Unleashing The Beast - A.crowley

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UnleashingtheBeast
UNLEASHINGTHEBEAST
AleisterCrowley,TantraandSexMagicinLateVictorian
England
HughUrban
OhioStateUniversity
Ifthissecret[ofsexualmagic],whichisascientificsecret,wereperfectlyunderstood,asitisnot
bymeaftermorethantwelveyears'almostconstantstudyandexperiment,therewouldbe
nothingwhichthehumanimaginationcanconceivethatcouldnotberealizedinpractice.
AleisterCrowley[1]
http://www.esoteric.msu.edu/VolumeV/Unleashing_the_Beast.htm
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Whatispeculiartomodernsocietiesisnotthattheyconsignedsextoashadowexistence,butthat
theydedicatedthemselvestospeakingofitadinfinitum,whileexploitingitasthesecret.
MichelFoucault[2]
AleisterCrowleystandsoutasoneofthoseremarkablyenigmaticcharacterswhohashada
tremendousimpactoncontemporarynewreligiousmovements,esotericismandoccultism,evenashe
hasbeenalmostentirelyignoredbyacademicscholarship.Knowninthepopularpressofas"the
wickedestmanintheworld,"andproclaiminghimselfthe"GreatBeast666,"Crowleywastheobjectof
intensemediascandal,moraloutrageandtitillatingallurethroughouthislife.Intheyearssincehisdeath,
hehasbecomeperhapsevenmorewellknownasoneofthemostimportantinfluencesonthemodern
revivalofpaganism,magicandwitchcraft.Yetdespitehisimportance,Crowleyhasbeenlargelyignored
byhistoriansofreligions.Inmostcaseshehasbeendismissedas,atbest,apatheticcharlatan,and,at
worst,asadisticpervertandaridiculouscrank.MostscholarsofWesternesotericism,suchasAntoine
Faivre,makeonlypassingreferencetoCrowley,whileleadingscholarsofnewagereligions,suchas
WouterHanegraaff,givehimonlybriefestmention.[3]
PerhapstheprimaryreasonforthisneglectofCrowleyandalsofortheintensescandaland
titillationthatsurroundedhimduringhislifewashispracticeofsexualmagic(orMagick,touse
Crowley'sspelling).[4]RejectingtheprudishhypocrisyoftheVictorianChristianworldinwhichhewas
raised,Crowleyidentifiedsexasthemostpowerfulforceinlifeandthesupremesourceofmagical
power.TakinganapparentdelightinoutragingtheBritishsocietyofhistime,Crowleymadeexplicit
useofthemost"deviant"sexualactssuchasmasturbationandhomosexualityascentral
componentsinhismagicalpractice.Atthesametime,CrowleywasalsooneofthefirstWesternauthors
totakenaninterestintheHinduandBuddhisttraditionsofTantraahighlyesotericbodyofteachings
andthatcenter,inpart,aroundtheuseofsexualenergyasasourceofspiritualpowerwhichhadlong
beencriticizedbyEuropeanOrientalistscholarsandChristianmissionariesastheveryworstandmost
perverseconfusionofsexualityandreligion.[5]Infact,formostAmericanreaderstoday,Tantrais
typicallyassociatedwithCrowleyiansexmagick.OneneednowonlybrowsetheshelvesofanyBarnes
andNoblebookstoreorsurftheendlesslyproliferatingwebsitesontheInternettodiscoverthesecretsof
Tantra,SexMagickandTarot,practiceTantrawithoutTearsorevenengageinWiccaforLovers.As
hisearlybiographer,JohnSymonds,remarks,"Hisgreatestmeritwastomakethebridgebetween
TantrismandtheWesternesoterictraditionandthusbringtogetherWesternandEasternmagical
techniques."[6]
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Butthequestionremains:howmuchdidCrowleyactuallyknoweitherfirsthandorsecondhand
aboutIndianTantra?Andwhatconnection,ifany,didhissystemofsexualmagichavewithtraditional
IndianTantricpractices?
Thisarticlewillcontinueandexpanduponsomeoftheargumentsmadeinapreviousessay,in
whichIexaminedtheimpactofIndianTantraonWesternesoterictraditionsattheturnofthetwentieth
century,throughfigureslikeDr.PierreArnoldBernard,knowninthepopularpressas"theOmnipotent
Oom."[7]HereIwilltracetheincreasingimpactofTantraonWesternspiritualityinthelatertwentieth
centurythroughtheworkofCrowleyandhislaterdisciples.
