspiration. So let us picture him, “integer vitae scelerisque purus”, a light-shaft of the Ideal absorbing the entire life in concentrated aspiration, passing from earthy Taurus to exalted Gemini. Here, too, is shewn (as in the Yi) the danger to the subject of this symbol; for the first decan is the card called “Interference”; or, in the old pack, “Shortened Force”. 

THE KNIGHT OF SWORDS

Astrology: 21° Taurus to 20° Gemini Element and world: The Air of Yetzirah Tree of Life: Chokmah

The Knight of Swords represents the Fire in the Air, he is the storm of the mind flaming up high. He is sharp-minded, analytical, clever, dexterous and courageous, always ready for and fond of argumentations and verbal wars. His passion for intellectual mindgames can make him an excellent warrior in logical excursions, enjoying both picky subtleties and bizarre contradictions. 

At his best, the Knight of Swords stands for intelligent judgement and mental realizations, he is a skilful trickster and a keen observer. Though, lacking the depths of the water and the stability of earth, his mindgames could turn into cloud-cuckoo-lands without inner reflections, he gets unable to decide simply for getting lost in too many theoretical variations. 

At the worst, the Knight of Swords tends to put logic and mind ahead of all other values, turning into an cold analytic judging and rating by logic only, without warmth or humanity; or even degenerates to a deceitful, sardonic tyrant of the mind.

Drive: Intellect, science, enlightenment 

Light: Sharpness of mind, logic, intellect 

Shadow: Coldness, zynism, ambiguity

THE KING OF SWORDS - (Knight of Swords) - Mercury - Gemini - Craftsmanship

Keywords: airy fiery aspect, goal oriented, ambition, passion, ambition, flexible thinking

Advice: You are in a good position to set up plans, set goals, and make them fruitful.

Questions: Do you know your purpose? What if you reach it once? Will you enjoy it?

Suggestion: Imagine how you will be most happy with your success.

Revelation: I am aware of my purpose and know what I am doing to achieve it. Each goal is only a milestone on the road to my final destination.

Analogies:

Ji-Ching: None (?)

Mythology: The Cunning (Odysseus, Sisyphos)

Keywords: witty, skilled, cunning, tricky

The calm power of reasoning is unstoppable like a storm.

KING OF SWORDS

General Meaning

Traditionally, representing the energy of a King, this masculine energy form is The Adjudicator, the wise judge or mediator. He helps parties in conflict discover common ground and build upon it, and guides societies to see their greater good. His archetype is Solomon, ancient lawgiver and philosopher of the Old Testament. Sometimes appearing cool and detached, he can be misunderstood as not caring.

But emotional displays are just not his medium, nor is he moved by appeals to sympathy or pity. With the philosophical overview that comes from long experience, he listens deeply, watches closely and speaks last. In the end, his even-handedness and objectivity earn him the respect he receives from his community, and those who cannot work out their problems come to him voluntarily for advice.

Occasionally this man is subtly detailed to imply that he is a woman in male armor. If you notice this theme in your deck, it is a reference to Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orleans, archetype of a devout and inspired woman warrior, who was mystically led to abandon her social role to defend what she saw as the greater good. Although she was martyred young, her model crystallizes the message that sometimes the good of the whole is more important than the good of the individual, and in that case, even if you lose, you win just for being there.

In the Reversed Position

When the King of Swords is reversed, pangs of conscience no longer prick as keenly. It may be that morality and integrity have been compromised.

Your inner Wise One must be awakened from that state of blinded self interest and get back to serving the greater good. Hold yourself to a higher standard. Think about what you can contribute, not what you are going to get. Filter the static from your thinking. Relinquish self-absorption and turn your attention to protecting the greater good.

In the Advice Positon

In this position, the King of Swords advises that you research your situation and in the process question existing authorities. It may be time to examine underlying assumptions and bring greater clarity into areas that have been left in the dark. Don't wait for others to do it. Instead, draw your own conclusions.

Spend time reviewing all the ramifications because this King of Swords requires a thorough, methodical examination of ideas and possibilities. Call forth the sober and wise part of yourself — the elder father figure. Then act on the instructions given you.

Read more:

• » The Book of Thoth - A Short Essay on the Tarot of the Egyptians by Aleister Crowley.
• » Liber LXXVIII - On the Tarot - A complete treatise on the Tarot giving the correct designs of the cards with their attributions and symbolic meanings on all planes. - A description of the Cards of the Tarot, with their attributions, including a method of divination by their use.
• » Manuscript N - The Tarot - A Golden Dawn Manuscript - A Theoricus Adeptus Minor Paper.