The Esoteric Philosophy of Love and Marriage

If your not the type of person who generally agrees with esoteric/occultic thought, then you may take issue with some of what is presented in this book... but, then again, if you already have qualms with esoterica, why are you reading anything by Dion Fortune? A lot of what is written in this book - I feel - must be taken in conjunction with the perspective of the author: the time period, where she comes from, and her status within that society. For example, I would question her opinion on homosexuality (even though I'm not a homosexual), given the pluralistic values of our current culture in comparison to the values of her time. None-the-less, she makes an excellent argument for her position: each chapter gradually building upon the previous chapters successively until the breadth of material becomes clear. Questions I had in the beginning and middle of the book were addressed in later chapters, leaving no holes by the conclusion. I would, though, especially recommend that the reader take their time on the chapter regarding the 7 planes. Having those clear in your mind will make the rest of the book much easier to comprehend. Otherwise, I agree with the other reviewers. I thoroughly appreciated how this book made a consideration of the energetic principles involved in how human being relate to one another (as opposed to providing a "thou shalt/shalt not" list of behavior based on some doctrine that doesn't explain the WHY of the preference/avoidance). This is one of those books which, personality being accepting to a different perspective, all youths should read as a "coming of age" into their adulthood (and the sexual liberty that comes with it). It would aid to dodge a lot of unhealthy relationships. I only gave this book 4 stars based upon my ability to test its veracity against an internal sympathy/harmony. (I would have been very happy to give it a 4.5 if that were an option). Yet, this may be simply a symptom of a lack of understanding, experience and/or ability to comprehend on my part. In any case, it's a relatively inexpensive book and a quick read (my wife and I read it together in the course of an afternoon), so there's really nothing to lose by purchasing & reading this book.

As with most of Dion Fortune's works (said only because I haven't yet read them all), this piece is indispensable for anyone wanting to understand the world around them. Yes, it is about marriage -- and not only on the physical plane; that is what makes it so potent, because Fortune shows why natural marriages are as they are FROM SPIRITUAL CAUSES. But because all of creation is built up from this basic marriage of two divine halves, the book offers much to consider in contemplating any subject.The nice thing here, too, is that despite the depths that Fortune can reach in certain works, she tries to keep this one simple enough for even beginning readers. By the end she may really be pushing them ... but by then, they've been well prepared.This is a must-have for any student of the esoteric.