In this article I would like to address the issue of sex and magic. I
am quite aware of the fact that this is a loaded subject. It is one
of the oldest disciplines in occultism and virtually every magic
tradition applies it somewhere down the road. Yet it has always been
regarded as the innermost secret discipline. Witches, Shamans,
Runesters, Yogis and Magicians of all varieties work with it in one
form or another.
To build up, strengthen, direct and aim this powerful energy is an
awesome magical tool, as anyone who has ever worked with it knows.
Being limited in time and space, but having such a wonderful and
eclectic medium to work with, I want to give you a few unbiased ideas
on the subject.
No discipline of magic has attracted as much mumbo jumbo or
misinformation as sex magic does. Nothing stirs the mind more than
the left and right of the so-called middle path quite as vividly.
Nothing is more ancient, powerful and misunderstood as Sex magic.
Yes, the market on Tantra is booming, as a visit to any occult book
shop will show you. Yet well researched, practical introductions into
sex magic are virtually non-existent. Male sexist tunnel vision abounds.
One of the reasons being that the general approach towards sexuality and
women is steeped in Judeo-Christian hang ups. The most common
approach seems to be: "Just lay down and be the altar dear, you
are going to love it." Even such revolutionaries as Aleister
Crowley have done very little to improve this. Louis Culling even
dares to state in his contemporary work (1971), that a frigid woman
is more conductive to sex magic practice than a sensual or, mind you,
sexually aggressive one. For this would surely disturb ones
concentration on the Great Work.
No wonder that there are few women attracted to these kinds of
partners! You will always get what you want in magic and the
so-called true will does reveal itself in strange ways. Doing some
soul searching and clarifying your motives is quite effective. Now,
regarding literature on this subject there is hope. My german friend
Fra.: U.D. has written a comprehensive, pragmatic book on sex magic.
It`s title is "Secrets of the German Sex Magicians"
(Llewellyn) and he told me last weekend that it is available in the
States right now. (I hope he will give me some extracts to post them
here...) It beats everything that has ever been published on the
subject. Get it!
Now let me point out, one more time, that magic is a practical science.
Merely reading about it or going to a workshop will not get you anywhere.
The multitude of sexual expressions is just as great and manifold as
human behavior in general. Here, like everywhere in Chaos Magic, it
is useful to keep in mind that if it works for you, use it! Remember,
the real sex magicians, male and female, have always known that and
discarded social conditioning and taboos, right along with the do`s
and don`ts of dogma. We do magic to liberate ourselves. So if it is
possible for one thing to be sacred we logically conclude that
everything else can be sacred too.
Auto-, Hetero- and Homosexual expressions are equally valid in sex magic.
It is more about expanding ones horizons that about finding a certain
"right" way, partner or ritual to do it. The Chaos Magical
paradigm kicks right in: Nothing is True, and Everything is Permitted!
The next issue I want to address is the Auto-erotic practice. So let me
state this loud and clear: Without auto erotic practice it is
impossible to achieve anything in Sex magic!
Auto-eroticism is of central importance because it is the ideal practice and
playground. It constitutes a powerful technique in itself, and it
makes us independent of partners. Especially in the beginning it is
much easier to explore, prolong and amplify orgasmic trance states.
For this very same reason it is possible to do effective sex magic
with a partner who knows nothing about it but working with a partner
who is equally trained in this art is ever so much more effective.
Most amateurs believe that sexual magic is something that solely
happens between partners in a ritual, but in reality the vast
majority of sex magical arts are performed auto-erotically.
Regarding the physical aspects of the sexual magical training first thing to
consider is that your body is really _your temple_. And for it to be
your ultimate tool and asset it has to be in peak condition. Physical
and mental dependencies, be it alcohol, stimulants or even tobacco,
will interfere with your ability to develop and direct this tool. I
do not want to project a moral attitude on this, or any other
subject, but mind, spirit and body are deeply intertwined. And the
more you alter your mind from the outside by using drugs of any sort,
the harder it gets to focus your will and physical reaction. If you
are in a frizzy condition, you will get frizzy results! Here, as in
all magic, the borders are fluid. A good training in practical magic
will greatly enhance your sexual magic and vice versa.
A lot of physical exercises in sex magic derive from Tantra Yoga. The
only point of disagreement appears to be the way of using the orgasm.
In particular, the "traditional" Tantra authors seem to
cling to the idea that there is only a limited amount of sperm
available to men. Therefore this precious substance is carefully
guarded, held back and reassimilated when spent. Western magic does
not agree with this belief. Its approach is rather like: the more you
spend - the more you get! This applies to male magicians, women have
always been pretty much inexhaustible in their orgasmic capacity.
What joins both is that the intent in Sex magic is much more result
oriented and concrete than in Tantra, where it is mainly transcendental.
The longing for transcendence seems to be inherently natural in human
behavior. Yet being western magicians living in the nineties we know
that we have to handle the "real world", our physical
reality first, and then we can move on to the loftier goals.
A good manual for your physical preparation and training is
"Stalking the Wild Orgasm" by Christopher Scott Kilham. Hie
work not only includes some excellent yoga exercises, but also gives
you some great clues regarding nutrition and aphrodisiacs. When you
get going in this direction you will find that it soon penetrates
into many other areas of your magical work. You will be in better
physical shape, more relaxed, focused and grounded. Magic is a gut
level art. We have to remove it from the intellectual stuff. Trust
your own experiences. Strive to conduct your magic work from this
part of your body where all magic originates - your loins.
Have fun!
With fractalic greetings and laughter * Fra.: Apfelmann *