John Matthews

Discover the remarkable lives of 14 notable Celtic saints through stories, inspired poetry, and meditations. Voyages with the Celtic Saints recounts the inspired lives of the Celtic saints, who carried the torch of the new faith of Christianity to the wild tribespeople of Britain and Ireland. Finding many parallels between their own wisdom and that of the Druids and other teachers of the Celtic people, they adapted their own teachings to include and reshape that of the older wisdom. • Features stories from the lives of 14 inspiring Celtic saints who lived between the third and seventh centuries CE • Scholar John Matthews retells and provides commentary on these stories, making them relevant and accessible to modern readers • Meditation notes and questions at the end of each chapter for those wishing to deepen their understanding of the stories and question their own voyage • Updates from prior edition with new illustrations by renowned artist Joe Machine and two additional entries on women saints, St. Gwenfrewi and St. Goibniu • Includes inspiring foreword by David Spangler, one of the founding figures of the modern New Age movement

Merlin remains the most famous and familiar image of the magician we possess. Best known as the advisor of the young King Arthur, he was also a famous seer, whose books of prophecies have been reprinted countless times since the Middle Ages and are still in print today. He has reappeared in numerous guises in modern times, in film, TV and books, as well as being studied as an exponent of shamanism, seership and ancient wisdom. Arthurian expert John Matthews examines the many guises of Merlin - as seer, prophet, magician and, perhaps surprisingly, as lover, and as an inspirer of people from all walks of life. He traces the historical origin of Merlin as a Celtic warrior, the later literary forms of his growing legend in the myths of Arthur, and his more recent manifestations in fantasy writing. Also explored is the important connection between Merlin and the Druids. Spanning the ages and delving into some of the most colourful corners of human history, The Book of Merlin presents a new look at an age-old character. The author has provided a new translation of the poems of Myrddin Wyllt, Merlin’s prophecies in the wilderness: ‘Snow to my knees, ice in my beard.’

The lore behind the figures Robin Hood and the Merry Men are some of the most enduring of all myths and legends, and their paths affect everyone who reads about them. This is a deck that breathes life into the forests of Sherwood, where romance, heroism, and the supernatural occur in equal parts, and questions about the most archetypal characteristics found in the human psyche can be answered. Written by the creators of the bestselling The Wildwood Tarot—including Mark Ryan, who starred in the cult-favorite TV series Robin of Sherwood—and illustrated by iconic artist Anne Yvonne Gilbert, this is an enchanting and enlightening tool for uncovering the legends hidden in the human subconscious.

Discover a completely new way of divining with Tarot that’s connected to the past but points to the future As the world continuously changes, Tarot, too, must change, and the Fool must begin a new journey. The advent of psychology, magical viewpoints, and recent worldwide societal upheaval led scholar John Matthews to create a new deck that brings Tarot into the present. The Fool’s New Journey is a 60-card deck and guidebook set, representing recognizable aspects of the human condition without losing the deeper resonance of the traditional 78-card deck. Illustrated art created by Charles Newington strives to be simpler, more direct, and more personal, in order to better speak to modern issues. It's a deck that strips away the ancient symbology, brings the Tarot back to zero, and then takes it to places it has never been before, through new dimensions and by new roads. Card dimensions: 2 3/4" x 4"

Passenger Trains in the North of England features over 270 black and white pictures and takes the reader northbound from South Yorkshire and Cheshire to the Scottish Borders. Also covered in detail are a wide selection of pictures from Cumbria, West and North Yorkshire among others. We see main line expresses, branch line and local trains, plus special workings running along today's railways and lines that have faded into history. Steam, diesel and electric powered trains are pictured right across the North of England including industrial and city views plus a great selection taking in the highly picturesque locations of the northern hills and Dales. Embracing a period of 65 years the book features images from as early as 1957 right through the late steam era up to the present day. The stars of the book are obviously the trains of the past, but just as important are the top photographers who have kindly provided these high-quality pictures for your enjoyment. While the author has sneaked a few of his own efforts in, the main contributions come from the great names of the railway photography world including Gavin Morrison, Les Nixon, Peter Fitton, John Whiteley, John Cooper Smith and others.

Improve Your People and Social Skills For Effective Communication With Your Peers and In Business Today! In "The 1000 Men Strong Leader" You Will Learn:Common reasons Why People Suffer From Social AnxietyWhy Having Social Skills Is So Important Why We Are Social Animals Nine strategies To Become A Better Social Player

Journey into Arthur's kingdom through the 22 Greater Powers of the Arthurian realm, together with the 56 Lesser Powers depicting the landscapes of Logres, the ancient Arthurian kingdom that lies outside of time. The book includes a complete meditation course leading you around the year, with the characters of the Arthurian world as your guides and teachers, along with detailed card meanings, divination methods and a wide selection of consultation spreads. By following the seasonal quest for the Hallows – the ancient treasures of the Goddess of the Land – you discover the spiritual empowerments of your soul's purpose. Meditate on the suits of Sword, Spear, Grail and Stone to assimilate the teachings of the cards and establish your own access to the realms within the timeless kingdom of King Arthur and his court.

