Companions of the Quest
The Grail Quest is a paradigm of our own spiritual journey; it is a journey upon which we continually find and lose our way as we rediscover and forget what we have learned. The cyclic nature of life ensures that, whatever our achievements, we can never rest on our laurels: we cannot retain that moment of revelation. Whatever our path, this schema holds true. Whether we follow the well-beaten path that others have trod before us or stride out into new regions of our own devising, we meet the same defeats, make the same mistakes, follow the same wrong directions—whether through laziness, ignorance, or despair.
We embark upon our spiritual journey in a state of primal innocence, like Perceval, that most guileless of knights, when he leaves the womblike enclosure of the wood where his mother has hidden him from life’s realities. From the very first Perceval is hardly aware that he is on a quest at all; mistaking armed knights for angels, he acts unchivalrously to all and omits to ask the important Grail Question that will end the Wounded King’s pain. But, just as no one who sets out upon the spiritual journey is ever alone, neither is the Grail seeker left lonely. It is with a network of mysterious companions on the quest that we shall be concerned here.
Each one accompanies the Grail knight and the mystic, and they are rarely absent from any spiritual tradition. The localized appearance of the most important of these beings within the Grail legends is the Hideous Damsel, sometimes called Kundrie. Mystically speaking, her original stature is vast, her ultimate archetype Sophia, or Holy Wisdom. However we see them, the task of these companions is to stimulate the remembrance of paradise; Sophia in particular is the symbolic personification of exile from the perfect state of being, as well as showing us the way of return to our original state. Whether we believe literally in the fall of the soul from grace or not, it is clear that most of the time we are in a state of forgetfulness, divided from our true nature.
We have seen something of the importance of the direct links between the Grail guardians of each age. In the visualizations that follow, you will be led into the world of three such guardians: Blaise (Merlin’s teacher), Prester John, and Sophia Aeternitas. Each brings a different strand of wisdom to the quest. The two parts of the meditation relating to Prester John and Sophia should preferably be done on succeeding days, though with no more than a week separating them. The gifts and knowledge imparted will become increasingly important as you progress on the path of the Grail. There are also references to the ritual that follows here; these meditations, while they can be done independently, may be seen as leading up to that ceremony.
Blaise
Little or nothing is known about Blaise, though he is described as Merlin’s teacher and is said to have written down the prophecies and stories told to him by the mage. Those who have encountered him in meditation describe him as monkish or perhaps like the hermits who live in the depths of the great wood and are often on hand to guide the knights on their quests and adventures. (He should not, however, be confused with the Breton Saint Blaise, who is a different character entirely.) There is no question that as Merlin’s teacher Blaise has much wisdom to impart, and in the meditation that follows we catch just a glimpse of that profound wisdom.
…
Close your eyes and prepare to enter into a state of meditation…
See before you a wooded glade filled with ancient trees. The undergrowth is thick and dark but you are able to push your way through, and in a few moments you emerge into a clearing. There you see a low hut thatched with rushes, and sitting before it, resting in the sunlight, is an ancient man. As you draw nearer, you find it almost impossible to tell how old he might be. His face is wrinkled and brown, but when he looks at you his eyes are sharp and clear. In the innermost part of your consciousness you hear a voice—clear, almost childlike: “Be welcome here. What do you seek?”
Into your mind at once comes the thought of Merlin, but before you can even try to speak the thought or ask the question of the ancient man, you hear a quiet chuckle. “You seek to know of my younger brother. You seek the wisdom beyond his wisdom.”
Before you can respond, the ancient man pats the earth beside him. “Come. Sit. Listen.”
You sit on the soft, springy grass beside the ancient man. Sitting straighter, he stares into the distance and finally hoods his eyes. Your own close also, and immediately into your consciousness come images, some moving and changing too fast to follow. You see ancient trees, thick and mighty, with great spreading branches. You see one tree that breaks open, and out of its heart steps a figure clad in brown robes with a great bush of hair and a beard down past his waist. He looks about him with wild eyes, and in your heart you know, without being told, that this is Merlin and that you have witnessed the birth of the mage—born from the trees of the great wood.
Now the scene changes for a moment and you see, briefly, the tower you have already visited, the stairs of which you have climbed, the observatory you have looked out from. But this takes only a moment. Then you see, standing before you, the ancient man, but now seemingly less old. In his hands he holds a round polished mirror. Again you hear the voice in your thoughts: “Look. See. Understand.”
You look into the mirror, and rather than seeing a reflection of yourself or the trees around you, you see the darkness of space filled with a multitude of stars. And in the center of that place is a star brighter than all the rest, gleaming and shining upon you. And as you look, you see somehow beyond it…beyond the star and into another place, a place for which there are no words; a place where there is no time; a place where there is only the essence of All That Is. And you look upon it only for a moment, knowing that to look longer would draw you too deeply into that place, into a place of presence, to the place from which Merlin’s master drew his wisdom and passed it to the great mage…
Coming back into the awareness of the trees around you and of the small aged man seated before you, you look at him and he looks at you. Something passes between you, unspoken: an understanding, a recognition, a truth. And you know in your heart that anytime you wish, you may return to this place and meet again with the man you know to be Blaise.
Slowly you return to the normal world. But in your innermost heart there still burns the bright star at the center of the heavens, and beyond it that place which is both beginning and end.
Prester John
Prester John is a mysterious figure who, according to legend, ruled over a fabulous kingdom sometimes situated in India or in an unknown area beyond the Middle East. In the thirteenth-century text known as The Later Titurel, attributed to Albrecht von Scharfenburg, he becomes the guardian of the Grail, while in the Parzival of Wolfram von Eschenbach he is the nephew of the Grail champion.
