Caitlín Matthews

Reveals how the ancient Celtic text of the Mabinogion was the mythical predecessor to the legends of King Arthur. • Revised edition of Arthur and the Sovereignty of Britain (UK) that includes the author's latest research and insights. • A comprehensive reader's companion with synopsis of stories and full commentary. • Written by renowned scholar Caitlín Matthews, author of The Celtic Wisdom Tarot (15,000 sold). The ancient Celtic stories of the Mabinogion have received universal recognition from scholars as both sources of the Arthurian legend and keys to insights into the ancient magic of the Celtic Otherworld. Now renowned Celtic scholar Caitlín Matthews, drawing on a full range of medieval texts and ancient Welsh writings, provides a fully revised and updated reader's guide to these rich and far-reaching tales. In King Arthur and the Goddess of the Land, Matthews sheds particular light on Sovereignty, the Goddess of the sacred land of Britain, and the spiritual principle of the Divine Feminine. Clearly revealed are the many alternate forms taken by the Goddess of the Land--including her incarnation as Morgan of Avalon, who plays a dominant role in the Arthurian cycle. Also established are links between the legendary characters of the Mabinogion and their counterparts in other living myths of the Western world. Through the marriage of the Celtic kings to the Goddess of the Land, the sacred contract between political rulership and responsibility for the land's well-being is dramatically revealed. In King Arthur and the Goddess of the Land, Matthews once again articulates definitively the continuing relevance of ancient Celtic thought and belief as illustrated in the powerful myths and legends of ancient Britain.

The Divine Feminine in the Mabinogion

King Arthur and the Goddess of the Land

John Matthews

Beneath the orthodox religions that lay claim to the soul of Western man runs an esoteric current that has preserved the lore and hermetic traditions of our ancestors. Walkers Between the Worlds explores the ancient earth wisdom of the shaman, and the Gnostic and Egyptian mysteries of the East. Practical exercises drawn from these traditions are included.

The Western Mysteries from Shaman to Magus

Walkers Between the Worlds

Matthews, John

The Sevenfold Path of the Grail and the Restoration of the Faery Accord

Lost Book of the Grail

Celtic Myths and Legends

A comprehensive examination of the historical and mythological evidence for every major theory about King Arthur • Explores the history of every Arthur candidate and the geographical arguments that have placed him in different locations • Examines 1,800 years of evidence for Arthur’s life and the famous series of 12 battles fought against the Saxons in the 6th century • Reconstructs the history of the 6th century in Britain, when the first references to Arthur and the core events of his reign appear Few legends have had the enduring influence of those surrounding King Arthur. Many believe the stories are based on historical truth. For others Arthur represents the archetype of the brilliant monarch reigning over a fairy-tale kingdom, offering his knights the opportunity to prove their mettle in battle and find gnostic illumination through initiation into sacred mysteries like that of the Grail. Presenting the culmination of more than 40 years’ research, John and Caitlín Matthews examine the historical and mythological evidence for every major theory about the existence of King Arthur. Drawing on modern techniques in archaeology and scholarship, they reconstruct the history of the 6th century in Britain, the period when the first unambiguous references to Arthur appear. They explore the history of every Arthur candidate, the geographical arguments that have placed him in different locations, and the evidence for his life and famous battles fought against the Saxons. Was the greatest British hero of all time not a king but a 2nd-century Roman officer active around Hadrian’s Wall in Cumbria? A 5th-century soldier who operated in areas as far apart as Cornwall, Wales, Scotland, or Brittany? Or an entirely mythical fiction that provided a figure of light during a dark period of British history? Examining other literary figures from the 5th century such as Vortigern and Ambrosius, the authors also break down the plots of all the major Arthurian romances, including those by Chretien de Troyes, Sir Thomas Malory, and Robert de Boron, to reveal the historical events they are based on. Piecing together the many fragments that constitute the image of Arthur, both the man and the myth, the authors show how each face of Arthur has something to offer and how his modern popularity proves the enduring power of the hero-myth, truly earning Arthur the title he first received in the 15th century: The Once and Future King.

