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 Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 11:26 am Post subject: Dion Fortune |
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Dion Fortune was born Violet Mary Firth in Llandudno, North Wales on 6th December 1890, the daughter of a solicitor. Her interest in occultism was sparked when she was working as a psychotherapist around the time of the First World War. Her first esoteric teacher was Dr. Theodore Moriarty who specialised in astro-etheric psychological conditions (and who later provided the inspiration for her series of short stories The Secrets of Doctor Taverner). Having found her 'path' in the Western Mystery Tradition she joined the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in 1919.
Moving to London in 1920, she joined an offshoot branch of the Golden Dawn run by Moina Mathers, widow of MacGregor Mathers, one of the Golden Dawn's founders. She began to write articles and stories under the name of Dion Fortune (taken from her family motto Deo Non Fortuna, 'God not luck'), which were later published in book form together with the first of many occult textbooks.
Some of her writing enraged Moina Mathers, who felt that Dion Fortune was betraying the secrets of the Order. Dion Fortune became increasingly disillusioned with the Golden Dawn, and after Dr. Moriarty's death in 1921 she set about founding her own esoteric order with a few of Moriarty's students and a few members of the Theosophical Society in London. In 1924 her little group bought an old officers' hut from the army and erected it at the foot of Glastonbury Tor in Somerset. This site, which they named Chalice Orchard, was the first headquarters of the Fraternity of the Inner Light (later re-named the Society of the Inner Light). Soon afterwards they also acquired a house in the Bayswater district of London -- which was big enough for certain members to live in as well as being an established magical lodge. Among those living there were Dion Fortune and her husband Dr. Penry Evans, although they divided their time between London and Glastonbury. The society soon became an initiatory school of high calibre. Working in trance mediumship, Dion Fortune made contacts with certain inner plane adepts, or Masters, whose influence on the Western Esoteric Tradition is still vital to this day.
During the 1930s Dion Fortune wrote several esoteric novels which contain much practical detail which was considered too 'secret' at that time to be published in her articles or textbooks. She also pioneered Qabalah as a key to the Western Mystery Tradition, and her book The Mystical Qabalah is still one of the best texts available on the subject. Her other main work was The Cosmic Doctrine, which was received mediumistically and originally reserved for initiates only. Its text is abstract and difficult to follow, and is intended for meditation rather than as a straight textbook.
During the Second World War she organised her own contribution to the war effort on a magical level -- this project is now published as The Magical Battle of Britain. The Society of the Inner Light continued to operate its lodge at 3 Queensborough Terrace in the midst of the Blitz, and even when the house was damaged by bombs the disruption was minimal.
In early January 1946 Dion Fortune returned from Glastonbury feeling tired and unwell and was admitted to Middlesex Hospital in London. The illness was leukaemia, and she died a few days later, aged 55. She is buried at Glastonbury. Her last novel, Moon Magic, was unfinished at her death; the last section was allegedly channelled by her through one of the society's mediums.
The Society of the Inner Light continued largely unchanged for many years after Dion Fortune's death. In 1960 the headquarters moved to 38 Steele's Road, London NW3 4RG. It continues today as an initiatory school with much the same principles as those in which it was originally founded.
For more information about Dion Fortune and the Society of the Inner Light, visit their website.
Below is a list of Dion Fortune's published works. Where possible, links are provided for further information.
Applied Magic
Aspects of Occultism
The Circuit of Force (with Gareth Knight)
The Cosmic Doctrine
The Demon Lover
Esoteric Orders and their Work
The Esoteric Philosophy of Love and Marriage
Glastonbury: Avalon of the Heart
The Goat Foot God
An Introduction to Ritual Magic (with Gareth Knight)
Machinery of the Mind
Magical Battle of Britain (edited by Gareth Knight)
Moon Magic
Mystical Meditations on the Collects
The Mystical Qabalah
Psychic Self Defence
Psychology of the Servant Problem (out of print)
Practical Occultism in Daily Life now edited by Gareth Knight and re-issued as Practical Occultism
Principles of Esoteric Healing (edited by Gareth Knight)
Principles of Hermetic Philosophy (with Gareth Knight)
The Problem of Purity (out of print)
Sane Occultism (temporarily out of print)
The Sea Priestess
The Secrets of Dr Taverner
The Soya Bean (out of print)
Spiritualism in the Light of Occult Science edited by Gareth Knight and re-issued as Spiritualism and Occultism
Through the Gates of Death
The Training and Work of an Initiate
The Winged Bull |
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