SACRED SEXUALITY
SACRED SEXUALITY PART ONE: THE DIVINE UNION
"The couple steps slowly from among the trees moving out into the farmer's dark fields, their robes rustling gently against each other as they move hand-in-hand toward the center, leaving a trail of footprints in the damp freshly turned earth. Finally, the woman stops and with a gesture to her partner, both remove their robes to stand facing each other veiled only by the lunar light. Murmured words in honor of Gods long forgotten by most are carried upon the gentle breeze to be lost among the furrows. Silent gestures are made to the four quarters that surround them. They lie down together, to join as one upon the waiting earth. The couple has come to enact an ancient tradition of their faith; they have come to bless the fields, to invigorate them with renewed life and energies in the ways of their ancestors. Although the couple is alone in the fields, they are not alone in their observances of this ancient ritual, for rites like these have been honored the world over since the dawn of man."
Sex in religion is not a new concept. It has been practiced by most, if not all religions to date.
The connection of Witchcraft, Wicca, and Paganism in general, with sexual rites has always drawn attention to it, for there is a relationship in Witchcraft between sex, religion and Magick. People have always been conscious of the Magical element of sex since the beginning of time.
This is why most cultures the world over have sought to control its subjects by imposing rules and regulations or otherwise influencing their sexual practices. Lost from view to many is the quality of experience and the sexual harmony which such activities bring into a person's life. Today, even with such "taboo" social customs being relaxed and contraception more plentiful than ever before, people are still in bondage to the false teaching and biased concepts of Christianity, they were subjected to, and influenced by, during their formative years. We all look at things through our own personal knowledge and experience, and the teachings learned from others.
We adopt an attitude based on culture and traditions given to us, and it is at times difficult to set these aside in order to fully comprehend something which appears to conflict with those teachings...especially words or actions which have been labeled "bad," "naughty," "sinful" or perhaps even "against God."
Witchcraft is a religion that accepts sexuality as wholly natural and good, as much a part of ourselves as that of nature, and continues from there to gain a fuller and greater understanding of male-female polarity and how to make constructive use of it. Yet while Witchcraft encompasses these ideas, it did not originate them. When people become aware of the earth's cycles, they realize the importance of renewal and creation. The goddess, or female aspect of life, becomes the embodiment of the earth's fertility and the constant rebirth of the cycle of life. Sexual expression figures predominately in this renewal and the re-creation of life. To gain a better understanding of where these ideas came from, we must travel into our past, across different continents and through many cultures.
Many of the concepts, attitudes, influences and understanding of humankind as a spiritual and sexual being come to us from the East. In India, rites of sexual union can be traced back to the Vedas, poems that were mainly of invocations and sacrifice to their gods. For these people, marriage itself was seen as a form of sacrifice, and a man who remained unmarried was called "one without sacrifice." The Vedas were chiefly meant to accompany a libation that would be given in honor of the gods. Later on, in the verses of the Upanishad, sexual intercourse began to be described as a ritual ceremony, and in much greater detail. From these times we can then trace the beliefs that the rewards of a sacrifice could be obtained by a ritually consummated sexual union of man and woman. At this point, sexual intercourse was then not only seen as a physical action related to procreation of children or physical release, it was given the value and honor of a religious ritual, a concept that would prepare the way for the la ter developments known as Tantra.
The name Tantra was given to the teachings of several Hindu and Buddhist sects which worshiped divinities or beings especially concerned with sexual energy, and several ecstatic cults were inspired by visions of cosmic sexuality. The oldest texts that have survived are of Buddhist origin and date from the fifth century CE, although the actual practices went back to prehistory. In Tantra, the greatest energy was sexual and the sexual organs represented cosmic powers. Sexual intercourse of any kind, between husband and wife, different partners, or even with temple girls was treated in a ritual fashion. During these times, temples usually had girls given to them as a gift to the Gods. They were then seen as married to the deity, often Krishna or Shiva, much as with some religions today. Sexual relations between temple women, or qadishtu, and others were practiced in most temples and the women were always present to meet the needs of pilgrims who traveled there. Returning soldiers would consummate such rites in order to renew themselves after the acts of war they'd performed and the debt of blood that they had acquired. In receiving the blessings of the Goddess, they were revitalized and cleansed of their guilt and bad habits. Some cultures expected all women to serve at least some period of time at the temple in this capacity; Biblical references speak of women, even those who were married, living in the temples, free to come and go as they pleased. In some cases, the qadishtu were made available for a small fee paid in the form of food offerings or money. Any monies generated would then go towards their support and that of the temple.
Sexual union through these rituals, and others like them, was transformed into a ceremonial rite through which the human couple became a divine pair, a source of divine energy. The rite was prepared by meditation and ceremonies to make it fruitful, for physical union alone was not thought to be sufficient to bring divine influences. The act of sex was conducted in a formal way, and was not promiscuous. Union was not a quick relief in orgasm by either party but a long process which involved such elements as intense erotic caresses and uniting as one in different postures, a process for which the Kama Sutra and other sex manuals of the time were of great help. These procedures and positions were used with the aim of enabling the energies of male and female to pass into each other. The bringing together of separate individuals was then transcended in full union and inter-penetration, each holding and merging with the other. These unions thus provided a complete model of the union of God/ess and the souls of the individuals.
Tantrics worshiped female and male deities who were depicted in the embraces of union. Buddhism taught that Buddha himself was said to be united in continuous sexual activity, for he revealed the truth that "Buddha-hood abides in the yoni (vulva). This image was not restricted to just a select few within the society or culture; Buddhist art, like Hindu, often expressed this divine union in sexual imagery. Buddha and Bodhisattva, "beings of enlightenment," were painted and sculpted in the act of sexual union, and displayed with honor both within and without temple walls and shrines everywhere.
In the history of humanity, duality of the sexes is one of the oldest and most usual way of representing universal powers and relationships. This symbolism was not restricted to India but can be seen in many cultures. Such terms as "Father Heaven and Mother Earth," "Zeus and Demeter," "Sun and Moon," "Shiva and Shakti," "Yang and Yin" can be found throughout history and in a great number of cultures including the Celtic Culture, from which Welsh Witchcraft is Derived.
Naturalistic opposing cycles such as the alternation of day and night, summer and winter, youth and age, led early Chinese Buddhists to believe in the interaction of dual cosmic forces.
According to their beliefs, mankind functioned in the same way as the universe, and human sexual intercourse was like the union of heaven and earth which mate during rainstorms. As times changed and thoughts differed, some of the symbolism of sun and moon, or heaven and earth came to be replaced around the fourth century B.C.E. by the more formal terms of Yang and Yin. In spite of this change, the symbolic mating of heaven and earth in storms remains to this day. The term "clouds and rain" remains a standard expression for sexual intercourse.
The concept of Yin and Yang has been compared to the Dark and Light of Zoroastrianism, and the dualism of evil and good which arose from that school of thought. But Yin and Yang are not opposed; they are interdependent, like woman and man. The goal or action was not the triumph of one element over the other, but a perfect balance of the two principles. Greek notions, as those in India and Persia, of the undivided male and female as the ultimate unity with the divine,
was represented in China by the symbol of a circle. During the eleventh century B.C.E., Neo-Confucian scholars of the time represented this concept of the undivided circle known as t'ai chi t'u, "the supreme ultimate." The circle was divided into two pear-shaped halves of dark and light, Yin and Yang. The dark Yin half contained a white dot indicating the Yang embryo within it, and the light Yang half had a black dot designating the Yin element in it.
Followers of Buddha were not the only ones to follow these concepts. From the highest to the lowest levels of Chinese society, followers of Tao also sought to cultivate sexual energy and unite Yin and Yang. In these schools of thought, mutual exchanges of Yin and Yang essences were thought to produce perfect harmony, and sexual intercourse, instead of declining with age, was believed to increase vigor and bring long life. Of course, the different schools of thought had some opposing views as well. Some of the sexual techniques the Tantrics used, such as
sexual union without emission actually occurring, were greatly opposed by the Confucians and Buddhists. Taoism considered the idea of continence to be against the rhythm of nature, and that Buddhist ideas on celibacy and abstinence would lead to neurosis.
Not all religions worshiped both male and female Gods. Accordingly, the idea of divine union was different as well. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are exclusively monotheistic religions and within them there is no sexual duality in the deity. The divine was no longer seen in the sacred union of man and woman, as with the earlier beliefs, but the union between God and man. Man was no longer seen as being a part of the nature that surrounded him, but separate or above it.
Due to the religious concepts of Christianity and teachings in some sects, sex was no longer honored, but actually defiled. The new religion was influenced also by early Greek teachings that brought forth several schools of thought. The Stoic philosophy sought to teach that one should live in harmony with reason or nature, which was the only good and everything else was indifferent, but this in turn tended to cause the rejection of family ties.
