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The Cosmic Doctrine
Over seventytwo years ago, beginning at the Vernal Equinox in Glastonbury, Fortune started receiving communications from the Inner Planes concerning the creation of the universe, the evolution of humanity, natural law, the evolution of consciousness, and the nature of mind. This is her record, in a revised edition, and includes previously unpublished material that is still relevant today!
227 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 1966
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536 people want to read
About the author
Dion Fortune
140 books471 followersViolet Mary Firth Evans (better known as Dion Fortune), was a British occultist and author. Her pseudonym was inspired by her family motto "Deo, non fortuna" (Latin for "by God, not fate").
From 1919 she began writing a number of novels and short stories that explored various aspects of magic and mysticism, including The Demon Lover, The Winged Bull, The Goat-Foot God, and The Secrets of Dr. Taverner. This latter is a collection of short stories based on her experiences with Theodore Moriarty. Two of her novels, The Sea Priestess and Moon Magic, became influential within the religion of Wicca, especially upon Doreen Valiente.
Of her non-fiction works on magical subjects, the best remembered of her books are; The Cosmic Doctrine, meant to be a summation of her basic teachings on mysticism; The Mystical Qabalah, an introduction to Hermetic Qabalah; and Psychic Self Defence, a manual on how to protect oneself from psychic attacks. Though some of her writings may seem dated to contemporary readers, they have the virtue of lucidity and avoid the deliberate obscurity that characterised many of her forerunners and contemporaries.
From 1919 she began writing a number of novels and short stories that explored various aspects of magic and mysticism, including The Demon Lover, The Winged Bull, The Goat-Foot God, and The Secrets of Dr. Taverner. This latter is a collection of short stories based on her experiences with Theodore Moriarty. Two of her novels, The Sea Priestess and Moon Magic, became influential within the religion of Wicca, especially upon Doreen Valiente.
Of her non-fiction works on magical subjects, the best remembered of her books are; The Cosmic Doctrine, meant to be a summation of her basic teachings on mysticism; The Mystical Qabalah, an introduction to Hermetic Qabalah; and Psychic Self Defence, a manual on how to protect oneself from psychic attacks. Though some of her writings may seem dated to contemporary readers, they have the virtue of lucidity and avoid the deliberate obscurity that characterised many of her forerunners and contemporaries.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 30, 2014
Reading this book reminds us of reading Kierkegaard when we were getting our undergraduate degree in Philosophy and Religion. We’d read a paragraph, shake our heads and read it again slower, and then again more slowly still, gradually letting the light, our at least his meaning settle in on our consciousness.
Most folks probably wouldn’t care much for this tome. Even those who have found joy in Dion Fortune’s works in the past, could possibly find it baffling. Those who enjoy reading Alice Bailey’s books, or Blavatsky’s works, however, which can also be a challenge, which is to say those who enjoy pondering the esoteric underpinnings of the Universe and Creation, may like it though. We for our own part must admit that although we’re glad we read it, we are certain we didn’t understand it entirely but that evocation of the Mystery is partly the joy of doing so. Still, an open mind, some knowledge of quantum physics and an intuitive approach will go a long way in making this a satisfactory experience.
The Silver Elves
Goodreads authors of The Elven Way: The Magical Path of the Shining Ones
Most folks probably wouldn’t care much for this tome. Even those who have found joy in Dion Fortune’s works in the past, could possibly find it baffling. Those who enjoy reading Alice Bailey’s books, or Blavatsky’s works, however, which can also be a challenge, which is to say those who enjoy pondering the esoteric underpinnings of the Universe and Creation, may like it though. We for our own part must admit that although we’re glad we read it, we are certain we didn’t understand it entirely but that evocation of the Mystery is partly the joy of doing so. Still, an open mind, some knowledge of quantum physics and an intuitive approach will go a long way in making this a satisfactory experience.
The Silver Elves
Goodreads authors of The Elven Way: The Magical Path of the Shining Ones
March 22, 2012
A book for mental somersaults!
June 26, 2014
Has anyone really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?
Largely incomprehensible in the sort of way that made me wonder what sorts of drugs she was on, punctuated with random moments of what looked like incredible insight. By the end I wasn't sure if my comprehension was lacking or if she never made sense to begin with.
