Tarot Clarity – Mercury in Aries – King of Swords

In the sign of the Ram, the left brain planet of logic and reason is Self-centered- which is a righteous and enlightened stance of leadership when the Self is actualized… but true Self-actualization is rare, and it is easy to see why Aries is known for childishness and war.

What we consider to be logical depends on what we value, which is why Mercury gets so heated here. The fire of Aries increases the contrast of black and white in our personal values, which decreases our ability to sift through nuance and different perspectives, but also actually refines the purity of the passion and rage that arises in response to a perceived moral wrong.

The King of Swords is the ultimate master of the the intellect. He knows where he stands: morals and values, logic and reason, are flawlessly, impeccably united. He does not seek out arguments, ever. He doesn’t need to… When he stays centered in his Self, he is the brick wall where untruths splatter. Mercury in Aries as the King of Swords is a sharpened mind, on point and en garde.

Words can be the most effective and devastating weapons in existence when wielded with intention and skill. But when we weaponize the truth to establish dominance and superiority for our personal point of view, we create misery for ourselves. This is the warning of the dismayed face on the king’s right shoulder. The face on the left shoulder seems optimistic and content- this is the wisdom of knowing which battles to choose. It can be a difficult, life-long lesson for Mercury in Aries natives to learn that not everything that contradicts our values, requires us to intervene.