Many Faces, One Hero

The Complete King Arthur

A study of Celtic visionary methods, from second sight and prophecy to reading omens and making divinations, which includes description of ancient practices as well as activities to encourage these skills in ourselves. In the ancient realm of the Celts, the seer was a person who opened a window to reveal a complete view of the cosmos, in which the otherworld and the everyday world interconnect. This was the essence of true perception and wisdom, known as gléfiosa, or 'bright knowledge'. For the seer, the babbling of the stream, the swaying of treetops in the wind, the hunting and foraging of animals are all brimful of deeper meaning. The Art of Celtic Seership shows how to connect with this visionary wisdom, nurture it in ourselves and harness it to live in harmony with each other and with the earth, and to bring profound insight and understanding to our day-to-day existence. It describes the tools and techniques of the druids, bards and seers of old, and explains how we too can draw inspiration from the natural world and open ourselves to developing our prophetic and visionary powers. Practical exercises include calling upon your ancestors, working with your dreams, cultivating a connection with the faery folk, experimenting with trance states, entering into the consciousness of the stones, trees and other natural features around you, asking a question of the universe and listening to the reply and reading omens and signs in the symbols you encounter through the day.

How to Divine from Nature and the Otherworld

The Art of Celtic Seership

The authoritative reader's companion to the ancient Celtic myths in the literary masterpiece, the Mabinogion. • Thoroughly updated edition of Mabon and the Mysteries of Britain (UK). • Illuminates the rich archetypal patterns and meanings in the Four Branches of the Welsh Mabinogion. According to prophecy, a liberator will come to bring light, truth, and freedom to every generation. His mythic title is Mabon, but his identities are many-including Arthur the King, whose coming we await. So says the mythic Welsh text the Mabinogion, which includes some of the oldest magical stories from British mythology and which has been intriguing and beguiling readers for centuries. In Mabon and the Guardians of Celtic Britain, Celtic scholar Caitlín Matthews unlocks the encoded meanings of the Mabinogion and establishes it firmly as a precursor to other living myths of the West. From her fascinating study of these stories emerge two of the major figures of the Celtic tradition: the archetypal Mabon, deliverer and liberator of the land, and Modron, his mother, the Great Goddess herself. The initiatory pattern of Britain's inner guardians is revealed through the succession of the Pendragons, as each rises through the ages from boy, hero, and king to the role of Mabon. As descendants of the ancient Celtic oral tradition, the rich themes and archetypal underpinnings of the Mabinogion are stories for all time.

Hero Myths in the Mabinogion

Mabon and the Guardians of Celtic Britain

Discover forgotten divinatory skills, and learn to read the Tarot with confidence. Not just another Tarot book, Untold Tarot presents historic styles of reading little known in the modern era. It teaches traditional ways of reading used for pre-twentieth-century decks, drawing upon older cartomantic arts such as blending and pairing cards, reading lines, and following "line of sight" to piece together untold stories according to the direction in which the characters are facing. The time to rediscover these lost skills is ripe, and the practical and personal approach presented here empowers you to read in your own fluid style and develop a full palette of skills. The book also includes a selection of card spreads drawn from traditional French and Italian sources, plus methods of reading cards based on the author's own extensive research.

