The mystery of the Grail: initiation and magic in the quest for the Spirit

The mystery of the Grail: initiation and magic in the quest for the Spirit

This excursion into the realm of the Grail throws new light on an endlessly fascinating subject, as one of Europe's greatest esoteric philosophers discloses the pre-Christian and initiatic sources of this symbolic motif that is so central to Western mythology and culture. He demonstrates how the main features of the legend are from an older tradition analogous to the great heroic sagas and cycles of the North, and that the Grail itself is a symbol of initiation. Evola uncovers the hidden meaning in the often surreal adventures of the knights who searched for the Grail, interpreting them as inner experiences and tests for the seeker. He also explores the history of the myth in the Middle Ages, its use by the Knights Templar and the Cathars, its legacy during the decline of the Holy Roman Empire, and its links with Rosicrucianism, alchemy, and Masonry.--From publisher description.

Julius Evola

Rochester, Vt. : Inner Traditions

Translated from the Italian by Guido Stucco

pt. 1: Approaching the mystery of the Grail. The literary prejudice ; The ethnological prejudice ; Concerning the traditional method ; The historical context of the mystery of the Grail -- pt. 2: Principles and prior events. The Olympian cycle ; On the "hero" and the "woman" ; The Hyperborean theme ; The tradition in Ireland ; The Arthurian cycle ; The imperial saga and the universal ruler ; Frederick, Prester John, and the Tree of the Empire ; Dante: the Greyhound and the Dux -- pt. 3: The cycle of the Grail. The sources of the Grail ; The virtues of the Grail ; The Luciferian stone ; The test of pride ; The thunderbolt and the lance ; The mystery of the lance and of revenge ; The dolorous stroke ; The Fisher King ; The seat of the Grail ; Initiatory adventures of the Grail's knights ; The Grail as a Ghibelline mystery -- pt. 4: The legacy of the Grail. The Grail and the Knights Templar ; The Grail, the Cathars, and the love's lieges ; Dante and the love's lieges as a Ghibelline militia ; The Grail and the hermetic tradition ; The Grail and the Rosicrucians.

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