The King of Swords is also known as the Prince of the Chariot of the Winds and represents the responsible use of intelligence, reason and logic. This King is ambitious, mentally agile and goal-oriented.
He brings the gifts of practical application of knowledge and the power of the mind. He has mastered his own thinking, and can show the way to overcome the emotions and passions which cloud clear thinking by careful consideration and logical application of intellect. When this King turns up in a reading for you, it is time for you also to master your thinking and not let your emotions or regressive patterns of thought get in the way of your progress.
Emotion and passion have their place in life, to be sure, but this card is telling you to put those aside for now and pursue a more clear train of thought and sensible lines of enquiry to get a better result.
You may find this King turns up in your life as a potential lover, whose cleverness and quick intelligence is engaging and spurs your imagination with his sense of fun and games, but he is like quicksilver and may not be so comfortable with more intense emotions - in fact the deeper emotional entanglements that often arise in passionate relationships may cause him to withdraw.
You may turn to a wise mentor who has the qualities of this King to help inspire you to make better decisions now and into the future, and put aside your emotive arguments and reasoning for they will not serve you now.
Time to bring out your sense of humour, your belief in your own mental abilities to solve problems in your life, so bring to the table your ability to laugh at yourself and at life, for this King brings the gifts of wit and self-knowledge.
Image from "Legacy of the Divine Tarot" © Ciro Marchetti.