October 9, 2025 • 18 mins
Presents an extensive exploration of the Holy Grail and its ancient origins, proposing a "Grail Triad" consisting of three levels: a practical elixir, allegorical myths and legends, and the experience of enlightenment. The authors argue that the serpent is a central, recurring symbol across these levels and diverse cultures, representing both a literal source for a healing substance and a metaphor for wisdom and spiritual transformation. The text frequently references historical, mythological, and scientific connections between the serpent, immortality, healing, and altered states of consciousness, drawing parallels between ancient practices like shamanism and the quest for the Grail. Ultimately, it suggests that the true meaning of the Grail lies in the neutral point of balance between opposites, leading to self-realization and an enhanced understanding of life.
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You can listen and download our episodes for free on more than 10 different platforms:
https://linktr.ee/book_shelter
Get the Book now from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Serpent-Grail-Behind-Philosophers-Elixir/dp/B006CDRU1G?&linkCode=ll1&tag=cvthunderx-20&linkId=45b71d9ffdd46e96e368f35f2d635eea&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the deep dive, where we take your sources
and unoff surprising nuggets of knowledge, helping you become well
informed quickly. Today we're plunging into a truly ambitious book.
It challenges well, pretty much everything we thought we knew
about one of history's most enduring mysteries, the Holy Grail.
Our listener asked us to provide a complete, detailed summary
(00:21):
of this book, presented like a story tracing the author's
own journey of discovery, and honestly, what they've uncovered is, well,
it's fascinating stuff, it really is.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
We're digging into exits from the Serpent Grail by Philip
Gardner and Gary Osborne, and their whole mission was to
avoid the same old road others have traveled regarding the Grail.
They wanted to find something deeper, often hidden. They argue
that the familiar Celtic and Christian Grail legends, well, they're
basically just adaptations, new ideas laid over old truths which
(00:51):
ended up burying the real facts.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
So we need to forget the simple chalice image for
a minute, pretty much, because this book proposes a single
startling origin for the Grail, the Elixir of life, even
the philosopher's stone, and ties them all fundamentally to one creature,
the serpent.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Exactly. That's the core of it. The authors lay out
what they call a grail triad. Think of it as
three interconnected levels practical, mythological, and spiritual, and all of them,
they argue, point back to this universal serpent secret. So
our deep dive today will trace their journey, their story
through these layers, showing how these mysteries supposedly intertwine.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Okay, let's unpack that journey, because here's where it really
starts to stretch your understanding. Right, The authors didn't begin
with medieval nights or ancient texts in the way you
might expect. They started with universal patterns found at the
very core of creation. So what did they find there?
What laid the groundwork for this whole serpent theory? Right?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Well, their journey kicked off by looking at the natural
phenomena of cycles, you know, patterns that repeat. They found
that these are universal, from like revolving galaxies down to
sub quantum activity. It's everywhere. And they really zoomed in
on that crucial point, the beginning and end point point
where one cycle finishes and a new one kicks off
that moment of death rebirth. This is represented really anciently
(02:06):
by the Orboro symbol, the snake biting its own tail.
You see it in Egypt way back around sixteen hundred BC.
It's a powerful image, and this alpha omega point it
signifies that creation is cyclical, you know, creation, destruction, recreation
or birth, death rebirth. It's a deep concept. It's echoed
in phrases attributed to Jesus like I am the alpha
and the omega, and even in an inscription to the
(02:28):
Egyptian goddess isis I am all that has been, that
is and that will be. The idea is that this
isn't just physical, it's a fundamental principle of how things are.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Okay, so cycles are everywhere, grand scale, tiny scale. Got it.
But how did they bridge that? How did they get
from that cosmic understanding to something personal like human experience
and specifically to the grail itself.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Well, that's the link they make. They found the grail
was associated with that crucial point where opposing forces think
life and death, winter and summer, day and night. They
momentarily fuse, they cancel each other out, and this allows
what they call a seemingly spiritual third state or a
third force to manifest. They connect this to figures like
(03:09):
the resurrecting God or the Christ died One that appear
annually in many old traditions. It's that moment of transformation.
This neutral point also ties into ancient sexual imagery, the
positive and negative phases of a cycle. They corresponded to
male and female. Their union intercourse produced a child, the
divine spark or third force. And it's not just ancient mysticism.
(03:30):
The psychologist Carl jung He talked about the problem of
consciousness being split into two apparently irreconcilable halves. Mythologist ce
Austin added that healing comes from the reconciling third, the
synthesis of those opposites. It's this excluded middle, often ignored
by our Western logic, that the authors argue is central.
