“Gawain, the nephew of King Arthur, rose and suggested a vow. ‘I propose,’ he said, ‘that we all now set forth in quest to behold that Grail unveiled.’ And so it was that they agreed. There then comes a line that, when I read it, burned itself into my mind. ‘They thought it would be a disgrace to go forth in a group. Each entered the forest at the point that he himself had chosen, where it was darkest, and there was no way or path.’ No way or path! Because where there is a way or path, it is someone else’s path. And that is what marks the Western spirit distinctly from We the Eastern.”
― Joseph Campbell, Thou Art That, Transforming Religious Metaphor (The book Campbell is referring to is the 13th century work “Queste del Saint Graal.”)
The insight of the 13th-century author who so inspired Campbell is amazing.
THEN AS NOW, OUR QUEST IS TO FIND OUR WAY IN THE WORLD — TO EXPLORE THE DARK AND FEARFUL PLACES WE INSTINCTIVELY FEAR TO GO.
Sir Gawain’s shield bears the five-pointed star, a symbol of truth and revelation. The truth lies in the darkness of the unknown forest. Pursuing the truth requires bravery and the willingness to accept the truth once you find it.
Here’s some truth for you regarding my rule progress under the new program. This month I’m working on getting my “B” (daily contemplation), “Q” (daily journal entries) and “O” (a three-mile tire run in under 40 minutes). So far I haven’t missed any journal entries or contemplation days, and I’ve carried that insufferable tire through 6 runs, one that was 2 miles, but I still haven’t hit the 3-miles-in-40-minutes mark yet.
Where are you in the program? Which marks are you going to earn this month? You must enter the forest where it is the darkest, thickest, and most tangled.
DARK FOREST: TRAINING INVOLUTION #127
4 x 4 all-in conditioner. 4 sets of each: 4 Handstand Push-ups (substitute Jackknife Push-ups if needed), 4 Wrestling Shots each side (4 with left foot lead, 4 with right foot lead), 4 Back Bridges (the heaviest bag you can manage — I used a #80), and 4 max power combos vs. heavy bag (min 8 strikes per combo).
Explore the Dark Forest. Pick one of the 39 achievement marks and get started. Many of them require consistent actions over the course of an entire month, but some of them you might be able to achieve right now! And if you don’t have a ruler because you’re not a member of the Richmond temple or you aren’t enrolled in the Cabal Fang Hermit Path Distance Learning Program — what are you waiting for? It’s free — shoot me an email and let’s go!