Sane Occultism

Violet Mary Firth Evans (Dion Fortune) brings forth an excellent apologetic treatise on the subject. Without wild statements of psychic experiences, spell-casting, and paranormal phenomenon in proof of which no shadow of independent evidence can be offered, Fortune provides rational and objective techniques and explanations to pursue the science of Occultism. Showing that Occultism is more of a philosophy of life derived from personal experiences and the religious nature attributed to them, Fortune alludes to the powerful nature of occult attraction and the moral and ethical consequences derived as a result of formal investigation and practice that accompany such an attraction. "Never lay aside you common sense or your moral integrity. Let no one persuade you to do evil or even associate with evil in order that good may come of it or you may obtain knowledge." -- p.103. A very insightful look into the world of occult science from a philosophical perspective without shenanigans. Five stars. -JP, 32nd Degree F & AM

... or it would be another of the books on my permanent gift-giving list.Reading this book is like rummaging through the proverbial attic. It's full of dusty, shabby notions that seem dated, broken, and discredited; what seemed enlightened in 1920 is disturbingly racist now, for example, and the veiled denunciations of Aleister Crowley are valuable only as historical curiosities. But in the dusty clutter, there are occasional treasures of inestimable value. Dion Fortune expressed, possibly better than any writer I've ever encountered, the extent to which mystical experience relies on the tension between the literal and the metaphorical. Buried in the middle of this book is an allegorical passage as deep and expressive as Plato's cave. If you can find this anywhere, it's worth the search.