Sex Magicians of the Late 19th Century.

I gave a talk at Thelesis Oasis of the OTO this weekend. The talk, as with a lot of the book, focuses on explaining Tantric and Taoist tech in very plain terminology that anyone can understand and apply to practice in just about any context.

At the end of the talk various people asked me if I would be drawing on Pascal Beverly Randolph’s writings, or Ida Craddock, or Crowley*. They are of course mentioned and referenced in the book here and there, and I have training in Crowleys system from my initiators in the Chthonic Auranian Temple, but ultimately, it is just not all that interesting to me. Its much ado about not much. Even modern western orders like the Ordo Octopi Nigiri Pulveri, which I am also a proud member of, draw heavily on Taoist methods in their sexual alchemical teachings.

Also, most of it is couched in such puritanical concepts that obscure more than they explain. I just referenced this quote from Randolf in the chapter I am writing today:

“The union of the man with the woman must be innocent. Lust for pleasure must not be   the main purpose. Transcending carnal pleasure, aim at the union of the spirits, if you want your prayer to be exhausted by ecstacy. If you conform to these principles the sexual act will become a fountainhead of wisdom, happiness, and peace.”

Ughhhhh. Innocent?

Compare with this from Chandamaharosana Tantra:

“Therefore, one who desires Enlightenment
Should practice what is to be practiced.
To renounce the sense objects
Is to torture oneself by asceticism-don’t do it!
When you see form, look!
Similarly, listen to sounds,
Inhale scents,
Taste delicious flavors,
Feel textures.
Use the objects of the five senses –
You will quickly attain supreme Enlightenment
The man [sees] the woman as a goddess
The woman [sees] the man as a god.
By joining the diamond scepter and lotus,
They should make offerings to each other.
There is no worship apart from this.”

I mean, yes PBR is correct that the operation must be more than just ordinary carnal relations if it is to be called sexual magic, but “innocent”? Why fucking bother fucking at all?

I understand how incredibly groundbreaking these folks were for the time and place they lived. I cannot understand how, occultists still treat it like its the most cutting edge thing to ever be said on sex. Its like we still expect ladies to collapse into piles of crinoline if we talk plainly about sexual pleasure as a spiritual act. If we can all handle 2 girls 1 cup without throwing up, I think maybe we can move forward just a wee bit.

Anyway, just some half-thought out reflections on this beautiful day as I try to wrap up this writing project.

* To re-iterate the footnote from my last post, western occultism REALLY REALLY REALLY needs to pull its head out of the ass of the late 19th and early 20th century. But  again, a post for another day/