Still, eventually you come out onto the road seen in this card, that leads up to Lancelot's castle, Joyous Gard. Encyclopedia Mythica says this of the castle:
The castle of Lancelot, formerly called Dolorous Gard because of a sinister enchantment, is acquired when he captures it and breaks the spell. When he explores the castle, he comes upon a tomb with his own name upon it,and he knows that it is destined to be his home and eventual resting place. The name is changed to Joyous Gard after Arthur and Guinevere visit there as guests. When Guinevere is brought to Carlisle for execution, she is rescued by Lancelot and taken by him to his castle. However, the tragic strife that ensues causes it to revert to its former name, Dolorous Gard. After Lancelot's death, his body is taken there for burial.
Because this castle has been a place of both joy and sorrow, it has become a place of balance, where both sides of an issue can be considered, and 'deep life enhancing choices' can be made (Matthews p. 86).
Knowing the history of the castle, the symbol of the heart pierced by the sword takes on more resonance. The joys and sorrows of Lancelot's doomed love for Guinevere and the bitter end that meets their affair are represented here. Still, it was a path taken without regrets. One can't help but think, given the choice, they'd have done the same thing again. The Hero's Path is not an easy one, but at least at the end of it, you know you've lived, you've tasted both the bitter and the sweet.
Perhaps the Hero's Path I'm on today involves diving straight into the Faeries' Oracle. And also some meditation/pathworking I've made a recent commitment to. Certainly the faeries would help balance out the rather serious energies I'm working with in meditation.
I'm loving your exploration and explanations of these cards! It's been a while since I read any Arthurian stuff, so it's a lovely reminder. And I definitely agree with John Matthews that the deck works just fine for a daily draw :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the Froud Faeries and your meditations!
I've always loved Arthurian tales, but my knowledge is not that deep. They can get extremely complicated! I like to sort of lump them into a coherent tale in my mind, which is why I like reading novelizations of them like TH White and Marion Zimmer Bradley. It's also important to have some basis in source texts, as well, though they are often not very fun to read!
ReplyDelete