…
As you begin to relax, breathing slowly and evenly, the room in which you are sitting slowly fades, and you find that you are standing in the open air high up on top of a range of hills with a view of much of the land spread out below you. A little to the left is a low mound, not unlike the old prehistoric burial mounds, and in it is a heavy wooden door let into the side at the eastern end. You approach the door, and as you do so it opens before you. All is dark within at first, but as you enter you become aware of a soft glow that lights your way. Inside, the mound seems much larger, and you see that a tunnel opens out from it, sloping away into the earth. It is lined with ancient blocks of stone that look as though they have always been there.
As you follow the path downwards, the slope grows steeper, but the gentle light remains steady and unchanging. In a while you come to another door, much like the one by which you entered, and this too swings open to the touch. You pass through and find yourself in a hall of vast proportions. You can only dimly see the roof far above; the walls on either side recede into darkness. The floor of the hall is paved with huge blocks of masonry, fitted so exactly together that they are perfectly smooth and even to walk upon.
As you proceed across the floor of the great hall, you become aware that the light ahead of you is brightening, and you begin to see where two great thrones stand, carved out of rock and decorated with the likeness of strange beasts. Seated in the left-hand throne is the figure of a man who appears to be deeply asleep. He is tall, regal, and bearded, and wears a crown of three tiers surmounted by a dome. His robes are of deepest blue with elaborate letters in silver embroidered on them. These seem to move and change subtly as you look. In his arms the figure holds cradled a scepter carved out of emerald, on top of which is set a silver rose.
In the second throne is a figure that appears at first much like the first, so that they might be brothers. He also wears a crown, which has four tiers with a great cross surmounting it. He is robed in scarlet with designs in gold that seem like stars and suns, always moving in an endless dance. He carries a scepter carved from red jasper and tipped with a cross of gold.
In front of the two thrones is a low table made from a single block of marble, and on it stands a small bronze bell suspended from a dark wooden frame. Hanging from the frame is a striker, and you understand that you must go forward and strike the bell once, but no more…
With the first sound of the bell, which echoes softly in the huge hall, the figure on the left stirs, though he does not yet open his eyes. But the bell continues to reverberate, even though you have laid down the striker, and with the second reverberation the figure on the right also begins to stir. Thereafter, with each echo of the bell the two become progressively more awake until at last they are fully conscious and gaze upon you.
You become aware that while you were engaged in your task with the bell, the hall behind you has filled with a multitude of people dressed in the fashions of many ages, from the furthest days of the Neolithic and Bronze Ages to the most recent times. They are of every race, color, and creed. Some appear careworn and sad, others fearful, but all wear a look of dawning certainty and assurance as they stand before the two figures in their mighty stone chairs.
As you look at the two that have awoken, they seem to grow blurred to your eyes, and slowly they merge with each other. As your sight clears, you see that there is now only one figure on the left-hand throne and that his crown is of seven tiers, domed and surmounted with a cross of gold and emerald. His robes are now of purple, with patterns of sun, moon, stars, and letters inscribed of gold and silver upon them. The scepter he bears is of emerald, tipped with a golden cross in the center of which is a silver rose.
As you stare in awe at this mighty figure, a great cry comes from the crowd that now seems to fill the hall. They are calling out many names in many tongues, but you hear only one—Prester John, the name by which the figure is known to you from the writings of the wise in your own land.
Now he beckons you to approach, and when you stand before him offers you a gift, either in the form of a message or an object of some kind. Remember what is said or given to you.
…
After a time that is no time, and during which you may wander far in your innermost self, you find that you are still standing before the throne of Prester John and that the great crowd has begun to come forward to speak with the priest-king. Many days will pass before all have spoken with him, and many more will enter the hall that may yet know nothing of this place, but for you the time has come to depart. Salute the figure in the throne and then turn away and retrace your steps across the great hall, through the tunnel and outside onto the hillside overlooking the land. Slowly let the images of earth and sky fade until you find yourself returned to the place where you began. The memory of what you have learned remains fresh in your mind and will, if you desire it, lead to further explorations into the inner realms.
Sophia is the Goddess of Wisdom who appears in the Eastern Mediterranean between the fifth century BC and third century AD in more than one tradition, including Gnostic Christian and Jewish streams of belief. Arising as a fusion of many attributes of the goddesses of the ancient world, she can be discerned in figures like the Shekinah, the Wisdom of God, who elects to remain on earth with humanity after the Fall as a guardian and guide. In the myths of the Grail, her presence appears as the Grail Bearer, the Maidens of the Wells, and as the Queen of the Wasteland. See C. Matthews’s Sophia: Goddess of Wisdom, Bride of God (Quest Books, 2001).
…
As your senses adjust to the state of meditation, visualize yourself standing on the deck of a ship that is already at sea. A strong wind fills the sails, and the ship moves swiftly through the water. In the distance you see a line of tall cliffs that grow gradually closer until you are able to see lichen and birds’ nests along the cliff edges. The ship enters a narrow channel between dark rocks and soon arrives in a sheltered inlet that forms a natural harbor.
The craft docks against a jetty constructed of massive blocks of stone. Stepping ashore, you walk inland through a deep woodland filled with the noise of streams that trickle down to the sea on every side. Emerging from the wood, you find yourself in a narrow valley at the head of which a waterfall plunges down from the cliffs far above into a deep pool. On either side of the waterfall are two giant stone chairs like the thrones of ancient kings, and standing between them are two mighty figures, the one on the right dressed in green, the one on the left in red. They are the guardians of the valley and all that lies within.