Largely incomprehensible in the sort of way that made me wonder what sorts of drugs she was on, punctuated with random moments of what looked like incredible insight. By the end I wasn't sure if my comprehension was lacking or if she never made sense to begin with.
September 22, 2017
It's Dion Fortune, nothing more need be added.
May 11, 2024
A definitely dry read, but there’s enough unique and good insights in here to get to 4 stars.
July 3, 2025
perfect for people who like their spirituality with a large dose of Victorian obfuscation unnecessary complexity and a magpie's capacity for manic appropriation
January 31, 2025
A dense, deep collection of teachings on cosmology as channeled to Dion Fortune in, I believe, the 1940s, from spirit masters on higher planes of being.
Here's another case where the star rating system breaks down! I rate this book at 4 stars because that is where I would put it due to the difficulty and enjoyment level of it as a read. My impression is that those who compiled the book were perhaps too cautious about trying to preserve the material exactly as received, or perhaps they simply were not experienced editors of English, but in any case the material's obscurity is deepened by sometimes unclear punctuation and paragraphing.
And it is obscure: we're talking some of the deepest and most abstract teachings on the creation and evolution of the cosmos from an occult perspective, as presented by advanced minds that are only partly successful in dumbing the material down for absorption by human consciousness. (John Michael Greer has written A Commentary on 'The Cosmic Doctrine': Understanding Dion Fortune’s Masterpiece of Spiritual Creation and Evolution in order to help one navigate the mysterious depths of this work; I plan to read this soon.)
But if this book is what it purports to be--that is, a series of lectures given by actual spiritual entities from higher planes of existence, who are seeking to help us human beings understand the biggest of big pictures about the universe we live in--then it is surely one of the most important works of all time. This reader will be reading and studying it further, that's for sure.
Here's another case where the star rating system breaks down! I rate this book at 4 stars because that is where I would put it due to the difficulty and enjoyment level of it as a read. My impression is that those who compiled the book were perhaps too cautious about trying to preserve the material exactly as received, or perhaps they simply were not experienced editors of English, but in any case the material's obscurity is deepened by sometimes unclear punctuation and paragraphing.
And it is obscure: we're talking some of the deepest and most abstract teachings on the creation and evolution of the cosmos from an occult perspective, as presented by advanced minds that are only partly successful in dumbing the material down for absorption by human consciousness. (John Michael Greer has written A Commentary on 'The Cosmic Doctrine': Understanding Dion Fortune’s Masterpiece of Spiritual Creation and Evolution in order to help one navigate the mysterious depths of this work; I plan to read this soon.)
But if this book is what it purports to be--that is, a series of lectures given by actual spiritual entities from higher planes of existence, who are seeking to help us human beings understand the biggest of big pictures about the universe we live in--then it is surely one of the most important works of all time. This reader will be reading and studying it further, that's for sure.
February 11, 2024
Wild! Barely kept up with it.
Great illustration of Dion Fortune’s view of the cosmos.
Great illustration of Dion Fortune’s view of the cosmos.
January 17, 2025
Most folks probably wouldn’t care much for this tome. Even those who have found joy in Dion Fortune’s works in the past, could possibly find it baffling. Those who enjoy reading Alice Bailey’s books, or Blavatsky’s works, however, which can also be a challenge, which is to say those who enjoy pondering the esoteric underpinnings of the Universe and Creation, may like it though. We for our own part must admit that although we’re glad we read it, we are certain we didn’t understand it entirely but that evocation of the Mystery is partly the joy of doing so. Still, an open mind, some knowledge of quantum physics and an intuitive approach will go a long way in making this a satisfactory experience.
June 29, 2023
The content in this book reaches beyond all of the esoteric books I’ve read, to the creation of the entire cosmos. It impresses upon the reader, the source of the zodiac, the tarot, the archetypes, the elements, the noetic realms, and numerological correspondences. I would recommend The Cosmic Doctrine to any reasonably advanced practitioner of mysticism and divination. Read it slowly. Re-read. Put it away. Then read it again. It will change your brain and reveal your soul. A special book I feel honoured to have read.
March 12, 2024
Confusion with the occasional deep, and I mean deeeep insight's. Probably will re read
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews