John Matthews

Reveals forgotten Arthurian lore hidden in the prophetic language of a medieval text Includes the story of Merlin’s birth as the son of a demon, how he was born already able to speak, how his magic ensured he was not killed by his babysitter, and details of his affair with the Lady of the Lake. Shares stories of Percival’s first...

This beautifully illustrated double Tarot deck allows readers to explore both sides of a question at once, looking at the Shadow (instinctive, inner world, the unknown) and the Light (rational, outer world, the known). For the first time ever, readers are being offered two Tarot decks specifically designed to be used together. The Tarot of Light and Shadow presents a...

Tumble down the rabbit hole into a construction of technology, machines, retro-art and culture, full of fantastic visions in a time and place that realises an alternate world to our own. The Steampunk Tarot imagines this in an alternate-reality tarot where The Technomage is king and the Punk Diva is queen. The world of steampunk combines Victorian and Gothic elements,...

Fully illustrated collection of rare and previously unpublished tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, retold for a new generation by leading Arthurian expert, John Matthews, introduced by Sir John Boorman, director of the classic film, Excalibur, and illustrated with paintings and drawings by Tolkien artist, John Howe. It is a time of magic and adventure,...

An accessible and authoritative compendium of key concepts in acting, this book reveals how the craft has been understood by the world’s leading practitioners and theorists. What is ‘truthful’ acting? Am I ‘freeing the voice’ and being ‘authentic’ in my performance? The idioms of acting can both delight and confound. While enthusiastic theatregoers and aspiring actors may be attracted to...

The most famous and influential work of English fantasy ever published, reimagined for a new generation of readers by John Matthews, one of the world’s leading Arthurian experts, and illustrated by internationally acclaimed Tolkien artist, John Howe. Journey back to the legendary time of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table, of Merlin and dragons, of the Great...

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...

An accessible and authoritative compendium of key concepts in acting, this book reveals how the craft has been understood by the world’s leading practitioners and theorists. What is ‘truthful’ acting? Am I ‘freeing the voice’ and being ‘authentic’ in my performance? The idioms of acting can both delight and confound. While enthusiastic theatregoers and aspiring actors may be attracted to...

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...

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 Complete Arthurian Tarot includes a complete meditation course leading you around the year, with the characters of the Arthurian world as your guides and teachers, along...

To walk among the age-old trees of the wildwood is to journey back in time, to a place of great simplicity and deep understanding. In this re-awakening of the original Greenwood Tarot, Mark Ryan and John Matthews introduce us to the classic forest archetypes of the Green Man and Woman, the Archer, the Hooded Man and the Blasted Oak. Will...

Michel de Nostredame, a sixteenth-century French apothecary and seer, was the most famous visionary of them all. In 1994, at the Italian National Library in Rome, a manuscript believed to be by the man himself was discovered along with 80 mysterious paintings drawing heavily on the symbolism of the tarot. John Matthews and Wil Kinghan realised the implications of this...

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...

The Spirit of Nature Oracle by John Matthews brings to life the Green Man, an ancient and popular icon of the natural world—the very spirit of nature. In this remarkable pack, his tree wisdom and the Celtic Ogam tree alphabet combine to present you with an oracle of immense power. The beautifully illustrated deck of 25 cards depicts each of...

A new translation of the poems of sixth-century Celtic bard and shaman Taliesin that reveals the mysteries of Druidic practices. Taliesin is the first collection of Taliesin's major poetry with commentary by John Matthews, author of more than 40 books on the Celts. The book reveals Druidic prophecy, methods of divination, and the rites, rituals, and beliefs that were essential...

The only Tarot to use the ancient beliefs of the Cathars to power its journey, The Cathar Tarot is a living Book of Images. It takes as its starting point the beliefs of the Cathars, which were in turn founded on the ancient belief system known as Gnosticism. Building on this, and drawing on a wide knowledge of Grail symbolism,...

An outstanding new Tarot from John Matthews inspired by the Victorian poem Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti, beautifully illustrated by the renowned artist Charles Newington. The only Tarot to explore fully the whole world of faeries, including its more shadowy aspects - the goblins. This is a faery tarot with a difference, uncompromising in its portrayal of faeries as they...

The most famous and influential work of English fantasy ever published, reimagined for a new generation of readers by John Matthews, one of the world’s leading Arthurian experts, and illustrated by internationally acclaimed Tolkien artist, John Howe. The tales of how the boy Arthur drew the Sword from the Stone, or the love of Lancelot and Guinevere, or how the...