The search for the historical figure behind what is arguably the most famous cycle of legends ever has been unrelenting over the centuries. Here, two noted Arthurian experts argue that the man whose story started the Arthurian myth was a soldier named Lucius Artorius Castus who lived at the end of the second century AD. Castus’s extraordinary career took him from one end of the Roman Empire to the other, bringing him into contact with tribespeople among the Steppe nomads – in particular the Sarmatians. For several decades the Sarmatians have been thought to be the inspiration behind Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table, among other British tales. The authors provide a fascinating detective story following the life of Lucius Artorius Castus against the colourful backdrop of the history of the reigns of Marcus Aurelius and his son, the barely sane Commodus. In doing so they reveal the manifold links between Artorius and the legend.

The most famous and influential work of English fantasy ever published, reimagined for a new generation of readers by John Matthews, one of the worldâ??s leading Arthurian experts, and illustrated by internationally acclaimed Tolkien artist, John Howe.

Foreword by Neil GaimanThe world's leading Arthurian authority reimagines one of the most beloved and influential legends--the story of King Arthur and his Knights--for a new century in this gorgeous keepsake edition, illustrated with luminous full-color paintings and drawings by internationally acclaimed Tolkien artist John Howe. The stories of King Arthur and Merlin, Lancelot and Guinevere, Galahad, Gawain, Tristan and the rest of the Knights of the Roundtable, and the search for the Holy Grail have been beloved for centuries and are the inspiration of many modern fantasy novels, films, and shows. These legends began when an obscure Celtic hero named Arthur stepped on to the stage of history sometime in the sixth century, generating a host of oral tales that would be inscribed some 900 years later by Thomas Malory in his classic Morte D'Arthur (The Death of Arthur). The Great Book of King Arthur brings these legends into the modern age, using accessible prose for contemporary readers for the first time. In addition to the stories in Morte D'Arthur, John Matthews includes many tales of Arthur and his knights either unknown to Malory or written in other languages, such as the story of Avenable, the girl brought up as a boy who becomes a famous knight; Morien, whose adventures are as fantastic and exciting as any found in Malory's work; and a retelling of the life of Round Table favorite Gawain, from his strange birth to his upbringing among the poor to his ascension to the highest position--Emperor of Rome. In addition, there are some of the earliest tales of Arthur, deriving from the tradition of Celtic storytelling. The epic hero is represented in such powerful stories as "The Adventures of Eagle-boy" and "The Coming of Merlin," which is based on the early medieval text Vita Merlini and tells a completely new version of the great enchanter's story. The Great Book of King Arthur includes 15 full-color paintings and 25 pencil drawings.

The theft of the Nanteos Cup from a private home in Wales in 2015 – and its even more remarkable recovery two years later – made the headlines in most major newspapers and featured on BBC Crimewatch. People who had never heard of the cup began asking what it is – a question that has occupied people for the past three hundred years, since word of this mysterious vessel first began to filter out to the world. Now it is on display to the public, for the first time since the nineteenth century, at the National Library of Wales. Though unremarkable to look at, stories of the cup’s powers and of the miraculous cures experienced by those who drank from it have been in circulation for years. At some point it became associated with one of the most enduring stories of all time – the Holy Grail. Written by three experts, The Nanteos Grail collects together for the first time records of the history of the vessel from its first appearance in the Middle Ages to the present. It will appeal to all those interested in historical mysteries and to seekers of the spiritual history of the Grail.

This is an inspiring, magical and beautifully packaged collection of Celtic poetry compiled by a leading authority on Celtic tradition. Arranged into five thematic chapters, this anthology reflects the uniquely Celtic love of nature, history, love, myth, magic and spirituality. From the earliest times, the language-loving Celts revered their bards: they established a poetic tradition beginning in the 6th century with the intricate magical verse of Taliesin. It continued in the rich medieval works of Dafydd ap Gwilym and Rhys Goch and stayed strong in the 19th and 20th centuries with Gerald Manley Hopkins, and writers such as R. J. Stewart, Robin Williamson and Catherine Fisher. Matthews has chosen the finest works by the most diverse range of poets and translated many of the oldest for this volume. His selection will offer readers a window on to the world of the ancient Celtic peoples, celebrating their culture and the great masterpieces of lyricism and brilliance that have survived the ages.

