King of Swords in the 5-Card Spread with the Rider Waite Tarot

King of Swords as second card : Challenge / Obstacle
in the Rider Waite Smith 5-Card spread

In this position, the King of Swords may reveal that excessive rationality or authoritarianism is a major obstacle.

Perhaps your desire to control everything with your mind, to explain everything, to judge everything according to strict criteria, is preventing you from listening to your intuition or accepting the more subtle and human dimensions of a situation.

You may also be confronted with an external authority, a rigid figure of power whose severity or lack of flexibility is holding you back from fulfilling your potential.

The King of Swords in opposition warns against an overly distant emotional stance, where principles are prioritised to such an extent that you risk losing sight of your own reality or that of others.

It highlights the danger of excessive coldness in relationships or mental rigidity that prevents you from adapting to change.

King of Swords as third card : Advice
in the Rider Waite Smith 5-Card spread

As advice, the King of Swords invites you to adopt a strategic attitude, using your intelligence and experience to make important decisions.

He encourages you to think long term, establish clear rules and be fair, without favouritism or misplaced weakness.

He also advises you to protect your ideas, stand firm in the face of external pressures and fully assume your role as a guide or decision-maker.

This card encourages you to express your ideas clearly, defend your principles, but also listen to the arguments of others to enrich your own thinking.

It reminds you that healthy authority is not imposed by brute force, but by clarity of vision and exemplary behaviour.

It is also recommended that you formalise your projects, adopt a rigorous method for achieving your goals, and make decisions when they are long overdue.

King of Swords as fourth card : Outcome
in the Rider Waite Smith 5-Card spread

The King of Swords indicates that you will achieve intellectual mastery or that you will be led to occupy a position of power or authority in the field concerned.

The situation will evolve towards greater clarity, justice and rigour. You will be able to set firm boundaries, enforce your decisions and consolidate your position thanks to your mental strength and analytical skills.

This card can also signify recognition of your skills or the completion of a structured and well-thought-out project.

On a more internal level, the outcome is a feeling of legitimate pride in having acted honourably, in accordance with your deepest convictions.

However, you must be careful not to become a prisoner of your own way of thinking and remain open to adjustments if circumstances require it.