Upright Keywords:
Ethics, Head over heart, Integrity, Self-discipline, Military (matters), Cool demeanor, Legal matters, General (Army), father, intellectual husband, Dry intellect, sharp wits, Ratio, Authority, Air magic
Reversed Keywords:
Brutality (police brutality), Perfidy, Cruelty, Sarcasm, Senility, Ironical demeanor, Lack of integrity/discipline, Controlling, Lack of structure, Absent father/husband, Mental violence, Oppression, Verbal abuse
Upright Meaning
King of Swords appearing upright in a reading can symbolize a person in your life who, in a way, has a higher ground compared to you or symbolizes someone who is an authority to you. If it represents you, then it depicts your stature and holding in your community. The King of Swords foretells intellectual victory and justice served when in an upright position.
With King of Swords, a brittle, just, and courageous masculine energy is present, whether in you or in someone close to you depends on the question and accompanying cards. Upright King of Swords indicates that sylphs and intellectual cosmic forces are on your side, and now is the right time to act in legal matters or offensive strategies.
With King of Swords, travel and promotion are at hand, especially if the travel is by air, and the position is very high, if not at the top, of the business ladder. A long and arduous path is behind you, and all the hard work and patience you’ve invested in it will now pay off. That is the general message of the King of Swords in an upright position.
Reversed Meaning
When KoS shows reversed in a love reading, it’s bad news. It represents a bully who uses verbal and intellectual manipulation to frighten and subdue their partner.
It’s not a pleasant card to show up in a love reading by any means. If accompanied by extremely disruptive cards such as Tower, Moon, and Death, it can indicate a domestic physical attack with a sharp object during a heated argument.
If it symbolizes you in a love reading, it means that you need to lay off, relearn kindness and empathy in your relationships and practice respect for others, especially those who spend the most time with you and suffer your sharp remarks and unkind behavior.
Unlike King of Wands reversed, this king is a calculated tyrant who executes his brutality in a premeditated manner in order to achieve his desired outcome.
If it shows up in a future position, this card is a warning to stay away from a person who will show up in your life as a love interest.
It’s giving you the heads up for the red flags and warning signs that you’ll be able to see a mile off – emotionally cold, switching between detached and interested (in you), mentally manipulating, and verbally jarring. You’ve been warned, keep your eyes open and ears muffled.