Post Discussion Thoughts: “Knight and Queen of Swords and Disks” Dec.7th 2025

KNIGHT OF SWORDS: “King of the Spirits of Air” → Father of Air (Yod of Vau). The “extended flame of the mind”. Governs 20° Taurus – 20° Gemini. His card of triumph is Gemini/Mercury inspired, “Lovers” (motto is “I Think”, quickly) while his shadow archetype card is the,“Hierophant“, ruled by Taurus. The associated decan cards are: 7 of Disks (Failure/Saturn in Taurus), 8 of Swords (Interference/Jupiter in Gemini), and 9 of Swords (Cruelty/Mars in Gemini). For me, the Knights are Cardinal/Mutable for they initiate the action and adapt to its elemental force.

The Knight of Swords action comes from the creative force of the intellect. This is the mental aspect of the Will initiating thoughts and ideas for intellectual expansion. The Knight’s sword is his tool for direct guidance to create a path of clarity within his environment. Being ruled by the mutable aspects of Gemini, the Knight of Swords is quick to adapt to situations as they happen. The skilled use of immediate discernment keeps his mind alert and on edge. The Knight of Swords thrives in a fast pace environment. Interestingly, the Knight’s brown horse seems to be overwhelmed with the fierceness of the Knight’s flighty momentum. Practically, driven solely by his (uncontrolled) force. On the horse’s chest plate, there is the boar head, referring to the “Cruelty” of the 9 of Swords, sans the impaled sword through its head. Our Knight understands the implications that comes from intellectual challenges. He choses to release that sword of infliction and utilize it more toward determination and resolution. The crest of the winged 6 pointed wheel of swords (“Star of Dioscuri”) shows the revolving force of the many directions that the Knight of Swords travels through. The “Interference” in the Eight of Swords (Jupiter in Gemini) can be the unexpected distraction of outside influences that disrupts the focus of our Knight. If he cannot regain his mental agility, this Knight can drift aimlessly off his course of purpose. But his greatest challenge may come from the shadow card of “Failure” from the 7 of Disks (Saturn in Taurus). This doesn’t involve a loss of material goods, but a concern for inertia and limitations when pursuing his Will driven tasks. The Knight of Swords may then use his intellect in deceptive ways to cut through any challenge. He knows the severing power of the double edged Sword and how it can be used either in a intelligent way or in a deceitful manner. The Knight of Swords is constantly thinking and planning to keep moving forward and does what is needed to maintain his momentum.

QUEEN OF SWORDS: “Queen of the Thrones of Air” Water of Air (Mother of Vau). Governs 20° Virgo – 20° Libra. Her card of triumph is the Libra/Venus inspired “Adjustment” (motto is “I Balance”) while her shadow archetype is the “Hermit”, ruled by Virgo. The associated decan cards are: 2 of Swords (Satiety/Moon in Libra), 3 of Swords (Sorrow/Saturn in Libra), and the shadow card 10 of Disks (Wealth)/Mercury in Virgo). For me, the Queens are Fixed/Cardinal as they are the container of the Knight’s cardinal force and developing this into its own form.

The Queen of Swords uses her intuitive perception to place form into the ideals of the Knight of Swords. As the container of the Knight’s intellect, she uses her own insight to form these patterns into something greater and harmonizing. Meleen states, she is the “flows and currents of the mind”. The crest above the Queen is of a winged cherub that protects her blessed work. Her use of the scales are in constant Adjustment to attain the needed clarity between her heart of intuition and the intellect of the mind. Her eyes are closed as she focusses on manifesting her work of “beauty and truth”. Our Queen of Swords cuts through illusions and holds the severed head representing the release of the “mask of illusion”. This is a fitting description as Crowley states, she is the “Liberator of the Mind”. Her arms are positioned similar to the Magus with the sword in the left hand (intuition) raised as above (to the skies) and her right arm (rational intellect) to her side holding the severed head (as below) to the earth. Through these actions she is able to open the skies to attain the needed insight. She sits on a tripod throne of three swords (3 of Swords, Saturn in Libra) of which her intelligence awakens through being solitary so she can experience the weight of sorrow within, “Know Thyself”. The “2 of Swords” (Moon in Libra) provides the balancing point of the two crossed swords on the Queen’s throne. Connecting with the changing aspects of the moon,“Peace” comes from the harmonizing of the intellect and intuitive Self through understanding and adaptability. It is here that her inner knowledge and wisdom begin to develop. Her shadow card, “10 of Disks” (Wealth, Mercury in Virgo) could potentially bring a finality to her work, while still being created. The two infinity coins within this card are seen as the sole coins of balance which are placed in the sephira of Hod (Intellect/Mercury) and Netzach (Beauty/Venus). The Queen of Swords is about the “constant weighing and balancing between truth and false logic”. If forced into completion, her approach can be oppressive and overly controlling. The finality of the “Great Work” comes through her daughter (Princess of Swords) who manifests the gestated work of her Mother (Queen of Swords) into the material realm.

KNIGHT OF DISKS: “Lord of the Wide and Fertile Land”. Fire (Father) of Earth. Governs 20° Leo – 20° Virgo. His card of triumph is the mutable Virgo inspired “Hermit” (motto is “I Analyze”), while his shadow card is of Leo,“Lust”. The associated decanic cards are: 8 of Disks (Prudence/Sun in Virgo, 9 of Disks (Gain/Venus in Virgo), and the shadow card 7 of Wands (Valour/Mars in Leo).