Finding wholeness by bringing opposites together.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Right, That makes sense Understanding this neutral point, this third
force seems key to unlocking the whole thing. So how
did the authors figure out that ancient figures like Shamans
were actively trying to experience this state and what did
that quest tell them about what the grail actually is ah.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yes, the shaman's path. That's a huge part of their narrative.
They propose that shamans, sometimes called the Shining Ones, they
understood this third force, they lived it in a way.
They entered altered states of consciousness trans states often described
as ecstatic even orgasmic, and their techniques well, sometimes hallucinogenic
plants or just beating hypnotic rhythms on a drum may
be made from a tree trunk. Think about the shaman's tools,
(04:30):
the stick and the drum. The authors see these as
symbolizing the binary opposites male female, or like one to zero.
Each drum beat represents their momentary fusion, that instant of
joining at the zero translimital point, or you could call
it the hypnogogic state, that space right between waking and sleeping.
That's where visions happen, insights, even out of body experiences,
according to shamanic traditions.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
So this isn't just about going somewhere physically. It's a
journey inside into the mind, a portal within consciousness.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Precisely inner quest. The authors explained that the vesica pieces
symbol that almond shape where two circles overlap the fish
bladder symbolize this very portal. The Egyptians even called it ru,
which means birth passage or gateway, this psychic door, if
you could sustain it, they argue, could lead right back
to the source of creation itself and the center. Journey
(05:20):
also led shamans to perceive what they called three cosmic zones,
an underworld, a middle world, ours, and a heavenly realm,
all connected by a world pillar or a world mountain,
or maybe a world tree. This is a core concept
in shamanism everywhere, So the author suggests the quest for
the Grail is really expressing the same theme. The grail
corresponds with the expanded sphere of consciousness the shaman enters
(05:41):
climbing the world tree becomes a metaphor for expanding your
own awareness and this expanded sphere it has physical counterparts,
think spherical shapes, the earth, the wound, the head, even
an atom. So the grail fundamentally is about transforming consciousness.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Wow, okay, that is a radical redefinition. So the grail
isn't just a cup. It's this expanded state of awareness,
often symbolized by the head that sounds like the spiritual level.
The third level of their triad. So how did they
trace that profound idea through the myths and legends we
know the ones from say Celtic or Orthurian law. How
does it fit into the second level, the mythological one.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Right, And this is where their narrative really highlights how
things got well hidden or changed. They argue, the Holy
Grail we know evolved from something much older, a worldwide phenomenon.
Take the familiar Celtic legends, the cauldron of Saradwin or
the Cauldron of Anne. These speak of a vessel of fertility, transformation, resurrection.
It sounds a lot like the Eastern concept of the void,
(06:35):
doesn't it the source everything comes from. But then you
get to the Arthurian legends and suddenly the Grail shifts
from a cauldron to a vessel holding Christ's blood or
the cup from the Last Supper. The author's flat out
suggest this was a deliberate propaganda move. The point fingers
particularly at Helen End, a Cistercian abbot involved in the
Albagensian crusade against the Cathars, who rumor had it held
(06:57):
the real Grail secret. So it was reframe adapted for
a new religious and political purpose.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Okay, so a deliberate reshaping of the narrative. Were the
famous Grail writers themselves, like Wolfram von Eschenbach involved in
the shift? According to the authors, that's a pretty bold claim.
What's their evidence?
Speaker 2 (07:12):
It is bold? They claim Eschenbach was essentially bought by
the Templars and Cistercians, paid to write their orders into
the myth, ensuring they controlled the story and the Templars
themselves well. The authors argue they had deep links to
these older ancient traditions. Their very name is associated with
the idea of the human body as the temple of God.
(07:33):
Think about it, temples, holy of holies, the most sacred
inner space. They propose this corresponds metaphorically to the third
eye area in the head linked to the pineal pituitary
thalamus glands.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Ah, So the quest wasn't out there, it was.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
In here, exactly an internal awakening. The authors connect the
Grail directly back to that cauldron of rebirth idea, and
specifically to the head of the archetypal resurrecting God think
o Cyrus Arthur's journey into the underworld to find the
cauldron that symbolizes his own enlightenment journey his own inner transformation.
The even cite that Latin phrase visit the interioritary erecti
(08:07):
ficando in Venie's a cultum lapidem, visit the interior of
the earth, find the secret stone the initial spell vitriol
vitriol okay. They argue this points directly to the inner quest.
