Quest for the Holy Grail

Preface
Discourse 1 Supporting Article: "Pilgrim's Dream"
Discourse 2
Discourse 3
Discourse 4
Discourse 5
Discourse 6
Discourse 7

Preface

The Quest for the Holy Grail is about self transformation and personal liberation. It
demonstrates a remarkable similarity with kabalistic and hermetic traditions. There is a
unifying principle that is at the heart of all of these ways of thought, which can only be grasped
by symbols, analogies and myths. This series gives plenty of mythology in the discourses and
points to the underlying principle of unity. However the student will get most benefit from
reading the discourses and then following the story presented in the guided visualizations (a
supporting article).

This series is not left brain intellectual. It is about right brain insight and intuition. Some of the
imagery is disturbing and rightly so. We are not playing games or entertaining children. The
process of liberation is a serious business and it can bring pain and anguish to the seeker on
the path. However, help and compassion are always at hand.

Jack Courtis

by Jack Courtis

We might not know this and we might not like it, but we are all pilgrims on the inner journey of
personal transformation. In this journey we still have not realised that there is a unity between the
dreamer, the dreaming and the dream. So let us accept ourselves as we are; as the dreamer. Let
us now experience the dream.

*******

It is a lovely day and you are walking in a forest. The sun is shining, the sky is blue, birds are
singing, flowers and butterflies are everywhere. Feel safe and secure, completely at peace. As
you follow the path through the forest, come to a clearing. In the middle there is a round building
 that you instinctively know is a chapel. As a pilgrim, you know that this is a place that you must
enter because here you will find redemption and healing.

Move around this building and notice that it has 12 doors but no windows. Each door has upon it
the symbol of one of the signs of the zodiac. You realise that you must look for your own sign.
Pause and observe. When you find it, notice that there is no handle on the door. How do you go
inside? Then you hear a gentle voice say to you "Seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be
opened unto you." Without understanding why, you knock on the door 3 times. It opens, walk
inside and it closes behind you. Although there are no windows there is a muted golden light that
enables you to see clearly. There is no furniture inside this round building and no other structure.
The floor is completely bare except that in the middle, there appears to be an opening. Go to it
and see that there are 7 steps leading downwards.

Walk down the steps and see that on the wall next to each one, there is the symbol of a planetary
sign: the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn. Go down in perfect safety and
security. When you reach the bottom of the steps, pause. You realise that although there are no
torches or other sources of light, nevertheless you are still bathed in a golden glow. You see
everything clearly.

You are in a small chamber. In front of you is a door and upon it, is a symbol which you
understand to be the alchemical principle Salt. Knock 3 times (* **) and the door opens. Walk
through. Pause and reflect. What does this mean?

You find a second door. It has upon it a symbol that you instinctively know to be the alchemical
principle Sulfur. Again you knock 3 times (** *) and the door opens. Pause once more. How do
you feel?

Walk through and find a third door. This time it has a symbol you believe is the alchemical
principle Mercury. Once more knock 3 times (***) and the door opens. Pause and consider its
meaning, then go through into total darkness.

Although surrounded by blackness, you feel that you are in a large room. You are not afraid
because the gentle voice speaks to you again and says, "Be not afraid little one; I am with you
always, even unto the end of the world". Become aware of a very dim light radiating from a single
candle. With confidence walk towards the candlelight.

When you reach it, there is a table. Upon it, the candle holder is placed on a stone in the shape of
a cube. The stone is an emerald colour. Behind it on the table, is a sword. To its right there is a
cup and to its left is a spear. Immediately in front of it, there is a dish. You realise that you are
standing in front of an altar and that the cup holds wine and the dish holds bread.

Again, the gentle voice speaks to you "I have come that ye may have life, and have it more
abundantly". You now understand that you are in the Grail Chapel. Be aware that the Grail
Guardian and Grail Bearer are here for you.

Pause for a moment and realise that you are the dreamer and this is the dreaming. But what is
the dream? Without understanding why, you desire to reflect upon your life. Pause as your mind
focuses on the pain from your past. Perhaps tears flow and you cannot stop them. Maybe the
pain is pouring out, causing you overwhelming grief. This is your most secret, most private
sorrow. Pause and reflect that this is the pain that you have not mentioned even to those whom
you love the most. But here, in this dark place, you allow it to come out. Since you are a pilgrim
and you are in the Grail Chapel, you have the strength and courage to face it honestly.
 Pause and hear the gentle voice speak to you and say "Ask …". And suddenly you desire to
invoke the Grail Bearer. In your own way, do so. There is a flash of rose pink light and a woman
appears on the other side of the altar, facing you. She is richly dressed and carries herself like a
queen. Strangely, you cannot see her face. Again you desire to invoke, this time the Grail
Guardian. A flash of bluish white light and a male figure stands before you. He is dressed as a
monk. Again, you cannot see his face.

You are lost for words but speech is not required here. You know what you must do. Reach inside
of yourself and touch the pain in your heart. Somehow you see it, hear it or feel it in a way that
you are able to symbolise. Bring this symbol out of yourself and hold it in your hands as an
offering. Pause and then reach across the altar and give it to the Guardian. He takes it from your
hands and turns to face the woman. He and she together hold your symbol between them. Her
wisdom and his understanding combine to draw down a golden beam of light that you know to be
divine grace.

This light shines upon the symbol of your pain and transforms it into pure love. The symbol
changes into a new form. A form that for you, is your own personal redemption, at your deepest
most secret level. They now hand this transformed symbol back to you. Pause, receive it with
thanks and joy and absorb it back through your heart, into your deepest inner self.

Now feel yourself being transformed. The pain begins to subside and then totally disappears. You
begin to breathe deeply. Feel pure, unconditional love flowing through you. As you continue to
breathe deeply, a marvellous sense of calm and inner-peace washes over you. You sense that all
is well. Pause and feel joyous. It is your right.

To give thanks to the Grail Guardian and Grail Bearer all you need to do is bow to them. Do so.
They bow in return and vanish.

Your own inner light now replaces the light of the single candle. Turn about and walk out through
the 3 alchemical doors and up the 7 planetary steps. At the top of the steps, pause and notice
that the 12 zodiacal doors have disappeared. Your inner light flows out of the Grail Chapel in 12
powerful streams.

Know yourself to be the dreamer, the dreaming and the dream. You are a pilgrim no more.

Copyright © 1998 by Stepney Nominees Pty Ltd (ACN 008 869 485) Trustee for Courtis No4
Trust

DISCOURSE 1
by Jack Courtis

The Quest for the Holy Grail is a system of self transformation that can be reconciled with other
similar systems in the Western esoteric tradition. It is a cosmological scheme that is comparable
with Tarot, Kabala and Astrology. There are also hints of a connection with Alchemy. All of these
systems or schemes follow a unifying principle that points to one underlying reality. The Holy
Grail in its 5 Transformations, is one approach to that reality. To achieve the Grail, is to
understand reality. To understand reality, is to be transformed and to be saved.
 The whole point of the Grail tradition is that each of us can take the initial step towards salvation
by our own efforts. This is independent from the Church teaching on Divine Grace. However, our
own efforts towards salvation, only take us as far as Tiferet on the Tree of Life, in this scheme
known as the Grail Castle. It is important to mention at the outset, that the effect of attaining the
Grail is identical to the intended effect of Holy Communion. The paradox is to explain why the
Grail Knight finds it necessary to go on a quest for something that he or she can presumably
obtain in any church at any time. The answer to this paradox, is that the Grail Knight is looking for
a level of mystical experience that cannot be found in the Church.

