|
|
Dreamweaver by Elen Sentier. John & Caitlin Matthews (authors of The Celtic Shaman and Singing the Soul Back Home) say Elen Sentier's book is a delight! Informative, simply written and full of wisdom... Click here to read more. Owl Woman by Elen Sentier. A reader says - Owl Woman is fantastic! It really is. I've been reading it on the train and I keep nearly missing my stop. The story line's great, the characters are great, the descriptions are fantastic, the detail's excellent. One of the great things about the book, as well as the great story, is the level of detailed knowledge of magic. The use of magic for murder is great idea, adds a whole new angle and, with Sentier's knowledge of the subject, it adds a whole other dimension - and the twist as to who the murderer really is is stunning. Blake Rivers . Click here to read more. Toad in the Shadow Lands by Elen Sentier. The story of Toad whose world is changed with a splash from the one of a self pitying wine bar yuppie to that of an albeit unwilling adventure hero. Toad's adventure is terrific, the hero comes across many colourful characters including fantastic Mer-goats, wise but bossy crows, beautiful fairy queens and a friendly but rather sharp toothed mouse who has a taste for Toad's ear! As his friend the Crow says "What you see depends on what you're looking at and where you're looking from". As well as a fantastically fun story Toad is also full of deeper meaning and wisdom. If the reader chooses to look for it Toad contains keys to the secret art of Alchemy and the path of the Shaman. I've been carrying it around with me ever since I got it. I've read it several times and have found new insights each time. A remarkable book, whatever you are looking for. Shadow Lands by Elen Sentier. Six short stories of love and death, some drawn from folk songs, and all with a twist in the tale. This is Sentier in her 'horror' mood and, as it says on the cover, is like Hieronymous Bosch paintings come alive. Some of the stories bring you to tears, some make you laugh and others make you shudder. A couple of them bring all three of these! The tales are all otherworldly even those apparently set in the everyday. Sentier has a way of making you believe, at least while reading, that it just might happen ... Mabon and the Guardians of Celtic... by Caitlin Matthews. Philip Carr-Gomm, Chief of the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids and author of Druidcraft and Druid Mysteries says the Mabinogion is one of the great treasure troves of our Western spiritual heritage. 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. King Arthur and the Goddess of the Land:... by Caitlin Matthews. 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 Wood Wife by Teri Windling. This is a great book. Set in the modern American West but it has some great British characters too and the whole plot revolves around a murdered poet from Dartmoor. Filled with mythology, art, environmentalism, music, poetry, beautiful descriptions of landscapes and the myths of the land. If you like magical realist fiction you will probably love this book too. The author lives in both America and England and the book has a lovely international flavour. I never knew America has so much mythology of its own before reading this book or so many beautiful wild landscapes. THE WOOD WIFE made me want to go to the Arizona desert and see it all for myself. I've never been drawn to deserts but Terri Windling makes desert mountains and canyons seem as mythic as old English woods. I loved all the Red Indian lore too and how it's mixed in together with Celtic lore, showing that stories and myths are really the same the world over and all come from the human heart no matter what the skin colour. A reader from Bristol, UK. A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin. This tale of wizards and dragons features the character of Sparrowhawk. Tempted by pride to try spells beyond his powers, Sparrowhawk lets loose an evil shadow-beast. Only he can destroy it and so he begins a quest which leads him to all corners of Earthsea and which leads him finally to the place where all of us go eventually - ourselves The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin. This story tells about the mission of Genly Ai, an ambassador of the Ekumen to Winter. The Ekumen is a union of most of the known planets, and Winter is a faraway planet still in its glacier period where all people are of the same gender. Le Guin describes an inspiring world, very different from what we know, where there are no "men" or "women", but only PEOPLE, and where pride is a completely different concept. Being both an alien and a man, Genly Ai has to go through various experiences to learn different meanings of country, friendship, pride and love, and together with him we are indulged in reflecting more about these things and the world that we (don't) know. I would recommend this book not only to science fiction friends, but also to everyone who likes to think while they read. Talking to Dragons (Enchanted Forest... This book and its series are absolutely the best books I've ever read. It takes well known myths and puts a twist on them, draws you into a different world, makes you feel like you can do and feel the magic spells, sorrow and happiness of the characters. The language and plot are sophisticated. No matter how old you are, you can find challenges in reading this book. I would recommend this story to anybody interested in fantasies or adventure stories of any kind. The Quest for the Green Man by John Matthews. This book explores the image of the Green Man as it has appeared throughout many cultures and ages. Readers are taken along a path from the heritage of western paganism to the practice of shamanism. Practical sections and rituals are included to enable them to start connecting with the Green Man. Western Way: A Practical Guide to the... by Caitlin & John Matthews. Western Mystery Tradition. The Matthews work through both shamanism and alchemy in this excellent book. A must for all practical magicians. Taliesin: The Last Celtic Shaman by John Matthews. Taliesin, Chief Bard of Britain and Celtic shaman, was a historical figure who lived in Wales during the latter half of the sixth century. Encoded within his work are the ancestral beliefs of the Celtic and pre-Celtic peoples. In addition, his verse is established as a direct precursor to the Arthurian Legends--and Taliesin himself, shaman and shapeshifter, is said to be the direct forebear to Merlin. Though the bard's work is steeped in the rich traditions of druidic practice, few have explored the revelations of his writings--the secret poetic language of the bards, revelatory information about divination, the ancient mysteries of the Druids, and the cosmological rites that were central to Celtic worship. In Search of Woman's Passionate Soul:... by Caitlin Matthews. The daimon is the spiritual companion of women: one who appears in a male shape in their dreams, fantasies and meditations, playing a significant part in shaping their lives. He has many guises and is central to an understanding of women's sexuality, creativity and spirituality. Healing the Wounded King: Soul Work and... by John Matthews. Using the Grail story of the Wounded King, this book shows how we can heal ourselves and our lives. The author suggests that traumas throughout life can result in a fragmentation of the soul, and through 35 years study of the Quest of the Grail, he offers an approach to healing the damaged soul. Singing the Soul Back Home: Shamanism in... by Caitlin Matthews. Offering advice on the application of simple shamanic principles to daily life, this book sets out to show how they can be learned by anyone, regardless of creed or religion. It describes how, through practical exercises, readers can explore their inner space, journeying between the everyday world and the spiritual realm of the shaman, and how to harness creative imagination and innate healing powers, and find one's spirit voice and true destiny. The Celtic Shaman: A Handbook (Earth... by John Matthews. An introduction to the techniques and methods of Celtic shamanism, a wholly Western system which, while sharing common elements with North American, Australian and Siberian teachings, derives entirely from Celtic sources. Green Lion Soup by Frances Goodjohn ... A hilarious and colourful journey into the world of a magical winebar run by real live alchemist Dragons, Green Lions and other strange creatures. Follow the experience of characters such as a sex magic nun, a True Wicca High Priestess, drunken yuppies and dodgy archangels as they learn, whether they like it or not, the ancient secrets of alchemy. The characters really come alive, you can almost smell the Dragon fire and taste the crispy Pontifex ears. I read it in the first sitting laughing and smiling all the way. "Doing lunch" will never be the same again! |
