Initiation and Magic in the Quest for the Spirit
Inner Traditions, 1994 (Il mistero del Graal, 1937)
From the Back cover:
“Evola writes in lively prose, filled with rfascinating and concrete details…Such an encounter with a totally original mind is a rarity in these days of bland consensus, and a thrilling one whetehr one agrees with Evola or not…To read his descriptions of the higher spiritual states is like watching a champion mountain-climber on a vertical glacier.”
Joscelyn Godwin, Gnosis
“Evola’s research, documentation, and grasp of mythic, pagan, and occult traditions is without equal.”
Critical Review
In this important explanation of the true meaning of the Grail, the brilliant and controversial Italian philosopher Julius Evola discloses the ancient sources of this legend 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 Nordic tribes, and that the Grail itself is a symbol of initiation. Evola unovers the hidden meaning in the often surreal adventures of the knights who searched for the Grail, explaining these adventures as inner tests for the seeker. He also examines 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 link with Rosicrucianism, alchemy, and Masonry. This exploration of the legend of the Grail is sure to provoke radical insights into the true nature of this endlessly fascinating subject.
Jan Olof Bengtsson 