The Knight of Swords - Turning ideas into reality in the tarot
The Knight of Swords is all about jumping into action to turn an idea into reality.
Hit play below to listen to an audio lesson, or scroll down to read the lesson in text form.
To give you a bit of context whilst you reflect on your own relationship to the card, here are a few key things to know about the Knight of Swords.
Knights in the tarot are symbols of action. Depending on the suit, they charge forward or stand their ground, but in either case, they’re making a choice and making it happen. The Knight of Swords is one of those charging forward Knights, and because the Swords represent the sphere of the intellect, this card can be read as an encouragement to take action and turn an idea you’ve been pondering into something real.
Like all of the Sword court cards in the Rider Waite Smith Tarot, The Knight of Swords features a butterfly motif - in this card, you’ll see yellow butterflies on the dressing of the horse. Butterflies represent transformation, and that theme looms large in this card, as ideas are literally transformed into action. It’s an evolution - from something you’ve been thinking about to something you are doing out in the world.
When the card comes up in a reading, you could consider it a prompt to stop imagining how something might work and instead start testing out your ideas in the real world. Want to start a business? Consider pitching to one potential client and seeing how they respond or offering your services or products to friends and family to get feedback. Want to write a book? Stop imagining it in your head and put pen to paper. Want to get a new job? Send out an application today.
The Knight of Swords is a powerful, high-energy card, and even though it can feel hard to muster the commitment needed to make your ideas a reality, take a leaf from this card’s book and charge in with all you’ve got anyway.
In your tarot journal, you’re asked to reflect on what this card means to you, now, in this moment, and what actions and thoughts it inspires in you. As you journal, pay attention to what you’re personally picking up in the card, but also consider what the key themes and symbols in the card might be telling you. What ideas are you ready to make real? How can you look to this card for motivation when you’re feeling scared of taking action?
This mini-tarot lesson was brought to you by me, Chelsey Pippin Mizzi, founder of Pip Cards Tarot. I hope you gained a little context to help you continue reflecting on the card in your own way, and I’ll see you tomorrow for another mini-lesson.