There were many forms of Gnosticism which affected the early Church. These ideas led to the concepts of the universe being composed of matter and God, with all goodness coming from God and all evil coming from matter. It was taught by the Manichees that matter was female, the "mother of all demons," and the soul was imprisoned within it. It was their thought that the object of religion was to release the soul, and severe asceticism was practiced to this end within
some groups. In Judaism, early Mystic Cabbalists used hidden sexual symbolism to describe the concept of divine union, and primeval procreation and erotic terminology was used in some Hasidic writings that promoted violent movements in prayer, described as "copulation" with the Shekhinah, a term which meant "indwelling" or "the immanence and omnipresence of God." In the early church, physical sexual imagery was used to reflect mystical relationships; men and
women spoke of raptures, or being rapt, which comes from the same root as "raped." However, the difference was in the willing consent of abandonment to their God.
Later, in the fifth century, Augustine, the Bishop of Hippo in northern Africa, emerged as an influential and disastrous teacher on the subject of sex and sexual union in Christianity. He believed strongly in the concept of "Original Sin" which he virtually equated with sexual emotion, so that every act of sex was intrinsically evil. The freedom to experience the sexual became so limited that the idea of any sexual union in marriage which was not for the sole purpose of producing children was forbidden. This then was the only justifiable sexual act that man could engage in. The idea that pleasure from or "lust" for sexual intercourse was sinful stems from these teachings as well. This feeling continues to have influence upon much of the Christian ethics in their religion today.
While much of medieval Europe became influenced by these teachings as the church spread, the people who lived in the countryside, away from the towns, held to their older personal beliefs that had been handed down through generations, usually through a matriarchal lineage. These people became known as Pagani or pagans. Much of their ancient lore and traditions are still followed, although much has been mingled with other cultures over the years or has been hidden
away in the guise of other themes. Like th e ancient cultures in India, these people also saw divinity as being within humans, not separate or "out there" somewhere. Men & women were seen as being a part of God & Goddess and, through their union, brought forth the energies of creation into the universe. They saw the sexual union as a reflection of the duality of nature which is so much a part of their lives.
This union, held in high esteem and honor, was seen in the fertility rites as well. It was traditional for couples, usually the May Queen & her selected May King or the High Priestess and High Priest, to bless the fields and promote fertility of the land during spring rites. These and other similar practices were held amid great celebration and merriment. In some cultures, entire communities would join together to enact rites which would promote the growth of the fields and thus ensure a bountiful harvest in preparation for the coming harshness of winter. Today, elements of these fertility rites can still be seen in the raising of the Maypole and the dancing of children at its base. Traditionally, a flower crown, representing the womb of life, is placed atop the Maypole.
The pole itself represents the male principle and is bedecked with red & white ribbons which the children hold and, while dancing around the base, entwine them together. The children, of course, represent the life that results from this cosmic union. The Maypole is a representation of the hieros gamos or Sacred Marriage of the God & Goddess.
The Craft is, and always has been, a fertility religion. As such, it is a life-affirming faith, instead of a life-repressing one. Many of its followers throughout the ages have not been intellectuals, but people who were often unschooled, and who were not concerned as much with esoteric teachings. Magic works though the instincts and emotions, the fundamental things that man was
born with; it does not rely solely on intellect. Sex is one of the most fundamental and instinctive drives; consequently it can produce one of the most potent of Magical rites when correctly understood and used.
An example of Witchcraft's concern with the forces of fertility can be seen in its practices of moon worship. It is not the moon itself which is being worshiped, but the feminine power of Nature that it represents. The moon has always been intimately connected with fertility, both of the earth and human beings. A woman's monthly fertility cycle is thought to be ruled by the moon; the semen of the male is viewed as being ruled by the moon in astrology. The Sun also has a part to play in the cycle. Sun worship was also the worship of Life, for without the light from the sun, the crops would wither and die. The sun is seen as the father of fire; the moon is the mother of water. Without these two principles, life as we know it would not exist on this planet.
All of Nature is seen as dependent upon the universal interplay of these positive and negative forces, counterbalancing and complementary to each other. Positive and negative; fire and water; sun and moon; man and woman; God and Goddess. This then is some of the beliefs behind the sexual rites of fertility religions.
Typically, the persons involved in an actual rite have established a strong working relationship such as a Priestess and Priest of a coven, or a High Priestess and a student, and they are responsible and mature in their actions. Much attention has been drawn to these types of rituals; tales of wild orgies and dancing naked in the night around a fire, whether real or imagined, sells newspapers and books and are quite often used to make money.
In spite of these stories, the truth is that Witchcraft ethics do not allow coercion or actions that would be considered harmful to others. These rituals are not an excuse for sex, but they are the ultimate in sexual energy generation. One may join a coven and never see an actual great rite performed, for these rites are normally conducted privately, by elders, away from even the other members of the group. But, if one is a suitable sexual partner and care is given to completely
inform the student of the dangers and techniques involved in Sexual energy working, they may take part. All ethical and valid spiritual groups today will require students to be of legal age before they are even considered or accepted for training in sexual Magick. If they don't, they aren't ethical and you should steer away from them. They should reveal all aspects of the sexual working completely in the form of informed consent by the student.
Although the sacred union has been traditionally expressed by the concepts of male/female, there are groups and individuals who work male/male and female/female. Each of us contains elements of the opposite sex within. By acknowledging these forces within ourselves, such unions are accordingly seen as divine as well. But, it has also been found that sexual energy between men and women is the most powerful.
According to early doctrines on Tantra, homosexuality in India was treated in various ways depending on the culture. Open conduct between two women might result in a beating or perhaps having the head shaved; males, however, usually received less punishment, if any at all, as male homosexuality was seen as quite common and not a perversion.
The viewpoint in China during this time was more tolerant. Female lesbian acts were considered bound to prevail and nothing was done to discourage the practice in the women's quarters, wherethey would satisfy themselves or each other, naturally or with artificial means. Homosexuality was tolerated among adult males because intimate contact between two Yang elements could not result in the loss of vital force. Male friendship was one of the Confucian virtues, and was often expressed in warm terms. It wasn't until later, when the teaching of the Semitic religions spread, that the concept of same-gender union or any union other than male-female for the strict purpose of producing children, was viewed as evil and considered unnatural in any form.
Pagan religions do not hold these beliefs, although many people, having come from a Christian background, still retain some of this religion's bias which was taught to them from childhood. In the Pagan view, sexuality between loving adults is sacred, no matter what the combination of gender among the partners.
"After a time, the two arise together and dress, their goal accomplished, the ritual ended. She stands, pressing her head against his chest looking out over the fields, as they both listen to the whispers of the wind and enjoy a private relationship with the warm earth. Finally, they murmur words of thanks to their
deities, gesture silently again to the four quarters, thanking them for their attendance. Then, hand-in-hand, they walk back toward the woods, to return to the twentieth century and the mundane world."
SACRED SEXUALITY PART TWO: THE GREAT RITE
As shown above, sex has always been an integral and unavoidable aspect of Witchcraft. It was an element of Western spirituality that was part of Druidry, It is a part of Dynion Mwyn, and was included in the founding of Wicca by Gerald Gardner. It is a reflection of the male/female forces of the universe as seen by many religions.
Although no one should try to coerce or shame you into it, it is very important to understand it.
The Great Mother is sex; The "Old Ones" are sex, because all life is perpetuated by sex, the splitting of genes and union with the genes of another. The DNA spiral is the Great Mother.
While the sex act can be fantastic, the result of it is even better, new life, children, cubs, chicks.
In the faces of children can be seen Her great work.
UNDERSTANDING THE GREAT RITE
The Great Rite is probably the most well known or heard about of pagan rituals. It is a rite of sexual intercourse that pays homage to the polarity of male/female; god/goddess, priest/priestess. This polarity exists in all things in and around the universe. The Great Rite therefore expresses the physical, mental, spiritual and astral union between a man and woman as representations of the God and Goddess.
To many the Great Rite is the Hieros Gamos, The Sacred Marriage or the Holy Matrimony, which is the union of the God Head (spirit). It's the top of the spiritual trinity, whose base is the God and Goddess. This concept is nothing new and dates back to neolithic periods. Ancient kings required Hieros Gamos, which was a union with a priestess representing the Goddess, in order to rule.
Depending on the tradition, the Great rite is performed within a Magick Circle between Initiates. It is also performed for Sex Magick and sometimes performed at full moons, for seasonal festivals, and especially Handfasting between the newly married couple.
At times it is used as an Initiation into a coven (such as 3rd degree initiations in the Gardnerian and Alexandrian traditions and the third level initiation in the Dynion Mwyn tradition), representing the inner marriage of the soul and spirit, ego and self. It is the gateway to becoming a whole being. In these types of initiations, the Rite is performed between the initiate and the High Priest, or High Priestess.
An open portion of the rite is performed within the circle in front of the coven, and the intimate union is performed in private. Gerald Gardner had the Great Rite performed with the coven watching. He also favored ritual scourging as part of the rite. Other covens perform a portion of the ritual with everyone watching and then those forming the circle would turn their back on the couple in the center. Others have the circle members walk backwards out of the sacred space, then turn and file out clockwise leaving the couple in private but within the circle. Others still open one section of the circle and allowed the couple to exit to their own private space, which is typically a circle that was earlier prepared by the couple.
The Rite may be performed in many formats. There are several rituals performed with the Great Rite for varying purposes, here are just a few.