The West first heard of the Grail between the 1lth and l3th centuries, in the form of a series of
writings of different styles and interpretations. There are 16 major literary works of this period.
The most important are, "Le Conte del Graal" by Chretien de Troyes and "Parzival" by Wolfram
von Eschenbach. It is not the purpose of these discourses to repeat any of the Grail literature.
The Seeker on the Quest must find and read the material. These discourses will point to one
direction in the inner landscape. An explanation will be given of this landscape which will give it a
particular meaning. After all, the legend is a myth, but the Quest is a process of attainment

We all share the landscape of the Grail. It is important to understand that the knights and ladies
we meet, the castles and forests we discover and the ritual objects we use, are all symbols of our
own inner spiritual state. As the foolish knight Parsifal, we begin the Quest by discovering the
Waste Land. We must redeem the Land, but we can only do that by redeeming the wounded
king. We can only do that by redeeming ourselves. Let us begin the Quest with a short
paraphrase of Chretien's description of Parsifal's experience in the Grail Castle.

Parsifal has begun his training as a knight, but he has a lot to learn. More through good luck (or
divine providence) than good judgement, he stumbles across the Fisher King who leads him to
the Grail Castle. Parsifal does not know where he is but he meets a king who suffers from a
dreadful wound. The king is in terrible agony. He cannot be cured and he cannot die. However,
once a day the Grail procession comes and gives temporary relief. This is what Parsifal sees.

The wounded king lies on a couch in a hall surrounded by 400 men. The wounded king gives
Parsifal a Sword which he accepts unthinkingly. A procession now passes through the hall. It is
led by a squire who carries a Spear that drips blood. Two squires follow each of whom carries a
10 branched candlestick. Next comes a damsel carrying a Cup that blazes with light. Finally there
comes a damsel carrying a Dish. In his foolishness, Parsifal fails to ask the Question. He is cast
out of the Grail Castle and in despair, he begins his own redemption.

It is not until Parsifal fails to ask the Question, that he is able to experience the possibility of
suffering with its evil and redemptive consequences. As the foolish knight, he is both innocent
and blameworthy. In the end, Parsifal succeeds precisely because of his innocence and
ignorance. He experiences all of the Christian initiations by imitating Christ.

It is worth noting that Wolfram differs from Chretien on a number of points, the most important
being that Wolfram sees the Grail as a Stone (Philosopher's Stone of Alchemy; Cube of Space of
Kabala?) or an emerald (The Emerald Tablet of Hermes?). This is important because in one of
the late writings on the Quest, the "Perlesvaus", it is said that the Grail undergoes 5 miraculous
changes. This tells us that the Grail does not have a fixed form. It is in continual flux. Here is one
view of what this means:
 If the Stone of Wolfram is assumed to be a cube, then it immediately correlates with the Cube of
Space of Kabala and accommodates the 22 letters and the 22 paths of the Tree of Life. If the
Stone takes essentially the place of Chretien's two 10 branched candlesticks, it is the 10 Sefirot of
the Tree of Life in its male/female aspects. Either way, we are being led to the same unifying
principle that is implied in the Quest. We are subtly led to unstated implications, never
explanations. The 22 major Arcana of the Tarot emerge for our consideration. Alchemically, this is
the Quintessence which activates the 4 elements of Fire, Air, Water, Earth. This leads us to the
ritual objects: Spear,Sword,Cup, Dish.

GRAIL ALCHEMY TAROT CHRISTIANITY KABALA

Spear Fire Staff Lion Emanation
Sword Air Sword Angel Creation
Cup Water Cup Eagle Formation
Dish Earth Pentagram Bull Action

Each ritual object symbolises one of our activating principles. In the Quest they are used in the
Grail ritual. This points us in the same direction. The 5 Transformations of the Grail suggest our
own transformation.

The Stone/Candlesticks, are the Ain Sof Aur. The other 4 ritual objects point to the 4 Worlds of
Emanation, Creation, Formation and Action. These are the principles that activate our beingness,
our psychic centres. How do they work? As part of ritual, each object acts as the focus of
attention and the trigger for effective imagination. In its turn, imagination is the living of the myth.
Reality is explained by myth. To grasp reality is to experience transformation. Here is one
example of the myth of the inner landscape:
 Let us now explore the land of the Grail and meet the characters.

SARRAS

This is the holy city of the Grail. It lies "across the sea" which only the chosen may cross. It is the
New Jerusalem kept from us by the abyss. We can pass over after the "dark night" experience.
When we enter this city, we are in good company. Only Galahad, Bors and Parsifal have been
chosen and stand before the place of the supreme mystery.

Galahad, Bors and Parsifal go to Sarras on a ship made from timber that was taken from the Tree
of Life. This is the same tree from which the timber was taken and the cross was constructed for
Christ’s crucifixion. The ship is for the Grail Knights, their path to God.

We have a choice - to serve the Grail or to go higher to even greater mysteries. Perhaps we may
return to the outer world bringing the light of the Grail with us. We enter Sarras knowing little; we
return to the world with what we have learned. We are obliged to show the way to all Seekers.

Sarras is not the only place of the Grail. It is also found in the Waste Land as well as the Grail
Castle. The Grail is the principle of wholeness and is therefore the entire inner landscape as well
as the individual locations. But why begin with Sarras? Why start with the end of the Quest? This
is how the Tree of Life is constructed.

GRAlL CASTLE

Outside the castle, is the Fisher King. He watches silently as we approach the razor sharp bridge
that takes us to the hall of the wounded king. But first, we must pass the gate-keeper who knows
our true nature and our real objectives. These three, are different aspects of the same figure. This
is a mystery.

Inside the castle, we witness the Grail procession. We must truly see in order to understand with
wisdom and to be wise with understanding. Only then can we know. With knowledge we can ask
the Question. Then the wounded king is healed and the Waste Land is redeemed.

The Grail Castle is not generally understood to be a church. However it is clearly the focus
for sacramental devotion. Its occupants have a great treasure which is a life giving secret. The
women are the bearers of the Grail mystery and the men are the guardians of that mystery. This
treasure is secret because it gives life and death, joy and suffering, because as a vessel it is both
empty anal capable of being filled by anything.

The Grail Quest must be seen in the context of the western Church that emphasises the expiation
of sins through the sacrificial death of Christ. This is to be contrasted with the eastern Orthodox
Church that emphasises the restoration of man to divine life. The quest for the Holy Grail can be
seen as a corrective to the western over-emphasis on sin by introducing the eastern concept of
"theosis" (God-becoming). This union with God is precisely the point of the Quest.

Let us visualise the Grail Temple. It is the inner aspect of the Grail Castle. The Temple stands at
the top of a mountain surrounded by impenetrable forest. Access is by way of a razor sharp ridge.
The Temple is capped by a great dome. It has 22 chapels in an octagonal form. Over every pair
of chapels stands an octagonal bell tower. At the summit of each tower is a ruby surmounted by a
cross of white crystal, to which a golden eagle is affixed. Two doors lead into each of the chapels.
Each chapel contains an altar of sapphire and faces east. The main chapel itself stands in the
east and is twice as large as the others. It is dedicated to the Holy Spirit who is the patron of the
Temple. The chapels to either side of it are dedicated to the Holy Virgin and St. John.

This is the place where all myths are true and all truth is rightly grasped.

WASTE LAND

This was once ruled by the Fisher King. This is where the Quest begins. The land is made waste
by the unthinking act of one of the knights who strikes the Dolorous Blow that maims the
wounded king in the groin. His sterility is reflected by the state of the land.

Of course, the Waste Land is our own inner state. It is that sterile place where imagination and
love have ceased to flow. It is the scar on our soul caused by some wrongful action, either self
inflicted or caused by another. It is also the world in which we live, loveless and forlorn. We all
know this place because we all have hurts and sorrows.

And yet, the Grail exists here. To see the Grail in the Waste Land, is true wisdom.

This is the work to be done, to go behind appearances and see reality. We must bring reality out
into the open to be shared by all. Thus when the Seeker asks the Question, the wounded king is
healed and the land is restored.

