The Symbolism of the Sword in the Grail Tradition

Introduction

The purpose of this meeting is the analysis of sword symbolism in the Grail tradition. This is meant to be a discourse in which you can freely participate, especially in the practical part, sharing what you think or what you have experienced - if you have experienced something - because this topic is not about someone else but concerns all of us, which is why everyone likes it and why it fascinates everyone. The topic of the Graal in general and of the sword is a subject that fascinates everyone, from childhood, because it evidently refers to a reality that belongs to all. Everyone is evidently called to a task evoked by these symbols, a task that is however not yet clear.

For example, if I look at the symbol of the sword, even without knowing anything, without preconceptions. The symbol itself awakens something in us that we cannot well delineate, it evokes an action to be performed that we cannot frame, it recalls a heroism that has no name and a warrior power that we do not know how to use. This is because it refers to a power and a promise that on one hand concerns us closely and on the other is buried deep in our consciousness.

So one studies all the symbolism to understand what is being talked about and begins to get clearer ideas, but still remains outside, distant, as if we were on the peel of an orange that we cannot penetrate. One feels unsatisfied because on one hand there is something that calls him and therefore feels the need to study and understand it, on the other hand is unsatisfied because he cannot access the life of the symbol.

The Center of the World

To understand the symbolism of the sword in the Grail tradition and in chivalric cycles, we must first understand some fundamental things, we must first highlight some aspects related to the Grail and sword symbolism in general, then the symbol it assumes in history becomes very easy to understand.

In this notebook, the Grail is certainly identified as a cup, but above all as a metaphysical reality, a special metaphysical place where communion between the human and the divine is celebrated. To this place, traditions have given various names that illustrate its characteristics:

• CENTER OF THE WORLD: a place present since the Creation of the world, a Metaphysical Kingdom
• ROTATING ISLAND: unreachable to men, but which is the pivot of their soul and spiritual life and which is the place of transparency between Man and God
• TEMPLE OF THE WORD AND HOLY SPIRIT: In this place the union between the Spirit of Man and the Spirit of God is celebrated. It is the place in the Cosmos where the Divine Trinity is present

Therefore this metaphysical place is called the Temple of the Word where the Word and the Holy Spirit communicate to the Cosmos through Christ.