The Lost Art of Reading Ancient Tarots

Untold Tarot

A full-color guide to fortune-telling with the Lenormand oracle • Explores the meanings of the 36 Lenormand cards and their playing card insets to help build a resourceful, interpretative vocabulary • Provides instructions for many spreads, starting with 3 or 5 cards and building to the Grand Tableau spread, which uses all 36 cards • 416 pages and full-color throughout • Reveals the origins of the Lenormand oracle from both coffee-ground symbols and playing card cartomancy More than 200 years old, the 36 Lenormand cards are an oracle combining standard playing cards with images from the everyday world, such as key, book, animals, and flowers. Their simple, predictive, and non-esoteric nature opens the realm of fortune-telling to all, offering a traditional cartomantic divination where card combinations fuse together to give clear answers. In this complete guide to Lenormand card reading, Caitlín Matthews explains the multiple meanings for each card, providing keywords so the reader can quickly build an interpretive vocabulary for Lenormand fortune-telling. She details how to lay spreads, starting with 3 or 5 cards and building to the Grand Tableau spread, which uses all 36 cards. She explores the significance of the playing card pips and suits on each card and how cards combine to create a variety of meanings. Matthews enables readers to learn the Lenormand card keywords so they can both read for themselves and express their interpretations to clients. Providing real case histories for readers to interpret, she also includes self-tests and practice exercises with answers to check at the end of the book. In addition to her comprehensive practical introduction to the Lenormand oracle, Matthews delves deeply into the history of cartomancy to reveal the mythic blueprint that underlies this simple deck, the key to which lies not in their imagery but in their connection to playing cards.

Reading the Language and Symbols of the Cards

The Complete Lenormand Oracle Handbook

Paul Davies

13 authors explore the threefold relationship between the landscape, the ancestors and ourselves. By focussing upon the essentials that shape Pagan and Heathen identity, this book reveals the connective pathways where beliefs, actions and metaphors lead to dynamic, practical and spiritual lives. Contributors: Penny Billington (Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids); Dr. Jenny Blain (Former Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Sheffield Hallam); Paul Davies (Quaker, Independent Druid) Introduction and Editor; Prof. Camelia Elias. (Roskilde University); Prof. Graham Harvey (Reader in Religious Studies OU) Foreword; Sarah Hollingham MSc res. (Geographer, Quaker & Mother); Prof. Ronald Hutton (University of Bristol) Afterword; David Loxley (Chief of Ancient Druid Order); Caitlin Matthews (Teacher and author) Joint Editor; Emma Restall Orr (Author); Philip Shallcrass (Chief of British Druid Order); Prof. Robert Wallis (University of Richmond, London); Dr. Luzie U. Wingen (Quantitative Geneticist at the John Innes Centre). This Ancient Heart is essential reading for people with an interest in earth spirituality, our shared ancestors, sacred landscapes, shamanism, anthropology, archaeology, religion and heritage studies.

Landscape, Ancestor, Self

This Ancient Heart

Have you ever wanted to tell a story, but not know how to begin? Open Story World and discover the world of storytelling at your fingertips. Story World is a toolkit for the imagination, designed to inspire storytellers of all ages. Contains 40 Story World cards that suggest a myriad of characters, places, objects and much more. Pick a handful of cards, use their pictures and words as inspiration, and you can tell a new story every time the box is opened.

Unlock Your Imagination: Story-Telling Book and Forty Tell-Your-Own-Story Cards

Story World

Steeped in the legends, history and traditions of Arthurian Britain, these cards capture in 78 frames the beauty of King Arthur's realm. The pack comes complete with a fully illustrated guide to the divinatory and archetypal meanings of the cards - the 22 Greater Powers and the 56 Lesser Powers. The suits of Sword, Spear, Grail and Stone, corresponding to the four elements of Western esoteric tradition as well as to the four seasons, empower the reader through the sacred quest for the Hallows.

The Arthurian Tarot

Mudpuppy Press Staff

Hop the moat to visit the beautiful castle. This 100-piece puzzle features an image from The Barefoot Book of Princesses and comes packed in a reusable tin box. AGE: 5-10 Finished puzzle size: 304 x 457 inches

100 Piece Puzzle

Princesses

The joyous stories, songs and values of the Celtic peoples create an irresistible magic both for descendants of the Celts and individuals from other traditions around the world. Author Caitlin Matthews has compiled some of these stories that offer a spellbinding journey through the Celtic world.

Celtic Memories

Featuring a short inspirational entry for each day of the year, from stories and poems to blessings and lore, this book gives an insight into Celtic traditions and festivals, reflecting the cycles of the changing year.