The shortlisted and winning entries in the 5th Crowvus Christmas Ghost Story Competition. 12 stories to share before the fireplace on a Christmas evening. A cow is lowing in the byre and a misty shroud covers parts of the red dawn. They call to me to take note: this is the time of year when all bets are off - when the veil between worlds is sheer. For those with a sense of it, these marvellous stories will sit well with you. They convey a real connection between worlds. They may bring you home with the conviction that there is more to this life than everything you can touch. Five judges came to the conclusion that the ghostly tales printed here epitomise the belief that "there is something else". All the entries were read by two judges who sent twenty through to another two judges. Ten of those were chosen to be published and went to the final judge who chose the three winning entries. Thanks and respect go to all who took part. It is a wonderful thing to be able to put thoughts into words. Congratulations to John and Simon who produced the three winning stories. I hope all who sit down with this delightful book will be just a little bit haunted by it

An uplifting story of Courage, Compassion and HopeIn the spring of 2009 John Matthews was a 45-year-old Finance Director living a comfortable life in Dubai. All that changed forever when he took a trekking holiday to Nepal with a group of friends. Moved by the poverty and the appalling plight of the nations children, he decided to help. By-passing the increasingly bloated and self perpetuating aid industry, he established his own charity- Children of the Mountain - and spent the next decade building schools and educating children in Nepal. Corruption, civil unrest and foul weather all played their part in Johns remarkable journey. So, too, did the people-parents, teachers, and especially children, whose lives, hopes dreams and struggles are described here with honesty, respect and humor. Tough decisions are made, difficult issues are grappled with, from caste discrimination to child marriage and alcoholism. Giving, caring and fighting all take their toil on the author, physically and emotionally, especially when an earthquake threatens to undo years of hard work. Yet he perseveres and his work continues to impact lives.

The first deck based on the epic story of Beowulf that takes you on an illuminating journey of self-discovery. Hwaet! Listen up! So begins the tale of Beowulf and what the Scandinavian tribes believed was the journey each of us takes to achieve immortality. The ancient energy that inspired the magical world and adventurous spirit of the poem now inspires this first deck based on the epic story, providing guides and symbols for the seeker. Use this oracle as a tool to reveal where you are on your path, as well as what or who is influencing your journey. The voice of the skald, the poet of the Viking Age, coming through this oracle, leads you to an inner, spiritual place and provides you with a “Seeing” of what the gods have chosen to reveal and a “Knowing” of what is to come. Connecting with the adventures and heroic deeds of the warriors and the adversaries they encounter, both human and magical, makes their universal paths ones that affect all who read about them. Courage then, seeker, in your quest! Card dimensions: 3 1/2" x 5"

This is a faery tarot with a difference, uncompromising in its portrayal of faeries as they really are: sly, frequently cruel, cleverer than humans and full of secrets, rather than the whimsical, sweet-natured creatures beloved of the Victorians and the New Age. It's the world of Christina Rossetti's Goblin Market, a place where all denizens of the Otherworld come to buy and sell, to mingle and exchange gossip. It is a place unsafe for humans. But imagine if you could look through a window onto the scene, as Christina Rossetti does in her poem? Imagine the beings you would see there ... Here is a tarot of wit and wickedness, of challenge and uncertainty, of wonder and truth. This 80-card deck with 176-page guidebook offers as the Major Arcana a gallery of strange and wonderful creatures, from the Faery Queen to the Wiseman, plus intriguing motifs from the poem, such as the Secret Way and the Fallen Tree. Minor suits represent magical implements, fruits, flowers and elements. Enter a haunted, magical world – an enchanting landscape of falling towers, crumbling walls and tangled woods, of streams tumbling amongst mossy stones, of fallen trees and bones threaded with vines and spiked roses. Prepare to be enspelled ... and to discover the answers to your questions and dilemmas.

A companion to the Wildwood Tarot, this book takes a new and informed look at a set of ancient traditions and applies them to our lives today.

Enter the magical realm of the shaman and develop your latent shamanic skills. The Celtic Shaman's Pack offers direct access to the inner cosmos of the Celts, enabling you to make contact with the powerful archetypes to be found there. This pack constitutes your "shaman's pouch"--your very own collection of items imbued with magical or mystical significance, offering a bridge between the world of the everyday and the world of unseen reality that is a part of every shaman's training. The cards represent key aspects of the Celtic universe, providing you with a set of shamanic journey coordinates. By working with the images on a daily basis, for divination and discovery, you will learn to journey on the visionary path and gain a heightened understanding of yourself, as well as insight into your true life direction. This dynamic kit includes a 176-page instruction book and 40 beautifully illustrated full-color cards.

A guidebook and cards pack offering direct access to the inner cosmos of the Celts, enabling you to make contact with the powerful archetypes to be found there.