http://www.anima-mundi-seminare.org/eng/pahl.htm
The Fisher King;
http://www.jungcircle.com/diana.html
Perhaps the deceptively simple 'message' is that only the heart ruled by compassion can serve, hence 'under-stand', and drink from the Grail. As Yeats said, "No symbol tells all its meaning to any generation," hence the meaning - and content - of the Grail is inexhaustible. The Aquarian divine human must keep pouring forth for another two thousand years or so, and can do so only of s/he remains in touch with the boundless waters of the unconscious.
In the Grail myths we find a merging and overlapping of symbolism as the central archetype of the Self surfaces in its many forms. Christ, King Arthur, the Fisher King, Launcelot and Perceval all typify the masculine Self as the archetype of the Wounded Healer. Their feminine counterpart is Perceval's sister, Blanchefleur, who accompanies the three knights, Bors, Galahad and Perceval on the only successful Grail quest. These four together form the archetype of the quaternity in its characteristic '3 + 1' structure, where the fourth - in this case the feminine - represents the principle that needs to be consciously integrated with the male trinity to complete a four-fold picture of wholeness.
Perceval;
One day he was riding alone in a lonely country with no road or path, with no sense of direction or time.
Near dusk he came to a wide rushing river and saw two men in a boat. One was rowing while the other fished. The men called out to him that there was no bridge for many, many miles and offered him refuge at their nearby castle. Percival rode in the direction they pointed, into a valley between the hills. But he saw nothing, no building at all. Annoyed and tired, Percival was about to give up when he caught a glimpse of high turrets peeking through the trees.
It was the castle, and a grand one at that. The drawbridge was lowered and Percival went inside. There he found a fine hall filled with many people. The lord of the castle, who was none other than the fisherman, graciously received him. He was lying on a couch in front of a blazing fire. “Forgive me,” said the king, “for not standing up. I was wounded many years ago and cannot walk or stand.” The two men talked. The king presented Percival with a fine sword. But then a strange and marvelous thing occurred.
A young man came into the hall. He slowly walked the length of the room, bearing a white lance in front of him. From the tip of the lance, Percival saw a single drop of blood emerge and run down its length on to the youth's hand. Percival was amazed. He opened his mouth to ask about it but remembered Gornamont's parting advice and kept quiet. Then two more youths entered the hall carrying two magnificent golden candelabra. They were followed soon after by a beautiful maiden who held in her hands a golden grail decorated with precious gemstones. The grail shimmered with such a dazzling light that the candles momentarily lost their brilliance. The procession crossed the hall and filed abruptly into a room on the opposite side.
Percival was consumed with great curiosity but followed Gornamont’s advice. He stayed silent. Three times this procession passed by and each time the tables in the dining hall were filled with food and drink and the assembly ate, all but the fisherman cum King, who took only a piece of bread and a few sips of wine. The hour grew late, the king groaned with pain and bid the young man good night. He was carried off to bed in a litter. Percival was taken to a lovely chamber and made comfortable for sleep. There in the darkness, he recalled the mysteries of the evening. “I will ask a servant about it in the morning,” he decided, and fell asleep.
The next morning, Percival woke up to find his clothing cleaned, his armor shined, and his horse saddled. To his great surprise, the hall was empty and there was no sign of the previous night’s company. So he armed himself and rode out over the drawbridge. But before he got completely across, the bridge began to rise under him and his horse was forced to jump for the far side. They made it, the bridge just nicking the back of his horse’s hooves. Percival turned and called out to whoever raised the bridge, but there was no one to be seen and no answer.
Percival rode into the woods and came across a fair young damsel cradling the corpse of a headless knight in her arms. “Can I help you?” Percival asked. “Only if you can bring him back to life,” she replied. “But where did you come from? There is no lodging anywhere nearby.” “Why, there is castle just over those hills,” said Percival, and at this the fair damsel shook her head. “You have been in the Grail castle in the company of the Fisher King,” she told him. “Tell me, did you see the lance that bleeds?” Percival nodded. “Did you see the grail?” she asked. Percival nodded again. He had seen the lance that bleeds and the grail.
“These are great mysteries” she said, “Tell me, what did you do?” “Nothing,” said Percival, “I did nothing.” “Oh, this is very bad news,” the damsel told him. “A question from you would have healed the king and his lands. But now the suffering will continue." Then she asked him, "What is your name?” “Percival of Wales,” said Percival. For the first time, he knew who he was.
