i hate seeing knight cards

Daylin

During my last two years reading tarot, I've really fostered an aversion to all four of the Knights. Whenever they pop up in a reading, they seem to signify something I really want - but something I will ultimately fail to get (I've come to see them as being mobile...that is, moving away from me, lol).

To me they seem to symbolize all the "undesirable" masculine traits of insincerity, empty flattery, non-committal, etc.

I'd just like to see if anyone else has the same readings, or if they are kind to anyone else.

Laurelle

Do you read reversals or use elemental dignities? Because that could affect the meaning of your knights.

And no, I haven't had that happen. Especially in regard to the Knight of Wands or the Knight of Swords. They seem to be fast action cards and things materialize rapidly.

The other two knights tend to move slower or not at all. For instance, the Knight of Cups could spend a whole night writing love poems to his beloved, but not once calling her. The Knight of Pentacles takes way too much time to make a decision and is slowly plodding along. So with both those knights I could possibly see your take, but it hasn't been my experience all the time.

Sometimes I see the knights working for the king and queen. Sometimes a knight can work for a queen to win her heart and win the crown of the king. Sometimes the knight can represent teenager working and learning with his family (queen/king). So there is some undeveloped energy there.

Insincere knights tend more towards reversed knights and I always see disappointment when they turn up in readings.

I'd love to hear a more concrete example of your knights. Surrounding cards are super important too.

Esk

I don't hate knights has much as other cards (yes, 5 of cups, i'm talking about you), but they are not the cards i like the most. I understand your point and your aversion to them, but i wouldn't say the knights are about masculine energies, they are really neutral for me, and i don't associate masculine traits with lack of sincerity ect. (although i agree they have more often commitment issues than women).

knight of wands : i undertand what you said about the knight going away from you, i have seen this card as something, someone going in the other direction and not toward the querent. It is also one of the typical non commitment card for me. However i don't hate him because it can also bring something fun and nice to you. Of course it doesn't last but at the moment it is pleasant. And i lack his energy so sometimes this card pops up to remind me to be a little more impulsive.

knight of swords : in my reading it's really often about arguments, anger, resentment, someone blinded by their opinion and unable to see and hear others point of view. I've seen a lot of post here where people see him as a message quickly delivered to the querent, but this knight never shows up for that in my readings. However it can also be about you and your need to stand your ground and show your opinion in a specific situation.

knight of cups : he can be nice this one, he can be very romantic and i've seen this card for the early stage of dating. However, he can also have a no commitment meaning because he is blinded by the idea of love or by a perfect and fantasized version of his lover, so the love doesn't last when he realise the person is not conform with his dream.

knight of pentacles : i've seen him for stubbornness and someone materialistic, but very often it is about something that is progressing reeeeeeally slow, so it is frustrating. But i wouldn't say it is a bad card.

All and all i'd say the problem with the knight is that, expect with the knight of pentacles, their energy doesn't last so they can bring frustration. But it doesn't make them bad if you take them for what they are. And for example, if you begin a relationship described by knight of wands or cups, it doesn't mean you can transform the relationship in something else (if the other one is willing to of course).

Barleywine

There's a "$5 word" in the dictionary that exactly describes their action: "Peripatetic - movement or journeys hither and thither." Inconstancy seems to be the keynote; fiercely active in short bursts, then poof! While they're "on" they're really "on," but "coming and going" - like the risque old blues song about men being like streetcars - is more their style. So something coming in or something going out, not settling in for the long haul.

rwcarter

Daylin said:
To me they seem to symbolize all the "undesirable" masculine traits of insincerity, empty flattery, non-committal, etc.

If you think of the Pages as children and the Kings and Queens as parents, then the Knights are teenagers who know just enough to think they know it all. They do have positive qualities though (constancy, fearlessness and determination come immediately to mind).

Rodney

ETA: corrected typo

MysticMoonlight

rwcarter said:
If you think of the Pages as children and the Kings and Queens as parents, then the Knights are teenagers who know just enough to think they know it all. They do have positive qualities though (constancy, fearlessness and determine come immediately to mind).

Rodney

This. I see them also as a 'fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants' type, a bit reckless but with good intentions. Yes, risk takers. Nothing risked, nothing gained. Never know unless you try. I admire them for their "guts".

Daylin

Laurelle said:
Do you read reversals or use elemental dignities? Because that could affect the meaning of your knights.

And no, I haven't had that happen. Especially in regard to the Knight of Wands or the Knight of Swords. They seem to be fast action cards and things materialize rapidly.

The other two knights tend to move slower or not at all. For instance, the Knight of Cups could spend a whole night writing love poems to his beloved, but not once calling her. The Knight of Pentacles takes way too much time to make a decision and is slowly plodding along. So with both those knights I could possibly see your take, but it hasn't been my experience all the time.

Sometimes I see the knights working for the king and queen. Sometimes a knight can work for a queen to win her heart and win the crown of the king. Sometimes the knight can represent teenager working and learning with his family (queen/king). So there is some undeveloped energy there.

Insincere knights tend more towards reversed knights and I always see disappointment when they turn up in readings.

I'd love to hear a more concrete example of your knights. Surrounding cards are super important too.

I don't use reverse cards

And I think 'undeveloped' is a good way to describe it.

-From what I can remember, I got Knight of Pentacles recently for a reading about a potential career option. It didn't pan out, of course, even though Pentacles are usually a good sign regarding work. I believe Queen of Cups accompanied it...and a wand card I can't quite remember.

