BLESSINGS
As we mentioned at the end of PART ONE of this book, blessings and incantations often arrive
before a particular piece of work is to be carried out. Here we include one that already existed within the pages of Thomas Malory’s great book Le Morte d’Arthur. It has great potency, especially when read aloud.
My Knights and My Sergeants
“My Knights and my Sergeants and my True Children, which be come out of daily life into spiritual life, I will now no longer hide me from you, but you shall see now a part of my secrets and my hidden things: now hold and receive the high meat which he has so much desired.” Then took he himself the holy vessel and came to Galahad—and there he received his Saviour, and after him so received all his fellows; and they thought it so sweet that it was marvelous to tell. Then said he to Galahad: “Son, do you see what I hold between my hands?” “Nay,” said he, “but if you will tell me.” “This is,” said he, “the holy dish wherein I ate the Lamb on Sher Thursday. And you have seen openly that which you most desired to see, but yet have you not seen it as openly as you shall see it in the city of Sarras, in the spiritual place. Therefore you must go hence to serve again this holy vessel; for this night it shall depart from the realm of Logres, that it shall never be seen more here.”302
A Vision of the Fellowship
The following vision was written by a student who prefers to remain anonymous. It came to us at the beginning of a course dedicated to the formation of a modern fellowship of the Grail. It is a profoundly moving vision that we are glad to include here.
And I saw that when the members of the company had gathered together from their separate wanderings up and down in the world, they came into the holy place, and the door was shut behind them. And they put off each one his armor in his own time, and laid it beside the door; but their swords they kept. And together they kindled a fire, and sat around it, and conversed together in words and in silences, telling of their travels up and down, of their various encounters, their victories and defeats, and of the Quest, and what each had seen and learned and suffered on the Way.
And I saw how recognition leapt up among them as flames leap in dry wood, and how teacher and learner, giver and receiver, speaker and listener, adversary and lover, became one. And I saw that while out of the many grew one, yet each sojourner there remained distinct and irreplaceable, as jewels in a setting, and each did honor to the royalty in the other.
And each brought somewhat from his treasure for the delight and instruction of the others; and there was the sharing of wine and food and many gifts, and the sweet smell of incense; and none there was who did not give, and none who did not give and none who did not receive, each in his degree and measure.
And when the time had been fulfilled that they should be together in that place, they rose, and blessed one another, and took up each one his armor, and went their several ways again, until that time that they should return.
And I saw further, that whenever any members of that company declared on, yet to be declared, met at a crossing of the ways, they knew one another by the burning of their hearts; and with their swords they did salute one another; and it was between them as if they wore no armor. And I saw that they were bound with living thongs of love, one to another, and to that holy gathering which was, to them, a place of rest.
302. Malory, T. Le Morte d’Arthur, ed. J. Matthews (Cassell, 2000), book XVII, ch. 20.