The LHP View of Sex-Magick

If Sex-Magick is the most popular subject within Occultism, this merely proves that it is also the most misunderstood. Sex, when used for an Occult purpose, is not concerned with enhancing relationships or giving pleasure to the participants. It may, in fact, be quite the reverse of pleasurable and it must destroy relationships which would restrict the Occultist’s progress.

Sex-Magick (which includes any and every possible variation) has an important role in one’s Occult development, but most beginners make the mistake of believing that the energy raised has to be directed outwards, has to be used for an external aim. Its true purpose is within one’s own self, because that is where all Magick lies. As a preliminary step on the Path, it is a balance, a healer. Later it is a cleanser, which must destroy in order to regenerate.

The intention of all Occult work and study is to advance towards Adepthood, whether one eventually attains that goal or decides to halt at some point along the way. The ancient maxim “Know Thyself” is as essential as it has always been, and, since sex is an important part of human psychology and physiology, a complete comprehension of one’s attitude and behaviour in relation to sexuality is an indispensable part of self-knowledge.

The first step consist of insight into one’s personal proclivities, however unorthodox (or orthodox) they may be. If there is such a thing as normality (which may be briefly and inexactly defined as heterosexual and liking straight sex), there is nothing wrong with being normal, providing that is truly the way your inclinations leads you and not simply the way of conformity. On the other hand, being gay, or sadist, or masochist, or transvestite, or any other form of human sexual expression is no barrier to Occult advancement. The barriers are guilt and hang-ups about your personal desires, or another obstacle which will be dealt with in a subsequent paragraph.

To obviate guilt, ensure that you do not let other people’s opinions influence you. Words like “sick” and “queer” were invented in envy of the free spirits who dare to do their own thing. Call it sexual variation, not sexual perversion. Erase from your vocabulary such words as “deviant”. Deviance is only possible when there is a norm from which to deviate, and the sexual norm exists in clinicians’ textbooks, not in real life. If you find yourself becoming too defensive, consider whether you wish to be political or Occult. If you divide your energies, you will succeed at neither. If you are political, you campaign for the rights of your particular variation; if you are Occult, you do it and ignore the reactions of outsiders.

Many of us have spent too much time pondering the question of our preferred mode of sexual expression. It has nothing to do with childhood influences or reincarnation or any other abstract theories. It is a biological accident that, at birth, our neurones were connected in the pattern. We can no more alter that than we can change the colour of our skin.

The other obstacle is an urge to force unwilling people into participation. This has been mentioned in previous articles and most neophytes, accustomed to the RHP’s simplistic “an it harm none” have placed another block in the way of their own progress by misinterpreting the statement. Those who can overcome their preconceptions and fully understand the rest of this paragraph can chalk up a significant victory. An aspiring Occultist cannot interfere with another person’s journey towards wherever and nowhere they want to go, because an interference creates a link and you either travel the Path alone or not at all. It is not a question of doing good or harm; one who has not reached Adepthood is not in a position to judge what would be good or harm, since this questions has more far-reaching connotations than the immediate advantage or disadvantage.

When you have assimilated the foregoing, you are in a position to come to terms with your sexual preferences and dispense with all hang-ups. If, at this time, you are involved in a relationship, your friend is with you because that is where he/she wants to be. Once you have clearly adjusted to your mode of sexuality, you have to make absolutely sure that no other method would suit you better. A consequence of the further investigation will be the abrupt departure of any friend who is not in harmony with your Occult endeavours, and if you do not see this as a necessity, re-assess your motivation at this stage.

The timing of this self-exploration is a matter for the individual. At an early stage of Occult development, it is not recommended that one should plunge into any and every sexual experience. Only an Adept can do everything without being spiritually or mentally touched by anything. Setting out along the hard road to Adepthood, you would be hindering your own efforts if you did something that would inspire self-disgust. You do not need that extra burden at a stage when you might not be able to cope with it, though it will be an essential task later, when you are better able to make use of the action and your own reactions. And you must decide when that time is.

Whether or not these investigations cause pleasure has no bearing on their value to the future Adept. What matters is that every emotion and reaction to these activities must be acknowledged, accepted and thoroughly analysed.

Sex-Magick, when properly used, is not a relaxation or a diversion. It is not the only way but it is, in some cases, a short cut. The goal is self-realisation, and you may learn more about yourself in one night’s orgy than in a year’s meditation. When you are ready, you make your own decision whether or not to choose this method, and the only further warning is that you cannot stop halfway through the research.

Anonymous article taken from the Dark Lily Journal No 6, Society of Dark Lily (London 1988).