-A few months ago I did another reading about a potential job (I do a lot of these...I job search p much eternally lol) and I got Knight of Wands; again nothing happens.

-Knight of Swords is a little different in that I once did a reading for a friend. Since it was coupled with the Moon, I interpreted that to mean that her boyfriend might be unfaithful. Sure enough, a few weeks later, she finds that he was cheating on her. Also, I did get Knight of Swords for a few failed job options as well, lol.

-Once again......Knight of Cups signified a failed job search. This one was the reading before my most recent one.

My career is in art so its difficult for me to find good work....and nowadays I dread seeing the Knight cards

Now I can't remember all my readings - or some of the accompanying cards for them - but looking back I don't think I've ever had a positive outcome from a Knight card reading. :/ I tend to interpret them as opportunity passing by.

Daylin

Esk said:
I don't hate knights has much as other cards (yes, 5 of cups, i'm talking about you), but they are not the cards i like the most. I understand your point and your aversion to them, but i wouldn't say the knights are about masculine energies, they are really neutral for me, and i don't associate masculine traits with lack of sincerity ect. (although i agree they have more often commitment issues than women).

knight of wands : i undertand what you said about the knight going away from you, i have seen this card as something, someone going in the other direction and not toward the querent. It is also one of the typical non commitment card for me. However i don't hate him because it can also bring something fun and nice to you. Of course it doesn't last but at the moment it is pleasant. And i lack his energy so sometimes this card pops up to remind me to be a little more impulsive.

knight of swords : in my reading it's really often about arguments, anger, resentment, someone blinded by their opinion and unable to see and hear others point of view. I've seen a lot of post here where people see him as a message quickly delivered to the querent, but this knight never shows up for that in my readings. However it can also be about you and your need to stand your ground and show your opinion in a specific situation.

knight of cups : he can be nice this one, he can be very romantic and i've seen this card for the early stage of dating. However, he can also have a no commitment meaning because he is blinded by the idea of love or by a perfect and fantasized version of his lover, so the love doesn't last when he realise the person is not conform with his dream.

knight of pentacles : i've seen him for stubbornness and someone materialistic, but very often it is about something that is progressing reeeeeeally slow, so it is frustrating. But i wouldn't say it is a bad card.

All and all i'd say the problem with the knight is that, expect with the knight of pentacles, their energy doesn't last so they can bring frustration. But it doesn't make them bad if you take them for what they are. And for example, if you begin a relationship described by knight of wands or cups, it doesn't mean you can transform the relationship in something else (if the other one is willing to of course).

Thank you. These interpretations are very useful. I don't want to discount Knights entirely and I was hoping someone would give me some insight, since by no means are they usually intended to be 'negative'. Also, I agree aboutt the knight of swords...i've never seen it signify an 'important message' before... : p

Daylin

Barleywine said:
There's a "$5 word" in the dictionary that exactly describes their action: "Peripatetic - movement or journeys hither and thither." Inconstancy seems to be the keynote; fiercely active in short bursts, then poof! While they're "on" they're really "on," but "coming and going" - like the risque old blues song about men being like streetcars - is more their style. So something coming in or something going out, not settling in for the long haul.

I can see this... I think directionless is a good way to describe their energy. They're moving, but not necessarily int he way you'd expect or want.

@rwcarter & MysticMoon: Thank you, I hadn't considered the 'teenage' aspect, actually! :O

Thirteen

Quests and Important Messages

Daylin said:
they seem to signify something I really want - but something I will ultimately fail to get (I've come to see them as being mobile...that is, moving away from me, lol).

Well, that is the essence of many Knight stories isn't it? The "Quest." It isn't about getting what you want, but going after what you want and learning whatever you learn along the way. Ultimately, finding that Grail isn't as important as the adventure you have during that quest. Which brings us back to Teenagers, right? If you look at young people (teens, early 20's) if they *do* get what they want right away, they don't usually value it. Think of young sports figures who suddenly find themselves very rich, surrounded by "friends," the toast of the town, and able to have sex with whomever they want.

Their stories are pretty much the same. They indulge, party, and when something takes away their athleticism, they find themselves friendless, bankrupt and forgotten. A young person who gets that Grail with no effort doesn't know how to appreciate it, or keep it. So, it's actually a good thing that Knight cards are about *not* getting what you want right away. That's how the teenager matures and learns and transforms the child still in him into the adult he's becoming.

Daylin said:
...i've never seen it signify an 'important message' before... : p

If you're the King/Queen of a country, living in a palace, you send quick messages to all your courtiers and officials by way of pages. Pages are the "text messengers" of olden times. Anything from King to Queen "How are you?" To King to Chief Minster "Emergency! Get here now!" The little pages run around delivering all those messages.

If, however, you want to send a longer, and much more important message to a neighboring King/Queen, or to your army along the borders, you send a Knight. He's official. He is the *voice* of the King/Queen. ALL the Knights, thus, can stand for important messages--they are the voices of the suit, supporting that suit's elements. Which is why Knight/Swords is the most chatty--he offers an important message on communications (a communication about communicating), as well as messages on problem solving, or arguments, etc. But the other knights also stand as official messengers. The Knight/Wands about passions, ethics, hot tempers, the Knight/Cups messages about spirituality or romance or warm feelings or disappointments. The Knight/Pents messages of work, finance or social opinion.

i hate seeing knight cards

Daylin

Laurelle

Esk

Barleywine

rwcarter

MysticMoonlight

Daylin

Daylin

Daylin

Thirteen