Robert John Stewart

R J Stewart was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1949. His father came from a Gaelic speaking family originally from the Western Highlands. His mother was Welsh, from a Welsh speaking family from the Gower Peninsula in South Wales, with a tradition of singing and playing the Welsh triple-harp. He is known today as a composer, author, and teacher, with 37 books in publication, translated into many languages worldwide. He is widely experienced in theater, film, and television, and is a skilled performer and presenter. In 1996 R J was admitted to the USA as "resident alien of extraordinary ability", a category awarded only to immigrants of outstanding achievement in the arts or sciences. He now lives in Northern California, with his wife Josephine, who teaches with him in workshops and classes in the USA.

Josephine Stewart
Josephine Stewart was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, U.K., in 1962. Her mother worked as a fever nurse, her father was a local politician and community activist. Josephine grew up in a variety of places in and around Yorkshire in a mix of Irish, Romani and Punjabi communities. From this rich cultural mix she learned about many traditions, developing a unique understanding through her intuition and vision. As a girl student she won a scholarship to St. Joseph's college where her dance studies began at the age of 11 years. Josephine's work in the arts includes writing published poetry, performing and teaching ballet and kathak dance, and as an arts administrator and national advisor in the U.K. She has toured and performed internationally to high acclaim. In the last five years she has worked closely with her partner R J Stewart to develop and teach the spiritual and educational work now presented through the AROZ Institute. She is a US resident, and has traveled and held workshops and seminars in many parts of the country.

Early career
From the late 1960's to the 1980's (as Bob Stewart) he worked with traditional British folk music, medieval music, and his own compositions, playing guitar, cittern, and the unique 70- stringed psaltery. During this period he made several albums of Celtic and original music, and wrote music for theater and media. In 1974 he wrote and recorded theme music for The Hobbit (Decca

Writing
(1986 - 90 ) published 3 collections of poetry: Monday's diary/the news 1986 (Purple Heather publications), Depths of frost 1987 ( Krax publications) Breakfall 1987 ( Unibird press ) Editor of the street

Records) read by Nicol Williamson In theater R J wrote music and songs for several major productions in England, and co-founded a theater company (The Avon Touting Co). During the late 1970's and early 1980's he composed and recorded original music for film and television, including working on major feature films, Joseph Andrews (with Tony Richardson) and The Dark Crystal (with Jim Henson). He also wrote and recorded original music for a number of BBC radio dramas, and for documentary feature films for the BBC and for ITV. Through these films his music has been heard all over the world. Some of his original works have been recorded on CD's by various artists. Between 1975 and 1983 he worked with several well known Irish musicians, making an album of original music with Finbar Furey, and working with Van Morrison, writing and producing Van's recording of the ancient Irish epic, the Cuchullainn saga. Writing career From 1980 R J gradually ceased concert touring, to became a full-time writer. Between 1980 and 1996 he wrote a series of books on Celtic mythology, two handbooks on music and consciousness, edited two editions of historical texts from the 16th and 17th centuries, and published many original stories in anthologies and in his own books. A full list of publications may be found on this site. His books have been translated into French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and

noise series, 2 anthologies of poetry published by Metro Arts. UK. coeditor of Sultan magazine, a U.K. glossy magazine for south Asian teens. Wrote as columnist/reviewer for Five leaves left, a bi-monthly arts and poetry journal based in the north of England. During the 1980's, was a Registered poet with the British Poetry Society (NPS). Founder of the Asian Women's writers group and advisor for their magazine, and was also advisor for Yorkshire Arts (a UK regional arts council ) in South Asian literature. Project writer on the Here to Stay. learning module ( High School qualification ) designing the curriculum for the course.

Dance
( 1973 - 79) Trained in classical ballet with Royal Academy of Dance .Was taught by: Dame Louise Browne OBE ( At the Royal Academy scholarship center ), Dorothy Stevens OBE , Vassilav Trunoff, Joan Lawson. Performed ,while still a student, with the Royal Ballet, The London Festival Ballet ( now English National Ballet ). Chosen to attend the prestigious Ilkley Dance Seminar during her student years , at which famous international performers and teachers of the ballet world assemble to teach the most promising students of Europe. Teachers include Alicia Markova, principle dancers from the top European companies, and retired ballet greats like Margot Fonteyn. Appeared in the first set of ballets choreographed by David Bintley ( now director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet and the UK's major choreographer in Classical ballet ). 1986 - 91 Taught 'Majors'