1. The Rite of Pan
2. The Rite of the Horned God
3. The Rite of the Moon Cup
4. The Dance of Love
5. The Ritual of the Hawthorn Tower
6. The Raising of Gwydion
7. The Two of Swords
8. The Grail of Grace
9. The Mask of Crystal
10. The Calling of a Soul
11. The House of the Goddess
12. The Adoration of the Pillar
13. The Rite that is Left Undone
Each of these empowers the rite with the energy of the union for specific purpose, but can be for different meanings. The Rite of the Horned God honors the great hunter and provider of a Tribe for instance.
In the Rite of Pan, the male force is the hunter and the female force the prey. Through out the ritual the struggle between male and female is established, but before the rite is realized, an understanding is gained that while the male is strong on the earth/physical sphere, the female is equally strong on the above/spiritual sphere.
In the Rite of the Moon Cup, the woman is the summoner, and the man her target. She is the daughter of the Moon, her representation on earth. He is Lord of the Forest who pays homage to the Goddess (the moon) for his domain.
The Great Rite can be used as a positive act just as easily as it can be used for abuse. While modern attitudes about sex are puritanical in many circles, within the pagan world, it is simply a part of nature. This energy of union is part of the miracle of love between two people. It's energy is more than just physical gratification, it can become a prayer, a method of worship, honoring the Great Spirits in the form of the God and Goddess joining to form the God Head (Spirit).
All practitioners MUST understand the rights they hold within a group and within any ritual.
Demanding sexual favors in return for something badly needed, or desired is misuse. Demanding a coupling for an initiation when the initiate is not comfortable with the union, is misuse. The causing of pain, terror and humiliation is the act of rape and is more than a misuse, it is a spiritual sin even within the pagan world. It is the desecration.
No one forces you to take the third Level (degree). If someone says that you HAVE to take the third degree or leave, then they are abusing you. If you join a Tradition that tells you up front that the Great Rite is required for third degree, then don't plan on getting the third degree till you accept this sexual aspect as a normal act or have a partner to do the Great Rite with. No Tradition with integrity will change their beliefs and precepts just for you.
As stated before, in the third and fourth centuries, Christianity managed to introduce a fear of Sex quite deeply into our culture. They inherited their attitude from Peter and Paul (of the Bible) who were woman haters at best. But they in turn were only following the Hebrew philosophy and it is the Hebrew tribe who appear to have first contracted the sickness. Even in Genesis it states that Adam and Eve were naked yet 'were not ashamed'. Ashamed? Why should they be?
The status of women was already quite low in the Jewish culture and the later Christians made women's positions worse still, to the point where it was supposed that women had no souls. The ideals of self denial and suffering lead to sex being a sin. Moreover it became the ultimate sin - the original sin, the sin of Adam and Eve, or rather just Eve because she got all the blame. Of course Mary could not have been guilty of such a sin so they had her conceive Jesus without sex - the immaculate conception. The Puritans took the concept even further to the point where at one time sex was permitted on only 12 days each year. Witches see sex as the union of opposites; opposites found in all aspects of life. When opposites unite: the two become one; Shiva and Shakti, Yin and Yang, Earth and Sky. This union is symbolized by the Great Rite, the ultimate ritual enacted between Initiates or Priest and Priestess.
The Great Rite of Witchcraft is a celebration of the sexual act on a physical level but more importantly on a spiritual level, enacting and experiencing the union of God and Goddess.
Unlike other religions Witches may bring deity within themselves. With the Goddess in the Priestess and the God in the Priest the sexual union becomes an intense religious experience in which the God and Goddess are brought back together in their bodies to become once again the source of all things, the Great Spirit. Witches believe that all sex is a sacred act. Witches revere nature and employ natural forces which are found in all sexual activities. Sexual tensions
between Priest and Priestess, whether consummated in intercourse or not, can produce energy which may be used for Magick. So what are the spiritual aspects of the male and female?
First, sex is the great mother and the great father; one is of no consequence without the other.
Second, Female, form; constraint; Binah on the tree of life. Third, Male: force, opposing form; Chokmah. Fourth, Polarity. The principle of polarity appears in so many religions: Shiva and Shakti in the Hindu religion. It was once part of the Gnostics' religion. Fifth, In Tai Chi'n: Yin and Yang. Sixth, Force and Form in the Cabala.
Some people think that Sex and Witchcraft are somehow synonymous and begin their studies expecting to find plenty of sex. In some pseudo-Wiccan or Witchcraft groups, there is nothing but sex, with plenty of S&M and B&D components. In other Wiccan groups the sexual act is not even mentioned except to say that sex is only symbolically enacted. In authentic Witchcraft covens, sexuality is present in both spiritual and physical aspects, with no shame or coercion.
Some Christians believe that sexual partners cannot enjoy sex, that they must somehow rise above it and suppress their feelings. That is wrong! The Great Mother and Great Father expects sex to be enjoyed in all it's forms. As it says in the Witches charge: "All acts of love and pleasure are my rituals."
Figurines such as the 'Venus of Willendorf' are perfect examples of the early reverence for fertility of a woman and her ability to give new life. This miracle of life was seen just as that, a miracle given to a woman by a deity, or the Goddess. A woman who was extremely fertile was considered to be favored by the Gods/Goddess and elevated within her tribal structure.
When early man realized it took two to create life, the pendulum slowly switched from focusing on the matriarch to the patriarch. As long as a woman could bear children, she still held great power within her tribe. When she grew older and less fertile, she often chose her successor. But her singular power shifted to be shared with a deserving male of the tribe.
Where the fertility of a woman was seen as a blessing or as the Goddess living through the woman, the strength and ability of a man to provide for the tribe was seen as the God blessing him. This is the early concept of the Horned God seen throughout legend and myth.
A LITTLE HISTORY
From the beginnings of recorded history, we know that in Mesopotamia and Chaldea,
Prostitution was a sacred profession, unlike today. Sacred Prostitution was seen as holy and practitioners were providing a service of the Goddess. A man would go to the temple and with an offering, he would request service of a Priestess within. His purpose was to gain favor of the Goddess for more children back at home with his wife, or an extra bit of fertility for his fields, or herds of sheep, cattle or camels. In lying with the Priestess he might feel blessed or honored, and go home full of confidence. He might dig extra irrigation ditches for his fields, or be more encouraged to lay with his wife.
To a great extent the myths of the Greeks is to a greater or lesser extent concerned with sex. The Greek pantheons constantly sought out human partners who's conceived children became demi-gods. These myths had both a good and bad side of their tale. On one hand, divine unions were seen as gifts from the Gods and often became ritualized. They became honored experiences even if they didn't yield a child. On the other hand some tribes such as the Sarothrae, involved the
sacrifice of young men at one point in their history. Some Priestess would lay with a young man and to ensure she would become pregnant, she carried a very sharp, leaf-shaped knife which she used to take the life of the man she lay with. Sacrificing his life would ensure his essence was transferred to her womb.
There is even evidence of Sex and the Goddess in Biblical Times. It is held by some historians that the Hebrew God Yaweh was originally a phallic deity. In fact it is an accept historical belief that the Hebrews were not always a monotheistic society. Phallic pillars were set up for worship in many of those early Hebrew villages, along with images of the Goddess Anat or Anath. Even today, the lineage of the faith is passed through the feminine side of the family. If a Jewish
woman marries outside the faith, her children can be counted as Jewish, but if a man marries outside the faith it's not straight forward.
Through many passages of the Bible we can see evidence of Goddess worship. In Judges V, the
Song of Deborah is a clear example. The story of Susanna and the elders is another example. If you can find an early version of the bible, you can see the ritualistic venue. Queen Esther is another 'goddess' symbol. If read with a perspective of the Great Rite, it becomes clear that this queen was also a priestess of the Goddess. Through his reign, her husband the king had to prove
his virility and therefore his right to lay with her. And don't forget the Songs of Solomon, which have been considered one of the most glorious love poems ever written.
Other Biblical considerations revolve around the use of language of the time. The use of rock or stone, didn't refer to the stability of God in ones life, but rather phallic symbology of the God.
From early historical times, even up to the middle ages, 'rocks' or 'stones' often referred to the male testicles, and of course, pillars to the penis. "Of the rock that begat thee thou are unmindful" Deuteronomy 32:18. "For who is God save the Lord? And who is a rock save our God" Samuel 2:32. "To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock." Psalm 62:2.
During the middle ages, oaths, promises and sworn statements were made 'with a hand laid upon the sacred stone'. When taking the oath of office and loyalty, the right hand of the official was placed beneath the testicles of the king. In parts of the Middle East, this is still practiced today.
All this began to change after the fall of Rome and with the rise of Christianity. Sex began to be denied both as a source of magickal power and of pleasure between partners. Where as sex was seen as a gift from the gods, it was now a sin and to find pleasure was an influence of the Devil.
By this time, women were seen as the temptress who could drag a man down into the pits of hell and the only way to keep her from having that control, she must be subservient to her husband, brother, or even her son. Her sole value became her ability to bear children which quickly became a bargain point as a bribe or a prize of war.
