The Speech of the Grail

by Linda Sussman

In Speech of the Grail, storyteller and ceremonialist Linda Sussman explores a new way to speak, one that heals and transforms. She takes for her guide Wolfram von Eschenbach’s epic tale of the Grail, showing how it depicts a path of initiation toward healing speech—to “doing the truth” in word and action. “The Grail! The word stirs a deep response in the Western imagination. Joseph Campbell called the medieval stories where it is first mentioned ‘the founding myth of Western civilization,’ because ‘according to this mythology, there is no fixed law, no established knowledge of god, set up by prophets or priests, that can stand against the revelation of a life lived with integrity in the spirit of its own brave truth.’ Campbell and many other scholars, artists, and seekers have seen the Western wisdom path disclosed in the image of each knight entering the forest where no one else has made a path. The quest is to recover the elusive Grail, thereby returning its sustenance to the world. The presence of the Grail nurtures an invisible web of relationships that connect individual destiny to service of others and to the earth, thereby granting meaning.” —Linda Sussman (from her introduction) Sussman begins with a beautiful retelling of the story, allowing readers to inwardly reproduce the potent inner images of the text. Then she shows that it is not so much a path toward perfection as a recovery of the proper relationship with our own imperfections. She shows, too, that it is a path in which male and female aspects work together to overcome evil.

298 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 1995

Reviews

[Yalí · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Speech of the Grail is a book I will return to more than once. It gives an account of the quest for the grail, and makes some deep reflections about the inner journey we all go through as we work to integrate our parts and grow into more mature versions of ourselves. Mythological, philosophical, mystical, the themes in this book have been engaging and thought-provoking, reflecting my own journey while providing guidance, comfort and hope. Absolutely recommend to all those who are going through growth and awakenings, whether mystical or psychological (but really they are all part of the same path).