King of Swords

His power springs from his intellect and a keen intelligence that lets him deliver on whatever he sets out to do. He's a ruler of relentless judgment who keeps his emotions in check, like a general or a lawyer who never lets sentiment decide the battle. When he appears, he asks you to set subjectivity aside, base yourself on the objective alone, and stay independent so the truth can surface — leaning on your knowledge, your experience, and the rules. He can stand for a strict but well-informed advisor (a judge, lawyer, accountant, or therapist) whose detached yet committed perspective helps you find your way. He's an incorruptible, ethical figure, though he has to be careful not to trample others' feelings in his zeal for justice.

Love

This may point to a strong, commanding, assertive man, or to one party wielding too much authority; mind the line between authority and overbearingness. Act with fair, balanced judgment and any snag can be worked out.

Work

A demanding man in your circle may get under your skin, but you may be too thin-skinned: he's only doing his job. Let reason guide your decisions, and seek impartial advice if you're thinking of changing jobs.

Money

Focus on hard facts and real data, not dreams or emotions; understand your situation clearly before taking on loans or commitments. A fair deal or a "business is business" partner can work in your favor if you act with integrity and a plan.

Health

It's good, but be careful that so much emotional repression doesn't turn into physical symptoms. Engage actively with your health and, in general, follow reason over the heart, favoring proven medicine.

Spirituality

To connect with a belief system, it needs to make rational sense to you as well as inspire faith. Go deeper by actively seeking new sources of knowledge; active meditations suit you well.

Reversed, the King of Swords shows his darkest face: a dishonest use of intellectual power, imposing ideas through manipulation and self-serving schemes instead of fair logic. He spins and glosses over situations, eloquent and arrogant, with a tone that edges toward aggression, abusing his knowledge to impress and silence others. He can be genuinely violent when contradicted; it's wise to protect yourself from a person like that. On another level, it can describe your own disorientation: you don't know what to decide, you lack clarity and calm, and that uncertainty makes you irritable, with insomnia and stress. The way out is to hold fast to reason and take the first step.

Love

A tangled picture: you or your partner stuck in a rigid, aggressive stance, with arguments and manipulation. If there's physical violence, the best thing is to get away or ask for help; if you're single, beware a hard man behind a friendly mask.

Work

There may be a failure to see eye to eye, even a tyrannical boss who won't listen to reason; bad times to ask for raises. If you're the aggressive one, come back down to earth; if you're job-hunting, be careful not to fall into the hands of a manipulator.

Money

Hard times, because you've lost your compass of reason and are letting yourself drift on daydreams. Bring method and detail to your spending and accounts; watch out for a strong-willed man who might swindle you or fail to pay.

Health

Start bringing down your levels of aggression and stress right now, because anger takes a toll on the body. This is less a physical illness than a psychological unease; if you're not being heard, seek out other specialists.

Spirituality

You're closed off to new ideas, and at the same time it's worth thinking critically about the spiritual information brought your way. Beware a leader who bends things to his own benefit; trust your logic and meditate to cool the anger.