Crowley,Iwillargue,isnotonlyafascinatingfigureworthyofattentionbyscholarsofreligion,
butheisalsoofprofoundimportancefortheunderstandingofmodernWesternspiritualityandcultureas
awhole.Thisimportanceisatleastthreefold.First,withhisradicalrejectionofVictorianmoralityand
hiscentralemphasisonsexasthesuprememagicalpower,Crowleyisaremarkablereflectionofhisera
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andofthesexualattitudesoflateandpostVictorianEngland.[8]Second,withhisstudyofHinduism
andBuddhism,hewasalsoakeyfigureinthetransmissionofIndianreligioustraditionstotheWest,
includingthecontroversialtraditionsofIndianTantra.ButasIhopetoshow,althoughCrowleydid
knowafairamountaboutHathaYoga,RajaYogaandotherIndianreligiouspractices,hedoesnot
appeartohaveknownmuchaboutTantra.Whathedidknowseemstohavecomethroughsecondary,
superficialandoftenhighlydistortedsourcesthataredeeplycoloredbytheVictorianOrientalistbiases
ofthe19thcentury.Nonetheless,notlongafterCrowley'sdeath,Tantrawouldsoonbecomelargely
confusedintheWesternpopularimaginationwithCrowleyianstylesexmagic.Ironically,despitehis
generalignoranceaboutthesubject,andarguablywithouteverintendingtodoso,Crowleywould
becomeakeyfigureinthetransformationandoftengrossmisinterpretationofTantraintheWest,where
itwouldbecomeincreasinglydetachedformitsculturalcontextandincreasinglyidentifiedwithsex.
Finally,inpartbecauseofthisequationofTantraandsexualmagic,Crowleyhasalsobeenoneofthe
mostinfluentialfiguresintherevivalofmagicandavarietyofalternativereligionsattheturnofthenew
millennium.Muchoftheliteraturenowbeingsoldunderthetitlesof"Tantra"and"sexmagic",Iwould
argue,islargelythefusion(andperhapshopelessconfusion)ofIndianTantrawithCrowleyianmagic.[9]
InmydiscussionofCrowley,IwilladaptsomeoftheinsightsofMichelFoucault,Georges
Bataille,andotherswhohaveexaminedtheroleofsexualityandtransgressioninmodernWestern
society.AsFoucaultargues,theVictorianerahasoftenmistakenlybeencharacterizedasaperiodof
prudishrepressionanddenialofsexuality.Infact,thelate19thcenturywitnessedanunprecedented
explosionofdiscourseaboutsex,whichwasnowcategorized,classified,debatedanddiscussedin
endlessdetail.[10]Crowley'swritingsonsexualityandmagic,Iwillsuggest,wereakeypartofthis
largerfascinationwithsexualityduringthelate19thandearly20thcenturies.YetCrowleywouldalso
pushthisdiscourseaboutsexualityagooddealfurtherthanmostofhiscontemporarieswouldhave
daredindeed,Crowleywouldmakeactssuchasmasturbationandhomosexualintercoursekeysto
magicalpower.InBataille'sterms,wemightsaythatmuchofCrowley'ssexualpracticescentered
aroundcalculatedactsoftransgressionthatis,deliberateviolationsandsystematicinversionsofthe
morallawsandsexualcodesofthelargersocialorder.[11]
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AfterbrieflyrecountingCrowley'searlylifeandbackground(partI),Iwillplacehiminthe
contextoflateVictoriansocietyanditslargerattitudestowardsexuality(II).Iwillthenlookspecifically
atCrowley'ssexualmagicalpractices(III)andhisadaptationofIndianTantrictechniques(IV).Finally
(V)IwillexaminetheroleoftransgressioninCrowley'slifeandmagicalworkCrowley,Iwillargue,
foundindeliberateactsoftransgressionaradicalformofsuperhumanpowerthatpromisedtoexplode
thenarrowboundariesofWesternChristiansocietyandopenthewayforawholeneweraofhuman
history.Toconclude,IwillsuggestthatCrowleynotonlyreflectedhisowneraandthesexualanxieties
ofthelateVictorianera,butalsoforeshadowedmuchofourowneraandourownsexualobsessionsat
thedawnofthenewmillennium.
I.THENEWAEON:CrowleyandtheEndoftheVictorianAge
ThenightmareworldofChristianityvanishedatthedawn...[T]hedetestablemysteriesofsex
weretransformedintojoyandbeauty.Theobsessionofsinfellfrommyshouldersintotheseaof
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oblivion.
TheConfessionsofAleisterCrowley[12]
ThepointaboutCrowleyisthatheseemstocontainallthesesortsofideasandidentitiesindeed
mostofthevicesofthetwentiethcenturyandhewasdeadattheendof1947.