Items such as a Chastity belt became common place, but were deadly for the woman who wore them. After years of being forced in such contraptions, a woman would develop various diseases, including blood poisoning. During this time, a woman's life expectancy was no more than 30 years. Her entire value, power and favored desires were forgotten and tossed aside.
SACRED SEXUALITY PART THREE: SEX MAGICK
Sex is one of THE most powerful energies on the planet. To grasp its awesome and often overlooked power, take a look at the starving Somalis. Take away their food, take away their dignity, humiliate and torture them and THEY STILL MAKE BABIES!!!
Sex Magick is based on the ability of the participants, to generate a great deal of energy during the sexual union. At the point of orgasm the conscious mind merges with the unconscious mind just as it does on the boundary of alpha. If a visualization is held at this time it will move into the unconscious mind and from there to the collective unconscious. This is the same high energy Magick that is yielded with sacrifice and in a way it is a sacrifice; the man sacrifices his seed, the woman sacrifices her will; both sacrifice their bodies and minds to the Great Mother and Great Father, The Great Spirit of All Sex and magick have long gone hand in hand. This is nothing new and contrary to 'moral' attitudes, it's not something that's done just to get laid. Linking the sexual act with divine forces was an easy leap for early man. Prehistoric tribes documented their divine rituals through cave paintings which depict this idea fairly well.
It has been discovered that contraception devices have existed in several societies that are at least 20,000 years old. There is no evidence that it was new at the time that the devices were made.
There is no evidence that prehistoric tribes did not understand the relationship between sex and birth. This is an issue of the attitude not of the facts. Superiority can be a dangerous thing when claiming "facts" of the past that have no evidence. Face it, in the middle ages prostitutes used sponges soaked in wine. This is a historical fact. Now how many of those sponges do you think will be hanging around, not decomposed, in our garbage dumps. waiting to be discovered 20,000 years from now? And if any, how many future archaeologists will recognize that they are birth control sponges, not kitchen sponges?)
However it is possible to extend this state of mind for a long period and perform extended Magick. While locked in sexual union it is possible to be quite rational and work several intents in the one session. With sexual contact and stimulation but without orgasm until the end, a great deal of energy can be raised and may be perpetuated for long periods by Teacher and Student or Priest and Priestess facing each other and meditating while keeping each other at heightened sexual tension. Such activity is known as polarity working; it is like holding two magnets close together but never letting them touch.
Masturbation can also produce sexual energy (although not as much as polarity sex) for Magickal purpose. All you need to do is cast your circle and facing the altar draw into yourself the God if you are a Priest or the Goddess if you are a Priestess. Then visualize the opposite deity in your hand and stimulate yourself slowly, building up as much energy as you can before orgasm.
Masturbation of one partner by the other also raises considerable energy. One partner is active while one is passive, one lays down while the other strokes his or her body, getting closer to the genitals and building up as high a level of tension as possible before release. As he/she orgasms both can direct the massive flow of energy to the Magickal intent. As with all Magick there is a spiritual element: all Magickal power comes from Mother Earth, the Great Mother, the Goddess. Not necessarily directly but when indirectly working Magick, the power of the Witch comes from Her. Thus the Great Rite when used for Magick is still a sacred and spiritual act.
Within our loins lies an energy that has the potential to create ANY reality we want. Unfortunately, most humans have a love/hate relationship with sex that is reflected in many ways (i.e., promiscuity, self-destructive emotions, denial, shutdown, religious intolerance, rape, abuse, etc.). Religion has done much to suppress our divine sexual nature and has kept the masses ignorant of the potential uses of sexual energy.
When we accept and embrace our sexual nature we are free to use its awesome power for our benefit. We no longer worship it or deny it. We come into balance and view our sexuality as part of our divinity. It becomes joyful, light and loving. We learn to use sex for more than procreation or sensual gratification.
Sex is creative energy. Magick is the art of creating reality. True magic is simply the art of creating what you want. We can liken all the processes given to us by masters and teachers (Sarah, Taliesin, Seth, Alexander, Abraham, Avatar, etc.), as tools in our magician's or Shaman's bag. People who consciously and deliberately create their reality are the ultimate magicians on the planet.
Sex Magic is based on the belief that the most powerful moment of human existence is the orgasm. Sex Magic is the art of utilizing sexual orgasm to create a reality and/or expand consciousness. All senses and psychic powers are heightened during orgasm. It is a moment when a window opens to the unlimited abundance of the unlimited universe.
Some may argue that they fantasize about some person or event during sex and it never materializes into a reality. This is because most of us, at the moment of orgasm, lose our focus and get lost in the physical response. That's okay, there's nothing wrong with using sex for pure pleasure. That intention is also a created reality. Sex Magick is about maintaining one's focus during orgasm and channeling the energy into creating a reality. Any reality, whether it's creating a new job, car, experience, relationship, etc.
The Process:
Relax and breathe deeply. Breathing deeply is key to the success of Sex Magic. Take your time and relax your body, especially your jaw and belly.
Identify what you want to create. It's important to choose something that really excites you. Make it specific. You can write it down or say it out loud as a mantra or affirmation. Make it in the present tense or as if it's a reality already (i.e., "I earn $85,000 per year.")
Focus on the creation. See, hear, taste, smell and feel the creation as if it's real. Visualize yourself in the creation. For example, what is your life like when you earn that $85,000? What does it FEEL like? Make it big, in Technicolour, with all your focus and intention. Breathe into it. Now, when you've identified the feeling and/or picture that best captures what you want to create, FILE IT AWAY in your mind and relax. (You may want to practice a bit with this step before proceeding.)
Do whatever brings you almost to orgasm. This can be masturbation or sexual activity with a supportive partner. Remember to relax and breathe into your orgasmic state. Take your time. Bring yourself almost to orgasm, backing off just before the point-of- no-return, several or more times. What you're doing here is charging up the sexual battery.
I'll digress here for a moment. It's easier for women to do this process because orgasm is usually not an energy drain for them (as long as they're not engaging in wild, aerobic and physically exhausting sex). Women are able to climax multiple times ("Riding the Bliss-Wave" in Tantra) generating tremendous energy from it. So, to my sisters, I encourage you to relax, breathe, and have fun. It's also very helpful to strengthen your PC/vaginal muscle and get in touch with your G/Sacred Spot. There are many good books which cover this. My favorite is "The Art of Sexual Ecstasy" by Margo Anand. In future lessons you will be taught a "Yoni Massage" that you can use with a supportive partner in conjunction with Sex Magick.
Men are another story because their orgasmic energy is usually expelled out of their pelvis, in their semen, and out of their body. Fortunately this can be handled! Unfortunately I won't be able to teach you within the limits of e-mail. I encourage my brothers to learn and practice the art of ejaculatory control (I prefer the term Ejaculatory Mastery) and create an Injaculation. There are several good books about this. Margo Anand's book covers this. For the time being, just relax, breathe and come CLOSE to ejaculation SIX times before you release your semen. I'll follow-up with the Lingam Massage" that you can use with a supportive partner in conjunction with learning Sex Magick.
When you have almost reached orgasm, after coming close several times and you're ready to let go, recall from your mind the reality you want to create and energize it with focused intention. Make it vivid, exciting, big and beautiful.
When you orgasm, keep focused on the picture/creation and deliberately channel the orgasm into it. Just let it flow into the reality you want to create. Remember to keep breathing during the orgasm and breathe your orgasmic energy into your creation/ goal/dream/reality. Stay focused and hold the picture. Your body will do the rest (this is why a partner is very helpful -- they can do the physical work for you :-).
You can repeat the process if you want to come to another orgasm.
The reality will create itself immediately or will be buffered by time. It may also manifest as an opportunity, insight, healing, etc. The power of Sex Magick will blow your mind as you master it! Have fun with your creations.
FURTHER READING
This document is an introduction into the concept behind the Great Rite and a few of the rituals which use it's energy. Further reading prior to anyone practicing this rite is required. I have purposely given this document a high level explanation and have intentionally left out how the ritual is invoked. Primarily because of the ease to misuse this rite.
Sources:
Red Dragon Power, and Sex Magick, Rhuddlwm Gawr, Camelot Press, 1976
The Art of Sexual Ecstasy by Margo Anand, 1996
An ABC of Witchcraft Past & Present, Doreen Valiente, St. Martin's Press, 1973.
A Witches Bible Complete, Janet and Stewart Farrar, Magickal Childe, 1984.
GreenFire: Making Love with the Goddess, Sirona Knight, Llewellyn Publications, 1995.
Lust for Enlightenment: Buddhism and Sex, John Stevens, Shambala, 1990.
Patterns in Comparative Religion, Mircea Eliade, Meridian, 1958.
Sex in the World's Religions, Geoffrey Parrinder, Sheldon Press,1980.
When God Was A Woman, Merlin Stone, Barnes & Noble, Inc., 1976.
WitchCraft for Tomorrow, Doreen Valiente, St Edmundsbury Press, 1978.
Copyright 2005 - Celtic Church of Dynion Mwyn Inc.
Distributed free by:
The Celtic Church of Dynion Mwyn, Inc.