"Quest" and "Question" are in truth, identical.

In the myth being developed in these discourses, there are 3 places and 7 characters who relate
to the Sefirot on the Tree of Life. We have looked at the places. Next, we will look at the
characters.
 DISCOURSE 2
by Jack Courtis

The Quest takes place in its own landscape, a world that we all share. Moreover, it is a world that
is consistent with all other inner worlds. Thus Kabala provides a convenient framework for
comparison and a good point of reference for the Seeker who is lost in the Waste Land. In these
discourses, the myth of the Grail is taking shape along kabalistic lines. Thus there are 10 primary
ideas; 3 places and 7 characters. The significance of these numbers is the subject of the Quest.
For the present, let us ride out into the Waste Land.

PARSIFAL

Parsifal is the foolish knight because he begins the Quest in total innocence and complete
naivety. He does not even know his own identity or heritage. He is the Fool of the Tarot and he is
each of us. We are all on the Quest whether we know it or not. None of us really knows who we
are or why our lives are a waste land of broken dreams, hurts and disappointments. Many of us
stumble into the Grail Castle but in our ignorance fail the tests and are expelled.

Make no mistake, the Quest is not a pretty fairy tale for children. It is a serious undertaking. The
process is full of trials and tribulations. We are tested severely and ruthlessly but with mercy. We
are allowed to try again.

That is what happens to Parsifal. Through the ignorance of innocence, he fails to ask the
Question and is expelled. Yet ultimately he triumphs. He attains the Grail, and for his reward, he
becomes the Guardian of the Grail. He does this by treading every weary path and performing
every task demanded of him. The Tree of Life gives us a good map to the inner world so we can
follow him. He remains the Guardian for 7 years and then a hermit takes him to the forest.
Parsifal brings the Cup, the Spear and the Dish with him. He lives as a hermit for 10 years.

Another version of his name is Percival which can be interpreted as "Pierce-the veil". He is also a
Son of a Widow. This is a mystery and is part of the initiatory process. The original Widow in the
western esoteric tradition was Isis. At present she is referred to simply as the Goddess. She rules
the physical universe and its subtle realms. She appears before the initiate partially covered by a
black veil that is the fabric of space and time. The weave of the veil unifies all existence into
ONENESS. This weave is currently being examined by materialist science in its own quest for a
unified theory of quantum mechanics on the one hand and the space/time of Einstein, on the
other. As Parsifal, we seek God but only see the veil. When we look at the material universe we
can only see trees, oceans, buildings etc. But the initiate who has already transcended the
normal world by properly commencing the Quest, will see the material universe as a partially
veiled woman. The initiate sees partially but not completely, the totality of beauty and truth. When
the initiate attains reality, the veil is lifted.

The initiate is now an adept. He sees truth directly and understands nature in her true form. He
can approach God without the separation imposed by the space/time continuum and its quantum
mechanics weave.

Parsifal is piercing the veil as opposed to lifting it. In piercing the veil he seeks God rather than
the Goddess. This is an important distinction because as we see the world, God is considered to
be unknowable and it is therefore arrogant to try to perceive beyond God's creation. However
Parsifal is the Fool and does not know this. Accordingly, he is not limited by the belief that he
cannot seek God. That is why the Fool becomes a Grail winner. To be the Fool, is not to be
foolish!
Parsifal is a living bridge between our everyday level of reality and the higher levels of reality that
we must experience, if we are to achieve the Quest. Parsifal accomplishes this bridging in the
end and becomes the Grail King until such time as we arrive at the Grail castle in order to ask the
Question and replace him.

GALAHAD

Galahad is the supreme Grail winner. He is destined to succeed from birth. His father is Launcelot
and his mother is the Grail Princess. At the beginning of his Quest, like Arthur, he draws a sword
from a red stone. In this case, it is found floating in the river outside Camelot.

Galahad achieves the mysteries, heals the wounded king and restores the Waste Land. Finally
he goes to the holy city of Sarras where he sees the Grail and dies. Why? The Grail brings the
opposites, life/death, good/evil, etc. Galahad has reconciled them and thus passes out of material
existence.

Using the Tree of Life as a map of the inner world, we realise instantly that the opposites are built
into its structure. Consequently, they are a fundamental part of the Quest and cannot be avoided.
They must be reconciled. This is how the Quest is performed. How then can Galahad achieve the
Grail? This is the mystery of God Transcendent and God Immanent. Kabalistically, this about the
3 Veils of Negative Existence and the 4 Worlds. Part of the mystery is answered by
understanding that we have misunderstood the true nature of duality and pursue the Quest on the
basis that duality means that the opposites are in opposition to each other. In fact the opposites
are in a symbiotic relationship. That is a subtle and difficult distinction. It is part of what we must
all learn on the Quest. If the opposites are in opposition, they cause destruction. If they are in
symbiotic relationship (yin and yang) then they create wholeness, understanding and healing.

Nevertheless, we must imitate Galahad. Like him, we must take the Grail in our hands, to the holy
city of Sarras and there, we shall receive from the hands of the Grail's true master, the bread of
life. To do that we must share Galahad's special qualities. First we must understand the
difference between mysticism and religion. Mysticism goes to the heart of life whereas religion
talks of the appearance of life. Secondly, we must show a single-minded determination for the
task. No attack shall dismay us and no temptation shall divert us. Thirdly, we must accomplish
the mysteries of the Quest in the same way as Christ accomplished his ministry. Fourthly, we
must experience the pain of the wounded king and heal him and the Waste Land. Finally, we
must achieve theosis: God-becoming.

BORS

Bors does not have the hard destiny of Parsifal or the glorious destiny of Galahad. He is an
ordinary man. He always seems rather puzzled by the events of his Quest. He is constantly called
upon to make choices and is usually right in his decisions. Bors never aspires to great deeds and
yet achieves the Grail. His attributes are wisdom, loyalty, discipline and the ability to reason even
in a crisis. He is the least romantic of the three. He is actually married with a child, at the time of
the Quest. It is because of this, that he understands the nature and mystery of human love, desire
and procreation, in a way that neither Parsifal nor Galahad can ever understand. He is then, in
the world whereas they are only of it. This gives Bors a special insight into the mystery as a whole
that makes him the one who returns to Camelot after the Quest is over, to relate all that has
happened to Arthur.

Bors is the ordinary man whose aims are not as high as his companions. Nevertheless, he is
raised by the Grail to a position from which he may witness and experience the greater mysteries.
He does not quite appear to be a hero and yet he succeeds. The very ordinariness of Bors and
the greatness of his achievement, are important. He sees the Grail and lives.
 Why?

Bors does not know why he has been chosen or even what he has been chosen for.
Nevertheless he accepts willingly and treads the path. This is far harder for him because he is
less spiritually oriented than the other knights. His temptations are always more rigorous.
However he knows what is right with inner certainty and does his best to achieve it. He proceeds
steadily and cautiously, with single-minded devotion to the Quest. He trusts the inner directives of
the Quest and pays the cost often, without knowing for a long time after if he really did choose
wisely.

'There are only 3 Grail winners: Parsifal, Galahad and Bors. All others on the Quest, failed. It is
significant that there are 3. On the Tree of Life, they surround the Waste Land as shown in the
following diagram:

These three knights are aspects of Christ. Bors is "he that has come to bear witness to the truth";
Parsifal is " he upon whom the mystery shall be founded"; Galahad undergoes the transformation
of the Grail that is nearest any human being can come to sharing in the Crucifixion and the
Resurrection.

The 3 Grail winners are really aspects of the same person. The Waste Land surrounds the Grail
Castle and in a deep sense they are the one place in the same location. The inner landscape
constantly changes shape yet ever remains the same. It is pure and pristine but appears waste.
We need guides to show us the way.