The center of the earth isn't literal dirt, it's metaphorically
inside your own head. The head of Osiris, the shaman
god king figure becomes a direct parallel, so the grail
(08:31):
becomes a symbol of enlightened consciousness, often located symbolically in
the head.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
That interpretation, it does bring things together, especially linking the cauldron,
the head and enlightenment. And it's right here, isn't it
that their journey of discovery leads unmistakably directly to the serpent.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Absolutely, this is where the serpent takes center stage. In
their mythological analysis, they found that places like Stonehenge, which
they call serpent temples, were associated with this fusion of opposites.
They mentioned doctor William Stukeley, an old anti aquarian who
believed ancient serpent worshiping people, the Dracontia built these structures
all over Britain and look at the symbols. The Caducius
(09:08):
with two snakes twined around a staff, and the rod
of Escalapiis with just one snake, both ancient symbols of healing,
of balance. The two serpents of the Caducius, they symbolize
the pingala and eida channels from Yogic tradition, positive male
red venom and negative female white blood. These twine around
and ultimately unite on the central soushumna channel. So you
(09:29):
have this ancient concept of energy channels, opposites converging on
a central pathway. It's a powerful metaphor for unifying diverse
forces within oneself. That's the essence of the Grail experience.
They describe inner unification. So the serpents in just one
thing or the other, it represents both the opposing forces
and their neutral union. That's profound and consistent across these
different symbols. Yes, exactly that the single snake on escalapius
(09:53):
is rod. It symbolized both venom think death masculine and
blood life feminine. When combined mythyl logically, they created the
elixir of life, offered wisdom immortality and that jewel in
the head you hear about inserpent myths. The authors argue
it actually refers to the thalamus gland right in the
center of the brain, a key area for consciousness. They
even argue that Christianity has hidden serpent symbolism. The name
(10:16):
Sophia meaning wisdom, they trace it to is ophis, meaning
light of the serpent, and there were groups called the Ophites,
actual serpent worshippers in early Christianity, who taught that Sophia
wisdom and christ entwined within Jesus, making him the serpent
of wisdom. Think about Moses's staff turning into a snake,
or the brazen serpent he lifted up becoming a symbol
of saving faith. Even dragon's blood that red resin from
(10:39):
certain trees used medicinally, It all reinforces this ancient, maybe
deliberately obscured connection. Even the unicorn with its single spiraling horn,
they present it as another symbol of the healing snake,
an antidote to poison. Its horn echoes the caduceus or
the rod of Esculapias. It just shows how pervasive this
serpent symbolism really was across different.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Forms Okay, this is weaving together threads from all over.
The authors then take this serpent connection and link it
to secret societies and myths across the globe, right, extending
this narrative way beyond Europe.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
They do. They look at the templars again, remember their
white robe and red cross al chemical symbolism, red and
white opposites uniting. They were linked to this mysterious figure Bafomet,
often shown as androgynous, a compasset figure embodying again that
healing of divided consciousness. There was an inscription found at
a templar building Capeoud fifty eight m. One interpretation of
(11:33):
the author's favor is perfect eternal aspect of the serpent,
linking it directly to a gnostic idea of enlightenment and
this whole concept of a serpent bloodline or these enlightened
shining ones. They find echoes everywhere. In China, you have
divine dragons like Nukua creators link to royal lineages. In India,
the Nagas cobra people, demi guys who maintain immortality by
(11:54):
drinking divine and lunar blood. The Sumerian epic of Gilgamesh.
There's a snake that steals the plant of your eternal
life mes America Qretzelkodal the feathered serpent god, a master
of life, a healer. He mirrors Arthur in a way
as the once in future king who promises to return.
So you see these really diverse myths, but they consistently
weave the serpent into stories about creation, dick wisdom, and
(12:16):
eternal life. It suggests the authors argue a shared incredibly
ancient knowledge that got pushed underground.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Okay, that's a huge amount of mythological and symbolic connection.
It builds a really compelling narrative as a hidden story.
But can any of it actually be backed by science?
Does it hold up on a practical level? This must
be the first level of their grill triad, right correct
for a physical one exactly.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
This is where they shift gears and dive into scientific
and medical history, trying to validate these seemingly mythical claims.
They present the evidence they found, and it turns out,
across cultures from millennia, the serpent's medicinal properties were revered.
It wasn't just myth. Lithuanian folk medicine used snake parts
for various ailments. Tibetan doctors use snake meat for stomach issues.
(13:01):
Early Chinese medicine, we're talking around one hundred ad u
slough snake skin for skin problems, later the gall bladder,
snake meat itself. There's even snake wine, snake soaked and
alcohol still used in parts of Asia today for medicinal purposes.