Welsh Traditional Dewiniaeth
P.O. Box 672125
Marietta, Georgia 30006-0036
"The couple steps slowly from among the trees moving out into the farmer's dark fields, their robes rustling gently against each other as they move hand-in-hand toward the center, leaving a trail of footprints in the damp freshly turned earth. Finally, the woman stops and with a gesture to her partner, both remove their robes to stand facing each other veiled only by the lunar light. Murmured words in honor of Gods long forgotten by most are carried upon the gentle breeze to be lost among the furrows. Silent gestures are made to the four quarters that surround them. They lie down together, to join as one upon the waiting earth. The couple has come to enact an ancient tradition of their faith; they have come to bless the fields, to invigorate them with renewed life and energies in the ways of their ancestors. Although the couple is alone in the fields, they are not alone in their observances of this ancient ritual, for rites like these have been honored the world over since the dawn of man."
Sex in religion is not a new concept. It has been practiced by most, if not all religions to date.
The connection of Witchcraft, Wicca, and Paganism in general, with sexual rites has always drawn attention to it, for there is a relationship in Witchcraft between sex, religion and Magick. People have always been conscious of the Magical element of sex since the beginning of time.
This is why most cultures the world over have sought to control its subjects by imposing rules and regulations or otherwise influencing their sexual practices. Lost from view to many is the quality of experience and the sexual harmony which such activities bring into a person's life. Today, even with such "taboo" social customs being relaxed and contraception more plentiful than ever before, people are still in bondage to the false teaching and biased concepts of Christianity, they were subjected to, and influenced by, during their formative years. We all look at things through our own personal knowledge and experience, and the teachings learned from others.
We adopt an attitude based on culture and traditions given to us, and it is at times difficult to set these aside in order to fully comprehend something which appears to conflict with those teachings...especially words or actions which have been labeled "bad," "naughty," "sinful" or perhaps even "against God."
Witchcraft is a religion that accepts sexuality as wholly natural and good, as much a part of ourselves as that of nature, and continues from there to gain a fuller and greater understanding of male-female polarity and how to make constructive use of it. Yet while Witchcraft encompasses these ideas, it did not originate them. When people become aware of the earth's cycles, they realize the importance of renewal and creation. The goddess, or female aspect of life, becomes the embodiment of the earth's fertility and the constant rebirth of the cycle of life. Sexual expression figures predominately in this renewal and the re-creation of life. To gain a better understanding of where these ideas came from, we must travel into our past, across different continents and through many cultures.
Many of the concepts, attitudes, influences and understanding of humankind as a spiritual and sexual being come to us from the East. In India, rites of sexual union can be traced back to the Vedas, poems that were mainly of invocations and sacrifice to their gods. For these people, marriage itself was seen as a form of sacrifice, and a man who remained unmarried was called "one without sacrifice." The Vedas were chiefly meant to accompany a libation that would be given in honor of the gods. Later on, in the verses of the Upanishad, sexual intercourse began to be described as a ritual ceremony, and in much greater detail. From these times we can then trace the beliefs that the rewards of a sacrifice could be obtained by a ritually consummated sexual union of man and woman. At this point, sexual intercourse was then not only seen as a physical action related to procreation of children or physical release, it was given the value and honor of a religious ritual, a concept that would prepare the way for the la ter developments known as Tantra.
The name Tantra was given to the teachings of several Hindu and Buddhist sects which worshiped divinities or beings especially concerned with sexual energy, and several ecstatic cults were inspired by visions of cosmic sexuality. The oldest texts that have survived are of Buddhist origin and date from the fifth century CE, although the actual practices went back to prehistory. In Tantra, the greatest energy was sexual and the sexual organs represented cosmic powers. Sexual intercourse of any kind, between husband and wife, different partners, or even with temple girls was treated in a ritual fashion. During these times, temples usually had girls given to them as a gift to the Gods. They were then seen as married to the deity, often Krishna or Shiva, much as with some religions today. Sexual relations between temple women, or qadishtu, and others were practiced in most temples and the women were always present to meet the needs of pilgrims who traveled there. Returning soldiers would consummate such rites in order to renew themselves after the acts of war they'd performed and the debt of blood that they had acquired. In receiving the blessings of the Goddess, they were revitalized and cleansed of their guilt and bad habits. Some cultures expected all women to serve at least some period of time at the temple in this capacity; Biblical references speak of women, even those who were married, living in the temples, free to come and go as they pleased. In some cases, the qadishtu were made available for a small fee paid in the form of food offerings or money. Any monies generated would then go towards their support and that of the temple.
Sexual union through these rituals, and others like them, was transformed into a ceremonial rite through which the human couple became a divine pair, a source of divine energy. The rite was prepared by meditation and ceremonies to make it fruitful, for physical union alone was not thought to be sufficient to bring divine influences. The act of sex was conducted in a formal way, and was not promiscuous. Union was not a quick relief in orgasm by either party but a long process which involved such elements as intense erotic caresses and uniting as one in different postures, a process for which the Kama Sutra and other sex manuals of the time were of great help. These procedures and positions were used with the aim of enabling the energies of male and female to pass into each other. The bringing together of separate individuals was then transcended in full union and inter-penetration, each holding and merging with the other. These unions thus provided a complete model of the union of God/ess and the souls of the individuals.
Tantrics worshiped female and male deities who were depicted in the embraces of union. Buddhism taught that Buddha himself was said to be united in continuous sexual activity, for he revealed the truth that "Buddha-hood abides in the yoni (vulva). This image was not restricted to just a select few within the society or culture; Buddhist art, like Hindu, often expressed this divine union in sexual imagery. Buddha and Bodhisattva, "beings of enlightenment," were painted and sculpted in the act of sexual union, and displayed with honor both within and without temple walls and shrines everywhere.
In the history of humanity, duality of the sexes is one of the oldest and most usual way of representing universal powers and relationships. This symbolism was not restricted to India but can be seen in many cultures. Such terms as "Father Heaven and Mother Earth," "Zeus and Demeter," "Sun and Moon," "Shiva and Shakti," "Yang and Yin" can be found throughout history and in a great number of cultures including the Celtic Culture, from which Welsh Witchcraft is Derived.
Naturalistic opposing cycles such as the alternation of day and night, summer and winter, youth and age, led early Chinese Buddhists to believe in the interaction of dual cosmic forces.
According to their beliefs, mankind functioned in the same way as the universe, and human sexual intercourse was like the union of heaven and earth which mate during rainstorms. As times changed and thoughts differed, some of the symbolism of sun and moon, or heaven and earth came to be replaced around the fourth century B.C.E. by the more formal terms of Yang and Yin. In spite of this change, the symbolic mating of heaven and earth in storms remains to this day. The term "clouds and rain" remains a standard expression for sexual intercourse.
The concept of Yin and Yang has been compared to the Dark and Light of Zoroastrianism, and the dualism of evil and good which arose from that school of thought. But Yin and Yang are not opposed; they are interdependent, like woman and man. The goal or action was not the triumph of one element over the other, but a perfect balance of the two principles. Greek notions, as those in India and Persia, of the undivided male and female as the ultimate unity with the divine,
was represented in China by the symbol of a circle. During the eleventh century B.C.E., Neo-Confucian scholars of the time represented this concept of the undivided circle known as t'ai chi t'u, "the supreme ultimate." The circle was divided into two pear-shaped halves of dark and light, Yin and Yang. The dark Yin half contained a white dot indicating the Yang embryo within it, and the light Yang half had a black dot designating the Yin element in it.
Followers of Buddha were not the only ones to follow these concepts. From the highest to the lowest levels of Chinese society, followers of Tao also sought to cultivate sexual energy and unite Yin and Yang. In these schools of thought, mutual exchanges of Yin and Yang essences were thought to produce perfect harmony, and sexual intercourse, instead of declining with age, was believed to increase vigor and bring long life. Of course, the different schools of thought had some opposing views as well. Some of the sexual techniques the Tantrics used, such as
sexual union without emission actually occurring, were greatly opposed by the Confucians and Buddhists. Taoism considered the idea of continence to be against the rhythm of nature, and that Buddhist ideas on celibacy and abstinence would lead to neurosis.
Not all religions worshiped both male and female Gods. Accordingly, the idea of divine union was different as well. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are exclusively monotheistic religions and within them there is no sexual duality in the deity. The divine was no longer seen in the sacred union of man and woman, as with the earlier beliefs, but the union between God and man. Man was no longer seen as being a part of the nature that surrounded him, but separate or above it.
Due to the religious concepts of Christianity and teachings in some sects, sex was no longer honored, but actually defiled. The new religion was influenced also by early Greek teachings that brought forth several schools of thought. The Stoic philosophy sought to teach that one should live in harmony with reason or nature, which was the only good and everything else was indifferent, but this in turn tended to cause the rejection of family ties.