SnooWilson,authoroftheplayTheBeast[13]
Bornin1875,thesonofamemberofthehighlypuritanicalPlymouthBrethrensect,Edward
Alexander(Aleister)CrowleyembodiedsomeofthedeepesttensionsinlateVictoriansocietyasa
whole.AchildraisedinastrictChristianhome,hewouldlaterturntotheoccultartsandextremesof
sexualexcess.Aprolificpoetaswellasanaccomplishedmountainclimber,Crowleywouldalsobecome
oneofthemostreviledcharactersofthe20thcentury.Hehasbeendescribedvariouslyas"theKingof
Depravity,archtraitor,debaucheeanddrugfiend"[14]and"aperverseidealist,Masteroftheoccultand
slavetothedemonsheliberated."[15]Yet,ashismostrecentbiographerLawrenceSutinargues,
Crowleywasfarmorethanameresadisticmasteroftheblackartsnotonlywasheagiftedpoet,painter
and"mastermodernist"inhisprosestyle,buthewasalsooneofthefirstWesternstudentsofBuddhism
andyoga,and"oneoftherarehumanbeingstodaretoprophesyadistinctivenewcreedandtodevote
himself...tothepromulgationofthatcreed."[16]
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ThedetailsofCrowley'slifearefairlywellknown,basedonhisownautobiographyand
numerouspopularbiographies,soIwon'treiterateallofthemhere.Iwillsimplyprovideabriefsketchof
hisbackgroundandcontext.EducatedatTrinityCollegeinCambridge,Crowleywasfromanearlyage
fascinatedwithpoetryandpaganreligionandwasaprolificauthorofbothverseandprose.Whilestilla
studentatCambridgehehadpublishedhisfirstcollectionofpoetry,Aceldama,andhisnotoriouserotic
collection,WhiteStains(1898).Havinginheritedalargeamountofmoneywhilestillyoung,hewas
financiallyindependentformanyyearsandspentmuchofhistimepursuinghispassionsofwritingand
mountainclimbing.DuringhisCambridgeyears,hewouldalsoadoptthename"Aleister,"aGaelic
formofhismiddlename,Alexander,andanhomagetotheheroofShelley'spoem,"Alastor,theSpiritof
solitude."
Hisfirstrealinitiationintotheworldofesotericismandmagicoccurreduntil1898,whenhewas
introducedtogroupknownastheHermeticOrderoftheGoldenDawn.FoundedbyWilliamWestcott
andMacGregorMathersin1887,theGoldenDawnwasaneclecticblendingofanumberofolder
Westernesoterictraditions,includingHermeticism,Freemasonry,Rosicrucianismandtheurgicarts
derivedfromJewishKabbalah.Anaffluentandelitegroup,theGoldenDawnattractedanumberof
prominentartists,poetsandintellectuals,includingW.B.Yeats.EventuallyCrowleyandMatherswould
partways,andfinallybecomemiredinalawsuitwhenCrowleypublishedafulldescriptionofthesecret
ritesoftheGoldenDawninhisjournal,Equinox.[17]Revealingsecretsandsparkingcontroversy,we
willsee,wassomethingofanobsessionthroughoutCrowley'slife.
Beginningin1899,Crowleyalsobegantoexploreavarietyofeasternspiritualtraditions.After
studyingyogainMexico,hetraveledtoCeylonandIndiain19012,duringwhichtimehestudied
variousformsofBuddhismandHinduism.Aswewillseebelow,itseemspossiblethathealsolearned
somethingoftheesoterictechniquesofIndianTantrathoughperhapsnotasmuchasmost
contemporaryadeptsgenerallysuppose.
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142
However,itwasin1904thatCrowleywouldreceivehisfirstgreatrevelationandtheknowledge
thathewastobetheheraldofanewerainhumanhistory.Accordingtohisownaccount,Crowley's
guardianAngel,Aiwass,appearedtohimanddictatedTheBookoftheLaw(LiberALvelLegis).[18]
Hismostfamouswork,TheBookoftheLawannouncesthedawnofthethirdAeonofmankind:thefirst
aeonwasthatoftheGoddessIsis,centeredaroundmatriarchyandtheworshipoftheGreatMotherthe
secondaeonwasthatofOsiris,duringwhichthepatriarchalreligionsofsufferinganddeathi.e.,
JudaismandChristianityrosetopower.Finally,withtherevelationoftheBookoftheLaw,anew
Aeonoftheson,Horus,wasborn:"Inthisaeontheemphasisisontheselforwill,notonanything
externalsuchasgodsandpriests."[19]
Thepeakofhismagicalcareerandalsoofhisinfamyasthewickedestmanalivewasinthe
periodafter1920,whenhefoundedhisownidealspiritualcommunitycalledtheAbbeyofThelemaata
farmhouseinCefalu,Sicily.TheoriginalinspirationderivedfromRabelais'classicworkof1534,
Gargantua,whichdescribesanidealspiritualcommunitythatwouldtranscendthehypocritical
corruptionoftheChristianmonasteries.Called"Theleme"(fromtheGreek,meaning"will"),the
governmentofthecommunitywas"dowhatyouwill,"inajoyousblendingofStoicvirtueswith
Christianspirituality.[20]CrowleytookRabelais'idealagooddealfurther,however,bycreatinga
utopiancommunityinwhicheverydesirecouldbegratifiedandeveryimpulseexpressed,throughfree
experimentationindrugs,sexandphysicalexcess.