To the right of the waterfall is a narrow crack in the face of the cliff, wide enough to admit one person at a time. The mighty figure in red indicates that you should enter, and this you do. Within is a dimly lit passage, and it is only a short distance to a pair of doors of ancient dark wood that open at a touch, admitting you into a vast hall, the walls of which lead off to right and left, vanishing in shadow, and the roof of which is too far distant to see. A gentle light allows you to see where you are. The floor is made up of huge blocks of worked stone, set smoothly together so that the cracks scarcely show.
As you proceed, the light grows stronger and you begin to glimpse mighty stalagmites hanging from the roof, each one pulsing with its own inner radiance. Then ahead you see two great stone chairs, their backs towards you. They are smaller than the vast carvings you saw outside at the feet of the mountains, but they are of the same kind and remind you of what you saw in the previous meditation. As you pass the chairs and come round to the front, you realize that this is the same hall you visited before, where you first met Prester John. Once again you see him seated in majesty, in his purple robe emblazoned with sun, moons, and stars, and bearing a scepter carved from a single emerald.
The throne next to him is now occupied by the figure of a woman dressed in a robe of red. She is veiled and carries a white scepter tipped with a carved red rose. Upon her robe are embroidered the letters S. A., repeated many times. Both the figures seem lost in meditation, sitting unmoving and with indrawn sight.
In front of the two thrones is a cubic alter, upon which is set a golden stone, emitting sufficient radiance to touch all who stand before it. You should respond to this as you wish, allowing it to sink deeply within you as you stand in silence before the king and queen.
As before, you become aware of a bell in a wooden frame that stands upon the altar beside the golden stone. This time the bell is of silver, and as you lift the striker and touch its side, a sweet ringing tone is emitted that continues to reverberate through the vast hall. At its first sound the two figures stir, looking down upon you from the two great thrones. They indicate that you should approach, choosing whether you will stand before the mighty figure of Prester John or before the veiled lady whose initials are S. A. They will have a message or an instruction that you should remember…
…
Time passes that is no time, during which you may wander far, but when you become aware again, you see that the hall is once again filled with a great multitude from every race and time in the history of this world. But where before their faces seemed careworn or fearful, now they are filled with radiance and joy. Turning to the great king and queen, you see that they have risen from their thrones, and together with the multitude you bow your head for a moment in homage.
Looking up again, you see the mighty archetypal figures hold out their hands in blessing above the throng; then, together, they descend hand in hand and walk slowly from the hall, vanishing at last behind a curtain that hangs to one side of the thrones. In the silence that follows their departure, the great multitude of people from all ages begins to disperse, vanishing silently back into the shadows of the great hall. A small group remains about the altar, however, and these now invite you to take hands with them in a circle. You do so, and all begin to dance slowly around the golden stone.
As if in answer, its light grows brighter, filling your heart and mind with a golden glow. Time melts away, and you enter a place of timelessness where all things flow together into a confluence of light and dream…
At last this begins to fade, and with it the shape of the hall and the people with whom you danced fades also. You awaken to find yourself back where you began this journey.
The Family of the Grail
A Ritual Meditation
With the completion of this work, you should begin to feel a secure connection with the mighty companions you met on your journey. You will most certainly encounter them again, either in the work set forth here or in the future as your own work develops. They are an enormously important part of the great family of the Grail, which, as we saw in chapter 14, is open to all who are of true heart and mind. In the rituals and meditations that follow, we shall begin to explore how we may open the ways between our own world and that of the Grail Family and the great houses of the principle quest knights. This is part of the dedication you will make to the work in hand that places the seeker both at the Round Table and in the Grail Castle and Temple. By following the paths set out here, practitioners will find themselves entering into the lands of Arthur and the Grail at a profound level and learning for themselves what the mysteries really constitute.
The following ritual meditation is designed to bring the followers of the quest directly into the family of the Grail. It can be read through by one or more persons or enacted as a more formal ritual with the readers placed as follows in a circle (see figure 15).
Dramatis Personae
Magus
Priestess
Titurel
Herzeloyde
Blaise
Dindrane
Perceval
Kundrie
Prester John
Elaine
Ritual Equipment
- Altar
- Candles
- Sufficient small white pebbles for each member of the company
Company sits in a circle between the specified directions. Magus and priestess are at the center, next to the altar.
MAGUS
Brothers and sisters of the company of the Grail, join with me in establishing this temple of the mysteries after the manner of the dwellers in Avalon, who guard the secrets of creation under the aegis of the Most High.
In the east stands Prester John, last in the line of Grail lords, emperor of the hidden realm in the east, guardian of the hallows for our age. See him as a mighty, lordly figure, clad in robes of red, with a foursquare crown of chalcedony upon his head.
In the south stands Titurel, builder of the first temple of the Grail and father of the line of Grail kings who guard, to this day, the secret places of the earth where the light of the Grail is still found. See him as a tall, stern, and kingly figure, clad in robes of green and with a crown of golden roses upon his head.
In the west stands Blaise, teacher to Merlin, architect of the Grail Quest in the age of Arthur, who withdrew into the inner realms to watch and prepare for the time when the Grail would pass again from the kingdom of Logres until one came who should summon it back. See him as an aged man clad in the robes of a monk, one whose eyes look forth with kindness and tranquility upon all that pass in the world. He bears in his right hand a staff of ebony.