There were many forms of Gnosticism which affected the early Church. These ideas led to the concepts of the universe being composed of matter and God, with all goodness coming from God and all evil coming from matter. It was taught by the Manichees that matter was female, the "mother of all demons," and the soul was imprisoned within it. It was their thought that the object of religion was to release the soul, and severe asceticism was practiced to this end within
some groups. In Judaism, early Mystic Cabbalists used hidden sexual symbolism to describe the concept of divine union, and primeval procreation and erotic terminology was used in some Hasidic writings that promoted violent movements in prayer, described as "copulation" with the Shekhinah, a term which meant "indwelling" or "the immanence and omnipresence of God." In the early church, physical sexual imagery was used to reflect mystical relationships; men and
women spoke of raptures, or being rapt, which comes from the same root as "raped." However, the difference was in the willing consent of abandonment to their God.
Later, in the fifth century, Augustine, the Bishop of Hippo in northern Africa, emerged as an influential and disastrous teacher on the subject of sex and sexual union in Christianity. He believed strongly in the concept of "Original Sin" which he virtually equated with sexual emotion, so that every act of sex was intrinsically evil. The freedom to experience the sexual became so limited that the idea of any sexual union in marriage which was not for the sole purpose of producing children was forbidden. This then was the only justifiable sexual act that man could engage in. The idea that pleasure from or "lust" for sexual intercourse was sinful stems from these teachings as well. This feeling continues to have influence upon much of the Christian ethics in their religion today.
While much of medieval Europe became influenced by these teachings as the church spread, the people who lived in the countryside, away from the towns, held to their older personal beliefs that had been handed down through generations, usually through a matriarchal lineage. These people became known as Pagani or pagans. Much of their ancient lore and traditions are still followed, although much has been mingled with other cultures over the years or has been hidden
away in the guise of other themes. Like th e ancient cultures in India, these people also saw divinity as being within humans, not separate or "out there" somewhere. Men & women were seen as being a part of God & Goddess and, through their union, brought forth the energies of creation into the universe. They saw the sexual union as a reflection of the duality of nature which is so much a part of their lives.
This union, held in high esteem and honor, was seen in the fertility rites as well. It was traditional for couples, usually the May Queen & her selected May King or the High Priestess and High Priest, to bless the fields and promote fertility of the land during spring rites. These and other similar practices were held amid great celebration and merriment. In some cultures, entire communities would join together to enact rites which would promote the growth of the fields and thus ensure a bountiful harvest in preparation for the coming harshness of winter. Today, elements of these fertility rites can still be seen in the raising of the Maypole and the dancing of children at its base. Traditionally, a flower crown, representing the womb of life, is placed atop the Maypole.
The pole itself represents the male principle and is bedecked with red & white ribbons which the children hold and, while dancing around the base, entwine them together. The children, of course, represent the life that results from this cosmic union. The Maypole is a representation of the hieros gamos or Sacred Marriage of the God & Goddess.
The Craft is, and always has been, a fertility religion. As such, it is a life-affirming faith, instead of a life-repressing one. Many of its followers throughout the ages have not been intellectuals, but people who were often unschooled, and who were not concerned as much with esoteric teachings. Magic works though the instincts and emotions, the fundamental things that man was
born with; it does not rely solely on intellect. Sex is one of the most fundamental and instinctive drives; consequently it can produce one of the most potent of Magical rites when correctly understood and used.
An example of Witchcraft's concern with the forces of fertility can be seen in its practices of moon worship. It is not the moon itself which is being worshiped, but the feminine power of Nature that it represents. The moon has always been intimately connected with fertility, both of the earth and human beings. A woman's monthly fertility cycle is thought to be ruled by the moon; the semen of the male is viewed as being ruled by the moon in astrology. The Sun also has a part to play in the cycle. Sun worship was also the worship of Life, for without the light from the sun, the crops would wither and die. The sun is seen as the father of fire; the moon is the mother of water. Without these two principles, life as we know it would not exist on this planet.
All of Nature is seen as dependent upon the universal interplay of these positive and negative forces, counterbalancing and complementary to each other. Positive and negative; fire and water; sun and moon; man and woman; God and Goddess. This then is some of the beliefs behind the sexual rites of fertility religions.
Typically, the persons involved in an actual rite have established a strong working relationship such as a Priestess and Priest of a coven, or a High Priestess and a student, and they are responsible and mature in their actions. Much attention has been drawn to these types of rituals; tales of wild orgies and dancing naked in the night around a fire, whether real or imagined, sells newspapers and books and are quite often used to make money.
In spite of these stories, the truth is that Witchcraft ethics do not allow coercion or actions that would be considered harmful to others. These rituals are not an excuse for sex, but they are the ultimate in sexual energy generation. One may join a coven and never see an actual great rite performed, for these rites are normally conducted privately, by elders, away from even the other members of the group. But, if one is a suitable sexual partner and care is given to completely
inform the student of the dangers and techniques involved in Sexual energy working, they may take part. All ethical and valid spiritual groups today will require students to be of legal age before they are even considered or accepted for training in sexual Magick. If they don't, they aren't ethical and you should steer away from them. They should reveal all aspects of the sexual working completely in the form of informed consent by the student.
Although the sacred union has been traditionally expressed by the concepts of male/female, there are groups and individuals who work male/male and female/female. Each of us contains elements of the opposite sex within. By acknowledging these forces within ourselves, such unions are accordingly seen as divine as well. But, it has also been found that sexual energy between men and women is the most powerful.
According to early doctrines on Tantra, homosexuality in India was treated in various ways depending on the culture. Open conduct between two women might result in a beating or perhaps having the head shaved; males, however, usually received less punishment, if any at all, as male homosexuality was seen as quite common and not a perversion.
The viewpoint in China during this time was more tolerant. Female lesbian acts were considered bound to prevail and nothing was done to discourage the practice in the women's quarters, wherethey would satisfy themselves or each other, naturally or with artificial means. Homosexuality was tolerated among adult males because intimate contact between two Yang elements could not result in the loss of vital force. Male friendship was one of the Confucian virtues, and was often expressed in warm terms. It wasn't until later, when the teaching of the Semitic religions spread, that the concept of same-gender union or any union other than male-female for the strict purpose of producing children, was viewed as evil and considered unnatural in any form.
Pagan religions do not hold these beliefs, although many people, having come from a Christian background, still retain some of this religion's bias which was taught to them from childhood. In the Pagan view, sexuality between loving adults is sacred, no matter what the combination of gender among the partners.
"After a time, the two arise together and dress, their goal accomplished, the ritual ended. She stands, pressing her head against his chest looking out over the fields, as they both listen to the whispers of the wind and enjoy a private relationship with the warm earth. Finally, they murmur words of thanks to their
deities, gesture silently again to the four quarters, thanking them for their attendance. Then, hand-in-hand, they walk back toward the woods, to return to the twentieth century and the mundane world."
SACRED SEXUALITY PART TWO: THE GREAT RITE
As shown above, sex has always been an integral and unavoidable aspect of Witchcraft. It was an element of Western spirituality that was part of Druidry, It is a part of Dynion Mwyn, and was included in the founding of Wicca by Gerald Gardner. It is a reflection of the male/female forces of the universe as seen by many religions.
Although no one should try to coerce or shame you into it, it is very important to understand it.
The Great Mother is sex; The "Old Ones" are sex, because all life is perpetuated by sex, the splitting of genes and union with the genes of another. The DNA spiral is the Great Mother.
While the sex act can be fantastic, the result of it is even better, new life, children, cubs, chicks.
In the faces of children can be seen Her great work.
UNDERSTANDING THE GREAT RITE
The Great Rite is probably the most well known or heard about of pagan rituals. It is a rite of sexual intercourse that pays homage to the polarity of male/female; god/goddess, priest/priestess. This polarity exists in all things in and around the universe. The Great Rite therefore expresses the physical, mental, spiritual and astral union between a man and woman as representations of the God and Goddess.
To many the Great Rite is the Hieros Gamos, The Sacred Marriage or the Holy Matrimony, which is the union of the God Head (spirit). It's the top of the spiritual trinity, whose base is the God and Goddess. This concept is nothing new and dates back to neolithic periods. Ancient kings required Hieros Gamos, which was a union with a priestess representing the Goddess, in order to rule.
Depending on the tradition, the Great rite is performed within a Magick Circle between Initiates. It is also performed for Sex Magick and sometimes performed at full moons, for seasonal festivals, and especially Handfasting between the newly married couple.
At times it is used as an Initiation into a coven (such as 3rd degree initiations in the Gardnerian and Alexandrian traditions and the third level initiation in the Dynion Mwyn tradition), representing the inner marriage of the soul and spirit, ego and self. It is the gateway to becoming a whole being. In these types of initiations, the Rite is performed between the initiate and the High Priest, or High Priestess.
An open portion of the rite is performed within the circle in front of the coven, and the intimate union is performed in private. Gerald Gardner had the Great Rite performed with the coven watching. He also favored ritual scourging as part of the rite. Other covens perform a portion of the ritual with everyone watching and then those forming the circle would turn their back on the couple in the center. Others have the circle members walk backwards out of the sacred space, then turn and file out clockwise leaving the couple in private but within the circle. Others still open one section of the circle and allowed the couple to exit to their own private space, which is typically a circle that was earlier prepared by the couple.
The Rite may be performed in many formats. There are several rituals performed with the Great Rite for varying purposes, here are just a few.
