John and Caitlin Matthews

John And Caitlin Matthews

John Matthews (born 1948) and Caitlín Matthews (born 1952) have written over 150 books, translated into more than thirty languages, including Tarot packs, a card-based storytelling system, screenplays, songs and other works. According to pagan expert Graham Harvey, they are leading figures in the field of the Western Mysteries Tradition.

Beginning to work together in London in the 1970s, they wrote and published The Western Way in 1985. This followed the lead of Christine Hartley's The Western Mysteries Tradition (1968) by identifying and promoting a European mystical tradition to offset the then-current domination of Eastern mysticisms from India and China. The book included meditations to enable readers to make contact with their inner worlds. Historian Ronald Hutton considers this an influential work. They also edited The Encyclopedia of Celtic Wisdom (2000), devised the Storyworld series (2009ff)and, most recently, created The Steampunk Tarot: Gods of the Machine (2012). Their work in the field of Tarot, as both creators and teachers, is widely acknowledged.

Though deeply researched and based on an extensive knowledge of early western history and textual sources, their work draws upon ideas from the past to augment a living spirituality for the present and future. To this end in 1992 they started The Foundation for Inspirational and Oracular Studies to promote the mythic, oracular and sacred arts. The success of this, and their other public speaking work, is enhanced by Caitlín's considerable skills as a performer and John's effective oral teaching style.

They are not associated exclusively with any one group within the pagan or magical fields, but have a wide influence upon both. They studied with two of the leading esotericists of the time, Gareth Knight and Dolorous Ashcroft-Nowicki, and between 1988-1992 they served as joint-presiders of The Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids Since 1989 they have run the Fellowship of Isis Lyceum, Domus Sophiae Terrae et Sancte Gradalis in Oxford, and are both members of the Archpriesthood Union as custodians of the legacy of the Fellowship of Isis.

They teach in four key areas of modern alternative spirituality – the Celtic mysteries, Shamanism, the Goddess and King Arthur - and in February 2012 they were jointly listed 86th in the Watkins list of the 100 most spiritually influential living people worldwide. They live in Oxford, UK, and are (2012) actively publishing, lecturing, advising and running workshops.