While the Bear Sleeps: Winter Tales and Traditions

by Caitlín Matthews, Judith Christine Mills (Illustrator)

Describes the origins and custom of winter holidays, and offers a selection of traditional stories for the holidays and for such other seasonal events as the first snow and the return of spring

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Folk Tales, Spirituality

80 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1999

About the author

Caitlín Matthews is a writer, singer and teacher whose ground-breaking work has introduced many to the riches of our western spiritual heritage.

She is acknowledged as a world authority on Celtic Wisdom, the Western Mysteries and the ancestral traditions of Britain and Europe. She is the author of over 50 books including Sophia: Goddess of Wisdom, a study of Divine Feminine in Gnostic, Jewish and Christian thought and King Arthur’s Raid on the Underworld, a new translation and study of the Welsh poet Taliesin’s extraordinary poem, itself a major cross-roads of British mythology.

Caitlín was trained in the esoteric mystery traditions through the schools founded by Dion Fortune, Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki and Gareth Knight. Her shamanic vocation emerged early in her ability to sing between the worlds and to embody spirits. She has worked in many of the western traditions with companions upon the path including R.J.Stewart. Like him, she teaches the many strands of the ancestral European traditions. She specializes in teaching traditional European spirit-consultation oracles where the diviner draws directly upon the spirits of nature for answers and in the use of the voice to sound the unseen. Caitlín has been instrumental in revealing the ancestral heritage of the Western traditions through practical exploration of the mysteries as well as through scholarly research. Her teachings are couched in a firm historical and linguistic framework, with respect to the original context of the teachings, but never loses sight of the living traditions of these teachings which can be explored through direct application to their spiritual sources.

Trained as an actress, Caitlín is in demand as a storyteller and singer. She appears frequently on international radio and television, and was the song-writer and Pictish language originator for the Jerry Bruckheimer film King Arthur. With John Matthews, her partner, who was historical consultant on the film, she shared in the 2004 BAFTA award given to Film Education for the best educational CD Rom: this project introduced school-children to the life and times of King Arthur. She and John are both concerned with the oral nature of storytelling and its ability to communicate the myth at a much deeper level than of the commercial booktrade. This is apparent in their forthcoming project, The Story Box. For Caitlín, her books are merely the tip of a much bigger oral iceberg which is her teaching.

With her partner, John Matthews, and with Felicity Wombwell , she is co-founder of The Foundation for Inspirational and Oracular Studies, which is dedicated to the sacred arts that are not written down. Their FíOS shamanic training programme teaches students the healing arts as well as hosting masterclasses with exemplars of living sacred traditions. Caitlín has a shamanic practice in Oxford dedicated to addressing soul sickness and ancestral fragmentation, as well as helping clients find vocational and spiritual direction. Her soul-singing and embodiment uniquely bring the ancient healing traditions to everyday life.

Caitlín’s other books include Singing the Soul Back Home, Mabon and the Guardians of Celtic Britain, The Psychic Protection Handbook, and Celtic Devotional. She is co-author, with John Matthews, of the Encyclopedia of Celtic Wisdom and Encyclopaedia of Celtic Myth and Legend. Her books have been translated into more than nineteen languages from Brazil to Japan.

The author lives in Oxford with her husband and son in a kind of book-cave or library, whichever you will. They share their home with a white cat and a black cat.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

An expert on traditional Celtic culture, Caitlin Matthews and the professional artist, Judith Christine Mills created the 1999’s book, While The Bear Sleeps: Winter Tales and Traditions to educate children and other people about some of the Winter traditions of Advent, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Western New Year, Twelfth Night, Winter Solstice, and other winter traditions. The book including seven stories. The Goodreads reviewer, Michael is correct that While The Bears Sleeps is Christmas-centric, but as someone who celebrates and enjoys Christmas, I do mind this fact, but its something to keep in mind, if a Winter traditions books being Christmas-centric will bother the reader. I agree with the Goodreads reviewer, Michael that the illustrations by Mills, “the people and animals are drawn with an artistic, folksy feel to them, which adds to the romance of the stories.” The framing device of a girl who gets stuck in a snowstorm and finds shelter with a benevolent and wise bear sleeping in a den and follows the bear’s dreams through the Winter’s traditions works for me. Matthews writes on the sources’ page of While the Bear Sleeps, that “when you write about winter, bears want a slice of the action because this is their time of dreaming.” I believe this book is a wonderful guide to Winter Traditions if the reader does not mind a Christmas-centric view of Winter Traditions.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skimming through this it looks pretty comprehensive, with at least two stories for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwaanza, Winter Solstice, and New Year's. There is a slight emphasis on Christmas, with more stories for that holiday, which made it less general than I would have liked, but it's pretty good for what it is trying to do, and the fact that all of these stories are being presented as ways people have of understanding the seasons and their world, makes it clear to readers that there is not one right answer. The people and animals are drawn with an artistic, folksy feel to them, which adds to the romance of the stories.

[Jodie Pine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this picture book and the way the stories were told. I learned about some holidays and traditions that I didn't know, like St. Lucia's day on Dec 13 that now has special significance to me. A good wintery bedtime read aloud, esp for the K-3 age range.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book, though not quite up to the standard of Fireside stories or Trick of the Tale. two stories in it are to be found in Fireside stories

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the type of illustration used in this book, which tells about winter customs and holidays using traditional stories.

[Yasmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely stories and illustrations.

[mg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful gathering of tales from all winter celebrations (Hanukkah, Christmas, Solstice, Kwanzaa, New Year...). This is a great teaching tool to learn about different customs and traditions during the winter season, especially since there are so many.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books walks through the different traditions that are celebrated in winter. It includes the many different holidays celebrated around the world. I would use this book to compare and contrast the traditions.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book that covers all of the winter celebrations, Hanukkah, Las Posados, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Solstice and others. It would be great to read the stories throughout December and January to your family.

[MissInformation · Rating 4 out of 5]

Winter tales from different holidays, including hanukkah, christmas, kwanzaa and twelth night. Set up is that a girl curls up with a magic bear in his den, and travels with him as he dreams

[Liaken · Rating 4 out of 5]

A creative way to explore the winter traditions and stories of various cultures. Charming pictures.