Cobra venom specifically noted for pain relief and boosting the
immune system, and modern science is actually starting to confirm
(13:21):
some of this ancient knowledge. Copperhead viper venom research shows
that slows cancerous tumor growth. There's a drug integraline derived
from rattlesnake venom used to treat heart conditions. Even homeopathy
uses remedies like lichsis from seracuku snake venom for various symptoms.
They mentioned constant hearing a researcher who apparently cured his
own throat condition with it. So there's a long consistent
(13:43):
thread of practical application, and.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
They even bring in modern examples people who really live
this belief, like Bill Hast, the guy who injected himself
with venom for decades. That's taking the practical level pretty.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Seriously, extremely seriously. Bill has started injecting himself with snake
venom back in nineteen forty eight. He claimed he was
never sick afterwards. His blood was apparently so full of
antibodies it was used as anti venom for snake bite victims,
just like you'd use serum from a horse. So the
authors propose this core idea, the snake's own blood must
contain an anti venom when mixed with its venom. Maybe
(14:17):
it neutralizes the toxic effects, creating a kind of powerful
immune system booster that humans could potentially tap into. And
the immortality connection. It even finds echoes in modern genetics
that Aroboro's symbol the snake eating its tail. They link
it to the circular DNA found in bacteria and also
to telomeres.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Telomeres those are the caps on our chromosomes.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Right related to aging exactly. They govern how many times
our cells can divide as they shorten we age. So
research into telomerase, an enzyme that can actually rebuild telomeres,
offers a fascinating scientific parallel to this ancient quest for
extended life, or at least longevity.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
AD is a powerful parallel ancient symbol modern biology. Okay,
what about those trance states the shamans use. Did the
authors find any evidence they might have been chemically induced,
linking ancient practice to well biochemistry.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
They did explore that angle too. They look into psychoactis substances,
particularly something called soma, believed to come from the plant
Paganum harmala. Ancient texts said soma could actually neutralize snake poison,
So they speculate, what if this plant may be mixed
with snake venom in specific ways could induce those trans
like visions, visions often involving snakes, leading towards enlightenment experiences.
(15:28):
The mechanism could potentially involve stimulating the pineal gland that
third eye area again to release neurochemicals like melatonin and pinolene.
These are sometimes called happy hormones, and they are linked
to anti aging effects and immune boosting. So it suggests
the whole grail journey that in request could have been
at least partly a chemically induced trip. It bridges ancient
(15:48):
mysticism and modern neurochemistry, offering a tangible explanation for those
transformative shamanic experiences.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
Okay, so the Serpent Grile weaves this incredible papestry, doesn't
it physical level with venom and blood, the mythological level
encoding the knowledge and stories and symbols, and the spiritual
level the enlightenment experience itself. After tracing this whole incredible
story of discovery, this narrative they've built, what does it
all ultimately mean for us the learner? As they put it,
(16:16):
how do they wrap up this grand theory?
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Well, their conclusion is that the grade isn't just some
lost artifact. It's a profound, ancient secret fundamentally tied to
the servant, a secret symbolizing wisdom, divinity, transformation. The three
levels work together, first the physical elixir possibly venomin blood,
second the allegorical myths that hide and preserve this knowledge,
And third the peak experienced spiritual enlightenment, the ultimate goal
(16:42):
and the philosopher's stone. They redefine that too. It's not
some magic rock that turns lead into gold. It's the
source center within us, that zero point again, it's where
the conscious and subconscious minds merge, maybe even with the
collective unconscious, leading to a kind of rebirth and awareness
of our own deeper nature or immortal like the phoenix
rising from the ashes that they say, is the true
(17:03):
healing wisdom of the Grail, a total reintegration of mind
and body, returning to that original unified state of consciousness
symbolized by the serpent.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
Wow. Okay, we've really covered a lot there. We've explored
how the Serpent Grail presents this consistent universal truth supposedly
hidden beneath layers of history, myth, and now even modern science.
It's an absolutely incredible reinterpretation of a legend presented as
this compelling story of discovery.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
What really stands out, I think, is the sheer consistency
they found in the Serpent, the symbolism across continence, across millennia.
It really does point towards some kind of shared ancient
knowledge that, as the authors argue, got intentionally covered up
or distorted over time. And their research suggests quite provocatively
that this knowledge, if we could fully understand it, if
we could apply it well, it could genuinely improve our health,
(17:53):
boost immunity, and hance alertness, maybe even extend our lives significantly.
