By: Maranda Wabik
Femme Fatale Friday, ,

Dion Fortune

For this week’s Femme Fatale Friday I have decided to write about the great occult writer and practitioner of the early twentieth century, Dion Fortune.    Yesterday I wrote a review of two of her best known works of occult fiction.    Today I want to share a bit more about this complex and enigmatic woman!

Dion Fortune was born Violet Mary Firth in December of 1890.    She was a co-founder of The Society of the Inner Light, which is an esoteric organization that is still alive today for those who are interested in joining.    She was taught her occult knowledge by teachers known as the Ascended Masters.

In the 1920s she moved to Glastonbury and established her societies within this ancient and sacred landscape.    It was here that some of her best fiction is set (or presumed to be set, in a fictional version of the area).    Her occult fiction is something that Fortune saw as a way to give the reader practical advice on how to conduct magickal rites!

She stated that her non-fiction work gave the knowledge and the basis in order to understand the work, but the fiction gave the practical outlines!    One that wanted to learn to conduct her magickal rites can read about her fictional characters performing said rites.   The two books I reviewed yesterday had the main character as a reincarnation of Morgan le Fay herself!   

This decision to write about Avalonian figures was likely inspired by her time spent in Glastonbury, which is said to be the physical location of Avalon in the world!   In fact, Fortune would be buried in Glastonbury upon her death.

Her works have continued to inspire generations of seekers on the path to inner knowledge.    She was a prolific writer who published many works in her lifetime, and several more were published by her friends in the years after her death!   I hope that you have enjoyed learning a bit about this unique woman in this brief post.   Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is the cover of The Sea Priestess.   I found the image on https://www.amazon.com/Sea-Priestess-Dion-Fortune/dp/1578632900/ref=asc_df_1578632900/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312106841178&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10496204459582358224&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007141&hvtargid=pla-455943063537&psc=1&asin=1578632900&revisionId=&format=4&depth=1.

Further Reading