Of all the symbols of the quest for spiritual illumination, the Holy Grail is the most prized. It holds a secret power so magnificent that it can raise the dead, heal all wounds and turn a wasteland into a paradise of perpetual bounty.  In the majority of the Grail romances it is referred to as Saint Graal, or Sangrael.  The word graal, its earliest spelling, is Old French meaning a dish and usually represented a shallow dish or plate that presented the various courses of the meal.  It has been suggested that it was a borrowed and Christianized symbol from an earlier Celtic tale, analogous to the magic cauldron of Celtic lore. The Christianized symbol of the Grail is that of the dish used by Jesus at the Last Supper, or as described in Robert Boron’s version of the Grail quest, the cup used to catch the blood of Christ that Joseph of Arimathea brought with him to Gaul and later to Great Britain.  More recently, several conspiracy theorists including Baigent, Leigh, and Lincoln in their book, Holy Blood Holy Grail, have presented a whole new theory as to the meaning of the Holy Grail.  They suggest it’s secret is not in it’s mystical properties but in the name “Sangrael” itself.  They have pointed out that by dividing “sangrael” this way, “sang” “rael” rather than “san” “grael” its true meaning can be decoded to represent “blood royal”.   The vessel itself they suggest was, in truth, the body of Mary Magdalene who bore Jesus’ child seeding future generations of the Davidic bloodline.  There is every reason to believe that the symbol of the Holy Grail held more than one meaning, in fact, layer upon layer of meanings.  Not only does the symbol of the Grail hint at a bloodline carried through the womb of Mary Magdalene whose descendants live to this day, but as a vessel of spiritual attainment, magic, creativity, alchemical union and a mystery housed within each and every individual—God’s power. The authors of the Grail quests had each spun their story as an allegorical tale containing many disguised facts with hidden meanings pointing to the tenants of their mystical tradition and the sacred knowledge they held in secret.  For most of them the Grail quest was a quest for enlightenment earned through successive tests and trails proving the worthiness of the individual to receive the spiritual illumination of God’s little secret and of a legacy passed on to them through Joseph of Arimathea.

In the beginning chapters of La Queste del Saint Graal attributed to Walter Map and written in 12th Century, the Holy Grail is not described in detail other than to say it is a vessel with a miraculous power.  It is left to the imagination to conjure up the form it takes when it appears covered with a red velvet cloth before Galahad who had earned a glimpse of its mystery.  Although its form is illusive, its supernatural power is evident, uplifting the initiate into a transcendent state and imbuing him with the power to create miracles of a supernatural nature. Although any knight can quest to see the Grail, only one deemed worthy could see it; others are said to be blind. This blindness is reminiscent of Jesus’ teachings about the Kingdom of the Father, as with saying 113 of the Gospel of Thomas when Jesus says, “Rather, the Father's kingdom is spread out upon the earth, and people don't see it."  In many ways, the Grail is analogous to Jesus’ Kingdom of God because its power is of a transcendent nature and emerges from a rarely seen heavenly dimension that interfaces this world. Only the enlightened mind and open heart has “eyes to see” and “ears to hear” according Jesus understanding of God’s presence and manifestations on earth.

The quest for the Grail itself is no simple quest for enlightenment.  In this version of the grail quest, it is accomplished through redemptive tests, the scope of which is beyond merely accepting God and his Son, following, scripture or mere contemplation and prayer.  The initiate must seek out guides, be given dreams and visions and perfect himself before he is initiated further into the mystery to fulfill the tasks of his destiny.  In La Queste del Saint Graal, to see the Grail the initiate must possess five specific virtues: virginity, humility, endured long suffering, justice and charity and he must be cleansed at the heart through Christ’s intercession.  In this case virginity represents purity, being reborn to the spirit not chastity.  Furthermore, he must become an open vessel himself.  As the vessel and conduit of God’s power the initiate serves as a healer and gives to those who require God’s bounty and grace. As with Cabalistic and Gnostic teachings the initiate can only realize the God-self by rising up spiritually and becoming a perfected man or woman.

They mystery of the Grail is contained within us all.  It is a mysterious signature within the heart of our spirit that unifies two intelligences with God.  These higher intelligences are the masculine and feminine energies or polarities unified within the Bridal Chamber of the heart.  With this unity of intelligences there are few limits on what can be achieved.  One can manifest a reality full of abundant possibilities.  The Bridal Chamber contains yet another signature, the link between twin flames and divine complements.  This signature forms a trinity with God that is undivided and everlasting.  It is through this signature that two world’s collide to bring soulmates together for a chance at love in each incarnation.

So want is the Holy Grail?  It is you!

Copyright Ariadne Green 2006’

editor@ariadnegreen.com