A Celebration of Celtic Wisdom

Celtic Book of Days

Schamanische Rituale für Vision und Heilung

Das Lied der Seele

Celtic Wisdom Sticks is a powerful divination tool drawing on the ancient memory and wisdom of the trees and the culture of the Celts. By selecting different combinations of the sticks included with this pack and laying them out, readings can easily be made for yourself and your friends. These can be simple one-stick responses for everyday problems, or more complex readings which use all twenty sticks for more in-depth guidance. Four different ways of using the sticks are explained, along with a sample reading for each. Caitlin Matthews also explains the history and use of the ogam alphabet, one of the oldest known in the Western world. Further advice is given for phrasing questions to the oracle and interpreting the responses given. Guidance for working more freely with the system once you are familiar with the sticks will allow you to develop your own way of using the oracle.

Ancient Ogam Symbols Offer Guidance for Today

Celtic Wisdom Sticks

Reveals the long-forgotten prequel to the Grail mythos and how it has profound resonance with modern times • Includes the complete text of the Grail prequel, The Elucidation of the Grail, a 13th-century poem newly translated by Gareth Knight and Caitlín Matthews • Examines the forgotten story of the Faery Wars and the role of Well Maidens in the Grail story • Discusses the Seven Guardians of the Stories, the Grail Kings and Anti-Grail Kings, the Rich Company, the Courts of Joy, and the otherworldly Land of Women Unveiling the long-forgotten prequel to the Grail quest stories, Caitlín and John Matthews examine The Elucidation of the Grail, a forgotten 13th-century French text, and show how it offers the key to understanding the sevenfold path of the Grail and the deeper stories beneath the Christian Grail narrative. Beginning with a new translation of The Elucidation by foremost esotericist Gareth Knight and Caitlín Matthews, the authors provide a complete commentary on the poem, revealing a startling alternative cause of the Wasteland and the Grail quest, one which has a profound resonance with our own times. They examine the forgotten story of the Faery Wars and explain the Faery Accord, an agreement that once existed between humans and the Faery and upon which the spiritual and physical health of the land depends. The offering of the Grail and its regenerative powers by the Maidens of the Wells--Faery women--was part of this Accord. King Amangons and his men violated the Accord, through their abuse of the Well Maidens and other evil actions, causing the wasting of the land. The Knights of King Arthur seek to avenge the Well Maidens and rebirth the Grail to restore access to the lost paradisiacal “Courts of Joy” held in ancestral memory. On their quest, they encounter the Rich Company whose greed keeps the Knights occupied in long wars of attrition, yet their quest to restore the generous hospitality of the Wells--the true Grail, the Faery Grail--continues. In addition to the Faery Accord and Knights’ quest, the authors examine the Seven Guardians of the Stories, the Rich Fisher, the Courts of Joy and paradise lost, and the otherworldly Land of Women. They show how this lost book of the Grail reveals themes familiar to the modern world and offers hope of healing the rift between the worlds of Faery and human as well as restoration of our natural belonging to the land.

The Lost Book of the Grail

John James

Bestseller John James returns with this witty, serpentine novel, which weaves the Arthurian legends into the wider fabric of the struggle for Europe. Gwenevere, Arthur's Saxon wife, is a problem. As the dynastic cement between the British and the Saxons, her marriage to Arthur will result in a child that will unite both sides. At least, that would have been the plan, had the Great Duke Arthur not died and left the petty kings of Britain to squabble over his title. Only Morvran, Arthur's chief fixer, has the wit to see that the Fourth Gwenevere is the key to maintaining a crumbling peace. But when she is abducted, it seems that all hopes might disappear with her. For, in a world where swords and horses have names of honour, where poets speak as oracles of a shifting truth and the raiding of Saxon warriors is set to ruin Britain, perhaps it's only the Fourth Gwenevere herself who has the real solution? *THIS EDITION CONTAINS BONUS MATERIAL*

Caitlín Matthews

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