The fact that this book holds up at all after eighty years says loads about the author and about the content. Yes, it reads a bit dated, but not SO much. And yes, it is entrenched in the realm of active occult practitioners, which may make it seem less pertinent to the casual paranormal explorer or someone of the armchair ghost hunter variety, but the message still reads true. Read the other reviews at this site. They cover it pretty well. ( )

Psychic Self-Defense
By Dion Fortune

First Published in 1930 by Rider & Co., London
Fifth Printing, 1997, Samuel Wiser, Inc.

Book Review
By Debra Louise Scott

(excerpt)
“The Threshold of the Unseen is a treacherous coast on which to bathe. There are potholes and currents and quicksands. The strong swimmer, who knows the coast, may venture in comparative safety. The non-swimmer, who takes counsel of nothing but his own impulses, may pay for his temerity with his life. But we must not make the mistake of thinking that these invisible forces are unnecessarily evil and inimical to humanity. They are no more inimical in themselves than are water or fire, but they are potent. If we run counter to them, the result is disastrous for us, for we have broken a natural law; but they are not out to attack us, any more than we are out to attack them. We must face the fact, however, that men and women with knowledge of these things, have, both in the past and in the present, used that knowledge unscrupulously, and that we may find ourselves involved in the results of their actions.” Dion Fortune, Psychic Self-Defense

Today we live in an unprecedented age of publishing freedom. The knowledge of the world of the unseen, heretofore the subject of secret teachings and hand-picked apprentices, is now splayed out on every popular bookstore’s shelves for anyone to peruse. Right beside “The Idiot’s Guide to Wicca” can be found a reprint of a powerful medieval magician’s textbook. Add to that the proliferation of cutesy spell books on love or money, and we see the root of one problem that confronts paganism.

What happens when magic is available to everyone? Should not religion, in any form, be available to anyone who wants to pursue it for his or her personal enlightenment? Is this not the basis of religious freedom? Resoundingly, yes. However, in the case of pure magic, (to distinguish it from the worship and devotion to deity and/or nature, which is a different subject entirely) we are dealing with a force, a law of nature with physical and astral consequences.

There is a reason that children are not permitted to drive until they reach an appropriate age. A car, while useful, is a very dangerous tool of our society. Those who abuse it recklessly have their licenses taken away. A car is useful and safe only if it is used with respect for its great power and a commitment to upholding the laws and ethics of driving, considering the safety of others on the road as well as oneself.

As Dion points out, the forces of magic are neither good nor evil in themselves. Magic will not evaluate the best ethical solution and interpret the spell accordingly. It will simply do what it has been asked to do. We all know the movie cliché of the unfortunate person, or madman who finds a Book of Shadows lying around and tries to pronounce the cryptic words to generally disastrous results.

When we practice magic, it is up to us to proceed in an ethical manner. But since some do not, it is also wise to know how to protect ourselves from the inexperienced and/or unethical.

Dion Fortune expounds both theory and practical application, citing specific examples from her experience whenever possible. Much of her prescription for defense surrounds knowledge of the nature of the attack, whether intended or not. She also spends time on determining whether it is indeed an attack, or just one’s imagination, hysteria, or psychosis. This is valuable stuff.

Of course there are things to agree with, and disagree with, as with any book, and this is definitely colored by the popular occultist movement of the early 1900’s. Some prescriptions deeply disturb the currently held understanding of “harm none”. Nevertheless, I definitely find Psychic Self-Defense to be a worthwhile read. ( )

An important work which all occultists should have in their library. The insights in the book are gathered from a long career and are very useful to those who would take the time to apply them in their work. ( )

Perhaps the most telling thing about Dion Fortune and her book is something my roommate and I sometimes say to each other: "Dion Fortune had more information about psychic vampirism on one page than Konstantinos had in an entire book." This is not so much a knock on Konstantinos as it is a recognition of Ms. Fortune's high quality of writing on matters esoteric and occult.

This is a very useful book, especially students of esoterica and occult subjects, and should be included in any of their beginner's curricula. ( )

This is a very useful book. You should bear in mind the author's prejudices and time period when readng it and bear in mind she comes from the Western Mystery Tradition. There's a lot of Crowley-like dark muttering about Black Lodges and evil witchcraft, but if you can overlook some of her mysterious rambling about adepts and hidden knowledge too powerful for the common person to comprehend, you'll get a lot out of this work. When she gets around to giving practical advice, it's very useful. I would recommend this not only to occultists, but anyone interested in psychology and setting personal boundaries to avoid the sort of draining and domination she describes. ( )