The Grail, The Shaman, and Druidism
by Karl Schlotterbeck
Let me begin with a summary of part of one of many versions of the Legend of the Grail, noting that the grail stories had a significance of their own before the gloss put onto them by the church. Thus, I’ll be referring not to religious associations, but the teaching of the story itself.
The Grail
Perceval, whose mother raised him away from civilization since his father’s death, encounters knights in the forest and realizes he is destined to become one. The Spell of Safety woven by his mother is broken. He leaves and has many adventures, of course, and becomes part of King Arthur’s court. He eventually encounters the wounded Fisher King (Lord of a failing land) who invites him to stay at his castle. During the evening meal, a strange procession enters the room: a young man carrying a bleeding lance, two boys carrying candelabra, and a beautiful young girl carrying a magnificent grail. Perceval, who had been warned by his mother about talking too much, withholds his questions. When he awakes the next morning, he’s alone, and returns to Arthur’s court.
Back at the court, a loathly lady enters and admonishes Perceval for failing to ask his questions about the grail because, if he had, it would have healed the wounded king. So, Perceval begins his years-long search for the Grail Castle. And find it he does.
This time, Perceval has the presence of mind to ask his questions:
- Whom does the grail serve?
- Why does the lance bleed?
- What do these things mean?
All is restored, although – significantly – we do not know what the answers were to his questions. As it turns out, it is not the answers that are as important as the questions.
“So” – the story-teller might say – “it was the asking of the questions that stabilized its presence and brought healing to the land” – for in the old Celtic world, the state of the land depended on the health of the King.
The Shaman
Come forward in time to the present day. A modern Celtic Shaman, Tom Cowan, renders the questions this way:
- Whom does my life serve?
- Why does my life bleed?
- What does my life mean?
Dr. Cowan’s transliteration of the questions brings them closer to our quest. I found the shaman’s questions parallel to some of the great philosophical queries which we all – consciously or not – answer with the words of our lives:
- Who are we?
- Why do we suffer?
- What does it all mean?
Druidism
What does this have to do with Druidism? We wrestle with those questions for ourselves, our co-workers and our families every day. Let’s look at those around us first.
“Who are they?” is a question of identity: it asks for an assessment of strengths and weaknesses, interests and fears, history and hopes.
“Why do they suffer?” is a question of interpretation of the data. We ask what it is about others’ functioning that challenges their success and well-being. Perhaps, if we know who they are and why they suffer, compassion might grow in us.
“What does it all mean?” in this context, is a question about. After all, if we know what the problem is, we can move forward to restoring the health of the “land.”
These questions are vital for us, too.
“Who are we?” is the question that defines our roles, boundaries, responsibilities, strengths, limitations, personal and professional capabilities. Without asking this question, boundaries are violated, potential untapped, and, if you will, destiny unfound.
“Why do we suffer?” is a question about our well-being and our effectiveness. When we become aware of our unrealized potential, of imposed limitations, of boundary violations, we have taken the first step toward healing.
“What does it all mean?” is the question we must ask ourselves. This is the question about value – our value and our values; the worth, worthiness and usefulness of what we do. Curious, – is it not? – that the word for “means” is akin to the word “meaning.”
The answers we formulate lead us to attempt to grasp the deep truth about who we are as human beings living in this world and in relationship with other. Furthermore, if we stop asking the questions, the Grail and its Castle disappear: we lose touch with the numinous. Put less poetically, we lost touch with who we are becoming, as well as that edge of awareness that could move us out the static and habitual wounded waste land of shallow relationships in the world – and toward becoming truly present.
With both silence (failing to ask the questions), as well as with rigidly “final” answers, the world disappears – or our access to the means for healing. Life, healing and meaning are lost. That is why the Grail Questions are not answered: because the questions themselves are instructive and reveal relationship as the Grail. Despite its magnificence, is not its own, but it serves another.
This leaves us with the question: whom do we serve? Do we serve here a Deity, money, spirits, our families, society, each other, or our own destiny?
Perhaps, if we pay attention, or ask a good question, we might (re)discover our own gifts, foster the gifts of others, and honor the Grail that we all carry within us and yet may come to serve.
Thus, the Grail through its questions serves us still, reminding us of relationship, of service, and openness to our vision of our own and others’ becoming.
Karl Schlotterbeck, MA, CAS, LP