NASCIENS

Nasciens is the Grail Hermit. He is a guide and way-shower. When we least expect him, but most
need him, he appears to advise and point the path to the next trial and test. He takes many forms
both male and female. Nasciens is our personal spiritual director and we can call upon him at any
time. He always speaks truth and this is probably why we do not call him often enough.

The Hermit is closely related to the Fisher King and the wounded king. He is an aspect of both.
He commands us to follow the way he shows and interprets our confusions on the path. He is
well depicted on the Tarot card that bears his name.
 KUNDRY

Kundry is the most mysterious character on the Quest. At the outset it is important to know - she
serves the Grail.

She is ugly and misshapen. She is portrayed as a black-skinned hag who appears after Parsifal
has failed to ask the Question. She ridicules him unmercifully and yet gives him good advice as to
what to do next. At the end she accompanies Parsifal to the Grail Castle when he finally achieves
his Quest.

She is very difficult to work with but gives wisdom, knowledge and assistance to the Seeker. She
has a terrible outer form but in fact hides great beauty and divine love. She is as much a guide as
Nasciens and is really his feminine aspect.

On the Tree of Life, Nasciens and Kundry overlook the Grail Castle and in a sense, they protect
it. That is why they can guide us there.

We still need to know how to get to the holy city of Sarras.

DINDRAINE

Dindraine is the Grail Maiden and carries the sacred Cup in the procession. She travels with
Parsifal, Galahad and Bors in Solomon's Ship. Later, she gives up her life as a blood sacrifice
and her uncorrupted body is carried to Sarras in that Ship. She emphasises the mystical
importance of blood and service. Although she dies, she points to the Resurrection. She is an
aspect of the Widow because in a mysterious way, she is involved with the Resurrection.

Dindraine is Kundry in a higher form and performs a similar function. She is the way-shower of
the greater mysteries. The Grail Castle is not the end of the Quest. We must press on to the holy
city.

JOSEPH of ARIMATHEA

Joseph takes the Cup used at the Last Supper and attends the Crucifixion where he catches a
few drops of Christ's blood in it. Later, with 12 disciples, he comes to Glastonbury and brings the
Cup with him. The Grail is not only a Cup. It transforms and therefore can never be defined by
any particular shape. The spear that pierces Christ and sheds the blood and water, is the Spear
in the Grail procession. It is also another form of the Grail. Joseph is the keeper of the Spear as
well as the Cup.

He is the guardian of all the mysteries and a higher aspect of Nasciens. He is also the masculine
counterpart of Dindraine.

Thus we have 3 Grail winners and 4 Grail guardians. However, the guardians are really 2
characters, one male (Joseph/Nasciens) and one female (Dindraine/Kundry). Later then, in some
mysterious way, the male and female are the complimentary aspects of a single mysterious being
who has reconciled the opposites. Who can this be? Only someone who can say: "I am the way,
the truth and the life".

We have seen the broad outline of the Quest. Now we must study the paths and look for
adventure.
 DISCOURSE 3
by Jack Courtis

The inner landscape of the Quest is full of forests, dark paths, hard places, bridges, gates and
castles. It is a very confusing place for us because we start like Parsifal, foolish and ignorant. We
do not recognise Nasciens and are frightened of Kundry. What to do? A road map would be
handy. That is why the Tree of Life is so useful.

The Tree has given us the broad outline of 3 places and 7 characters. Now we will use it to find
the paths we must travel. First, the overall scheme.

PATH TAROT GRAIL IMAGE

11 Fool Parsifal Mirror
12 Magus Merlin Serpent Egg
13 High Priestess Morgan le Fey Cauldron
14 Empress Igraine Tower
15 Emperor Uther Pendragon Rod
16 Hierophant Blais Triple Crown
17 Lovers Lancelot & Guinevere Winged Heart
18 Chariot Taliesin Maze
19 Justice Arthur Siege Perilous
20 Hermit Joseph of Arimathea Flowering Staff
21 Wheel of Fortune Round Table Wheel
22 Strength Bors Sword
23 Hanged Man Fisher King Fish
24 Death Green Knight Waste Land
25 Temperance Galahad Sword in Stone
26 Devil Klingsor Skull
27 Tower Kundry Thorn tree
28 Star Dindrane Blood
29 Moon Nimue Spindle
30 Sun Gawain Pentagram
31 Judgement Avalon Tree
32 Universe Grail Star

Even though the Tree is our road map, it is not as easy as to start with one path and then follow
what ever we see. That is how we get lost. It helps to know what the paths mean. We shall begin
with the 3 paths on the Tree of Life that are attributed to the 3 Mother letters. The operation of
these paths is hard to visualise, but it is the life of the Grail that flows in both directions
simultaneously. It is the source of creativity.

PATH TAROT GRAIL IMAGE

 11 Fool Parsifal Mirror

23 Hanged Man Fisher King Fish

31 Judgement Avalon Tree

These paths have an internal relationship that connects them. Parsifal is the element of Air and
the alchemical principle of Mercury. The Fisher King is the element of Water and the alchemical
principle of Salt. Avalon is the element of Fire and the alchemical principle of Sulfur. The
simultaneous double flow of energy is an inadequate symbol for the sheer power of these paths.
They are the archetypal experiences of the Quest.

Parsifal knows too little; the Fisher King knows too much. Avalon is the place of their
reconciliation. When we look into a mirror, we see ourselves - foolish. However, we are the fish
caught by the Fisher King. Remember that Christ promised His disciples that He would make
them "fishers of men". Avalon is the New Jerusalem where the Tree of Life will be found. That is
also the place where we will discover that Parsifal is really the Fisher King. We will find our true
inner self at the place of our heart's desire; but only after we are judged and have the experience
of the Hanged Man.

We turn now to the 7 paths on the Tree of Life attributed to the 7 Double letters. Their
characteristic is that they alternate the direction of the flow of life - positive/negative.

PATH TAROT GRAIL IMAGE

12 Magus Merlin Serpent Egg
13 High Priestess Morgan le Fey Cauldron
14 Empress Igraine Tower
21 Wheel of Fortune Round Table Wheel
27 Tower Kundry Thorn Tree
30 Sun Gawain Pentagram
32 Universe Grail Star

The unifying principle of these paths is their male/female nature. Sometimes it is not obvious.

For or instance, Merlin is really the Fool in his ultimate form of development. The Fool is
androgynous and therefore so is Merlin. After all, only one who has reconciled the opposites can
be a true Magus. Merlin stands behind Arthur; in fact, arranges for his birth. He also arranges for
the sword in the stone that Galahad is to draw from the red stone. Merlin constructs the Round
Table by magic and gives it the ability to show the names of the knights who are to sit there,
including the Siege Perilous. This is the Judas seat and can only be redeemed by the Grail
winner, Galahad.

Merlin has withdrawn to his glass tower after his enchantment by Nimue and there guards the 13
Treasures of Britain. Note that there are 12 knights plus Arthur at the Round Table; and Christ
had 12 Apostles. This is a mystery and shows Merlin to be an initiator. The Serpent Egg is the
symbol. On the Tree of Life, he is on the path of the androgynous Mercury. Merlin is the bringer of
Dominance/Subjugation.

Morgan le Fay is the half sister of Arthur. She is the priestess of the Goddess and refuses to
yield to the new religion of Christianity. She is the mistress of the inner Avalon. She has an
incestuous relationship with Arthur and gives birth to Mordred, the evil one. Yet, she is not evil.
Hers is the Path of Blame and that relates her to Mary Magdalene.

She truly worships the Goddess and performs the powerful magic of the feminine. Again, this
requires the reconciliation of the opposites, irrespective of the outer appearance. The Cauldron is
the symbol of the Goddess. On the Tree of Life, Morgan is on the path of the Moon. She brings
Wisdom/Folly.