PerhapsthemostinfamousproductofthisperiodwasCrowley'ssemiautobiographicalnovel,
DiaryofaDrugFiend,publishedin1922.Writtenattopspeedtofundhisgrowingdrughabit,theDiary
isoneofCrowley'smostoutrageousworks,butalsoonethatprovidesthemostinsightintohischaracter
andhistoricalcontext.AthinlydisguisedimageofCrowleyhimself,thecentralcharacter,Peter
Pendragon,describeshisrapiddescentintococaineandheroinaddiction,ashecareensthroughthe
affluent,excessiveandwildlyhedonisticlifeoftheroaringtwenties,exploringeverypossiblesensual
pleasureandmoralvice.AsLeslieShepardobserves,
Thisbook...comesfromanotherworldanageofcontrastslikealayercake,withathickwedge
oforthodoxy,athincoveringofdaringliterarycream,andacertainamountofexoticjam.Itwas
theworldofcensorshipoftasteandalsotheJazzAgeofpettingparties,wildautomobilerides,
speakeasies,silentfilms...Puritanismandinterwarpermissivenesslivedsidebysideandmade
facesateachother.[21]
Ironically,thecharacterisfinallyredeemedbyamysteriousfigurenamedKingLamus,whorunsa
spiritualcentercalledtheAbbeyofThelemainfarofftowncalled"Telepylus."Inotherwords,the
drugaddictedCrowleyhasportrayedhimselfasthecharacter'sownfinalsaviorandredemption.
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CrowleyParodyingWinstonChurchill
Bythe1940s,however,Crowleyseemstohaveexhaustednotonlyhismoney(alreadylargely
spentby1915)butalsohisonceinfinitewilltopower.ThoughhecontinuedtobelievethathisBookof
theLawmighthaveadecisiveroletoplayintheunfoldingofglobaleventsduringandafterWorldWar
II,mostpeoplewhosawhiminthoseyearsdescribedhimas"aboredoldmanwhofoundthelonely
eveningsfrightening."[22]HewouldspenthislastyearsinsmallguesthouseinLondon,increasingly
addictedtoheroin(takingasmuchas11gramsaday,enoughtokillmostmen),untilhisdeathin1947.
Therearemanyconflictingaccountsofhisfinaldays:accordingtosomehagiographicaccounts,he
slippedblissfullyintotheBuddhiststateoffinalliberation,passingfrom"SamadhitoSuperSamadhito
NirvanatoSuperNirvana,expiringintheboundlessblissoftheInfinite."[23]Accordingtomorecynical
accounts,hediedaloneinmiseryandselfloathing,utteringthefinalwords,"sometimesIhatemyself."
[24]Stillotherssaythathediedquietlyinbed,followedbyagustofwindandapealofthunderasign
that"thegodsweregreetinghim."[25]
Insum,Crowleymightbesaidtobearemarkablereflectionoftheerainwhichhewasborn.
Whiledeliberatelysettingouttooverthrowallestablishedvalues,hewasperhapsonlyexpressingthe
darkerundersideor"secretlife"oftheVictorianworldinwhichhewasraised:
CrowleywasacontemporaryofFreudhegrewoutofthematrixofVictorianism...Hewasoneof
manywhohelpedtoteardownthefalse,hypocritical,selfrighteousattitudesofthetime.Whatis
peculiarinCrowleyscaseitnotthathechoseevilbutthatinhisrevoltagainsthisparentsand
GodhesethimselfupinGodsplace.[26]
AndperhapsnowherewasCrowley'ssimultaneousreflectionofandrevoltagainsttheworldinwhichhe
livedmoreapparentthaninhisvolatilesexuallife.
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II.THEBEASTWITHTWOBACKS:CrowleyintheContextofLateandPostVictorian
England
Itissex.Howwonderfulsexcanbe,whenmenkeepitpowerfulandsacred,anditfillsthe
world!likesunshinethroughandthroughone!
D.H.Lawrence,ThePlumedSerpent[27]
Thesocietythatemergedinthenineteenthcenturythebourgeoiscapitalistorindustrial
society...didnotconfrontsexwithafundamentalrefusalofrecognition.Onthecontrary,itput
intooperationanentiremachineryforproducingtruediscoursesconcerningit.Notonlydidit
speakofsexandcompeleveryonetodosoitalsosetouttoformulatetheuniformtruthofsex.
Asifitsuspectedsexofharboringafundamentalsecret.
MichelFoucault,TheHistoryofSexuality,volumeI[28]
InordertounderstandCrowleyandhiscontroversialwork,weneedtoplacethemagainstthe
backdropofBritishattitudestowardsexualityinthelatenineteenthcentury.[29]Indeed,oneofthe
manyreasonsfortheshocking,sordidanddeliciouslyscandalousreputationthatfollowedCrowleywas
hispracticeofsexualmagicandhisdeliberatetransgressionofthesexualmoresoftheworldinwhichhe
wasraised.RejectingtheeffetemoralityofhisChristianyouth,Crowleydeliberatelysetouttooverturn
whathesawastheoppressive,hypocriticalattitudesofVictorianEngland,byidentifyingsexasthemost
centralaspectofthehumanbeingandthemostprofoundsourceofmagicalpower(infact,inhisBookof
Lies,hepointsoutthattheEnglishwordforthepronoun"I"isitselfaphallicshape).[30]Thepopular
press,ofcourse,tooknoendofdelightinsensationalizingCrowley'ssexualpromiscuity,whichwas
describedinvivid,exaggeratedandoftenhilariousdetailthroughoutthenewspapersoftheday.Thushe
andhisdegeneratebandoffollowersweredescribedinthemostscandaloustermsas"ablasphemoussect
whoseproceedingslendthemselvestoimmoralityofthemostrevoltingcharacter,"whosemaingoalis
"tofilltheirmoneybagsbyencouragingotherstogratifytheirdepravedtastes."[31]
Crowleydidlittletodenythispopularimage.AshewroteinhisConfessions,themainreasonfor
theviolenceandturmoilofthemodernworldliesintherepressionofthesexualinstinctandconversely,
thesurestwaytosolveourcontemporaryproblemsliesinitsliberation:
Thebattlewillragemostfiercelyaroundthequestionofsex.Mankindmustlearnthatthe
sexualinstinctisennobling.Theshockingevilswhichwealldeploreareprincipallyduetothe
perversionsproducedbysuppressions.Thefeelingthatitisshamefulandthesenseofsincause
concealment,whichisignobleandinternalconflictwhichcreatesdistortion,neurosis,andendsin
explosion.Wedeliberatelyproduceanabscessandwonderwhyitisfullofpus,whyithurts,
whyitburstsinstenchandcorruption.