In the north stands Perceval, who in Arthur’s time was one of the three knights who achieved the mysteries of the Grail, and who, after the departing of the saintly Galahad, returned alone to the castle of the Grail to await the beginning of the new mysteries of the Grail, which were yet to be. See him as a youth dressed in a robe of many colors, and in his hand the Sword of Knighthood, with which he initiates those who come in search of the hallows.
PRIESTESS (standing at center)
Within and between these four mighty figures, see also four others, who represent the feminine mysteries of the Grail. In the southeast stands Elaine of Corbenic, princess of the Grail and mother of Galahad. She alone amongst her kin was deemed worthy to carry the sacred vessel in the procession of the hallows. See her as a young and lovely woman, dressed in white and with a veil upon her head. She holds the cup that is the first amongst the hallows.
In the southwest stands Herzeloyde, mother of Perceval, known as the Widow, who holds in her heart all the sorrows of motherhood and the wounds of the Maimed King, her brother. See her as a woman in the fullness of years, dressed in blue and with a crown of stars upon her head. She carries in her hands the emerald stone of the foundation of powers in the mysteries of the Grail.
In the northwest stands Dindraine, sister of Perceval, who gave her lifeblood to heal another and whose body was borne into the holy city of Sarras and buried alongside that of Galahad. See her as a young and noble woman, clad in red, who bears in her arms the great golden dish in which the love feast of the Grail is carried.
In the northeast stands Kundrie, who was sent by the Grail Kings to challenge all who come in pursuit of the sacred vessel and who extols them to ever-greater efforts. See her as a woman of middle years, strong and dark and clad in green. In her hands she bears the spear that heals and wounds, the last of the four hallows that constitute the mysteries of the Grail.
MAGUS and PRIESTESS (together)
These eight together form the inner family of the Grail, and thus the circle of Logres in Britain and the foursquare citadel within are established in these mysteries according to the teachings of the dwellers in Avalon.
MAGUS
Let us now hear of four who established in the inner and the outer realms sacred places in which dwelt the spirit of the Grail and of its family.
PRESTER JOHN (stands)
The first is Solomon, the all-wise king of the Hebrews, who in his wisdom saw that a time would come when a great and terrible doom would lie upon the world, which would be redeemed by the act of a son of the Most High, and that thereafter would come a time when a hallow of that act would appear in the world of men and require a place of housing and a means to take it from place to place.
ELAINE OF CORBENIC (stands)
And he consulted with his wife, who was equally famed for her wisdom, and she told Solomon that he must build a ship of the timbers from the tree that had grown from a branch of the tree of good and evil that Eve brought forth out of Eden. And this King Solomon did, and in it placed a crown that held within it all the wisdom of his heart. And this ship he set adrift on the sea, but it did not sail through the sphere of time, but outside it, so that many ages of men passed before it was seen again in the lands of men.
TITUREL (stands)
And the second is Joseph of Arimathea, who, when the body of the saviour was taken down from the cross, took charge of it and had it placed within his own tomb, which lay some distance from the Hill of Golgotha, in a garden. And when the body was washed and prepared by the women of Jesus’s family, some blood and water came from the wounds in his side and were caught in two cruets that Joseph had in his possession. And after the resurrection of the saviour, Joseph was imprisoned without food or water in a certain tower, and there the risen Lord came to him and entrusted him with the cup of the Last Supper and the secrets of its use.
HERZELOYDE (stands)
And with his family and followers Joseph set out upon a great journey across the sea to France and finally to Britain, where, only three years after the death of Jesus, he landed in Cornwall. Passing inland to the place which is called Ynys Witrin by some and by others the Avalon of the Heart, he built there a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and within it there was a place where the cup was set for all to behold. But the two cruets containing the blood and water from the wounds of the saviour he took to another place and there buried them.
BLAISE (stands)
And the third is Josephus, the son of Joseph of Arimathea, who, having been established as the first bishop of the land of Britain, made for the Grail a church of stone to replace that of his father that was made of wattles. And he it was that established the second table of the Grail, made in the likeness of the table of the Last Supper. Twelve places there were at this table, and one of them remained forever vacant until such time as one destined to appear would come and fulfil the prophecy of old by sitting in it and thus beginning the quest for the Grail in the time of Arthur.
DINDRAINE (stands)
And of his family came a line of kings who knew nothing of the pursuits of men but kept watch and ward over the hallows, which now numbered three: the cup and the spear that Joseph had brought with him from the Holy Land, and a great broad dish of gold that appeared to Josephus and upon which he served a single fish which, as in the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000, served all of his followers at a time when they were without meat or bread. Because of this Josephus was ever after known as the Rich Fisherman.
PERCEVAL (stands)
And the fourth is Titurel himself, to whom, when he was fifty years old, an angel appeared from the Grail to tell him that the rest of his life should be devoted to its service. With celestial music the angel led him into a deep and seemingly impenetrable wilderness. In the center of the forest rose a mountain that had remained invisible to man, and its name was Munt Salvasch—which is to say, the Mountain of Salvation. There, the Grail could be seen to hover in the air, held by the invisible hands of angels. Titurel built a great castle there, so strong that all the armies of the world could not make it yield.
KUNDRIE (stands)
Titurel resolved to build a temple for the Grail. He cleared part of the summit, and it began to glow like the moon. One morning he found engraved in the stone the ground plan of the temple. The work took thirty years to complete, during which time the Grail supplied the workers with all their needs. And when the temple was complete, Titurel sent forth messengers into the world to selected certain men and women who were to become part of the family of the Grail and establish a lineage that would extend throughout the ages.
