The physical and emotional nature to which this card is attributed
is dark, ardent, lithe, animated, impassioned, noble. The King
uplifts a flowering wand, and wears, like his three correspondences
in the remaining suits, what is called a cap of maintenance beneath
his crown. He connects with the symbol of the lion, which is
emblazoned on the back of his
throne.--A.E. Waite
Air of Fire: Sun--steady
force of energy.
The moral qualities appropriate to this figure are swiftness and
strength. But he is sometimes inclined to act on impulse; sometimes
easily led by external influences; sometimes, especially in trifles,
a prey to indecision. He is often violent, especially in the
expression of an opinion, but he does not necessarily hold the
opinion about which he is so emphatic. He states a vigorous
proposition for the sake of stating it. He is in fact very slow to
make up his mind thoroughly on any subject, but always sees both
sides of every question. He is essentially just, but always feels
that justice is not to be attained in the intellectual world. His
character is intensely noble and generous. He may be an extravagant
boaster, while slyly laughing both at the object of his boast and at
himself for making it. He is romantic, especially in matters of
history and tradition, to the point of folly, and may engineer
'stunts' or play elaborate practical jokes. He might select some
inoffensive nobody, and pursue him for years with every weapon of
ridicule, as Swift tormented the unhappy Partridge, all without the
least animus, ready to give the shirt off his back, should his victim
be in need. His sense of humour is omnivorous, and may make him a
mysterious figure, dreaded without reason by people who actually know
nothing about him but his name--as a symbol of Terror. [Re: Richard I, they said: "'And now the Sultan
trembles at your name. The people of Egypt are astonished, and the
pagan is struck with awe.'"]
1
One of his greatest faults is pride; meanness and pettiness of
any kind he holds in infinite scorn. His courage is fanatically
strong, and his endurance indefatigable. He is always fighting
against odds, and always wins in the long--the very long--run. This
is principally due to his enormous capacity for work, which he
exercises for its own sake, 'without lust of result'; perhaps his
haughty contempt for the world at large--which however coexists with
profound and ecstatic respect for 'every man and every woman' as 'a
star'--is responsible for
this.--Aleister
Crowley
He indicates a strong-minded person, able to dominate others by
strength of will. His power derives from a firm belief in his own
rightness. He knows the truth; he knows his method is
best. He considers it only natural for others to follow him.Š He is
naturally honest, seeing no reason or value in lies. He is positive
and optimistic for much the same reason; the Wands energy burns so
strongly in him he does not understand why anyone would express
negative attitudes.Š Such a strong personality can tend towards
intolerance, unable to understand weakness or despair because he has
not experienced these things himself. This impatient side of the King
might bear the motto, 'If I can do it you
can'.--Rachel
Pollack
[King of Wands] finds it difficult to accept loss, and his main
weakness is in his denial of personal weakness. A situation that
offers no resolution may find the king butting his head against the
wall, or the king may be the one who leads others through a period of
despair and into the light.... he...can be long on inspiration and
ideas and short on follow-through. The proud tenacity of the king can
overrule his lack of perseverance, enabling him to find the breach in
the wall and lead the way through it. If the wish to dominate takes
hold of him, the king of wands will be ruthless. If he devotes his
natural warmth and fiery enthusiasm and energy to the service of
others, he will realize greatness. ... his ability to tolerate
hardship can put him on the front lines ... the king loves adventures
and challenge. Since, for him, the end supports the means, and
because he is generally fearless, he is the quintessential guerrilla
warrior, smuggler, or pirateŠ. He may also be attracted to explosives
and firearms.
Everyone pays attention when the king of wands walks into a room,
such is the force of his personality. Acquaintances admire more than
love him, but from the people who are close to him he receives deep
devotion, which he returns in full. Š The king is naturally strong;
his fiery metabolism means that he is probably lean as
well.--Jean Huets
1) Warriors of
God, James Reston, Jr., p.264 {back}
Selected
quotes about why I chose Richard I as King of Wands.
http://www.moonchild.ch/Tarot/court/WKg/wkgvoice.html
Tarot