The image is "Parsifal's Encounter with the Fisher King," a wall painting by Ferdinand Piloty or A. Spiess, in the Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria.
http://www.catherinesvehla.com/my_weblog/2011/02/percival-and-the-fisher-king-part-3-of-4.html
The Fisher King;
http://www.jungcircle.com/diana.html
Perhaps the deceptively simple 'message' is that only the heart ruled by compassion can serve, hence 'under-stand', and drink from the Grail. As Yeats said, "No symbol tells all its meaning to any generation," hence the meaning - and content - of the Grail is inexhaustible. The Aquarian divine human must keep pouring forth for another two thousand years or so, and can do so only of s/he remains in touch with the boundless waters of the unconscious.
In the Grail myths we find a merging and overlapping of symbolism as the central archetype of the Self surfaces in its many forms. Christ, King Arthur, the Fisher King, Launcelot and Perceval all typify the masculine Self as the archetype of the Wounded Healer. Their feminine counterpart is Perceval's sister, Blanchefleur, who accompanies the three knights, Bors, Galahad and Perceval on the only successful Grail quest. These four together form the archetype of the quaternity in its characteristic '3 + 1' structure, where the fourth - in this case the feminine - represents the principle that needs to be consciously integrated with the male trinity to complete a four-fold picture of wholeness.
Perceval;
One day he was riding alone in a lonely country with no road or path, with no sense of direction or time.
Near dusk he came to a wide rushing river and saw two men in a boat. One was rowing while the other fished. The men called out to him that there was no bridge for many, many miles and offered him refuge at their nearby castle. Percival rode in the direction they pointed, into a valley between the hills. But he saw nothing, no building at all. Annoyed and tired, Percival was about to give up when he caught a glimpse of high turrets peeking through the trees.
It was the castle, and a grand one at that. The drawbridge was lowered and Percival went inside. There he found a fine hall filled with many people. The lord of the castle, who was none other than the fisherman, graciously received him. He was lying on a couch in front of a blazing fire. “Forgive me,” said the king, “for not standing up. I was wounded many years ago and cannot walk or stand.” The two men talked. The king presented Percival with a fine sword. But then a strange and marvelous thing occurred.
A young man came into the hall. He slowly walked the length of the room, bearing a white lance in front of him. From the tip of the lance, Percival saw a single drop of blood emerge and run down its length on to the youth's hand. Percival was amazed. He opened his mouth to ask about it but remembered Gornamont's parting advice and kept quiet. Then two more youths entered the hall carrying two magnificent golden candelabra. They were followed soon after by a beautiful maiden who held in her hands a golden grail decorated with precious gemstones. The grail shimmered with such a dazzling light that the candles momentarily lost their brilliance. The procession crossed the hall and filed abruptly into a room on the opposite side.
Percival was consumed with great curiosity but followed Gornamont’s advice. He stayed silent. Three times this procession passed by and each time the tables in the dining hall were filled with food and drink and the assembly ate, all but the fisherman cum King, who took only a piece of bread and a few sips of wine. The hour grew late, the king groaned with pain and bid the young man good night. He was carried off to bed in a litter. Percival was taken to a lovely chamber and made comfortable for sleep. There in the darkness, he recalled the mysteries of the evening. “I will ask a servant about it in the morning,” he decided, and fell asleep.
The next morning, Percival woke up to find his clothing cleaned, his armor shined, and his horse saddled. To his great surprise, the hall was empty and there was no sign of the previous night’s company. So he armed himself and rode out over the drawbridge. But before he got completely across, the bridge began to rise under him and his horse was forced to jump for the far side. They made it, the bridge just nicking the back of his horse’s hooves. Percival turned and called out to whoever raised the bridge, but there was no one to be seen and no answer.
Percival rode into the woods and came across a fair young damsel cradling the corpse of a headless knight in her arms. “Can I help you?” Percival asked. “Only if you can bring him back to life,” she replied. “But where did you come from? There is no lodging anywhere nearby.” “Why, there is castle just over those hills,” said Percival, and at this the fair damsel shook her head. “You have been in the Grail castle in the company of the Fisher King,” she told him. “Tell me, did you see the lance that bleeds?” Percival nodded. “Did you see the grail?” she asked. Percival nodded again. He had seen the lance that bleeds and the grail.
“These are great mysteries” she said, “Tell me, what did you do?” “Nothing,” said Percival, “I did nothing.” “Oh, this is very bad news,” the damsel told him. “A question from you would have healed the king and his lands. But now the suffering will continue." Then she asked him, "What is your name?” “Percival of Wales,” said Percival. For the first time, he knew who he was.
The image is "Parsifal's Encounter with the Fisher King," a wall painting by Ferdinand Piloty or A. Spiess, in the Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria.
http://www.catherinesvehla.com/my_weblog/2011/02/percival-and-the-fisher-king-part-3-of-4.html
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