1. The Rite of Pan
2. The Rite of the Horned God
3. The Rite of the Moon Cup
4. The Dance of Love
5. The Ritual of the Hawthorn Tower
6. The Raising of Gwydion
7. The Two of Swords
8. The Grail of Grace
9. The Mask of Crystal
10. The Calling of a Soul
11. The House of the Goddess
12. The Adoration of the Pillar
13. The Rite that is Left Undone
Each of these empowers the rite with the energy of the union for specific purpose, but can be for different meanings. The Rite of the Horned God honors the great hunter and provider of a Tribe for instance.
In the Rite of Pan, the male force is the hunter and the female force the prey. Through out the ritual the struggle between male and female is established, but before the rite is realized, an understanding is gained that while the male is strong on the earth/physical sphere, the female is equally strong on the above/spiritual sphere.
In the Rite of the Moon Cup, the woman is the summoner, and the man her target. She is the daughter of the Moon, her representation on earth. He is Lord of the Forest who pays homage to the Goddess (the moon) for his domain.
The Great Rite can be used as a positive act just as easily as it can be used for abuse. While modern attitudes about sex are puritanical in many circles, within the pagan world, it is simply a part of nature. This energy of union is part of the miracle of love between two people. It's energy is more than just physical gratification, it can become a prayer, a method of worship, honoring the Great Spirits in the form of the God and Goddess joining to form the God Head (Spirit).
All practitioners MUST understand the rights they hold within a group and within any ritual.
Demanding sexual favors in return for something badly needed, or desired is misuse. Demanding a coupling for an initiation when the initiate is not comfortable with the union, is misuse. The causing of pain, terror and humiliation is the act of rape and is more than a misuse, it is a spiritual sin even within the pagan world. It is the desecration.
No one forces you to take the third Level (degree). If someone says that you HAVE to take the third degree or leave, then they are abusing you. If you join a Tradition that tells you up front that the Great Rite is required for third degree, then don't plan on getting the third degree till you accept this sexual aspect as a normal act or have a partner to do the Great Rite with. No Tradition with integrity will change their beliefs and precepts just for you.
As stated before, in the third and fourth centuries, Christianity managed to introduce a fear of Sex quite deeply into our culture. They inherited their attitude from Peter and Paul (of the Bible) who were woman haters at best. But they in turn were only following the Hebrew philosophy and it is the Hebrew tribe who appear to have first contracted the sickness. Even in Genesis it states that Adam and Eve were naked yet 'were not ashamed'. Ashamed? Why should they be?
The status of women was already quite low in the Jewish culture and the later Christians made women's positions worse still, to the point where it was supposed that women had no souls. The ideals of self denial and suffering lead to sex being a sin. Moreover it became the ultimate sin - the original sin, the sin of Adam and Eve, or rather just Eve because she got all the blame. Of course Mary could not have been guilty of such a sin so they had her conceive Jesus without sex - the immaculate conception. The Puritans took the concept even further to the point where at one time sex was permitted on only 12 days each year. Witches see sex as the union of opposites; opposites found in all aspects of life. When opposites unite: the two become one; Shiva and Shakti, Yin and Yang, Earth and Sky. This union is symbolized by the Great Rite, the ultimate ritual enacted between Initiates or Priest and Priestess.
The Great Rite of Witchcraft is a celebration of the sexual act on a physical level but more importantly on a spiritual level, enacting and experiencing the union of God and Goddess.
Unlike other religions Witches may bring deity within themselves. With the Goddess in the Priestess and the God in the Priest the sexual union becomes an intense religious experience in which the God and Goddess are brought back together in their bodies to become once again the source of all things, the Great Spirit. Witches believe that all sex is a sacred act. Witches revere nature and employ natural forces which are found in all sexual activities. Sexual tensions
between Priest and Priestess, whether consummated in intercourse or not, can produce energy which may be used for Magick. So what are the spiritual aspects of the male and female?
First, sex is the great mother and the great father; one is of no consequence without the other.
Second, Female, form; constraint; Binah on the tree of life. Third, Male: force, opposing form; Chokmah. Fourth, Polarity. The principle of polarity appears in so many religions: Shiva and Shakti in the Hindu religion. It was once part of the Gnostics' religion. Fifth, In Tai Chi'n: Yin and Yang. Sixth, Force and Form in the Cabala.
Some people think that Sex and Witchcraft are somehow synonymous and begin their studies expecting to find plenty of sex. In some pseudo-Wiccan or Witchcraft groups, there is nothing but sex, with plenty of S&M and B&D components. In other Wiccan groups the sexual act is not even mentioned except to say that sex is only symbolically enacted. In authentic Witchcraft covens, sexuality is present in both spiritual and physical aspects, with no shame or coercion.
Some Christians believe that sexual partners cannot enjoy sex, that they must somehow rise above it and suppress their feelings. That is wrong! The Great Mother and Great Father expects sex to be enjoyed in all it's forms. As it says in the Witches charge: "All acts of love and pleasure are my rituals."
Figurines such as the 'Venus of Willendorf' are perfect examples of the early reverence for fertility of a woman and her ability to give new life. This miracle of life was seen just as that, a miracle given to a woman by a deity, or the Goddess. A woman who was extremely fertile was considered to be favored by the Gods/Goddess and elevated within her tribal structure.
When early man realized it took two to create life, the pendulum slowly switched from focusing on the matriarch to the patriarch. As long as a woman could bear children, she still held great power within her tribe. When she grew older and less fertile, she often chose her successor. But her singular power shifted to be shared with a deserving male of the tribe.
Where the fertility of a woman was seen as a blessing or as the Goddess living through the woman, the strength and ability of a man to provide for the tribe was seen as the God blessing him. This is the early concept of the Horned God seen throughout legend and myth.
A LITTLE HISTORY
From the beginnings of recorded history, we know that in Mesopotamia and Chaldea,
Prostitution was a sacred profession, unlike today. Sacred Prostitution was seen as holy and practitioners were providing a service of the Goddess. A man would go to the temple and with an offering, he would request service of a Priestess within. His purpose was to gain favor of the Goddess for more children back at home with his wife, or an extra bit of fertility for his fields, or herds of sheep, cattle or camels. In lying with the Priestess he might feel blessed or honored, and go home full of confidence. He might dig extra irrigation ditches for his fields, or be more encouraged to lay with his wife.
To a great extent the myths of the Greeks is to a greater or lesser extent concerned with sex. The Greek pantheons constantly sought out human partners who's conceived children became demi-gods. These myths had both a good and bad side of their tale. On one hand, divine unions were seen as gifts from the Gods and often became ritualized. They became honored experiences even if they didn't yield a child. On the other hand some tribes such as the Sarothrae, involved the
sacrifice of young men at one point in their history. Some Priestess would lay with a young man and to ensure she would become pregnant, she carried a very sharp, leaf-shaped knife which she used to take the life of the man she lay with. Sacrificing his life would ensure his essence was transferred to her womb.
There is even evidence of Sex and the Goddess in Biblical Times. It is held by some historians that the Hebrew God Yaweh was originally a phallic deity. In fact it is an accept historical belief that the Hebrews were not always a monotheistic society. Phallic pillars were set up for worship in many of those early Hebrew villages, along with images of the Goddess Anat or Anath. Even today, the lineage of the faith is passed through the feminine side of the family. If a Jewish
woman marries outside the faith, her children can be counted as Jewish, but if a man marries outside the faith it's not straight forward.
Through many passages of the Bible we can see evidence of Goddess worship. In Judges V, the
Song of Deborah is a clear example. The story of Susanna and the elders is another example. If you can find an early version of the bible, you can see the ritualistic venue. Queen Esther is another 'goddess' symbol. If read with a perspective of the Great Rite, it becomes clear that this queen was also a priestess of the Goddess. Through his reign, her husband the king had to prove
his virility and therefore his right to lay with her. And don't forget the Songs of Solomon, which have been considered one of the most glorious love poems ever written.
Other Biblical considerations revolve around the use of language of the time. The use of rock or stone, didn't refer to the stability of God in ones life, but rather phallic symbology of the God.
From early historical times, even up to the middle ages, 'rocks' or 'stones' often referred to the male testicles, and of course, pillars to the penis. "Of the rock that begat thee thou are unmindful" Deuteronomy 32:18. "For who is God save the Lord? And who is a rock save our God" Samuel 2:32. "To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock." Psalm 62:2.
During the middle ages, oaths, promises and sworn statements were made 'with a hand laid upon the sacred stone'. When taking the oath of office and loyalty, the right hand of the official was placed beneath the testicles of the king. In parts of the Middle East, this is still practiced today.
All this began to change after the fall of Rome and with the rise of Christianity. Sex began to be denied both as a source of magickal power and of pleasure between partners. Where as sex was seen as a gift from the gods, it was now a sin and to find pleasure was an influence of the Devil.
By this time, women were seen as the temptress who could drag a man down into the pits of hell and the only way to keep her from having that control, she must be subservient to her husband, brother, or even her son. Her sole value became her ability to bear children which quickly became a bargain point as a bribe or a prize of war.
