The Machinery of the Mind

The Machinery of the Mind Dion Fortune - Contents: Introduction - Chapter 1. The Physical Vehicle Of ConsciousnessChapter 2. The Evolution Of The Nervous SystemChapter 3. How An Idea Enters The MindChapter 4. The Organisation Of The Upper Levels Of The MindChapter 5. The Organization Of The Lower Levels Of The MindChapter 6. ComplexesChapter 7. The InstinctsChapter 8. The Self-Preservation InstinctChapter 9. Diseases Of The Self-Preservation InstinctChapter 10. The Reproductive InstinctChapter 11. Development Of The Reproductive InstinctChapter 12. Diseases Of The Reproductive InstinctChapter 13. SublimationChapter 14. Maladaptation To Environment And PsychopathologyChapter 15. ConflictChapter 16. RepressionChapter 17. DissociationChapter 18. SymbolisationChapter 19. Phantasies, Dreams, And DelusionsChapter 20. PsychotherapyChapter 21. PsychoanalysisChapter 22. Hypnosis, Suggestion, And AutosuggestionChapter 23. The Practical Application Of PsychologyChapter 24. Conclusion

Violet 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.