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To discover the grail you first need to find yourself, hopefully this page will cast some light upon your journey. You will not find the grail here but perhaps I can assist you on your travels, now that you have entered this well.
Over the centuries the Grail has become something of a changeling taking on many forms from the cup, the chalice, the platter or dish, the cauldron of the ancient Celts and the horn of plenty to name a few. Today the popular vision of the Grail is of the cup or chalice said to hold the blood of Christ caught while he bled upon the cross by Joseph of Arimathea.
Joseph accompanied the Grail to the Isle of Angels (Britain) and upon reaching Glastonbury he placed his staff into the ground. From this grew the first thorn tree, said to represent the crown Christ was forced to wear during his crucifixion. There is a strong connection between the Grail of Jesus Christ and the Arthurian Quest, but beyond them both silently lies a far older legend, one which I shall try to touch upon here.
Within Celtic lore waiting to be discovered are the triads, read on and all will be explained. There are numerous examples of the triads within the legends. For instance we have the three Grail knights Galahad, Bors de Ganis and Perceval, who all succeeded in crossing the Grail bridge, a test of purity in itself.
There are also the three concealments of Britain which involve Bran's head, the Dragons of Dinas Emrys and the bones of Vortimer the blessed; each hold their own secrets and offer wisdom, understanding and knowledge once unraveled.
Another is of course the Goddess in her triple aspect as Maiden, Mother and Crone and also perhaps the most famous or infamous triad of them all depending on which way you look upon it, Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot. The list of examples is endless - you could also included the Father, Son and Holy Ghost or Mind, Body and Spirit...Faith, Hope and Charity etc.
So what can the triad stratagems tell us. Well to start with they can be anything from Deity, people, places, events or objects which join together to aid the memory and learning. Within Celtic lore at times a common denominator is that they tend to end in tragedy.
Instead of looking upon the tales as simple stories we must look beyond and discover the mistakes which caused the downfall or heartache, and relate this to ourselves. Another common factor is they all kept secrets from another person involved within the triad.
As only the pure in heart can discover the Grail the holding of secrets points to a lack of trust in either another or oneself. Truth is one which the Grail demands hence lack of trust either through our own actions or those of others becomes a negative, which in time may fester and breed until consciously or not you cause harm to another. This in turn will cause you to retreat further from the quest or path.
Truth or honesty (honour) today seem to have become a burden for many, instead of becoming a source of enlightenment. I would suggest to you this is because of the search for recognition of status (sometimes caused by a deep insecurity) and the search for financial gain (material wealth).
This has caused some to become confused as to the true path and Grail quest. As the Grail resides within the realm of Spirit it will not entertain those who seek it for their own gain; it can only be given to others to share and heal and can never be owned by only one.
If we take the figure of Galahad who many state brought the grail to the wounded King Arthur (although I feel an affinity towards Perceval for this task) Galahad learned from the mistakes of his father Lancelot who betrayed both his wife Elaine and his King in failing to overcome his desire for Guinevere.
Often those who appear the strongest are in reality (at times) the weaker emotionally. Because Galahad experienced the suffering caused by the actions of Lancelot he swore an oath that he would forgo all earthly pleasures.
Only by experience may we learn wisdom. Many often confuse knowledge with wisdom, knowledge can easily be achieved through study but this alone does not make you wise. As Galahad held no mortal desires he achieved the seat 'Siege Perilous'. It is for this very reason I feel Perceval was the knight who brought the Grail to Arthur.
Perceval seems a far more human figure and achieved the Grail after his second attempt. Raised by his mother in the woods and educated in the ways of chivalry and conduct. He is seen as the fool who eventually becomes the wise man (or the Hermit within the Tarot deck). Only after he experienced the love of a maiden did he return to successfully secure the Grail.
Perceval is also associated with the Christian figure of Perlesvaus who achieves the position of Grail King. It is not until later and the growth of Christianity that he was replaced as the main Grail Knight by Galahad, who was seen as more virtuous and in keeping with the Christian archetype. Perhaps originally it was Perceval not Galahad who claimed the seat 'Siege Perilous' at Arthur's round table.
So what was the Siege Perilous? At Merlin's request around Arthur's table one chair remained empty - this was reserved for the purest knight in the land. Only he who remained untainted and who served a higher purpose could fill this position. This was the place held for the knight who would succeed in securing the Grail for King Arthur.
The Quest for the Grail has revealed many a tale of enlightenment. After the death of Joseph of Arimathea his disciples constructed Castle Corbenic to house the sacred vessel. Again arguments and jealousy festered within the castle community which resulted in King Mordrain being struck blind by the light radiating from the Grail, as he sought to use it for his own means.
The earliest account of the Grail is not one of a cup or chalice but a cauldron involving Arthur and his knights, as they set sail towards the land of Annwn to recover the Hallows. There they discovered a glass castle revolving upon an isle.
At the center of the castle lay the object of their quest, the cauldron of inspiration and prophecy tended to by nine pure maidens. The mention of the castle constructed from glass represents how fragile we are compared to the divine and how careful we must be not to cause harm to ourselves and others during our search.
Holding an insular or selfish approach to life in general and stating your way is right while others are wrong will only lead back to the realm of Annwn, which can be a dark and foreboding place. Out of Arthur's quest for the cauldron and Hallows only the king and six others returned from Annwn.
Throughout history from the early quests for the cauldron, the Arthurian quest for the Grail, the Crusades of the Templar knights for the True Cross, the magical stone etc. right up to present day, people still seek the healing powers of the Grail.
Numerous dictators throughout history (who shall not be mentioned in this sacred space) are said to have sought the hallowed vessel, naturally they failed. Another prime example that the Grail cannot be used for self gain and included here exactly for that purpose.
So where lies the Grail today? Unfortunately I cannot answer this and if I knew should I tell? However this much I can tell you. To search for the Grail you must first encounter the wastelands, which in this case represent yourself and inner self. This perhaps is one of the hardest challenge laid down by the Grail guardians, Manannan and Pryderi.
Within each of us lies the source of the Grail residing next to the divine child Mabon. To discover them we need to remain true both to ourselves and to others. To overcome our desires for material wealth and stature while learning to channel our emotions, yet never denying them, no small task in itself.
Guidance towards these goals is recorded in the wisdom of the Celtic triads, the Grail stories and within Celtic lore. Their magic reveals an ability to blend all three within the self. Once this has been achieved, sometimes taking many lifetimes, only then may we begin our search for the Grail, but first the wasteland needs to be crossed.
Now that I have taken you this far along your journey and perhaps prepared some of the ground along your path, I must bid you farewell. Take care during your travels as many venture down the path of the inflated ego rather than the spirit, failing to recognize the differences between the two. Again we need to balance the spirit and the ego with a third, that third entity being yourself.
Perhaps now you are that little bit closer to starting your quest for the Grail. Bear in mind the responsibility you hold towards yourself and others; remember if you seek the Grail, seek it not for self gain and I wish you well on your travels.
Jarrien Wolf Beltaine '99
The Grail Quest
'Tis glad I am and glad I'll be
That you like knowin' the likes of me!
-Irish Saying
The Celts used to bring a large log indoors as a tribute to the sun god. In Cornwall, revellers would chalk a symbol of a man on the log in a cheery reference to the human sacrifices who used to be thrown on the bonfire.
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