TheBookoftheLawsolvesthesexualproblemcompletely.Eachindividualhasanabsoluteright
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tosatisfyhissexualinstinctasisphysiologicallyproperforhim.[32]
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ThuswemightsaythatCrowleyreallyepitomizeswhatFoucaultcallsthe"repressivehypothesis"
thatis,thebeliefthatthemodernWesternworldhaspainfullyrepressedanddeniedsexuality,andthat
whatismostneedednowisthefullestaffirmationandliberationofthesexualinstinct.AsCrowley
himselfputitinhisConfessions,"Mysexuallifewasveryintense...LovewasachallengetoChristianity.
Itwasadegradationanddamnation."[33]YetasFoucaultpointsout,itisreallyinaccuratetosaythatthe
Victorianerawasoneofrepressionandsilenceaboutsex.Onthecontrary,Westernculturewasinfact
saturatedwithakindof"hyperdevelopmentofdiscourseaboutsexuality,"whichwasnowclassifiedand
categorizedinendlessdetail."Paradoxically,itwasduringthenineteenthcenturythatthedebateabout
sexualityexploded.Farfromtheageofsilenceandsuppression,sexualitybecameamajorissuein
Victoriansocialandpoliticalpractice."[34]Thecategorization,classificationandcontroloversexuality
wasacriticalelementintheregulationofsocietyasawhole:"Thearrayofsexualdiscourses...exploited
sexuality'ssecrets.Sexbegantobemanaged....perversionbecamecodified...Sexualityproliferatedas
poweroveritwasextended."[35]
However,asPeterGaypointsout,discussionsofsexualityhadtotakeplaceintheproper
contexts,eitherprivately,intheclosedrealmsofsecrecyor,publicly,throughscientificdiscourse.[36]
TheVictorianera,infact,witnessedatremendousproliferationofmedicaltreatisesonsexuality,inboth
itsproperandperverseforms.Viewinganydeviationfrom"normal"sexasmorallysuspect,the
Victorianimaginationwasobsessedwiththeidentification,enumerationandscientificclassificationof
everyimaginablesexualaberration.AmongthemostpopularworksinlatenineteenthcenturyEngland
wasKrafftEbing'sPsychopathiaSexualis(1886)whichbecamethemostinfluentialcatalogueof
deviations.Undertheprotectivecoverof"medicalnomenclature"andwiththe"postureofmoral
outrage,"Victorianreaders"couldindulgeinthis'medicoforensic'peepshowofsexualhyperaesthesia,
paresthesia,aspermia,polyspermia,spermatorrhea,sadism,masochism,festishism,exhibitionism,
psychichermaphroditism,satyriasisandnymphomania."[37]
Amongthemostsinisterperversions,intheeyesofmanyVictorianauthors,werethosethat
confusedthereligiousandsensualspheres.Britishmiddleandupperclasssensibilitiesofthelate19th
centuryinsistedontheproperseparationofreligionandsexuality:excessivereligiouscelibacyand
sexuallicentiousnesswerebothconsidereddestructiveperversions.Onlythemarriedlifeofferedthevia
mediabetweencelibacyandlicentiousness,which"repairstheFallandleadsfromearthtoheaven."[38]
Inanerathatvaluedeconomicproductivity,generationofcapitalandrestraintinconsumption,healthy
sexualityhadtobeuseful,productiveandefficient:"normalheterosexualityappearedinoneguise
...attractionbetweenmenandwomenthatledtomarriageandfamily.Normalsexwasconsistentwiththe
valuesofVictorianindustrialsocietyitwasanothermodeofproduction."[39]Thusthemost
physicallyandmorallydangerousofallactswerethe"nonproductive"actssuchasmasturbationand
homosexualintercourse.AsLesleyHallobserves,masturbationwas"reprobateduniversallythroughout
Victoriansociety,"andconsideredapossiblesourcenotjustofmoraldecaybutevenofepilepsyand
insanity.Sotoo,homosexualitywasforemostamongthoseactsseentoviolatethe"bordersof
masculinity"definedbymiddleclasssociety,andthusamongthegreatestthreatstoaproductive,
efficientandhealthysocialbody.[40]
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However,asMichaelMasonsuggests,thefirsttwodecadesofthe20thcenturyalsogavebirthto
apowerfulreactionagainstthesexualvaluesoftheVictorianera.[41]Asweseeinawidearrayof
authorslikeHavelockEllis,EdwardCarpenterandD.H.Lawrence,therewasagrowingcritiqueofthe
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pruderyoftheVictorianage,andanincreasingcallforsocialandsexualliberation.AsCarpenterputit,
"thestrangeperiodofhumanevolution,theVictorianAge...markedthelowestebbofmoderncivilized
society:aperiodinwhich...cantinreligion,theimpurehushonmattersofsex...thecruelbarringof
womenfromeverynaturalandusefulexpressionoftheirlives,werecarriedtoanextremityoffolly
difficultforusnowtorealise."[42]Increasingly,asthecharacterKateremarkedinD.H.Lawrence
PlumedSerpent,quotedabove,sexwasbelievedtoharborsomedeep,mysterioussecret,theliberation
ofwhichwasoftremendous,evensacred,power.ItwaspreciselythisawesomepowerthatCrowley
wouldseektotapintothroughhismagicalpractices.