PRIESTESS
Thus was the family of the Grail established, and unto this very time the call has gone forth to men and women of good heart, who wish to brave the tests and trials of the quest and so earn the right to become themselves guardians of the hallows and of the temple of the Grail.
MAGUS
Therefore, we invite you, who stand between the worlds on the border between the land of Logres and the land of the Grail, to enter the mysteries that may admit you to the family of the Grail.
PRIESTESS
Is it the wish of all present to take part in the mysteries of the Grail?
THE COMPANY
It is. (all sit)
PRIESTESS
It has long been recognized that the greatest secret of the Grail is that of love and the service that comes of both heart and soul. These things are taught in the halls of wisdom. Hearken now to the words of the wise, which tell of a mystery in which all share.
MAGUS
Sinking deeply into meditation, see yourself standing once again in the great hall beneath the hills. (this is a reference to the preceding meditations) Both the stone chairs are empty this time, and the altar stands bare. But in the center of the floor before the thrones you now see for the first time an iron ring, which is clearly intended to raise the massive block of stone to which it is attached. Placing your hands about the ring, you pull upwards and the stone yields with surprising ease. Below is revealed a flight of ancient, worn steps leading downward into darkness. Trusting to the powers that guide you, you begin your descent.
Though you see nothing at first, you can feel the smooth shape of the walls curving slightly to the left as you descend. Then gradually a light begins to dawn ahead, and as you round a sudden corner you find yourself standing in a long, brightly lit room, painted with scenes from the Great Work of the alchemists, depicting the refining and transformative process that turns base substance into spiritual gold. You see images of a crowned man and woman, both naked, undergoing cleansing and purification with water and fire. If it seems to you that the man has the face of the king from the hall far above, do not be surprised. The face of the woman is more bright and wondrous than you had imagined, even in this painted image. You may look for a time at these pictures until you feel ready to proceed…
After a time, you feel drawn to stand before two wooden doors that lead out of the chamber from the end farthest from that by which you entered. On them are painted further images of the king and queen, while above their heads are the initials P. J. and S. A.
To one side of the door are a number of carved slots, in each of which is a rod of curious design and color. Choose one that feels right for you and take it out, then silently push open the doors and go through, finding yourself in a smaller chamber than the first, the walls of which are lined with plain wood.
The air seems cooler here, despite the fact that in the center stands a great cauldron, larger than a man, beneath which a fire burns fiercely. As you approach, you see that the fire is made entirely from roses, which burn without heat and are not consumed…
A hidden door now opens and there come forth the king and queen themselves. The face of the lady is still veiled, but both she and her consort have put off their splendid robes and are dressed instead in plain white linen that seems to glow in the dim light of the room.
As you watch, they take hands and climb into the cauldron, which is large enough for them to sit facing each other, with only their heads showing above the rim. The king turns to look at you, and though no words are spoken you are given to understand that you should take the rod you found in the outer chamber and thrust it into the fire…
The fire of roses burns even brighter now, and instinctively you draw back a little, though you are in no danger. The king and queen bow their heads in meditation as a mistlike cloud begins to rise from the cauldron. Soon you cannot see them at all, only the cloud hovering above the cauldron in which shapes appear and move…
You may see there those who will speak to you of your own search, of your part in the Grail work and of your reasons for becoming part of the family of the Grail…
After a while you cannot even see the cauldron anymore, though the mist is tinged with red rose-light. Then slowly it begins to disperse and at last we see the king and queen step forth. Naked, their bodies shine almost translucently with the splendor and beauty of the perfect human form. So, too, you see the face of the queen unveiled for the first time, though it is too bright to look upon for more than a second. Once only they turn to look your way, raising their hands in grave salute, then hand in hand they walk towards a veil, which you now see hanging across the further side of the room. Beyond it is a splendid chamber, lit by a single silver lamp, in which is a great bed with hanging curtains, embroidered with the initials P. J. and S. A.
The veil parts and closes again behind the king and queen, and the room beyond is darkened so that we may no longer see within. However, you should be aware of the importance of the mystery taking place within, and may, if you wish, meditate upon it for a few moments…
It is almost time for you to depart, but before you do so, you may look into the cauldron. You may see something within or simply the swirl of water or mist.
Quietly now you return to the antechamber with the painted scenes on its walls, and passing through this you ascend the spiral stair until you find yourself standing once more in the great hall. There you find the concourse of people of all ages and races once more gathered, and as you emerge into the hall they are singing a joyful wedding song to the king and queen.
PRIESTESS
The bride is a daughter of light;
Of the kings she possesseth the splendour.
On the crown of her head the king is throned,
Giving food to her pillars beneath him.
Her tongue is the door-curtain
Which the priest parteth and enters.
Step-wise her neck riseth—a stairway
That the first builder hath made.
The two palms of her hands
Predict the land of the living.
Her ten fingers are secretly setting
The gates of the city ajar.
Her bridesmen surround her,
All she hath invited.
Her bridesmaids stand with them
Singing the praise song before her.
Before her serve the living ones
Who watch for the bridegroom’s coming.
At the wedding feast stand all
Who share in eternal delight.
They shall put on the radiance of the king
And be clothed in robes of light.
They shall taste of the living food
That has no waste.
They shall drink the living water
And shall thirst no more.
With the living spirit they shall sing
To truth’s father and wisdom’s mother
And become the children of light.
