The Training and Work of an Initiate
 RRP £8.85 Lowest New Price £4.00 
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Weiser Books Number of pages: 133 Language: English (Original Language) Language: English (Unknown) Language: English (Published) |
RRP: £8.85
A fundamental requirement for a wiccan
Review date: 2008-06-27 Rating: 8 out of 10
I disagree with the previous comment about this book not being applicable to wicca. Wiccan thought and practise is based in the Western Mystical Tradition, although this has been obscured by all the fluffy bunny rubbish and wiccanised paganism that passes these days.
Learn the fundamentals of your faith and get to grips with the basis of the Western Mystery Traditions, you'll be a whole lot better off. However if you want to remain with pretty candle burning and nature worship and the goddess then leave well alone.
Reviews
EXPLANATION OF SANE OCCULTISM
Review date: 2003-07-12 Rating: 10 out of 10
In this very readable work, Dion Fortune deals with the tradition of initiation in the Western Esoteric Tradition and explains the principles of these esoteric systems. An interesting foreword by Gareth Knight discusses Fortune’s place in metaphysical thought, declaring her a great synthesist ever holding a balance between the strands of hermetic occultism, devotional mysticism and nature mysticism. Knight even refers to Tolkien’s account of creation in The Silmarillion as reflecting Fortune’s approach to certain metaphysical questions! The book provides information on how the initiate prepares the mind, spirit and body for the journey on the esoteric path and what the path of initiation looks like. The book is divided into three parts: Ethical, Theoretical and Practical. It details the way of initiation, preparations and daily life upon the path and provides a ground plan of illumination. There is also valuable information on the training of the mind and the body. I found the discussion of the relationship between natural and esoteric science very insightful and her division of what she terms “illuminism” into two branches – mysticism and occultism, very informative. According to the author, mysticism aims at the speediest possible attainment of the divine union of the soul with its source and in order to achieve this it eliminates all that causes separation. Occultism on the other hand, aims to organise and master phenomena and bring them into harmony with the eternal law of the real. Ultimately, the difference is only a matter of temperament. Fortune then proceeds to classify religions and movements like Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Theosophy, Spiritualism, Christian Science and New Thought into these two branches. The chapter on the Western Esoteric Systems deals with the Qabalistic, Greek and Egyptian traditions, claiming that they all contributed to modern Western esotericism that in addition, also draws on Eastern thought. The book contains a Tabular Classification of Illuminism demonstrating the mystical/occult division in detail as well as an index and a short biography and portrait of Fortune. This is a well written book explaining most of the important points of the occult path and the practice of sane occultism. Highly recommended.
Invaluable book
Review date: 2003-04-16 Rating: 10 out of 10
This text is aimed at those students interested in High Ceremonial Magick; it has nothing to do with new-age stuff.
Dion Fortune (aka as Violet Mary Firth) and G. Knight are the most talented representative of the Western Tradition Magick.
Serious students should not miss the chance to get this book.
how to train someone in the discipline of ritual magick
Review date: 2001-06-29 Rating: 6 out of 10
Good book for those seriously interested in initiating others into a ritual working group. Mentions building the magickal personality and has interesting ideas on working as an intitiate. Not for those who want to know about Wicca or less ritual magick.
Product Details/Specifications
Authors:
Dion Fortune
Creators:
Gareth Knight (Introduction)
Recording label: Weiser Books
Manufacturer: Weiser Books
EAN: 9781578631834
Binding: Paperback
Dewey decimal number: 131
ISBN: 1578631831
Number of items: 1
Number of pages: 133
Publication date: 2000-11
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: English (Unknown)
Language: English (Published)
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