ItisinthissensethatCrowley,"theGreatBeast,"mightbesaidtohavehadtwobacks,asitwere,
turnedbothbackwardandforward.Forhewas,ontheonehand,deeplyrootedinthelateVictorian
Christianworld,reflectingtheobsessiveconcernwithsexualityandsexualdevianceinthelate
nineteenthcentury.YetlikeothersofthepostVictorianera,hewouldstruggleheroicallytobreakfreeof
thatworld,settingoutdeliberatelytodestroythatuseful,productiveVictoriansocialorderthroughthe
mostextremeactsofconsumptionandexcess.
III.SEXISASACRAMENT:CrowleyandtheOriginsofWesternSexualMagic
[T]hescienceofthesexualmagicisthekeytothedevelopmentandtheunderlyingsecretofall
Masonicsymbols.[I]tiscertainthatthesexualquestionhasbecomethemostburningquestion
ofourtime.
TheodorReuss,"MysteriaMysticaMaxima"[43]
ThesexualactisasacramentofWiIl.Toprofaneitisthegreatoffense.Alltrueexpressionofit
islawfulallsuppressionordistortionofitiscontrarytotheLawofliberty.
Crowley,TheLawisforAll[44]
Sex,magicandsecrecyhad,ofcourse,longbeenassociatedintheWesternreligiousimagina
tion.FromtheearlyGnosticstotheKnightsTemplartotheCatharsofmedievalEurope,esotericorders
hadlongbeenaccusedofusingsexualritualsaspartoftheirsecretmagicalarts.[45]However,perhaps
thefirstsophisticatedandwelldevelopedsystemofsexualmagicwasthatofPaschalBeverlyRandolph
(182575).ThesonofawealthyVirginianfatherandaslavefromMadagascar,Randolphwasraiseda
poor,selftaughtfreeblackinNewYorkcity.Afterrunningawayfromhomeatagesixteen,hetraveled
theworldandlateremergedasoneoftheleadingfiguresin19thcenturySpiritualismandAmerica's
foremostexponentofmagicaleroticismorAffectionalAlchemy.Insexuallove,"hesawthegreatest
hopefortheregenerationoftheworld,thekeytopersonalfulfillmentaswellassocialtransformation
andthebasisofanonrepressivecivilization.[46]
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PaschalBeverlyRandolph
InthecourseofhiswanderingsintheMiddleEast,Randolphclaimedtobeeninitiatedbya
groupofFakirsintheareaofJerusalem,whichmayhavebeenabranchofthemysticalorderofthe
Nusa'iriagrouplongpersecutedbyorthodoxIslambecauseoftheirallegedGnosticsexualrituals.
UponhisreturntotheUnitedStates,Randolphbegantoteachaformofsexualmagicthatwouldhavea
profoundimpactonmuchoflaterWesternesotericism.ForRandolph,theexperienceofsexualorgasm
isthecriticalmomentinhumanconsciousnessandthekeytomagicalpower:"trueSexpowerisGod
power,"asheputit.Asthemomentwhennewlifeisinfusedfromthespiritualrealmintothematerial,it
iscrucialmomentonethesoulissuddenlyopeneduptothespiritualenergiesofthecosmos:"atthe
instantofintensemutualorgasmthesoulsofthepartnersareopenedtothepowersofthecosmosand
anythingtrulywilledisaccomplished."[47]Thepowerofsex,then,canbedeployedforawiderangeof
bothspiritualandmaterialends.Notonlycanoneachievethespiritualaimsofdivineinsight,buthecan
alsoattainthemundanegoalsofphysicalhealth,financialsuccessorregainingthepassionsofastraying
lover.[48]
OnceRandolph'steachingsonsexualmagictookrootinthelate19thcentury,theywould
quicklyflowerandgivebirthtoawidearrayofoccultmovementsthroughoutAmerica,Englandand
Europe.Atthesametime,theywouldalsobereinterpretedinwaysthatmighthavebeenquitehorrifying
toRandolphhimself,astheywerenowmingledwiththemosttransgressiveactsofhomosexual
intercourse,autoeroticismandevenbestialityasaformofsexualmagic.