Igraine is the wife of Uther Pendragon. Her relationship with Uther is arranged by Merlin to
ensure the birth of Arthur. She is taken from her tower-like castle to marry Uther. On the Tree of
Life she is on the path of Venus. She brings Life/Death by giving birth to her son. She is an
aspect of the Great Mother.

The Round Table was created magically by Merlin and given to Arthur. It was modeled on a table
made by Joseph of Arimathea, which in turn was based on the table used at the Last Supper.
Hence it is designed for 12 knights and Arthur (12 + 1, Christ and His 12 disciples, the Sun and
12 signs of the Zodiac). One seat is left empty, the Siege Perilous, which is reserved for the best
knight, Galahad. Note there are 3 tables as there are 3 Grail winners.

The Table has its own mysterious personality because it holds the corporate identity of the
fellowship of Arthur's knights. It is the great reconciler of opposites and the dispenser of fate, as
its image in the Tarot indicates. Ultimately, the Table is unable to contain the tensions of the
opposites, thus Arthur and his knights destroy each other. This comes about through the
male/female symbol of the opposites, Launcelot and Guinevere. This makes the table an altar of
sacrifice.

In a sense the Round Table is the field of fate, the symbolic place where the Quest is pursued.
For this reason, the 12 Single letters of the Kabala and the 12 paths of the Tree of Life that relate
to them, are right here at the Table. Of the 7 Doubles, this is the middle letter/path and hence
balances the 3 on each side. On the Tree, the Table is on the path of Jupiter and brings
Grace/Ugliness.

Kundry is the fearsome Grail messenger. We have already met her. On the paths of the Tree,
she is on the path of Mars and brings Wealth/Poverty. We already know that her outward
repulsiveness hides an inner grace and beauty. This is not a mere fairy tale. Kundry is our own
image, the self we dislike because it is so true. And yet, with her help we shall win the Grail and
overcome our own inner poverty with spiritual wealth. We should welcome Kundry when we meet
her. But that takes wisdom and like Parsifal we are foolish.

Gawain is the first to pledge himself to the Quest and the last to give it up. Time and again, he
comes within a heartbeat of winning the Grail, but never quite makes it.

He finds his way to the Grail Castle but like Parsifal before him, he fails to ask the Question and
therefore fails to heal the Waste Land and the wounded king. However he does comment about
the Spear that drips blood as it is carried in the Grail procession. This is sufficient to perform a
partial healing, and since he fails to ask the Question, his quest becomes for the Sword that
beheaded John the Baptist. But the Sword is always broken and it is his task to discover how to
unite the two pieces of the blade. He is able to do so only after many adventures. That is because
his fault is impatience.
 His heraldic sign is the pentagram that points to the 5 Transformations of the Grail. His heroic
failure is important to us because he is clearly dedicated to the Grail. The Quest is as important
as the Grail. Many are called but few are chosen. On the Tree he is on the path of the Sun and
brings Seed/Desolation. Within the desolation of our many failures is the seed of our success.

Finally there is the Grail. What is it? The universe cannot contain it, but it shines like a star to
guide us on our way. How do we win it? By asking the Question. If it is that simple, why doesn't
everyone have it? Because we are Parsifal the foolish knight. How do we become wise? By
seeking the Grail. Why must we seek it? Because we are in the Waste Land. What restores the
Waste Land? The Question. On the Tree, the Grail is on the path of Saturn and brings both
Peace and War.

Why should the Grail Knight go in search of the Grail when its gifts are supposed to be freely
available upon the altar of every church in the land? This is a mystery that is uncovered at the
same time as the answer to the Question is given.

Good intentions are not enough for the Grail Seeker. It is necessary to believe in the Quest itself
and to exclude all other things, however honourable, from the mind. The Grail must be sought in
the heart of the Seeker.

Although the Grail is a healing force, it will scourge as often as it will nourish. Those chosen few
who pass its rigorous tests are transformed. But those who attempt to grasp its meaning before
they are ready, are purged and often destroyed. When Lucifer fell from heaven, the emerald
stone in his crown fell to earth. As it did so, it changed from Stone to Sword, then to Spear and
Cup, and finally to Dish.

The Grail is usually seen as the centre point of the earth and that place where the earth is joined
to the sky. It is the threshold between worlds and is a source of fertility, abundance and life. It is
the point from which all directions are established. This also applies to time and all times occur
simultaneously.

The hidden yet obvious symbol of the Grail is the Round Table. Let us ride to Arthur's court and
take our rightful place at the Table as one of the 12 knights.

DISCOURSE 4
by Jack Courtis

Twelve are the knights who sit at the Table Round, 12 are the signs of the Zodiac, 12 are Christ's
disciples and there are 12 Single letters and associated paths on the Tree of Life. The principle of
the operation of the 12 letters is on/off. This compares with the positive/negative of the 7 Double
letters and the simultaneous two way flow of the 3 Mothers. Note the duality in 3 different forms.
This duality points to the reconciliation of opposites as the fundamental technique of the Quest.
Hence for every knight, there is a lady. For Nasciens there is Kundry, for Uther there is Igraine.

The most famous pair is Launcelot and Guinevere. It is they who by their illicit love destroy the
Round Table fellowship. The Grail demands more than love. It requires wisdom, knowledge and
understanding, the fruits of the Tree of Life.

Let us now ride on and seek the 12 aspects of the Table. Although we are in a dark forest, and
our guides are yet to be seen, we have come to realize that there is order implied in the wild and
gloomy places all around us. We have not yet experienced all the adventures of the Quest, but a
pattern is beginning to emerge in the inner landscape, an implicate order. Let us begin with the
overall scheme.
 PATH TAROT GRAIL IMAGE
15 Emperor Uther Pendragon Rod
16 Hierophant Blaise Triple Crown
17 Lovers Launcelot/Guinevere Winged Heart
18 Chariot Taliesin Maze
19 Justice Arthur Siege Perilous
20 Hermit Joseph of Arimathea Flowering Staff
22 Strength Bors Sword
24 Death Green Knight Waste Land
25 Temperance Galahad Sword in Stone
26 Devil Klingsor Skull
28 Star Dindraine Blood
29 Moon Nimue Spindle

Uther is the dragon king as his surname suggests. He is the last pagan king and the father of
Arthur. His, is the old religion of the Goddess. He establishes the kingdom that Arthur is to inherit.

The emperor's rod is his symbol - law and order. But the rod is also the outward symbol of
Merlin's rod of power. Since Merlin stands behind Uther to arrange matters, Uther is the outward
form of Merlin. Uther is temporal power and Merlin is spiritual power.

Blaise is Merlin's master. His origins are obscure, but in one of the Grail writings he is a guardian
of the Grail. In a sense, Blaise is the inner self of Merlin. When the mysteries are complete, Merlin
reports to Blaise, who then records the details of the Quest. Truly he is the Hierophant of the
mysteries of the Grail and the triple crown belongs to him.

Launcelot and Guinevere immediately bring to mind romantic notions and images of winged
hearts. They are the classic lovers, doomed for their love. We have a sentimental notion of them
that is misleading. Projected outwards, they are the stuff of popular culture, TV culture. Seen
inwards, they are principles of our own beingness that we have failed to reconcile.

Launcelot is a descendant of Joseph of Arimathea and is intended to achieve the Grail. That is
why he is given into the care of the Lady of the Lake, to be trained as the greatest of the knights
of the Round Table. He is to reconcile Christianity (symbolised as the Grail) with the old religion
of the Goddess (symbolised as the cauldron). Launcelot fails in all of this because of his
adulterous love for Guinevere. That is why Merlin arranges for him to father Galahad.

In one of the Grail writings, there is a tragic scene when Launcelot comes to the door of the
chapel where the Grail Mass is being celebrated. He tries to enter but the Grail rejects him and he
is temporarily blinded and paralysed. This is a symbol of our own experience when the true
nature of our conduct is realised by us, consciously or sub-consciously.

Launcelot is a "fallen" man. He has become very deeply enmeshed in the illusions of the world.
He has allowed an image of human perfection (Guinevere) to replace the image of God.
 Guinevere and Launcelot vow not to see each other alone again. They break their vow and
release the forces that destroy the Round Table fellowship. They destroy the outer kingdom of
Arthur and the inner kingdom of Blaise and Merlin.

The importance of the lovers cannot be over-emphasised, precisely because we misunderstand

them so badly. It is Guinevere's power over Launcelot that causes him to fail in the Quest. It is the
feminine principle that determines success or failure. This is a mystery.

Taliesin is the poet who (under another name) obtains knowledge, wisdom and inspiration by
drinking 3 drops of the draught brewed by the Goddess in her cauldron (a symbol of the Grail). In
her anger she pursues him and they both change their shapes until at last she as a hen, swallows
him, as a grain of wheat. She bears him in her womb for 9 months until he is reborn. She throws
him into the sea but he is rescued and receives his new name - Taliesin. This is a clear allusion to
the whole process of initiation and to its results. The maze and chariot are other symbols for this
process.

Arthur is never expressly identified as the wounded king, but in truth, that is who he is. The
Waste Land is Arthur's Britain grown sick, in its inner aspect. The outer symbol of Arthur's inner
wound, is the relationship of Launcelot and Guinevere. In a sense, Arthur personifies Britain and
all the characters and places mentioned in the Quest, are the inner aspects of Arthur's being. It is
for his benefit that the Quest is pursued. It is Arthur's failure to love Guinevere that brings disaster
to the Round Table fellowship and death to those he loves. And yet, this is justice.

The heart of the problem is that there is a causal relationship between the well-being and health
of the king on the one part and the fertility of the land on the other. In legal/political terms, this
relationship is called sovereignty. In the case of the Quest, the wounded king is not fit to rule. He
has lost sovereignty. Since Guinevere is the earthly representative of the divine feminine, Arthur's
failure to unite with his queen means that he has failed to exercise sovereignty and has caused
the land to become waste.

Mortally wounded, he is taken onto a ship (a variant of the Ship of Solomon) and accompanied by
3 queens (hope, faith and love), passes into Avalon, where he still waits for the healing of the
land and his own healing. He is the once and future king. Only Galahad, who claims the Siege
Perilous, can heal Arthur and restore the Waste Land.

As the ship carries Arthur away, his sword Excalibur is returned to the Lady of the Lake, thus
ending his claim to the realm and to his right to sovereignty. The importance of this sword is that
his claim to the throne, to kingship, to marriage with Guinevere (the representative of sovereignty)
and the land, rests upon his success in pulling another sword from the stone. Yet that original
sword is not Excalibur. The Lady of the Lake gave Excalibur to him in token of his right to
sovereignty. Having failed, Excalibur must be returned.

Sovereignty appears throughout the Quest personified in different guises but especially in three
fundamental forms: virgin, mother and hag. This is a mystery. Because of his failure to achieve
sovereignty, Arthur's land is waste yet paradoxically, he is guardian to the source of inexhaustible
abundance and everlasting life. This would have healed him except for his failure. Note well,
Arthur's failure is our failure.

Who is Arthur? Who is Galahad? Who are we?

We have already met Joseph of Arimathea. It is only necessary to emphasise that he is the
supreme guardian of the Grail. He planted his staff at Glastonbury and it flowered on Christmas
day. His 12 disciples each received a piece of land around the chapel he established. Note the
 symbolism -12 seats around the Table, 12 signs of the zodiac around the Sun, 12 disciples
around Christ. Joseph is the archetypal hermit.

Bors is known to us as the ordinary man who wins the Grail. He tries and perseveres, but is
somewhat surprised by his success. His basic strength is his humanity and decency, well
symbolised by his sword.

The Green Knight is Klingsor's agent in the Waste Land. He is a form of "dark" guardian and a
bringer of death. In many different forms, he is the opponent of all Grail seekers. He is also within
each of us and we know his presence with each hurtful word we utter and every destructive act
we commit.

Galahad stands between Klingsor and the Green Knight and restores the Waste Land by winning
the Grail. We know him already as the knight who draws the Sword from the red stone. He has
attained two aspects of the Grail. Only he can claim the Siege Perilous at the Round Table and
redeem the place of Judas at Christ's table. He transforms the Path of Blame to the Path of Love.

Klingsor is the dark magus who emasculates himself in order to gain greater power. Truly an
aspect of the Devil, the skull is his symbol. He is pledged to the destruction of the Grail or the
misuse of its powers. He sends forth the Green Knight to roam the Waste Land and defeat the
seekers on the Quest. Beware, for Klingsor lurks in our hearts.

All seekers must meet him in his lair and overcome him. He is the dark side of our being, thus we
cannot destroy him without destroying ourselves. We can only transcend him by reconciling the
opposites within us. He is the Terror on the Threshold of the inner Temple. We cannot reach the
salvation the Temple offers us, unless we also save Klingsor.

We have met Dindraine and know that she is the way-shower of the path of self-sacrifice. The
Sword which is an aspect or form of the Grail, is the sword used to kill John the Baptist. When
she accompanies the 3 Grail winners in the Ship of Solomon, she makes a new belt for the Sword
from her own hair. This is an aspect of service by giving another part of her substance, hair as
well as her blood.

She embodies feminine wisdom. In a sense, she is also a Grail winner. By self-sacrifice she
creates a new life and points to the kabalistic mystery of the relationship of the three Mothers to
the ineffable name of God - YHVH.

Nimue is the fairy who enchants Merlin. The spindle is the symbol of the spinning of fate and the
Moon creates the right conditions for enchantment. She is glamour personified. bewitching,
alluring, diverting the Seeker from the path that is straight and narrow. It is easy to believe that we
seek the Grail, when in fact we have lost our way. She spins 9 rings around Merlin and imprisons
him in a crystal tower overgrown with hawthorn. On the Tree, she leads to Yesod, the 9th Sefira
and the sub-conscious. This shows where the tower is built. In the depths of Merlin's mind - our
mind.

Merlin fails but it is not Merlin's failure that destroys the Round Table fellowship. It is the failure of
Arthur and of the knight of the heart, Launcelot. This is a mystery.

Like Parsifal, we have followed many paths, for many years. We have stumbled and fallen but
have never given up. The Grail Castle is now in sight. Let us seek admittance from the
gatekeeper.
 DISCOURSE 5
by Jack Courtis

You have had many adventures, but now you are standing at the gate of the Grail Castle. The
gatekeeper will not let you pass unless you satisfy him that you are on the Quest and that you are
no longer foolish. You must answer his questions:

Q: What do you seek?

A: The Grail.

Q: What is the Grail?

A: It has different forms.

Q: How do you seek the unknown?

A: By following the path.

Q: Where does the path begin?

A: At this gate.

Q: Where does it end?

A: At this gate.

Q: How do you know you are on the path?

A: The Grail guides me.

Q: Is the Quest easy?

A: The path is long and the task heavy.

Q: How shall you accomplish the task?

A: All who go forth on the Quest achieve their heart's desire.

Q: What do you take with you?

A: Courage, love and dedication.

Q: How will you bring back what you find?

A: In my heart.

Q: Where is the Grail hidden?

A: ln the maze in the heart of this castle.

Enter, with my blessing.

You have satisfied the gatekeeper and you are in the hall of the wounded king. The Grail
procession goes past and you witness the 5 Transformations. The Emerald Stone of Lucifer
becomes the Sword that killed John the Baptist; then it becomes the Spear which pierced Christ
on the Cross; it changes to the Cup which held His blood; and finally it is the Dish which carried
the head of John the Baptist.

These are the 5 inner mysteries of the Grail. They are the 5 wounds of Christ symbolising the
individual quests of Parsifal, Galahad, Bors, Launcelot and Gawain, at their respective castles.

WOUND CASTLE IMPLEMENT KNIGHT

Crown of Thorns Camelot Stone Parsifal
Wrists Corbenic Sword Galahad
Side Adventurous Spear Bors
Ankles Joyous Garde Cup Launcelot
Whipping Marvellous Dish Gawain

Why 5 inner mysteries? How do they relate to:

1 Tree of Life

3 Mother letters/paths

7 Double letters/paths

12 Single letters/paths

The inner landscape of the Grail implies an order amongst the dark forests and stern castles of
the imagination. This implicate order points to an explanation of reality that gives it meaning. This
meaning lies behind the confusion of images and the numerous characters that are found in this
land. It is found in numbers and the relationship between numbers. Here is a clue:

Ain Sof Aur Stone 5 transformations

Emanation Sword 1 Tree of Life
Creation Spear 3 Mother letters
Formation Cup 7 Double letters
Action Dish 12 Single letters

There is a Tree of Life on each of the 4 Worlds of Manifestation and therefore, 3, 7 and 12
letters/paths, on each of those 4 Worlds. Each of the Worlds is symbolised by the 4 Grail objects
of Sword, Spear, Cup, Dish. However, the Stone is above manifestation. It simply IS. As a cube, it
has 3 dimensions and points to the mystery of the 3-fold Ain Sof Aur. It is the rock on which Christ
builds His church.
 Alternatively from the above relationship between the Grail objects and the Tree, we can reach
the following correspondences. The Dish is an obvious symbol for the zodiac with its 12 signs and
the 12 Single letters. The Cup relates to the reversal of the flow of life of the 7 Double letters in
the way symbolised by the Tarot card Temperance. There is a flow of energy, backwards and
forwards, between 2 cups. Further, the Spear used to pierce the side of Christ on the cross has a
metal point in the shape of an elongated triangle. A symbolic reference to the 3 Mother letters.
The Sword relates to the Tree in that the emanation of God's life into the universe is via the path
of the Flaming Sword. Finally the Stone is itself the beginning and the end of the 5
Transformations.

The 22 paths on each of the 4 Worlds give us ample adventures on the Quest. We must
experience all of them, as the outer mysteries. Then we must enter the 5 Castles of the inner
mysteries. Only then, can we face the gatekeeper of the Grail Castle, to be allowed into the hall of
the wounded king.

Let us observe the Procession more closely. This is as Wolfram describes it. A door opens and 2
maidens enter each carrying a lighted candle. They are followed by 2 ladies carrying ivory stools
that are put down in front of the wounded king and Parsifal. Now 2 groups of 4 ladies join them,
one group carries tall candles and the other group carries a tabletop. They lay the tabletop on the
stools thus creating a symbolic portal of the temple. They form an 8-pointed star.

A further 2 maidens appear carrying a silver knife each. They are followed by 4 more maidens
carrying candles. Next come 6 more ladies, carrying vessels, who escort the Grail Queen. She
bears the Grail itself. These last 7 form a 7-pointed star.

How many are there? The Queen plus 24. What do the stars mean?

There follows a moment when the Grail Queen stands with one circle of 12 on her left and
another circle of 12 on her right. The 2 circles represent the Tree of Life and the Tree of
Knowledge. They are also the Masonic pillars Joachim and Boaz. Who does the Queen
represent? Finally comes the moment when the Queen stands in the middle of a circle of 24,
each carrying a light. They represent the 24 elders before the throne of God. But why are they all
women? Bread and wine are served. Now there is deep silence. The gatekeeper speaks to you:

"Well Sir Knight, you have seen the Grail Procession. Have you asked the Question?"

What will you tell him? It is no excuse to say that you do not know what question to ask. That
means instant failure. Think of it this way, it is the same as the Zen koan:

"What is the sound of one hand clapping?"

There is a technical answer to it but to give it in a book or a discourse is to deprive the Seeker of
the right to make the effort to understand. Thus the Grail tradition is the same as Zen in this
instance. The aim is for the Seeker to intuitively know what is required. This knowledge comes
from the Quest successfully completed. Of course, that is only when the Question is asked.

But why should the healing process be triggered by a question? Because the asking of the
Question is a spontaneous gesture and an intuitive act of compassion. Only a Grail
Knight, who has touched his /her own pain, can respond to the pain of another human
being.

Paradox is the very essence of the Quest and the way in which insight is developed. In turn, this
is how enlightenment operates; in a non-rational way that is devastatingly powerful as Parsifal
discovers. How can it be otherwise? The Quest is about self-discovery in a mythological sense. It
is the quest for reality by an explanation that gives it meaning.

The reason why paradox is the road that takes us to a reality that can only be explained by myth,
is because in the West we have a confused notion of the nature of reality. Christianity insists that
it is historically true and thereby forces upon our consciousness, linear time. That is, reality is
something that is measured by a clock. History is therefore the description of the factual, outer
world of unique events that are unrepeatable. However myth (as an explanation of reality that
gives it meaning) operates on a different kind of time, cyclic time. Myth resonates with our
innermost being. It continues to renew its cyclic patterns and symbols. It is precisely these
mythical and cyclic motifs that have the power to give us self-transformation. History and linear
time do not have this unique ability. Consequently, when a myth is confused with "historical"
events, its entire transforming power is lost. Myths describe a reality that is more "real" than the
here and now. And so for the Quest, healing is seen as a renewal of the life force of the king and
the land. The healing of the king's wound can only be brought about by the radical transformation
of each individual into a whole and complete being. This includes both our male and female
natures.

Did you notice something about the Grail procession? They were all women. The mysteries of the
Grail are female mysteries, well symbolised by the rose. This is important because each Good
Friday the dove descends on the Table Round and the mystic rose at its centre unfolds and
glows. What does this mean? Look at the rose at the centre of the Hermetic Rose Cross that
follows this page. The outer petals have the 12 places for Arthur's knights. The next 7 petals take
us through the opposite qualities that the knights must reconcile. The inner 3 petals take us to the
mystery of the triune God. At the centre, is the Stone unfolded with its 5 petalled rose that points
to the 5 Transformations of the Grail. The 4 great arms of the Cross remind us of the Sword, the
Spear, the Cup and the Dish. Within each arm is the 5-fold transformation shown again, within the
3-fold principle.
 DISCOURSE 6
by Jack Courtis

The time has come to ride forth on our own Quest. Are we like Parsifal, naive and foolish? Let's
find out. We stand where he stands, at Objective Consciousness, here and now. What do we
see? There are 3 paths before us, the path of Avalon to our left, the path of the Grail directly
ahead and the path of Nimue to our right. Which path shall we take? We cannot see what lies
beyond them so we must proceed with the faith of innocence.

Avalon of the Stars is a wondrous sight but it hides the Mother letter Shin. Its mode of action is a
simultaneous 2-way flow of force that is shattering if we are not prepared for it, by many feats of
strength and courage. Dare we take this path? Perhaps not.

Surely the path of the Grail is the obvious way to go? After all it is direct. Beware it is the path of
Tav - the Cross. Its mode of action is the alternating reversal of force. It brings crucifixion to those
who arc not prepared, as well as to those who are. This is Parsifal's path. He took it too soon. Are
we going to succeed where he failed? Unlikely.

There is only one alternative. The path of Nimue. Can this be right? After all, she enchanted the
mighty Merlin. What chance do we have? The clue is in the mode of operation of this path. It is a
single path and therefore its mode of operation is on/off. It is a matter of timing. When the force
flows we cannot proceed because it goes against us and we are yet too weak. When it does not
flow, we can go forward. With care and boldness we can succeed on this path.