Look at Bill hast Right, it's a ratic reevaluation of
what the Grail mystery might actually be about.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
It really makes you wonder doesn't it. If this ancient knowledge,
which seems to be finding echoes in modern science, truly
holds keys to longevity and heightened consciousness, why was it
suppressed or hidden for so long? What forces were at
play there, and perhaps more importantly, what would it mean
for our world today if these secrets of immortality, these
serpent secrets, were fully rediscovered and maybe even shared openly.
(18:26):
What stands out most to you from this deep dive
into the serpent's secret
Welcome to the deep dive, where we take your sources
and unoff surprising nuggets of knowledge, helping you become well
informed quickly. Today we're plunging into a truly ambitious book.
It challenges well, pretty much everything we thought we knew
about one of history's most enduring mysteries, the Holy Grail.
Our listener asked us to provide a complete, detailed summary
(00:21):
of this book, presented like a story tracing the author's
own journey of discovery, and honestly, what they've uncovered is, well,
it's fascinating stuff, it really is.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
We're digging into exits from the Serpent Grail by Philip
Gardner and Gary Osborne, and their whole mission was to
avoid the same old road others have traveled regarding the Grail.
They wanted to find something deeper, often hidden. They argue
that the familiar Celtic and Christian Grail legends, well, they're
basically just adaptations, new ideas laid over old truths which
(00:51):
ended up burying the real facts.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
So we need to forget the simple chalice image for
a minute, pretty much, because this book proposes a single
startling origin for the Grail, the Elixir of life, even
the philosopher's stone, and ties them all fundamentally to one creature,
the serpent.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Exactly. That's the core of it. The authors lay out
what they call a grail triad. Think of it as
three interconnected levels practical, mythological, and spiritual, and all of them,
they argue, point back to this universal serpent secret. So
our deep dive today will trace their journey, their story
through these layers, showing how these mysteries supposedly intertwine.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Okay, let's unpack that journey, because here's where it really
starts to stretch your understanding. Right, The authors didn't begin
with medieval nights or ancient texts in the way you
might expect. They started with universal patterns found at the
very core of creation. So what did they find there?
What laid the groundwork for this whole serpent theory? Right?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Well, their journey kicked off by looking at the natural
phenomena of cycles, you know, patterns that repeat. They found
that these are universal, from like revolving galaxies down to
sub quantum activity. It's everywhere. And they really zoomed in
on that crucial point, the beginning and end point point
where one cycle finishes and a new one kicks off
that moment of death rebirth. This is represented really anciently
(02:06):
by the Orboro symbol, the snake biting its own tail.
You see it in Egypt way back around sixteen hundred BC.
It's a powerful image, and this alpha omega point it
signifies that creation is cyclical, you know, creation, destruction, recreation
or birth, death rebirth. It's a deep concept. It's echoed
in phrases attributed to Jesus like I am the alpha
and the omega, and even in an inscription to the
(02:28):
Egyptian goddess isis I am all that has been, that
is and that will be. The idea is that this
isn't just physical, it's a fundamental principle of how things are.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Okay, so cycles are everywhere, grand scale, tiny scale. Got it.
But how did they bridge that? How did they get
from that cosmic understanding to something personal like human experience
and specifically to the grail itself.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Well, that's the link they make. They found the grail
was associated with that crucial point where opposing forces think
life and death, winter and summer, day and night. They
momentarily fuse, they cancel each other out, and this allows
what they call a seemingly spiritual third state or a
third force to manifest. They connect this to figures like
(03:09):
the resurrecting God or the Christ died One that appear
annually in many old traditions. It's that moment of transformation.
This neutral point also ties into ancient sexual imagery, the
positive and negative phases of a cycle. They corresponded to
male and female. Their union intercourse produced a child, the
divine spark or third force. And it's not just ancient mysticism.
(03:30):
The psychologist Carl jung He talked about the problem of
consciousness being split into two apparently irreconcilable halves. Mythologist ce
Austin added that healing comes from the reconciling third, the
synthesis of those opposites. It's this excluded middle, often ignored
by our Western logic, that the authors argue is central.
Finding wholeness by bringing opposites together.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Right, That makes sense Understanding this neutral point, this third
force seems key to unlocking the whole thing. So how
did the authors figure out that ancient figures like Shamans
were actively trying to experience this state and what did
that quest tell them about what the grail actually is ah.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yes, the shaman's path. That's a huge part of their narrative.
They propose that shamans, sometimes called the Shining Ones, they
understood this third force, they lived it in a way.