PerhapsthemostimportantvehicleforthetransmissionofRandolph'steachingsonsexualmagic
wasthehighlyesotericmovementknownastheOrdoTempliOrientis(O.T.O.).InspiredbyKarl
Kellner(d.1905)andlaterfoundedbyTheodorReuss(d.1923),theO.T.O.becamethemainconduit
throughwhichWesternsexualmagicbegantomergewitha(somewhatdeformed)versionofIndian
Tantricpractices.AwealthyAustrianchemistandindustrialist,Kellnerclaimstohavebeeninitiated
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intoIndiansexualtechniquesinthecourseofhisOrientaltravels,citingaSufiandtwoIndianyogisas
hismasters.[49]Reuss,too,hadageneralworkingknowledgeofIndianyogicpracticesandapparently
somerudimentaryunderstandingofTantra(though,likeCrowley,asIwillarguebelow,hisknowledge
ofTantrawasprobablysimplisticandinaccurate).[50]
148
KarlKellner
Others,however,believethatKellnerandReusstrueinspirationwasinfactP.B.Randolph,
whosesexualmagicalteachingshadbeenspreadtoEuropebyagroupofdisciplesinthelatenineteenth
century.ManyofRandolph'sideasweretransmittedtoGermanythroughalittleknownbutextremely
influentialgroupknownastheHermeticBrotherhoodofLuxor(H.B.ofL.),begunbyMaxTheon(d.
1927)andPeterDavidson(d.1916)probablysometimeinthe1880s.FollowingRandolph,theH.B.of
L.madesexcentraltoitsmetaphysicalsystemandspiritualpractice:itisthepolarityofmaleandfemale
energiesthatcreatestheuniverse,anditissexualunionofmalesandfemalesthatleadstothe"reunionof
thedivineEgoandtoangelhood."[51]Atthesametime,however,theH.B.ofL.wasevenmore
emphaticaboutthedangersthatarisefromtheabuseofsexualmagic.Indeed,theywarnthatRandolph
himselfwasledtoruinbyhissexualexcesses.[52]Nonetheless,theteachingsoftheH.B.ofL.would
beoneofthemostimportantmeansbywhichRandolph'sworkwastransmittedandhadaformative
impactonmostlateresoterictraditionsintheWest:"Oncethesecretwasoutoflinkingoccultismwith
sex,itwasimpossibletoignore...practicallyeveryoccultorderafterthe1880shadsomedebttotheH.B.
ofL."[53]
OncethesesexualtechniquesweretransmittedtonewmovementsliketheOrdoTempliOrientis,
however,theywouldalsoundergosomeprofoundtransformations.MuchoftheO.T.O.'sritualcentered
aroundthisinnerkernelofsexualmagicthoughonealreadyquitedifferentfromthemore
conservativesystemofRandolph.AstheO.T.O.proclaimedinthejournalOriflammein1904,"Our
OrderpossessestheKeywhichunlocksallMasonicandHermeticsecrets,itistheteachingofsexual
magicandthisteachingexplainsalltheriddlesofnature,allMasonicsymbolismandallreligious
systems."[54]TheO.T.O.developedasystemofninedegrees,thefirstsixofwhichweremore
conventionalMasonicinitiations.Theseventh,eighthandninthdegrees,however,focusedrespectively
uponthetheoryofsexmagicandonthetechniquesofautoandheterosexualmagic.[55]Through
themagicalactofintercourse,byfocusingalloneswillandimaginationuponadesiredgoalinthe
momentoforgasm,onecanachievesuccessinanyoccultoperation,fromtheinvocationofagodtothe
findingofhiddentreasure.Onemay,forexample,usethesetechniquestomagicallyempoweratalisman
orothermagicalobject:byfocusingonesentirewilluponthedesiredobjectduringorgasm,andthen
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afterwardsanointingthatobjectwiththesemen,onecanusethatempoweredobjecttoachievevirtually
anydesiredend.[56]YetalthoughthesexmagicoftheO.T.O.mayhavefoundsomeofitsinspirationin
thetechniquesofRandolph,therewerealsofundamentaldifferencesbetweenthetwo.AsGodwinpoints
out,theautoeroticandhomosexualtechniquesdevelopedbyKellnerandReusswouldhavehorrifiedthe
morereservedRandolph,forwhomsexwasasacramentbetweenmarriedcouples,guardedbyritual
sanctityandmoralinjunctions.[57]
CrowleyasHeadofOTO
149
CrowleybecameinvolvedwiththeO.T.O.in1910andwouldsoonbecomeitsmostinfamous
member.AccordingtoCrowley'saccount,hewasapproachedbyReuss,whohadreadacrypticchapter
ofCrowley'sBookofLiesandaccusedhimofrevealingtheinnermostsecretoftheO.T.O.:thesecretof
sexualmagic.ThoughCrowleyhadapparentlydonesounintentionally,thestorygoes,hewasnamedthe
SovereignGrandMasterGeneralofIreland,IoanaandalltheBritains.AsCrowleysuggests,thissecret