And so, beginning to be aware of the mystery of Time, we ride forth and the enchantress does not
ensnare us. Our reward is to transform into Galahad. But now new problems arise, because we
have 3 different paths to contend with. Again, we cannot see what lies beyond them. But this time
something is different. As Galahad, we have developed the unquenchable Desire for the Grail.
That generates an inner strength we did not have before.
 The path of Dindraine is attractive because she is the Grail Maiden and the Cup Bearer.
Moreover it is a single path and its on/off flow has been mastered. But this path leads directly to
the Waste Land and although we cannot see it, we can feel it, because as Galahad we are the
master of feeling. Not this way!

Kundry is as repulsive as Dindraine is beautiful. In any event, this is a double path with a 2-way
flow of force. Look what happened to Parsifal. There is no need to go looking for trouble.

And yet, the Green Knight is trouble. He is the creature of Klingsor, the agent of destruction, the
sworn enemy of the Grail. Are we ready to face him? It is only a single path after all and it is a
matter of timing isn't it? Is our desire strong enough, or do we lack belief? Sometimes the easy
path is not the right path.

What to do? Which path to follow? And then the flash of divine inspiration - timing! When the flow
of a double path is against us, it will crush us. But when it is with us, it will take us to our
destination. And so we plunge into the path of Kundry and..........shock! We come across the path
of, Galahad?!

Galahad stares at himself. What does this mean?

It is the mystery of the Self and of self-knowledge. We already possess all that we need, if only
we knew it. The whole point of the Quest is that the Grail that we seek is already staring us in the
face. Like Galahad, we have desire, but we do not yet have the necessary knowledge to believe
and therefore to know. And so we plunge on leaving the mystery unsolved.

But we are rewarded by being transformed into Bors. Poor old Bors, he lacks the tragic nobility of
Parsifal and the brilliant charisma of Galahad, but he perseveres. With Intellect he thinks things
through and although rather puzzled by the whole Quest, he doggedly pursues it. We need the
qualities of Bors if we are to succeed. So what do we see? To our dismay there are 3 paths to
choose from. To our left, Klingsor. To our right, Gawain and to our far right, Avalon.
We cannot see what lies beyond each path, but like Bors, we can think it through. Klingsor's path
is a single path and therefore operates on/off, it is only a matter of timing. But Klingsor is the evil
adept. If we make a mistake, we lose more than our life. We are not ready to face Klingsor. This
confrontation must come, but it is not yet time.

Why not the path of Gawain? True, it is a double path, but timing and courage will get us through.
However as Bors we have the advantage of the experience of Parsifal who has already failed on
a double path and the intuition of Galahad who feels the Waste Land on the other side of this
particular path.

In that case there is only the path of Avalon. But this is the path of a Mother letter and a
simultaneous 2-way flow of force. What to do? The charismatic act of plunging into the path on
clever timing will not help us. We must act on faith and sheer courage. Bors personifies Intellect,
Galahad personifies Desire. Together, these qualities generate courage. Ride forth to Avalon!

We are rewarded by being transformed back into Parsifal. But now, we are a new person, a true
knight, tried and tested. There are no more distractions. There is only one path - the Grail path.
With Objective Consciousness we know our purpose. With Desire we have the passion to
achieve it. With Intellect we believe it can be achieved. Since we have traveled this path before,
we know that the Waste Land of our Sub-Conscious lies before us. That is exactly the focus of
the Quest.

Redeem the Waste Land! Heal the wounded king - heal yourself!

Ride on Sir Knight, the Grail Castle of Cosmic Consciousness lies ahead. And here is the
mystery of the path of Galahad that we faced before. Although Parsifal, Galahad and Bors all win
the Grail, it is Galahad who heals the wounded king. It is on his path that we ride into the Grail
Castle. The qualities that get us there are passion, tempered with knowledge and belief. The
Tarot card of this path is Temperance.

Here is the final ride of the Grail Knight.

 Is this the end? Of course not. There are many more adventures for the Grail Knight. We must
still get to the holy city of Sarras. That will complete the lesser mysteries of the Grail. But then
there are the greater mysteries connected with the 5 Transformations. Thus riding into the Grail
Castle in triumph is only part of the Quest. The point is that we can achieve this part of the Quest
on the basis of our own desire, belief and knowledge. We cannot go higher by ourselves. We still
do not understand the meaning of all this. We need to be shown the way by guides.

Ride on Sir Knight, with the blessings of the Holy Grail.

 DISCOURSE 7
by Jack Courtis

If the Quest is a system of self-transformation, what does this mean? The clue is that the Grail
undergoes 5 miraculous changes. Its form is not fixed, it is in constant flux. Moreover, it is a
catalyst, an agent of change, which is in its essential nature unchangeable. Let us review its
operation.

From Stone it changes to Spear, then to Sword and Cup, finally to Dish. The cycle is then
repeated until the transformation is complete. Whose transformation? Ours. What does this
mean? First let us visualise the process
 These ritual objects of the Grail symbolise our internal processes. We can understand this
statement when it is compared with alchemy.

GRAIL ALCHEMY
Stone Aether
Spear Fire
Sword Air
Cup Water
Dish Earth

But what does it mean? Simply this: just as the Quest happens in our own heart and mind, the
Great Work of transmutation happens in our body - our psychic body. Both the Grail and Alchemy
relate to our psychic centres, but not in a one to one relationship and not in a linear relationship.
Once these points are understood, both the Quest and the Great Work become clear. The
Alchemical or Grail nature of our being acts in a special way with respect to our psychic centres.
Some of the centres are grouped together. The whole scheme is activated in a spiral fashion, not
a linear fashion. Finally, the order in which the principles are given is different.

PSYCHIC CENTERS ALCHEMY GRAIL

Crown/Brow Aether Stone
Heart/Throat Air Sword
Navel Fire Spear
Sacral Water Cup
Root Earth Dish

The spiral begins at the navel centre with the Spear and Fire. Next it goes to the root centre with
the Dish and with Earth. It progresses to the heart/throat area with the Sword and Air. Then it
 goes to the sacral centre with the Cup and with Water. Finally, it arrives at its destination, the
crown/brow area with the Stone and Aether.

The crown/brow and heart/throat are treated as areas which means that it is the combined effect
of these psychic centres that is important. They have to be reconciled. This is a mystery. but what
starts the process? Why at the navel centre? Have you ever heard the expression that a man has
"fire in his belly"? have you ever wondered about the historical contemporaries of the Grail
Knights, the Knights Templar? How is it possible to be a warrior/monk? How can you be a seeker
of God and also a person who uses violence? In the East it is said that martial arts are a
particularly effective means of beginning the path to enlightenment. In Alchemical terms, Fire is
the agent of transmutation. The process begins with Fire and ends with the higher forms of fire
known as Aether.

Let us look at the process in its 5-fold manifestation in the alchemical context of our psychic body:

The spiral of the Alchemical process is 5-fold and takes us in the order:

1. Fire 2. Earth 3. Air 4. Water 5. Aether

(navel) (root) (heart/throat) (sacral) (crown/brow)

The Quest for the Grail takes us in a linear fashion (but not in a straight line):

1. Spear 2. Sword 3. Cup 4. Dish 5. Stone

(fire) (air) (water) (earth) (aether)
 Both the Quest and the Alchemical process begin with Fire and end with Aether. However the
internal steps are different. The similarities point to the ultimate unity of the 2 systems. The
differences are subtle and point to the variety of means by which the process of self-
transformation can be achieved.

We know that the Grail has different forms. However we are still entitled to seek its ultimate
nature. We know at least this much, that it is 5-fold, ie that there are 5 fundamental principles that
explain it. Think of the 'Tree of Life, it has 3 pillars and functions by polarity (male/female) ie 5
principles. The point is that there is a hidden order in the kosmos, an implicate order, which is the
unifying principle that guides us to the process of self- transformation.

As Grail Knights, let us attain the Holy Grail in the Grail Castle and redeem the Wasteland.