Joyce Collin-Smith

Collin-Smith's writings explored her ideas of spirituality, combining her ideas of traditional Western and Eastern philosophies with modern schools of thought. Her works included Call No Man Master (1988) and Of Fire & Music (2006).

Collin-Smith met her husband, Richard Frederick Logan Collin-Smith, through his brother, the author Rodney George Collin-Smith (known as Rodney Collin), who was one of her first mentors. They married in 1948 in Paddington, London.

In the 1930s, Collin-Smith explored esotericism through her in-depth study of Rudolf Steiner. The idea of listening to God was of particular interest to her and she practiced this with Lutheran Frank Buchman, who founded of the Oxford Group. Collin-Smith was introduced to the ideas of the Fourth Way by philosopher George Gurdjieff, a close associate of Rodney Collin's. She applied herself to studying the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who personally introduced her to his practice of Transcendental Meditation.

Joyce Yvonne Collin-Smith (born Joyce Yvonne Hartley; 11 January 1919 – 9 November 2010), was an English author and journalist. Collin-Smith was also an astrologer and spiritual teacher. Known for her historical novels, she became The Oxford Times’ first woman reporter.

Joyce Yvonne Hartley was born on 11 January 1919 in Oxford, England. She was the daughter of Harold Osborne Hartley, editor of The Oxford Times, and Grace Sophia Hartley (née Horsefield). The majority of her male relations worked as journalists, since her ancestors became Quakers in the early 18th century.