Czechoslovakian. R J Stewart's books on the Underworld and Faery traditions, (which he has restored and presented to the public almost single-handed over the last 20 years) have encouraged many people worldwide to work with these ancestral landoriented spiritual paths. From 1980 to 1988 R J worked extensively with the Merlin tradition, writing two original and influential books translating and exploring genuine medieval Merlin texts. These have remained in print for over a decade (now published in one volume as Merlin: the Prophetic Vision and Mystic Life, published by Penguin Arkana). He also created the bestselling Merlin Tarot, (Harper Collins) comprising a substantial book and a deck of cards (painted by Miranda Gray) showing visions from ancient Merlin texts, and revealing the historical origins of tarot in general. This publication has remained in print and selling from 1986 to 1997, and has been translated into Japanese, French, Italian, and German. From the 1980s onwards R J also advised on, wrote for , and appeared in, a number of television documentary films on magic, mythology, and history. His most recent media work was in "Crusades", shown by the BBC and the History channel in 1997: he wrote cittern music and lyrics and performed the role of minstrel for this documentary series by award winning director Alan Ereira

( professional exams) in classical ballet on a relief program for a boarding performing arts academy in Yorkshire (covering for majors Royal Academy of Dance examiners). Taught as a guest teacher for classical ballet academies in England, USA ,and Greece. Studied at Bradford College (UK), Bachelor of Arts in media in education. 1983 left college to have first child, was at home having babies, writing poetry, training in tae kwon do. Held martial arts titles, English champion, Northern champion and British champion in her division in tae kwon do 1985,86,87.

1988-93
Asian (North Indian) dance Trained in Bharata Natyam by Tyra Mughal and Kathak by Minoo Lord (from the school of Biju Maharaj). Turned to film dance, taking the style back to its early golden era of epic dances in epic films and presenting it to family audiences from the Pakistani and Indian communities throughout Europe, Asia and America . She performed at concerts, Melas, religious festivals, major weddings and TV. Her performances received rave reviews in India Abroad, Asian Times, daily Jang ( urdu daily broad sheet ), Ravi ( Urdu newspaper ), and in major UK national press, The Guardian, The Times Educational Supplement, Daily Express. Has appeared on BBC TV, ITV networks, Nawrang (Asian/North Indian program on ITV ,) Network East. Josephine has worked as a consultant for Hifza International (Asian/Indian

Teaching, workshops, and performing

From 1988 to the present day R J Stewart has taught workshops and classes in the UK and USA. These include work with Celtic and classical mythological traditions, the Faery and Underworld traditions , music and consciousness, and an ongoing program on transforming awareness and spiritual vision, called Inner Temple Traditions, with his wife Josephine. In 1993 he co-wrote his last Celtic book, Celtic Bards, Celtic Druids , (Published by Cassell, Blandford Press) with harper and story-teller Robin Williamson. Today he focuses on innovative material, developed out of the foundations of tradition, and continues to write fiction and non-fiction books.

TV ) and was a member of the Management team for Oriental Arts UK- an Asian Arts Organization that promotes major festivals, tours and recordings. Was also a member of the Asian Artists Forum for theater which advised local and national government on policy within the Asian Arts. Taught Asian Dance ( folk, film dance, and Kathak) for B&I Community College, Yorkshire (UK), for Aditi ( UK National agency for Asian/Indian Dance,) through their outreach dance project in the community. Josephine also taught dance for a Hindu Temple and community center in Bradford Her photograph was used frequently used to promote Indian arts/dance and was extensively used by the Commonwealth Institute (an international UK based organization) to promote the opening of the Victoria and Albert Museum Asian collection.

Spiritual Work
Josephine was encouraged from a young age by her father ( who spent his life studying mystical Christianity) to explore mystical studies. She worked with the Goddess in various forms from her childhood, both through vision, meditation and in dance, and carries on that work today through the workshops now organized by the AROZ Institute. Prior to 1992, her inner work had been carried out mainly in isolation, only bringing it to a more public consciousness when she started to teach with her husband, R J Stewart. She mainly concentrates on developing and bringing through the 'Inner temple traditions" work which she feels is her work for this life.

Copyright 1996-1998, RJ Stewart