The Knight of Disks is “the secret seed of the generative force of the land”, stated by Meleen. This is apropos as this Knight of Disks is seen in a contemplative state surrounded by his own crop that is ready to be harvested. He is about the cultivation and preservation of the fertile land. Evaluating the development of the crops and preparing how to best harvest its resources until the next Spring season. His crest is of a twinned winged Stag with the Sun placed between the stag’s antlers. This is masculine virility and how it communicates to nature’s life force. It is also the peak of the transitional season of Virgo (late summer/early Autumn) and a time to reap the fruits of its labor. The seed that was planted in the Spring has fully manifested, will soon wither and regenerate in the next Spring cycle. The Sun represents the powerful inner light of inspiration (Hermit) that guides the Knight of Disks through use of “intelligence, careful planning and patient culitivation” during the growth cycle. This is seen in the“8 of Disks” (Prudence/Sun in Virgo). The sunlight of the caged lantern creates the flame of Yod to carefully incubate the nest of “life and ideals” to fruition. The purpose of the Knight’s will is inherently drawn to do this action. The“9 of Disks” (Gain/Venus in Virgo) is the successful fruition of the Knight’s labor. The honeycomb, the open heart door (Empress/Venus), and the communicating bees are the culminating “Gain” of hard work and patience. The counting fingers of the hand are counting one’s blessings of the beauty and abundance of the current harvest. The honeycomb can be seen represented as the body of soul, while its honey is the spiritual sweetness that is released from the honeycomb. The successful “Gain” can also be the physical body (hive of the honeycomb) and the inner body (honey -joy/happiness). The shadow side may come about from the “7 of Wands” (Valour/Mars in Leo). The Knight of Disks walks the path of least resistance. It is not in his nature to be aggressive in his manner and thoughts. His is a force that is slow moving, internal and grounded, just as the Hermit. But the tiger (feminine) characteristics may be unleashed if an outside force was to cross the Knight’s path of focus and creation. This fiery energy will disrupt the Knight’s contemplative work and cause a hostile reaction from the Knight that could either weaken or destroy his inherent creative energy. As a reminder, his shield shows three key influences that he takes on his journey. The hand (Yod the seed as force of life), the nest of eggs (nurturing and protecting what is to be manifested, and the Tiger (release of hostility, if threatened).

The Knight of Disks soul is about his (pro)creative relationship upon earth. He will renew the cycle of planting the secret seed of life to recreate a successful outcome during each harvest season. Though the Virgo perfectionist can make the Knight self critical, if the end result falls short of his expectations.

QUEEN OF DISKS: “Queen of the Thrones of Earth”. Water of Earth. Governs 20° Sagittarius – 20° Capricorn. Her card of triumph is the Capricorn inspired (motto, “I Use”), “The Devil” while her shadow card is Sagittarius,” Art”. The associated decanic cards are: 2 of Disks (Change/Jupiter in Capricorn), 3 of Disks (Work/Mars in Capricorn), and the shadow card 10 of Wands (Oppression/Saturn in Sagittarius).

The Queen of Disks is the Mother of Nature. The “internal waters that nurtures and drives seeds to grow”. She is the container that gestates the forceful Will from the Knight of Disks to bring forth material matter. She is built of “ambition, self discipline, and perseverance“. These traits are symbolic of her crest of the winged 3rd eye goat head that is flanked by a crossed pick and hammer. Her governing sign of Capricorn (ruled by Saturn) gives her the power to develop matter and to work within the constraints of time. Her throne is placed between the support of two mountains showing her dedication to patiently climb great heights toward a successful accomplishment. Her profiled gaze is focussed on the creation toward the “Great Work”. The hourglass that is behind her no longer shows the wheels of “expansion and contraction of material change” (2 of Disks”, Jupiter in Capricorn). This material change is being gestated into its completed form. She is the solid structure of the hourglass, the inner ambitious drive that slowly spins the two wheels of expansion and contraction, and the sands that are the minutiae of passing time. In the “3 of Disks” (Work, Mars in Capricorn), our Queen utilizes the three primary building blocks of form to build personal stability: Sulfur, Salt, and Mercury. The disk that she holds encapsulates these alchemical forces, this is her work in progress as a nurturing creator. The martian force of the lightning bolt activates the Salt (physical form) to initiate the creation process of the Great Work. Sulfur is the fiery element of the Soul being grounded by Salt. Mercury is the Spirit which is joined with Sulfur to manifest a form that is of the “Salt of the Earth“. One who is grounded, honest, and present within the earthly realm, as well, within the spiritual realm. I feel this is the true ethos of our Queen of Disks as she is driven to create this as contribution to the forming of the Great Work. In her shadow, lies the “10 of Wands” (Oppression, Saturn in Sagittarius). This is the destructive force of pushing work to a point that it becomes over controlled and domineering. Not knowing how to create safe boundaries can produce an oppressive weight that could weaken and potentially breakdown what has been developed, therefore ruining any chance of success. By balancing work energy, remaining grounded, and staying true to one’s ambition the saying, “slow and steady, wins the race” is how the Queen of Disks can maintain the level of desired success. The Capricorn motto “I Use” becomes a meditative mantra to be used in every aspect of her creative process to manifest material achievements.