THE ARCANE ARCHIVE
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From: tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com (nigris (333))
Newsgroups: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.magick,rec.drugs.psychedelic
Subject: Magick, Sex, Psychoactives, and Rock'n'Roll
Date: 27 May 1997 19:25:02 -0700
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[some text restructured for clarity, completeness]

49970526 AA1  Hail Satan!  

E6 


the courageous Bruce Kroeze writes:
#> I've always been sort of disappointed that the OTO hasn't yet turned out to
#> be a big sex and drugs cult.  

...when I joined the Order (and where
I joined it) the people I found involved with it *were* into freedom of 
sex and psychoactives [even within official functions].  at least there 
was a serious respect for these, even at times surrounding or within 
Gnostic Mass and during rites.  

[now this is understandably forbidden in order to protect the attending 
membership and guests from those who] engaged illegal activities (and... 
that is the main problem with them, their illegality).  those individuals 
who have such values are probably now, ...in obscure portions of the Order 
(rather than in its ...central Lodge with which I became slightly familiar) 
or have moved on to other pursuits.  one of my interests in Satanism is 
precisely this 'taboo-breaking' attitude which not many of the organized 
Satanists appear to tout overtly.  

I think illegality has a lot to do with it, yet I would say that once 
the courage to cross the line into psychoactives has been mustered 
sometimes the people who do cross it don't know how to maintain a balance 
within their experimentation, requiring a venture into debauch before 
regaining their composure, if they can find the right circumstances.

psychoactives can be powerful tools to manipulate the deep mind, especially
when combined with ritual and religious activity.  those I have found to
be valuable rather than drain and strain without gain were psychedelics (rare 
celebratory initiatory or celebratory rites), Cannabis (whose variable 
results I have relegated to the whims of presence within a conservative 
urban environment -- without breaking up exposure, so as to destroy habit-
energies, she often becomes parasitic), or very rare opiates (all three of 
these preferred in their most natural form and within ritual atmosphere 
-- cf. Andrew Weil and his _Natural Mind_ for some good guidelines).

my experience is that such substances are not for everyone, that a wide
variety of conservative individuals should steer clear of them, that their
illegality (and the attendant problems associated with this) is probably 
the main reason that the (now above-ground) COTO and groups like it (Church 
of Satan, etc.) have adopted their "anti-drug" attitude, and that many 
people don't have the maturity to engage them responsibly (this being one
of the unfortunate side-effects of illegality).


#> What's more, the OTO folks I've brought the
#> subject up with feel likewise.  And yes, I have taken a sociological study,
#> dammit (just not a very scientific one) (unpublished of course).  The
#> results so far have been 100% in agreement with something like this
#> statement:  "Yes, I knew before entering the Order that it was a fraternal
#> masonic-style order. I knew that it wasn't all about sex and drugs. Also, I
#> realized and that wasn't terribly likely that sex would be demanded of me,
#> at least not in the man of earth initiations.  But still, I kinda hoped I
#> was wrong."

the sex cults are sorely missed in the realm religious.  long live the
Church of the Most High Goddess.


Solis 
#If sex and drugs was your thing, wouldn't it be much more productive to
#join a sex club and hope to meet people who party, than to expect that
#from a fraternal group?

I think this may overlook the fact that most sex clubs are probably (given 
the current AIDS hysteria, understandably) somewhat parental, not in any 
way, shape or form involved with magical and psychoactive pursuits (because 
they have to be 'clean' in order to be "legit"), and not always inclusive 
of those who have the same type of shamanic attitude which today's Western 
tantric may favor (in an orientation to the BDSM Club to which I belong I 
was the only one present with this shamanic attitude toward BDSM and sex, 
which I found somewhat disconcerting given that it took place in SF). 

my point is that there exists a potent formula for transformation which 
some consider 'dangerous' that Crowley touched on slightly in 'Energized
Enthusiasm'.  fears or concerns regarding this formula are not completely 
unfounded.  if you look into the 'uncivilized' past you can find tribal 
religious and magical rite which certainly included sexuality and 
psychoactives as important elements, and it is important not to forget 
this.  those rites didn't just spontaneously appear, there was a good 
deal of experimentation to get them running correctly.

I think, as Weil has said, that humans have a natural desire and need
to alter our states of consciousness, and that if this urge is squelched
or passed off into only that which is socially-acceptable then it can
prove dissolutive of genius.  

given the states of consciousness and portions of the nervous system 
which sexuality engages, the sometimes intense magnification and 
direction which ingested psychoactives can effect, and the complex
symbolism which can be integrated into ritual, I cannot see the value 
of disclaiming the combination of these in private rites among adults 
within self-exploration except as a means to fit into a repressive society.

my own experience is that they are potent and, responsibly engaged and
refined, transformative tools toward inner exploration.  they are not
ends in themselves (though the ecstatic state is), and maturation
of engagement is integral to their continued applicability.  along with
them may come a (sometimes necessary!) detour which can be found in any
other magical pursuit (e.g. lapses into dogmatism, entertainment, 
sophistry, debauch of various sorts, etc.).

I have often considered (and once experimented with) ritualized group
masturbation as prototype for this type of activity, and I have rarely 
encountered individuals (I locate myself in a conservative environment 
so perhaps this is not too unexpected :>) who consistently considered 
this to be an approachable or valuable enterprise.  as time goes on 
I'll probably place more emphasis on it as an initiation into a 
responsible combination of potent tools for the purposes 
self-development and group integrity.  

disclaiming psychoactives, sexuality, rhythmic fusion, and especially
their combination as "not our fraternity's focus" strikes me as a very 
limited perspective in an Order ostensibly dedicated to 'magick',
especially given the overt support of such a practice within AC's
'Energized Enthusiasm' as I noted above.  the ceremonial mind may not
always find it valuable, but the shamanics such as myself certainly do.  

most OTOs claim to teach 'sex magick'.  if this doesn't integrate a variety 
of attendant magnificatory and tweaking tools then it should make plain
why, what dangers may be involved such that it excludes these from its
instruction, and what exploration has been done in this area by initiates.

I can understand a public Thelemic org within a "Just Say No" society 
taking the stance COTO has taken (though I think it cowardly not to 
simultaneously support legalization of psychoactives), but it is 
reasonable to expect that those who have familiarity and comfort with 
psychoactives as transformative tools may come to the Order looking for 
those who can guide them in responsible application of them.  it is a 
legitimate portion of the 'sex magick' curricula.  

turning people back to the sex clubs is irresponsible.  isolate those
kin within the Order who favor these methods (I know we are here,
I am one of them) and offer private referral.  eventually a more
courageous minority who explores the 'outland dangers' of these
techniques will offer disciplined guidelines which conform to modern
urban living and either expand the Order's limitations or transcend
it altogether.  some of us will also be outspoken on the matter.

E6/6/6
 3 3 3
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