Items such as a Chastity belt became common place, but were deadly for the woman who wore them. After years of being forced in such contraptions, a woman would develop various diseases, including blood poisoning. During this time, a woman's life expectancy was no more than 30 years. Her entire value, power and favored desires were forgotten and tossed aside.
SACRED SEXUALITY PART THREE: SEX MAGICK
Sex is one of THE most powerful energies on the planet. To grasp its awesome and often overlooked power, take a look at the starving Somalis. Take away their food, take away their dignity, humiliate and torture them and THEY STILL MAKE BABIES!!!
Sex Magick is based on the ability of the participants, to generate a great deal of energy during the sexual union. At the point of orgasm the conscious mind merges with the unconscious mind just as it does on the boundary of alpha. If a visualization is held at this time it will move into the unconscious mind and from there to the collective unconscious. This is the same high energy Magick that is yielded with sacrifice and in a way it is a sacrifice; the man sacrifices his seed, the woman sacrifices her will; both sacrifice their bodies and minds to the Great Mother and Great Father, The Great Spirit of All Sex and magick have long gone hand in hand. This is nothing new and contrary to 'moral' attitudes, it's not something that's done just to get laid. Linking the sexual act with divine forces was an easy leap for early man. Prehistoric tribes documented their divine rituals through cave paintings which depict this idea fairly well.
It has been discovered that contraception devices have existed in several societies that are at least 20,000 years old. There is no evidence that it was new at the time that the devices were made.
There is no evidence that prehistoric tribes did not understand the relationship between sex and birth. This is an issue of the attitude not of the facts. Superiority can be a dangerous thing when claiming "facts" of the past that have no evidence. Face it, in the middle ages prostitutes used sponges soaked in wine. This is a historical fact. Now how many of those sponges do you think will be hanging around, not decomposed, in our garbage dumps. waiting to be discovered 20,000 years from now? And if any, how many future archaeologists will recognize that they are birth control sponges, not kitchen sponges?)
However it is possible to extend this state of mind for a long period and perform extended Magick. While locked in sexual union it is possible to be quite rational and work several intents in the one session. With sexual contact and stimulation but without orgasm until the end, a great deal of energy can be raised and may be perpetuated for long periods by Teacher and Student or Priest and Priestess facing each other and meditating while keeping each other at heightened sexual tension. Such activity is known as polarity working; it is like holding two magnets close together but never letting them touch.
Masturbation can also produce sexual energy (although not as much as polarity sex) for Magickal purpose. All you need to do is cast your circle and facing the altar draw into yourself the God if you are a Priest or the Goddess if you are a Priestess. Then visualize the opposite deity in your hand and stimulate yourself slowly, building up as much energy as you can before orgasm.
Masturbation of one partner by the other also raises considerable energy. One partner is active while one is passive, one lays down while the other strokes his or her body, getting closer to the genitals and building up as high a level of tension as possible before release. As he/she orgasms both can direct the massive flow of energy to the Magickal intent. As with all Magick there is a spiritual element: all Magickal power comes from Mother Earth, the Great Mother, the Goddess. Not necessarily directly but when indirectly working Magick, the power of the Witch comes from Her. Thus the Great Rite when used for Magick is still a sacred and spiritual act.
Within our loins lies an energy that has the potential to create ANY reality we want. Unfortunately, most humans have a love/hate relationship with sex that is reflected in many ways (i.e., promiscuity, self-destructive emotions, denial, shutdown, religious intolerance, rape, abuse, etc.). Religion has done much to suppress our divine sexual nature and has kept the masses ignorant of the potential uses of sexual energy.
When we accept and embrace our sexual nature we are free to use its awesome power for our benefit. We no longer worship it or deny it. We come into balance and view our sexuality as part of our divinity. It becomes joyful, light and loving. We learn to use sex for more than procreation or sensual gratification.
Sex is creative energy. Magick is the art of creating reality. True magic is simply the art of creating what you want. We can liken all the processes given to us by masters and teachers (Sarah, Taliesin, Seth, Alexander, Abraham, Avatar, etc.), as tools in our magician's or Shaman's bag. People who consciously and deliberately create their reality are the ultimate magicians on the planet.
Sex Magic is based on the belief that the most powerful moment of human existence is the orgasm. Sex Magic is the art of utilizing sexual orgasm to create a reality and/or expand consciousness. All senses and psychic powers are heightened during orgasm. It is a moment when a window opens to the unlimited abundance of the unlimited universe.
Some may argue that they fantasize about some person or event during sex and it never materializes into a reality. This is because most of us, at the moment of orgasm, lose our focus and get lost in the physical response. That's okay, there's nothing wrong with using sex for pure pleasure. That intention is also a created reality. Sex Magick is about maintaining one's focus during orgasm and channeling the energy into creating a reality. Any reality, whether it's creating a new job, car, experience, relationship, etc.
The Process:
Relax and breathe deeply. Breathing deeply is key to the success of Sex Magic. Take your time and relax your body, especially your jaw and belly.
Identify what you want to create. It's important to choose something that really excites you. Make it specific. You can write it down or say it out loud as a mantra or affirmation. Make it in the present tense or as if it's a reality already (i.e., "I earn $85,000 per year.")
Focus on the creation. See, hear, taste, smell and feel the creation as if it's real. Visualize yourself in the creation. For example, what is your life like when you earn that $85,000? What does it FEEL like? Make it big, in Technicolour, with all your focus and intention. Breathe into it. Now, when you've identified the feeling and/or picture that best captures what you want to create, FILE IT AWAY in your mind and relax. (You may want to practice a bit with this step before proceeding.)
Do whatever brings you almost to orgasm. This can be masturbation or sexual activity with a supportive partner. Remember to relax and breathe into your orgasmic state. Take your time. Bring yourself almost to orgasm, backing off just before the point-of- no-return, several or more times. What you're doing here is charging up the sexual battery.
I'll digress here for a moment. It's easier for women to do this process because orgasm is usually not an energy drain for them (as long as they're not engaging in wild, aerobic and physically exhausting sex). Women are able to climax multiple times ("Riding the Bliss-Wave" in Tantra) generating tremendous energy from it. So, to my sisters, I encourage you to relax, breathe, and have fun. It's also very helpful to strengthen your PC/vaginal muscle and get in touch with your G/Sacred Spot. There are many good books which cover this. My favorite is "The Art of Sexual Ecstasy" by Margo Anand. In future lessons you will be taught a "Yoni Massage" that you can use with a supportive partner in conjunction with Sex Magick.
Men are another story because their orgasmic energy is usually expelled out of their pelvis, in their semen, and out of their body. Fortunately this can be handled! Unfortunately I won't be able to teach you within the limits of e-mail. I encourage my brothers to learn and practice the art of ejaculatory control (I prefer the term Ejaculatory Mastery) and create an Injaculation. There are several good books about this. Margo Anand's book covers this. For the time being, just relax, breathe and come CLOSE to ejaculation SIX times before you release your semen. I'll follow-up with the Lingam Massage" that you can use with a supportive partner in conjunction with learning Sex Magick.
When you have almost reached orgasm, after coming close several times and you're ready to let go, recall from your mind the reality you want to create and energize it with focused intention. Make it vivid, exciting, big and beautiful.
When you orgasm, keep focused on the picture/creation and deliberately channel the orgasm into it. Just let it flow into the reality you want to create. Remember to keep breathing during the orgasm and breathe your orgasmic energy into your creation/ goal/dream/reality. Stay focused and hold the picture. Your body will do the rest (this is why a partner is very helpful -- they can do the physical work for you :-).
You can repeat the process if you want to come to another orgasm.
The reality will create itself immediately or will be buffered by time. It may also manifest as an opportunity, insight, healing, etc. The power of Sex Magick will blow your mind as you master it! Have fun with your creations.
FURTHER READING
This document is an introduction into the concept behind the Great Rite and a few of the rituals which use it's energy. Further reading prior to anyone practicing this rite is required. I have purposely given this document a high level explanation and have intentionally left out how the ritual is invoked. Primarily because of the ease to misuse this rite.
Sources:
Red Dragon Power, and Sex Magick, Rhuddlwm Gawr, Camelot Press, 1976
The Art of Sexual Ecstasy by Margo Anand, 1996
An ABC of Witchcraft Past & Present, Doreen Valiente, St. Martin's Press, 1973.
A Witches Bible Complete, Janet and Stewart Farrar, Magickal Childe, 1984.
GreenFire: Making Love with the Goddess, Sirona Knight, Llewellyn Publications, 1995.
Lust for Enlightenment: Buddhism and Sex, John Stevens, Shambala, 1990.
Patterns in Comparative Religion, Mircea Eliade, Meridian, 1958.
Sex in the World's Religions, Geoffrey Parrinder, Sheldon Press,1980.
When God Was A Woman, Merlin Stone, Barnes & Noble, Inc., 1976.
WitchCraft for Tomorrow, Doreen Valiente, St Edmundsbury Press, 1978.
Copyright 2005 - Celtic Church of Dynion Mwyn Inc.
Distributed free by:
The Celtic Church of Dynion Mwyn, Inc.
Welsh Traditional Dewiniaeth
P.O. Box 672125
Marietta, Georgia 30006-0036