Deep Dive Series: Knight of Swords

A young knight is rushing forward on a white steed, both the horse’s mane and the Knight’s cape billowing behind them. He is wearing suited armor and his sword is raised into the sky, and his expression shows ferocity and determination. The clouds in the sky mimic his action, blowing diagonally and sharply across the image, suggesting an incoming storm. The ground is dry and arid, and a few trees in the background are also succumbed to the strong wind that rushes past.

It’s obvious this is a card of action and movement. Like a whirlwind of air that rushes in before a storm, the Knight of Swords is swept up completely by his ideas and cause. This ambitious momentum carries him forward, often blindly. When we consider that the Swords suite represents the realm of intellect, knowledge, and communication we can see that this card symbolizes having the mental energy and fortitude to pursue an idea or goal we wish to see manifested, or using your intellectual and communicative skills to initiate a change or action.

The hawk in this image is shown in the midst of its descent toward some unsuspecting prey below. Its talons are outstretched, wings up with the rush of the wind. This is the moment when the predator bird sees what it wants and makes the dive for it. It reflects the action and decision from the RWS card, along with the animal instinct. When I was thinking of the ambitious and focused nature of the Knight of Swords the hawk seemed like the perfect animal to highlight these features.

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