They entered altered states of consciousness trans states often described
as ecstatic even orgasmic, and their techniques well, sometimes hallucinogenic
plants or just beating hypnotic rhythms on a drum may
be made from a tree trunk. Think about the shaman's tools,
(04:30):
the stick and the drum. The authors see these as
symbolizing the binary opposites male female, or like one to zero.
Each drum beat represents their momentary fusion, that instant of
joining at the zero translimital point, or you could call
it the hypnogogic state, that space right between waking and sleeping.
That's where visions happen, insights, even out of body experiences,
according to shamanic traditions.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
So this isn't just about going somewhere physically. It's a
journey inside into the mind, a portal within consciousness.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Precisely inner quest. The authors explained that the vesica pieces
symbol that almond shape where two circles overlap the fish
bladder symbolize this very portal. The Egyptians even called it ru,
which means birth passage or gateway, this psychic door, if
you could sustain it, they argue, could lead right back
to the source of creation itself and the center. Journey
(05:20):
also led shamans to perceive what they called three cosmic zones,
an underworld, a middle world, ours, and a heavenly realm,
all connected by a world pillar or a world mountain,
or maybe a world tree. This is a core concept
in shamanism everywhere, So the author suggests the quest for
the Grail is really expressing the same theme. The grail
corresponds with the expanded sphere of consciousness the shaman enters
(05:41):
climbing the world tree becomes a metaphor for expanding your
own awareness and this expanded sphere it has physical counterparts,
think spherical shapes, the earth, the wound, the head, even
an atom. So the grail fundamentally is about transforming consciousness.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Wow, okay, that is a radical redefinition. So the grail
isn't just a cup. It's this expanded state of awareness,
often symbolized by the head that sounds like the spiritual level.
The third level of their triad. So how did they
trace that profound idea through the myths and legends we
know the ones from say Celtic or Orthurian law. How
does it fit into the second level, the mythological one.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Right, And this is where their narrative really highlights how
things got well hidden or changed. They argue, the Holy
Grail we know evolved from something much older, a worldwide phenomenon.
Take the familiar Celtic legends, the cauldron of Saradwin or
the Cauldron of Anne. These speak of a vessel of fertility, transformation, resurrection.
It sounds a lot like the Eastern concept of the void,
(06:35):
doesn't it the source everything comes from. But then you
get to the Arthurian legends and suddenly the Grail shifts
from a cauldron to a vessel holding Christ's blood or
the cup from the Last Supper. The author's flat out
suggest this was a deliberate propaganda move. The point fingers
particularly at Helen End, a Cistercian abbot involved in the
Albagensian crusade against the Cathars, who rumor had it held
(06:57):
the real Grail secret. So it was reframe adapted for
a new religious and political purpose.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Okay, so a deliberate reshaping of the narrative. Were the
famous Grail writers themselves, like Wolfram von Eschenbach involved in
the shift? According to the authors, that's a pretty bold claim.
What's their evidence?
Speaker 2 (07:12):
It is bold? They claim Eschenbach was essentially bought by
the Templars and Cistercians, paid to write their orders into
the myth, ensuring they controlled the story and the Templars
themselves well. The authors argue they had deep links to
these older ancient traditions. Their very name is associated with
the idea of the human body as the temple of God.
(07:33):
Think about it, temples, holy of holies, the most sacred
inner space. They propose this corresponds metaphorically to the third
eye area in the head linked to the pineal pituitary
thalamus glands.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Ah, So the quest wasn't out there, it was.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
In here, exactly an internal awakening. The authors connect the
Grail directly back to that cauldron of rebirth idea, and
specifically to the head of the archetypal resurrecting God think
o Cyrus Arthur's journey into the underworld to find the
cauldron that symbolizes his own enlightenment journey his own inner transformation.
The even cite that Latin phrase visit the interioritary erecti
(08:07):
ficando in Venie's a cultum lapidem, visit the interior of
the earth, find the secret stone the initial spell vitriol
vitriol okay. They argue this points directly to the inner quest.
The center of the earth isn't literal dirt, it's metaphorically
inside your own head. The head of Osiris, the shaman
god king figure becomes a direct parallel, so the grail
(08:31):
becomes a symbol of enlightened consciousness, often located symbolically in
the head.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
That interpretation, it does bring things together, especially linking the cauldron,
the head and enlightenment. And it's right here, isn't it
that their journey of discovery leads unmistakably directly to the serpent.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Absolutely, this is where the serpent takes center stage. In
their mythological analysis, they found that places like Stonehenge, which
they call serpent temples, were associated with this fusion of opposites.