MAGUS and PRIESTESS (together)
In the presence of these witnesses of the inner realms, who have been named and who have spoken of the building of the places of the Grail, of the wedding of the king and queen who dwell there, make in silence your acclamation and oath to uphold the truths of the Grail in the world for as long as you shall live or until the Courts of Joy are reestablished in the world. But beware lest you make this promise lightly, for one who is welcomed into the family of the Grail remains so for as long as they are required. And thus do all who seek the hallows learn the meaning of service in the mysteries of the Grail.
MAGUS
Therefore let each one step forward and make formal dedication in the light of the Grail.
As each person approaches and then returns from the central altar, he or she is given a white stone with the words, spoken quietly, “I give you a white stone and a new name.” Thereafter each person retires silently to meditate upon the nature of their newfound relationships in the Grail Family.
PRIESTESS
Let the Grail bearer, Elaine of Corbenic, share with us the wisdom of the Grail.
Elaine circulates with the Grail, giving each one a drink about the circle first. Then she brings it to the magus, who gives her a drink. She returns to her seat. Magus and priestess drink, and the Grail is enshrined on the altar.
MAGUS
Thus are the mysteries of the Grail and of the dwellers in Avalon ended for this time. Let us give thanks to those who have attended from the inner realms.
In the east we give thanks to Prester John; may his wisdom shine upon us.
In the south we give thanks to Titurel; may his light shine upon us.
In the west we give thanks to Blaise; may his strength shine upon us.
In the north we give thanks to Perceval; may his compassion shine upon us.
PRIESTESS
In the southeast we give thanks to Elaine of Corbenic; may her light defend us.
In the southwest we give thanks to Herzeloyde; may her wisdom defend us.
In the northwest we give thanks to Dindraine; may her love defend us.
In the northeast we give thanks to Kundrie; may her truth defend us.
MAGUS
Let us go in peace to love and serve the Grail in the world.
MAGUS and PRIESTESS
There is a blessing upon those who serve.
Thus we have been offered the opportunity to become part of the Grail Family. Perhaps the most significant aspect of the story of the sacred vessel and the other hallows, and the way it enmeshes so with mysteries of the Arthuriad, is the theme of the Wounded King. We have dealt with this at length in chapter 7; now is the time to follow on from our understanding of the Grail Family to the potential healing that we can both give and receive. The meditations that follow here are derived from work I explored in my book Healing the Wounded King (Element, 1999). It lays the groundwork for the Restoring the Courts of Joy ritual (found in chapter 17 of the present book) and deepens the awareness of the part to be played by those who join the family of the Grail. For those who experienced the pathworking of Blaise earlier in this chapter, the hermit in this first meditation may be seen to shadow this powerful companion.
…
Close your eyes and prepare to embark upon a journey. As you allow your senses to adjust to the movement from outer to inner consciousness, become aware that you are standing before the entrance to the Castle of the Grail. There, waiting to welcome you, is a figure dressed in the brown robe of a hermit. He makes a sign of blessing over you and bids you to follow him.
You find yourself in the great hall of the castle, which is the place of the Grail mysteries. You see that many people are already seated at the long tables that stretch down either side of the room. But the hermit leads you straightaway into a side chamber, where the buzz of conversation from the hall is at once silenced and where a cool and peaceful atmosphere surrounds you. Set beneath a window, through which you can see the branches of a great tree stirring gently in the breeze, is a low couch. The hermit indicates that you should take your ease upon it and wait for the appearance of the one you have come there to see.
The hermit departs, and for a brief time you are alone. You wonder greatly that you are so close to the mystery. Take a few moments considering this, and if you can, call to mind any deep wound that troubles you. Be unstinting in this and do not hold back from recognizing the reality of this hurt. Though the summoning of this wound may well be painful, remember that you are in the place where you ultimately may find healing for all of the wounds that you bear within. Take as long as you need to do this.
…
When you have spent some time in this way, become aware that someone has entered the room and is standing patiently by your side. You look up and see the most kindly face you have ever seen, marked with lines of compassion and selfless love. The person may be male or female, old or young, but above all they possess the essence of care and wisdom. This, you know at once, is a healer—someone to whom you can pour out your heart, who has heard everything and anything there is to hear, no matter how terrible or seemingly insignificant it may be. And this is just what you now do, putting into words all the fear and terror and pain, the loneliness, rejection, and unconnectedness that is in your life. Take your time in this, and, as before, be as unstintingly honest as you can, knowing that no one else will ever hear what you say unless you wish it.
…
When you have said all that you need to say, the healer gently takes both of your hands and, looking far off into the distance beyond you, begins to sing. The song is ancient and beautiful, full of unexpected cadences and changes of key. The healer’s voice is rich and vibrant, full of the same overwhelming sensitivity that is reflected in his or her face. It is like nothing you have heard or experienced before, and as you listen you become aware that it is having a deep and profound effect upon you. Take your time to consider this effect while you listen to the sweet harmonics of the song.
…
In time—who can say how long, for in this place there is no such dimension—the song has ended. You look again at the healer, whose eyes are still closed, and realize that something has passed from you to her or him. Some ancient, deep-seated hurt has been changed, softened, and healed in a way you could not have imagined. You try to utter your thanks, but the healer merely shakes his or her head and places a finger against your lips. Then, as quietly as she or he entered, the healer is gone, leaving you alone again in the bright room with the sound of the breeze in the tree outside the window lulling you into a gentle sleep…
From this sleep you will awaken in time to your normal consciousness, the images you have seen fading into sleep, and leading, in time, to a quiet awakening.
