Recently I’ve been giving some thought to the connection between sex and spirituality and, influenced to some extent by John Michael Greer’s series of postings on ‘Sex and Occultism’ at The Well of Galabes, I’ve decided to articulate some speculations of my own.
Asexuals aside, some form of sexual fulfilment is a physical need for most of us. Non-harmful and non-abusive expressions of sexuality are as natural as eating and drinking. Most of us are familiar with the biological purpose of sex – to bear offspring, to bond with your partner. But mystics have also held that there is also a spiritual purpose to sex and that, undertaken in such a way, it can be a means of connecting to the Divine, of transferring our consciousness to an alternate plane, or of giving a powerful boost to our psychic and magickal workings.
Many will be familiar with the creeping disconnection from our regular framework of awareness as we surge closer to orgasm, the physical and mental energies becoming more intense until, in a short moment of disassociation, we climax. The human orgasm can be thought of as a brief spiritual experience, as in both cases the individual undergoes a change in consciousness.
I make it well-known that I think spiritual fulfilment is also a fundamental human need for most people. My definition of spirituality is quite broad and includes manifestations of a non-mystical and physical nature, readily enjoyed by people who don’t believe in spiritual phenomena. In no way does a person need to be a ‘believer’ in order to get what I think are their innate spiritual desires satisfied.
Whichever way we indulge our spiritual urges – material or mystical – I think these urges are as natural a part of our being as sex. Of late, I’ve been thinking of spiritual and mystical experiences as ‘sex for the mind or soul’ or, to be even more precise, an ‘orgasm for the mind or soul’. As stated before, sex and mysticism both result in changes in consciousness, a transfer of awareness. During those moments of sexual climax, I think we are tapping into realms of psychic power to which occultists open themselves up in mystical practice. Magicians have used sex in their sorcery for good reason; the basic belief being that the force of sexual energy provides greater power to the spell and increases the chances of the ritual’s effectiveness.
Just as it is unethical to prohibit non-harmful and non-abusive forms of sexual activity, it is also unethical to prohibit non-harmful and non-abusive forms of spiritual activity. The radical pseudo-sceptic who would like to see witchcraft, psychic demonstrations and palm-readings illegalised is no different to a homophobic hate preacher who desires to see gay sex banned.