They mentioned doctor William Stukeley, an old anti aquarian who
believed ancient serpent worshiping people, the Dracontia built these structures
all over Britain and look at the symbols. The Caducius
(09:08):
with two snakes twined around a staff, and the rod
of Escalapiis with just one snake, both ancient symbols of healing,
of balance. The two serpents of the Caducius, they symbolize
the pingala and eida channels from Yogic tradition, positive male
red venom and negative female white blood. These twine around
and ultimately unite on the central soushumna channel. So you
(09:29):
have this ancient concept of energy channels, opposites converging on
a central pathway. It's a powerful metaphor for unifying diverse
forces within oneself. That's the essence of the Grail experience.
They describe inner unification. So the serpents in just one
thing or the other, it represents both the opposing forces
and their neutral union. That's profound and consistent across these
different symbols. Yes, exactly that the single snake on escalapius
(09:53):
is rod. It symbolized both venom think death masculine and
blood life feminine. When combined mythyl logically, they created the
elixir of life, offered wisdom immortality and that jewel in
the head you hear about inserpent myths. The authors argue
it actually refers to the thalamus gland right in the
center of the brain, a key area for consciousness. They
even argue that Christianity has hidden serpent symbolism. The name
(10:16):
Sophia meaning wisdom, they trace it to is ophis, meaning
light of the serpent, and there were groups called the Ophites,
actual serpent worshippers in early Christianity, who taught that Sophia
wisdom and christ entwined within Jesus, making him the serpent
of wisdom. Think about Moses's staff turning into a snake,
or the brazen serpent he lifted up becoming a symbol
of saving faith. Even dragon's blood that red resin from
(10:39):
certain trees used medicinally, It all reinforces this ancient, maybe
deliberately obscured connection. Even the unicorn with its single spiraling horn,
they present it as another symbol of the healing snake,
an antidote to poison. Its horn echoes the caduceus or
the rod of Esculapias. It just shows how pervasive this
serpent symbolism really was across different.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Forms Okay, this is weaving together threads from all over.
The authors then take this serpent connection and link it
to secret societies and myths across the globe, right, extending
this narrative way beyond Europe.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
They do. They look at the templars again, remember their
white robe and red cross al chemical symbolism, red and
white opposites uniting. They were linked to this mysterious figure Bafomet,
often shown as androgynous, a compasset figure embodying again that
healing of divided consciousness. There was an inscription found at
a templar building Capeoud fifty eight m. One interpretation of
(11:33):
the author's favor is perfect eternal aspect of the serpent,
linking it directly to a gnostic idea of enlightenment and
this whole concept of a serpent bloodline or these enlightened
shining ones. They find echoes everywhere. In China, you have
divine dragons like Nukua creators link to royal lineages. In India,
the Nagas cobra people, demi guys who maintain immortality by
(11:54):
drinking divine and lunar blood. The Sumerian epic of Gilgamesh.
There's a snake that steals the plant of your eternal
life mes America Qretzelkodal the feathered serpent god, a master
of life, a healer. He mirrors Arthur in a way
as the once in future king who promises to return.
So you see these really diverse myths, but they consistently
weave the serpent into stories about creation, dick wisdom, and
(12:16):
eternal life. It suggests the authors argue a shared incredibly
ancient knowledge that got pushed underground.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Okay, that's a huge amount of mythological and symbolic connection.
It builds a really compelling narrative as a hidden story.
But can any of it actually be backed by science?
Does it hold up on a practical level? This must
be the first level of their grill triad, right correct
for a physical one exactly.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
This is where they shift gears and dive into scientific
and medical history, trying to validate these seemingly mythical claims.
They present the evidence they found, and it turns out,
across cultures from millennia, the serpent's medicinal properties were revered.
It wasn't just myth. Lithuanian folk medicine used snake parts
for various ailments. Tibetan doctors use snake meat for stomach issues.
(13:01):
Early Chinese medicine, we're talking around one hundred ad u
slough snake skin for skin problems, later the gall bladder,
snake meat itself. There's even snake wine, snake soaked and
alcohol still used in parts of Asia today for medicinal purposes.
Cobra venom specifically noted for pain relief and boosting the
immune system, and modern science is actually starting to confirm
(13:21):
some of this ancient knowledge. Copperhead viper venom research shows
that slows cancerous tumor growth. There's a drug integraline derived
from rattlesnake venom used to treat heart conditions. Even homeopathy
uses remedies like lichsis from seracuku snake venom for various symptoms.