Healing the Wounded King
This is one of the most powerful visualizations we have ever used. We have presented it to groups many times over the years and found it to be enormously cathartic and helpful, both to the individuals who use it and to the Grail King himself. As the previous meditation allowed you to find healing for yourself, so now you have the opportunity to return that gift.
…
As you sink deeply into meditation, see before you a great wooden door. It opens at your touch and you pass through by way of a short, wide tunnel that issues onto open ground near the top of a hill. You step out and look around. Rolling land sweeps away on all sides under a gray sky, and you feel the wind on your face. Before you a path leads downward into a shallow valley carpeted by a forest of ancient trees that stretches into the distance.
As you approach, you see that the trees are tall and noble, looking as though they have stood there since the beginning of time. This is, perhaps, a place where you have walked before. You pass beneath the branches and find yourself walking in a green and twilit world. The trees become denser the farther you go, and a green canopy of leaves is over your head. Your feet make almost no sound in the thick carpet of leaves and moss that lines the forest floor.
Patches of sunlight fall slanting onto the pathway before you, and you find that you have come to a place where the way divides in three. A broad, well-trodden path leads away to the right, and a narrow, less-frequented one to the left. Between these runs a twisting, winding path that leads deeper into the tangled heart of the wood.
As you stand for a moment, hesitating over which path to take, you become aware of a single great tree standing alone to one side of the twisting path. In its topmost branches sit two children, a boy and girl of about six to seven years, one dark, the other fair.
As they look down at you from their perch they both seem sad, and as you look at them you are reminded of your own childhood, whether it is recent or in the more distant past. You spend a moment in contemplation of that time, and perhaps there comes to mind an old wound that began in that time. Give yourself a few moments to consider this and to be at peace with it.
…
When you are done you see that the two children are both pointing silently to the narrow, twisting path, indicating that you should follow it deeper into the forest. You decide to take this road, and as you go forward the air becomes still; there is an almost breathless feeling of expectation.
Then, ahead of you, the trees begin to open out and you see that you are coming to a wide grassy glade. As you approach, you become aware of a sound high in the air above you. It is the sound of silvery bells, very faint and seemingly far off. You are reminded of the bells worn by hunting hawks that chime as they fly.
As you emerge into the clearing, you see that the branches of the encircling trees are hung with long palls of purple cloth and that in the center is a circle of tall, silvery birches like the pillars of a great hall. At the center of the clearing stands a great bed, draped in hangings of red and gold. On it lies a figure, wounded in many places, from which blood runs down and soaks into the earth. The figure’s eyes are closed as though in sleep, but it moves restlessly because of the pain of its wounds.
As you look at the wounded figure, you become aware of someone entering the clearing. You recognize him as the hermit who welcomed you on your arrival. Perhaps he is Blaise returned to an older time, for he seems younger. He beckons you to follow him, and there at the edge of the clearing, almost hidden among the trees, is a low hut. The hermit enters and comes forth again carrying a magnificent black cloak embroidered with golden doves.
The hermit looks directly at you. “Why are you here?” he asks. You look back towards the wounded figure and make it known that you have come to help in whatever way you can with the healing work that is required. The hermit then hands the cloak to you and bids you put it on. The doves, he says, are the sign of the Grail. No harm can come to you as long as you go forward under their protection. He bids you listen for the chiming of the bells that you heard as you entered the clearing. They will help you if you encounter any difficulty on the way. Then he leads you back to the edge of the clearing farthest away from where you entered and directs you to follow the path before you.
Soon you find yourself leaving the woodland and entering a misty part of the valley with high, steep cliffs rising far off on either side. Ahead now you see a turbulent lake of water that boils and bubbles. Mists rise from its surface, making it impossible to see what lies beyond. Then you see that on the surface of the lake floats a small boat in which a man sits fishing. He seems unperturbed by the heat and mist rising from the water. Seeing you, he points to a spot farther along the bank, where you catch a glimpse of a narrow bridge that stretches from the bank into the mist. It looks perilously narrow, without rope or rail on which to cling, but it is clear that you are meant to cross it.
You hesitate for a moment until you become aware of a figure approaching along the margin of the lake. It is a woman, tall and graceful and dressed in black. You cannot see her face, as she has both hands pressed to it, and you can hear that she is weeping bitterly. As she draws near, you ask why she laments and hear that it is because of the one who lies in the forest clearing, wounded unto death but unable to die or be healed. As long as this remains unchanged, the crops will not grow and all the land is wasted.
As if scales had fallen from your eyes, you look about you and see that the earth is barren on all sides of the valley. The grass grows sour and rank beneath your feet, and the air is bitter with a tang like burning. You are filled with a great desire to heal this place, and turning again to the lady, you see that her face is uncovered. She seems ugly to you, her face withered and marked with signs of weal and woe, and as you look at her you understand that if you are to heal the wounded one in the clearing, you must cross the bridge and face whatever lies beyond. Remembering the words of the hermit, that you are protected by the sign of the Grail, you draw your black and gold cloak around you and attempt the crossing.
You cross slowly, inching your way forward on hands and knees if need be. Feel the roughness of the stones beneath you, and hear the water bubbling below.
