I lived with them on Montague Street In a basement down the stairs, There was music in the cafes at night And revolution in the air. Then he started into dealing with slaves And something inside of him died. She had to sell everything she owned And froze up inside. And when finally the bottom fell out I became withdrawn, The only thing I knew how to do Was to keep on keepin' on like a bird that flew, Tangled up in blue. –Bob Dylan

Of the many symbols evident within the framework of the Grail motif, the Fisher King stands as perhaps the most abstract and enigmatic. Many Arthurian scholars have tried to encapsulate his significance over the years. Jessie Weston, for one, argued convincingly in her groundbreaking work, From Ritual to Romance, that the Fisher King is derived from pagan fertility rituals, and that beneath the surface of the numerous legends can be discerned the rites of primitive cults. Others, such as Heinzel and Nutt, have suggested that the Fisher King can be reduced, instead, to his archetypal status as the keeper of the Holy Grail, a position which entrenches him firmly within the iconography of esoteric Christianity. And still other scholars hold that the Fisher King is an amalgam, initially appearing in the wake of the Third Crusade, developed as a means for fusing the colliding Occidental and Oriental cultures. ... As Weston comments in frustration, "from the standpoint of a Christian interpretation the character of the Fisher King is simply incomprehensible, and from the standpoint of Folk-tale inadequately explained." Still, she goes on to add, it cannot be denied that the Fisher King functions as "the very essence of the tale." In other words, anyone seeking the Grail, be it hero, scholar, or a combination thereof, must first negotiate the perplexing matter of the Fisher King. A clearer understanding of the Fisher King and his significance can be found in his salient traits as they present themselves in the various versions of the legend.

from The Fisher King

image from Arnold Böcklin

In the Greek myth, those who looked directly into Medusa's eyes were promptly turned to stone....frozen in time. Before setting out to vanquish this snake-haired demon, Perseus sought council from Athena. Her advice to him was simple; under no circumstances look directly at the Gorgon. Taking Athena's advise to heart, Perseus used the shield on his arm to reflect the image of Medusa and was then able to cut off her head without being turned to stone. If trauma is to be healed, we must learn not to confront it directly. This can be a hard lesson to learn. If we make the mistake of confronting trauma head on, then Medusa will do to us what Medusas do. True to her nature, she will turn us to stone. Like the Chinese finger traps we all played with as kids, the more we struggle with trauma, the greater will be her grip upon us....... The reflection of Medusa we must perceive and respond to in order to vanquish and transform her vast energies is mirrored in our instinctual natures. Once in touch with this primordial wisdom, we will be able to be present in our own organisms as well as with those of another. This innate wisdom allows us to not only master trauma, but to experience ourselves and others fully. Without it, confusion or over-control will rule all of our relationships. –from Nature's Lessons in Healing Trauma by Peter A. Levine, Ph.D.

Funny how lines of our favourite films come back. "Frankly my dear I don't give a dam" (Rhett's last line in GWTW - is one of my faves. But my all time favourite is the line in Zorba the Greek when the young Englishman, played by the late Alan Bates asks Zorba, Anthony Quinn, "Are you married?" Zorba replies: "Am I not a man? And is not a man stupid? I’m a man. So I married. Wife, children, house, everything. The full catastrophe." – via Robert Paterson's Weblog

to this i would add:

Basil: I don't want any trouble. Alexis Zorba: Life is trouble. Only death is not. To be alive is to undo your belt and *look* for trouble.

see also Jon Kabat-Zinn’s The Full Catastrophe.

If I could open my arms And span the length of the isle of Manhattan, I'd bring it to where you are Making a lake of the East River and Hudson If I could open my mouth Wide enough for a marching band to march out They would make your name sing And bend through alleys and bounce off all the buildings. I wish we could open our eyes To see in all directions at the same time Oh what a beautiful view If you were never aware of what was around you And it is true what you said That I live like a hermit in my own head But when the sun shines again I'll pull the curtains and blinds to let the light in. Sorrow drips into your heart through a pinhole Just like a faucet that leaks and there is comfort in the sound But while you debate half empty or half full It slowly rises, your love is gonna drown [4x] Your love is gonna drown [4x] Your love is gonna... – "Marching Bands of Manhattan" by Death Cab for Cutie