King of Wands Tarot Card Meaning

experienced energy

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Tarot Alley uses the Rider Waite type of deck for our meanings, symbols, interpretations, etc.

When determining the King of Wands tarot card meaning, you should consider that it’s a Wands card and a King. The Suit of Wands represents energy and inspiration. Kings represent controlled and experienced providers.

In this way, we can determine that the King of Wands represents experienced energy. The King of Wands can be a positive force of experience and leadership. However, he does have a tendency to try and control everything.

Take a look at the Rider-Waite King of Wands displayed to the left (or above).

What is your first impression?

How does he feel? Where is he looking?

There’s no right or wrong answer here, just your interpretation.

Common Symbols

• A Lion: the lion represents royalty and power
• A Salamander: the salamander represents being above attack. (In the past it was believed that salamanders could walk through fire without being injured.)
• Confident yet Relaxed Posture: the posture represents authority. The King is generally relaxed looking but also clearly in charge.

Keywords & Concepts

The King of Wands for Personal Growth

Affirmation: I use my authority and experience to get things done faster.

You cannot control everything but, in order to achieve you goals, you must take control of your habits, choices, and schedule.

Put a structure in place that will keep your days calm and productive (without being rigid).

Ask Yourself:

• How confident am I as a leader?
• How can I project more confidence?
• How can I offer my expertise in ways that inspire others to follow me?

Interpreting the King of Wands

Generally, the King of Wands represents experienced energy. The King of Wands has been through a lot and he’s putting his experience to good use solving problems (often in new and exciting ways). His experiences are also useful for reassembling old things in new and exciting ways.

The King of Wands is a natural leader because of his experiences. He leads by example. He does the things he says he will. He directs the efforts of others in an easy and effective manner.

The Reversed King of Wands

How you read reversals is a personal choice. You can ignore reversals and read them as if the card is upright (this is what I often choose to do) or you can interpret reversals as variations of what they would mean upright. There are 3 common ways to read reversals: as a negative interpretation, as an opposite interpretation, or as a block on the upright interpretation. Check out How to Read Reversals for more information.

Typically, a reversed King of Wands represents arrogance. A reversed King of Wands is a bit of an asshole (or a major one, whatever). Examples include:

• Avoiding responsibility (often working harder at the avoidance than the actual job would require)
• Bragging about achievements that weren’t truly earned
• Holding things over others

Examples of the King of Wands

Specific Interpretations

Specific situations are the general interpretation (from above) used for a specific situation (love, career, etc). There is no need to memorize these (or even look them up) if you understand the general interpretation. However, here are some basic interpretations for some specific situations:

the King of Wands Tarot Card Meaning