The Secret Tradition in Arthurian Legend

by Gareth Knight

In this book Gareth Knight takes the most famous and most haunting of all British legends and places it in its rightful position as the core of a Western mystery tradition that draws its inspiration from Greek, Irish and even Atlantean myth.

The central Arthurian themes and characters are examined in details and the carefully woven pattern that has developed around the Arthuriad is brought to light and its full significance revealed.

This fascinating study takes the reader beyond the world of Malory or the figure of Arthur as a fifth-century chieftain and unfolds an unforgettable inner landscape as read as the Isles in which it was created.

Genres: Arthurian, Mythology, Occult, Magick, Research

302 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Gareth Knight is one of the world's foremost authorities on ritual magic, the Western Mystery Tradition and Qabalistic symbolism. He trained in Dion Fortune's Society of the Inner Light, and has spent a lifetime rediscovering and teaching the principles of magic as a spiritual discipline and method of self-realisation.

He has written around forty books covering topics as diverse as Qabalah, history of magic, Arthurian legend, Rosicrucianism, Tarot, the Inklings (Tolkien, C.S.Lewis et al) and the Feminine Mysteries, as well as several practical books on ritual magic. He has lectured worldwide and is a regular contributor to Inner Light, the journal of the Society of the Inner Light.

The group founded by Gareth Knight in 1973 is now run by Wendy Berg and known as the Avalon Group.

See: http://garethknight.blogspot.com/

Reviews

[Kaberoi Rua · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Secret Tradition in Arthurian Legend by Gareth Knight is a detailed exploration of the esoteric and initiatory dimensions embedded within the Arthurian mythos. Rather than treating the legends as mere medieval romance or folklore, Knight interprets them as components of a structured Western mystery tradition. The book argues that the Arthurian stories encode a threefold initiatory path involving the symbolic grades of Arthur, Merlin, and Guenevere, culminating in the greater mysteries of the Holy Grail. These grades are not just literary devices but spiritual archetypes representing stages in the evolution of human consciousness.

Knight draws from a wide range of traditions including Celtic, Greek, and Atlantean mythologies, and he situates the Arthurian material within a broader esoteric context that includes chivalric ideals, psychic development, and magical polarity. He examines each major figure and symbol—Arthur, Merlin, Guenevere, the Round Table, and the Grail—with careful attention to their symbolic roles in the structure of inner transformation. The book presents a spiritual map in which the Arthurian figures function as initiatory models for those seeking mastery over desire, psychic forces, and ultimately union with the Divine.

The structure of the book is both thematic and hierarchical, with chapters moving through the symbolic grades and culminating in the Grail mysteries. Knight’s prose is dense with mystical theory but remains grounded in clear distinctions between the Lesser and Greater Mysteries. He also emphasizes the psychological and spiritual development required to internalize these patterns, stressing that myth is not simply allegory but a reflection of inner realities. The three grades are symbolically linked to a sword, a sceptre, and a cup—each representing different modes of spiritual attainment.

Overall, the book is a serious and systematic contribution to the field of Western esotericism. It is best suited for readers with a strong interest in occult traditions, archetypal psychology, and mythic symbolism. While it may be challenging for casual readers, those engaged in spiritual or initiatory work will find Knight’s insights both profound and practical. His interpretation of the Grail Quest as a journey of self-discovery and divine remembrance offers a meaningful framework for understanding the Arthurian legends beyond their historical or literary dimensions.

[d Kate dooley]

"Initiation, let it be stressed, and the Mysteries, are not for the privileged few, but for all, even though new conceptions necessarily have small beginnings."

Gareth Knight, like Dion Fortune before him, bring the mysteries into focus without oversimplification but also without the elaborations of those with egos to feed. Good work.

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somehow, in the course of my research, I came across this book. I believe it was in my Amazon Recommendations. Needless to say, this book is not within the realm of what I am studying, but I decided to get it from the library anyway because I thought it seemed interesting (and I really want to know if the author was given that name by his parents or if he was such a fan of the literature that he changed his name to be the same as one of the knights in the stories!). The author does seem to have a very good grasp of the modern version of the Arthurian legend, and would probably do a good job of writing his own fiction based on the Sir Thomas Malory and T.H. White Arthur. In fact, a lot of what he writes in this book is, in fact, new fiction -- i.e. it did not come from any commonly known source (the author claims to pull from oral sources, but in this case I must assume that he either came up with some of these elements himself or had some help from friends). The author states in his acknowledgements that "It is very much in the tradition of Arthurian literature to make use of manuscript 'oral' material in this way, and I am happy to join the long line of authors from as far back as Chretien de Troies [sic], Robert de Boron and Wolfram von Eschenbach who have similarly acknowledged such help, though somewhat to the scepticism of modern scholars. Much of this material relates to the 'Atlantean' tradition and takes its validity for granted. Those sufficiently interested may glean more information of this tradition from works such as Rudolf Steiner's Universe, Earth and Man or W. Scott-Elliot's The Story of Atlantis to name but two. Those who choose not to believe it may find much of this book of questionable validity but I fear I have come far enough along the road of occult research to realize that there comes a time when it is too limiting to try to write within the framework of assumptions imposed by the current intellectual establishment." (7 Sorry for the long quote -- I would make it a block quote if I could!)

Anyway, I haven't read the two books the author lists here. I do find it unfortunate, though, that the author is so perturbed by the "intellectual establishment" that he seems to have thrown any and all forms of intellectualism out the window. There are no citations in this book. Aside from the mentions of a few texts in his acknowledgements, the author does not even reference a single book in his own text. He actually makes some good points here and there about the literature he is studying, but because he gives no citations, readers can't follow along with his train of thought.

In the end, though this text has its entertaining moments, I can't give it a very high rating because it could have much more well written and, frankly, I probably am one of those so called academic "sceptics" the author despises so much. While it is clear that the author has read the most recent works of Arthurian literature, he is by no means well-read on the topic, and is probably not the best source of information (including "secrets"!) on Arthurian literature.

[Todd R · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice work to have on hand for reference purposes. Overall it's enjoyable, but relies to heavily upon Cabala and Xtian tradition throughout.