…
At last you feel firm earth beneath your feet again, and looking about, you see that the mist is much thinner here. You are standing on what seems to be an island, which rises slightly towards the center. There stands a tall white castle. As you look at it, you realize it is slowly turning, as though it sits on a great wheel. Time and again you see the gateway turn past you, and as there seems no other way of getting inside you are momentarily at a loss. Perhaps it is still not time for you to enter? But otherwise why would you have got this far? Thinking again of the wounded figure in the clearing, you hear the ringing of bells in the air above you, though you still cannot see from where they come. Into your mind comes the thought that when you hear the bells again, you may go forward without fear. In this way, you will be able to enter the castle, but you must trust to yourself and your helpers, who are with you even though you do not always see them.
You await the ringing of the bells, and when they sound you leap forward…to land safely on firm ground. You open your eyes to find that you are standing in a great hall, the walls of which seem made of glass, though you can see nothing beyond them since the mist has thickened around the castle. A weight of silence lies around you, and there is scarcely a breath of air…
The place seems somehow familiar, especially when you notice the great Round Table with chairs arranged about it that stands at the center of the hall. But the last time you walked in the hall of Camelot the walls were of stone, not translucent glass or crystal as they seem now. This is, you realize, a deeper resonance of the Round Table hall than you had experienced before.
Standing to one side is the figure of the hermit. He bids you welcome and invites you to sit at the table. As you approach, you see that the chairs all have names inscribed on them and that one of them bears your own name. You remember how, before, there was no designated place for you; now a seat is held in readiness…
On the backs of the other chairs you see many names that you recognize, old friends and new, inner world helpers and allies, teachers and people who have brought solace and friendship in your outer life…
A wonderful feast is laid before you by the servants of the place, and you will find that it consists of the food you like best. This is spiritual food that nourishes the soul as well as the body, and as you partake of the offering you feel new life and energy flowing through you…
Now become aware of a procession that passes through the hall. First comes a youth dressed in white and carrying a candlestick containing a candle that burns with a steady flame. Next comes a young woman who carries a tall spear. It seems as though it would be too heavy for her, yet she carries it easily. From its tip run shining drops of blood, which fall and are lost in shadow near the floor. Last of all comes a slightly older woman, fair of face and crowned. In her hands she carries something covered in a white cloth. A soft radiance shines from within it, pulsing slowly like the beating of a mighty heart…
The procession slowly passes from view into a side chamber, and when it has gone the hermit stands before you and bids you to follow him. He leads you into the very same antechamber into which the procession went before you. Inside, the walls are surrounded by tall treelike columns, so that you seem never to have left the clearing in the forest. In the middle of the room stands a wide bed, and in it lies the same wounded figure you saw earlier. Once again you hear the bells peel out above you…
Surrounding the bed are the people who passed you in the hall, and on a low stone altar the objects they carried are set out. The candle, burning still with a steady flame, stands to one side; the spear is laid slantwise across the altar; and the third object, now uncovered, stands in the center. It appears to you as an ancient wooden cup blackened with age and cracked around the rim.
The Hermit indicates that you may, if you so desire, take up the cup and offer the wounded figure a drink. As you do this, you will with all your heart and mind and soul that the figure’s wounds should heal. The Grail itself can do nothing unless it is charged with love and compassion. So now, in your own time, you may go forward and take up the cup. The people of the procession will support the wounded one…
You go forward and lift the ancient cup. A feeling of awe coupled with great strength flows through you as you bend over the wounded figure on the bed. As others support him, you give the wounded man a drink from the ancient cup, all the time willing that with each sip the wounds he possesses will heal…
…
When you have done what you came to do, the hermit bids you once again to follow him back into the hall. As he does so, he tells you that your work has been well done and that the wounded figure has begun to recover. Now you must depart in the faith that the wounds will be completely healed.
The hermit leads you back to the gate of the castle, which no longer revolves. As you depart, you meet again the tall, graceful woman in black. Now she no longer weeps, and as you look into her face you see that she has lost the withered look she had before and now seems beautiful and radiant. She thanks you with these words: “Now the Wounded One is almost healed, the land will bear fruit again.” She leads the way before you, and as you leave the island, crossing as you came by the slender bridge—which no longer seems to you at all unsafe—you see that the mists have lifted and that it is dawn, and that on all sides are the first signs of a new spring: green buds bursting open on the trees and bushes, fresh green grass springing soft beneath your feet…
The dark queen leads the way back through the woods, and as you follow her you hear the sound of the bells again high above you. Soon you find yourself in the forest clearing, where the hangings are now all of gold and red, and where the wounded figure lies still on the great bed but no longer seeming close to death. As you watch, you see a hawk, the ringing of whose bells has guided so much of your journey, descend in a flash of brown and white feathers onto the body of the wounded one. But instead of tearing at the flesh, it merges with the body, and you understand at once that this is the soul of the wounded one returned to his body.
Now the figure leaps up, embraces you, and gives you thanks for all you have done. The queen thanks you also and bids you remember all you have learned. You understand that in helping this wounded one to be healed, you have given new strength to those who work constantly for the healing of the wounds of the world…
Now the hermit comes forward and bids you keep the embroidered cloak in token of your quest. It will be invisible to all but you, but as long as you possess it, you may return at any time to the country of the Grail.
The hermit sets you on the road home, and you walk back through the green woodlands where now birds sing joyfully amid the trees. On the way you pass again the great tree where the two children wave happily to you, all dark memories gone from them, as all are gone from you. And so you reach the green hillside and make your way up it until you see before you the great wooden door. It opens before you, and you pass through, returning by way of the short passage to the place where you began this journey. Take time to reestablish contact with the outer world and remember all that you experienced in the lands of the Grail.
…
The Grail has been an increasingly important part of the work we have followed so far. From here onward it will become central to all that we attempt in answering the call of Arthur.