They mentioned constant hearing a researcher who apparently cured his
own throat condition with it. So there's a long consistent
(13:43):
thread of practical application, and.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
They even bring in modern examples people who really live
this belief, like Bill Hast, the guy who injected himself
with venom for decades. That's taking the practical level pretty.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Seriously, extremely seriously. Bill has started injecting himself with snake
venom back in nineteen forty eight. He claimed he was
never sick afterwards. His blood was apparently so full of
antibodies it was used as anti venom for snake bite victims,
just like you'd use serum from a horse. So the
authors propose this core idea, the snake's own blood must
contain an anti venom when mixed with its venom. Maybe
(14:17):
it neutralizes the toxic effects, creating a kind of powerful
immune system booster that humans could potentially tap into. And
the immortality connection. It even finds echoes in modern genetics
that Aroboro's symbol the snake eating its tail. They link
it to the circular DNA found in bacteria and also
to telomeres.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Telomeres those are the caps on our chromosomes.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Right related to aging exactly. They govern how many times
our cells can divide as they shorten we age. So
research into telomerase, an enzyme that can actually rebuild telomeres,
offers a fascinating scientific parallel to this ancient quest for
extended life, or at least longevity.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
AD is a powerful parallel ancient symbol modern biology. Okay,
what about those trance states the shamans use. Did the
authors find any evidence they might have been chemically induced,
linking ancient practice to well biochemistry.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
They did explore that angle too. They look into psychoactis substances,
particularly something called soma, believed to come from the plant
Paganum harmala. Ancient texts said soma could actually neutralize snake poison,
So they speculate, what if this plant may be mixed
with snake venom in specific ways could induce those trans
like visions, visions often involving snakes, leading towards enlightenment experiences.
(15:28):
The mechanism could potentially involve stimulating the pineal gland that
third eye area again to release neurochemicals like melatonin and pinolene.
These are sometimes called happy hormones, and they are linked
to anti aging effects and immune boosting. So it suggests
the whole grail journey that in request could have been
at least partly a chemically induced trip. It bridges ancient
(15:48):
mysticism and modern neurochemistry, offering a tangible explanation for those
transformative shamanic experiences.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
Okay, so the Serpent Grile weaves this incredible papestry, doesn't
it physical level with venom and blood, the mythological level
encoding the knowledge and stories and symbols, and the spiritual
level the enlightenment experience itself. After tracing this whole incredible
story of discovery, this narrative they've built, what does it
all ultimately mean for us the learner? As they put it,
(16:16):
how do they wrap up this grand theory?
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Well, their conclusion is that the grade isn't just some
lost artifact. It's a profound, ancient secret fundamentally tied to
the servant, a secret symbolizing wisdom, divinity, transformation. The three
levels work together, first the physical elixir possibly venomin blood,
second the allegorical myths that hide and preserve this knowledge,
And third the peak experienced spiritual enlightenment, the ultimate goal
(16:42):
and the philosopher's stone. They redefine that too. It's not
some magic rock that turns lead into gold. It's the
source center within us, that zero point again, it's where
the conscious and subconscious minds merge, maybe even with the
collective unconscious, leading to a kind of rebirth and awareness
of our own deeper nature or immortal like the phoenix
rising from the ashes that they say, is the true
(17:03):
healing wisdom of the Grail, a total reintegration of mind
and body, returning to that original unified state of consciousness
symbolized by the serpent.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
Wow. Okay, we've really covered a lot there. We've explored
how the Serpent Grail presents this consistent universal truth supposedly
hidden beneath layers of history, myth, and now even modern science.
It's an absolutely incredible reinterpretation of a legend presented as
this compelling story of discovery.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
What really stands out, I think, is the sheer consistency
they found in the Serpent, the symbolism across continence, across millennia.
It really does point towards some kind of shared ancient
knowledge that, as the authors argue, got intentionally covered up
or distorted over time. And their research suggests quite provocatively
that this knowledge, if we could fully understand it, if
we could apply it well, it could genuinely improve our health,
(17:53):
boost immunity, and hance alertness, maybe even extend our lives significantly.
Look at Bill hast Right, it's a ratic reevaluation of
what the Grail mystery might actually be about.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
It really makes you wonder doesn't it. If this ancient knowledge,
which seems to be finding echoes in modern science, truly
holds keys to longevity and heightened consciousness, why was it
suppressed or hidden for so long? What forces were at
play there, and perhaps more importantly, what would it mean
for our world today if these secrets of immortality, these
serpent secrets, were fully rediscovered and maybe even shared openly.
(18:26):
What stands out most to you from this deep dive
into the serpent's secret
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