“Open minded people do not impose their beliefs on others. They accept that we all have a different perspective on life, and do their own thing in peace without judgement.” – Steven Aitchinson

Shoot First and Ask Questions Later

In the quest to be a hero, it can be easy to act impulsively and without much forethought. The Knight of Swords, while he usually acts for the greater good, has allowed himself to become absorbed with his public image. On his quest for glory and recognition, he oftentimes lets his own personal motives take precedence over the solution that offers the best results for all parties involved. He may be motivated by an unwavering sense of justice or personal understanding of what is right and wrong, leading him to impose his beliefs upon others. This does not necessarily mean that The Knight is a bad person; instead, he simply needs to take a moment to reevaluate his true motivations. You are much like The Knight, and have a clear image of exactly who you want to become. You want to be the hero, the main character, and the one whose personal system of judgement is widely known as the most fair and righteous. However, you must accept the fact that everyone will not have the same moral standard as you. Just as much as their beliefs are not superior to yours, neither are your perspectives on life any better than theirs. By accepting this fact, you will find it much easier to communicate with others whose beliefs differ from your own in a way that is actually constructive. You will find yourself will far more allies than you have ever had before, even if you have agreed to disagree on a number of topics. You will also find that, so long as you all prioritize the health and happiness of humanity, many of your core beliefs will be far more similar than you originally thought.

Sometimes, we may set our standards for a romantic partner so impossibly high that no candidate could ever hope to reach them. Instead of focusing on finding the partner to perfectly compliment our personality, regardless of the potential differences, we become absorbed with finding someone who is exactly like ourselves in every way. While there is no formula to finding the perfect partner, it is still important to acknowledge the impacts that these standards may have on our pool of potential lovers. We may severely limit our romantic options, leading us to miss out on potential romances. At the same time, once we have found a partner, this may make it difficult to expand your mind in order to incorporate new beliefs. Once in a relationship with such a person, you may find that they are unforgiving should you choose to change your values, or you may notice that even the slightest disagreements tend to get blown out of proportion. The current center of your romantic attention is someone who is just like you; in fact, they are a little too much like you. It feels as though you agree on almost everything, no matter how big or small the issue at hand is. This has led you to believe that there is no way the two of you could even fight; how could two people with the exact same beliefs ever find something to quarrel over? However, your tendency to agree on all matter is not fail-safe, and there will come a time when you butt heads over differing opinions. Don’t be surprised when this happens, as it is a normal and healthy part of any relationship. What is truly important is the way that you choose to react to this development. Instead of becoming angry that your partner doesn’t share the same belief as you, take a moment to appreciate their perspective. What has led them to believe this way? Are they interpreting the situation in a way that you had never previously considered? This is not to say that either of you are right or wrong; instead, learn to appreciate the fact that you are different. Just as you may have much to teach them, you will find that you also have much to learn. If you are currently looking for a new relationship, this may also be a sign that you are setting your standards far too high. Nobody is perfect, and expecting your partner to be flawless is completely unrealistic. Instead, narrow your standards to a few key characteristics that you are absolutely sure that you are unwilling to compromise over. This may be a stable job, a healthy respect for all people, or even a good sense of humor. Once you have a short list of the most important attributes that you actively look for amongst potential partners, it will be much easier to appreciate each individual candidate’s unique flaws. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone; you may find that something you had previously found to be unattractive is actually quite endearing once you’ve gotten used to it.

SWORDS. KNIGHT.

He is riding in full course, as if scattering his enemies. In the design he is really a proto-typical hero of romantic chivalry. He might almost be Galahad, whose sword is swift and sure because he is clean of heart.

Divinatory Meanings: Skill, bravery, capacity, defense, address, enmity, wrath, war, destruction, opposition, resistance, ruin. There is therefore a sense in which the card signifies death, but it carries this meaning only in its proximity to other cards of fatality.

Reversed: Imprudence, incapacity, extravagance

Unless you are the owner of the company that you work for, you aren’t always going to be in charge of calling the shots. If you hold a position of authority, you may be given some limited ability to make important decisions, but it is always important to remember that you are not the one who is truly in charge. This can be especially difficult if you’ve worked with the company for some time, and believe that you have found the best way to perform the most essential functions of your position. While, in all reality, you have a fairly good idea of how to best perform your job, that does not always mean that you will be able to work by your own standards. Despite the fact that you know the ins and outs of your current position, you are constantly being told to do your job a different way. This may be coming from meddling coworkers that think they know how to do your job better than you, or from a manager who is trying to maintain a consistent standard amongst all of their employees. If it is coming from a coworker, unless they hold authority over you, it is best to disregard their criticisms and continue performing your work duties to the best of your ability. While their commentary may be frustrating, it simply isn’t worth starting a fight over. On the other hand, if this criticism is coming from higher up, it may be time to change the way that you perform your work duties so as to meet the standards that are being set for you. They may be frustrating, and oftentimes unrealistic considering the truth of the nature of your responsibilities, but unfortunately, it simply isn’t your call to make. If you are so bothered by these standards that you wish to see them completely changed, then it may be time to consider moving up to a higher position that gives you that exact authority.

One of the major reasons that some people surround themselves with others just like them is because they are afraid of conflict, and aren’t sure how to react appropriately during times of disagreement. When The Knight of Swords appears in the reversed position, it may be a sign that your fear of disagreements has completely cut you off from people that don’t think exactly the same way that you do. While there is nothing wrong with seeking community and comradery, it becomes unhealthy when you only interact with people with identical beliefs to your own. Not only are you unable to broaden your horizons, but you also become susceptible to dogmatic tendencies and fanaticism. It can be easy to begin labelling others as outcasts due to the fact that they don’t think the same way as you, creating an animosity that is otherwise totally unnecessary. Instead, step out of your comfort zone and make connections with those that are different from you. You will be surprised to find that you have much to learn from these people, and they will be some of the strongest relationships that you ever make.