issopowerfuland"ofsuchtremendousimport,"thatit"cannotbeusedindiscriminately"orrevealedto
theunworthy.[58]AshedescribeditinhisConfessions,"ifthissecretwhichisascientificsecretwere
perfectlyunderstoodtherewouldbenothingwhichthehumanimaginationcanconceivethatcouldnot
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berealizedinpractice...Ifitweredesiredtohaveanelementofatomicweightsixtimesthatofuranium
thatelementcouldbeproduced."[59]
InCrowley'srevisedsystem,however,theO.T.O.'sninedegreeswereexpandedtoeleven.The
eighth,ninthandeleventhofthesefocusedonmoreexplicitlytransgressivesexualritesofautoerotic
andhomosexualintercourse.AsPeterKoenigsummarizestheupperdegrees,
Crowley'sVIIIthdegreeunveiled...thatmasturbatingonasigilofademonormeditatingupon
theimageofaphalluswouldbringpowerorcommunicationwithadivinebeing...TheIXth
degreewaslabeledheterosexualintercoursewherethesexualsecretsweresuckedoutofthe
vaginaandwhennotconsumed...putonasigiltoattractthisorthatdemontofulfillthepertinent
wish...IntheXIthdegree,themostlyhomosexualdegree,oneidentifiesoneselfwithan
ejaculatingpenis.Theblood(orexcrements)fromanalintercourseattractthespirits/demons
whilethespermkeepsthemalive.[60]
Inmanyways,thissecretofsexualmagicwasreallythekeytohisentirevisionofanewAeonbasedon
thefullaffirmationoftheWillandthecompleteliberationfromtherepressive,oppressivereligionsof
thepast.Indeed,Crowleytakesthe"repressivehypothesis"andtheurgetosexualfreedomtoitsfurthest
extreme:forhenotonlyproclaimstheliberationofsexualityfromtheprudishbondsofhisVictorian
childhood,buthealsomakesthemostdeviantandantisocialofsexualactsnamely,masturbation,oral
consumptionofsexualfluidsandhomosexualintercoursetheultimatekeystomagicalpower.Inother
words,hesetouttousherinhisownnewAeonbysmashingandtearingdowntheentiresocialmoral
structureoftheworldinwhichhewasraised.[61]
TheodorReuss
150
IV.THEYOGAOFSEX:TantraandotherExoticImportsfromtheMysteriousOrient
Shiva,theDestroyer,isasleep,andwhenheopenshiseyetheuniverseisdestroyed...Butthe
"eye"ofShivaisalsohisLingam[phallus].ShivaishimselftheMahalingam,whichunitesthese
symbolisms.Theopeningoftheeye,theejaculationoftheLingam,thedestructionofthe
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universe,theaccomplishmentoftheGreatWorkallthesearedifferentwaysofsayingthesame
thing.
Crowley,TheBookofLies[62]
[P]aradoxicalasitmaysound,theTantricsareinrealitythemostadvancedoftheHindus.
Crowley[63]
AlreadyintheworkofKellner,ReussandtheearlyO.T,O,Westernsexualmagichadbegunto
bemingledwiththerecentlydiscoveredtraditionsofHinduandBuddhistTantra.ButitisCrowleyand
Crowley'sformofsexualmagicthatmostWesternersreadersnowthinkofwhentheyheartheword
Tantra.Aswewillsee,however,thisassociationofCrowleyandTantramayturnouttobeagooddeal
morespuriousandunfoundedthanmostauthorshavegenerallyassumed.
Asitisusedbymosthistoriansofreligionstoday,Tantrareferstoavastandextremelydiverse
bodyoftexts,practicesandtraditionshatspreadthroughouttheHindu,BuddhistandevenJain
communitiessinceatlistthe3rdor4thcenturyCE.Thereisinfactintensedisagreement,notonlyasto
howitisbestdefined,butevenastowhetherTantrareally"exists"atall.IsitreallyanindigenousAsian
category,orisitinsteadlikethegenericcategoryof"Hinduism"itselftheproductofwestern
OrientalistscholarsimposingtheirownfantasiesandobsessionsontotheexoticmirroroftheOriental
Other?[64]Althoughithasbeendefinedinmanydifferentways,Tantracentersinlargepartaroundthe
conceptofshaktipowerorenergy,inallitsmanyforms.Shaktiisthepowerthatcreates,sustainsand
destroystheentireuniverse,butitisalsothepowerthatflowsthroughthesocialandpoliticalworld,as
well.Tantricritualseekstoharnessandexploitthispower,bothasameantospiritualliberationandasa
meanstothisworldlybenefits,suchaswealth,fameandsupernaturalabilities.AsDouglasBrooks
summarizes,"TheTantrikaconceivesoftheworldaspower.Theworldisnothingbutpowertobe
harnessed."[65]Sexualunion(maithuna)isindeedusedinsometraditionsasonemethodtoawaken
andharnessthispowerbutitisbynomeanstheonly,orevenusuallythemostimportant,technique
employedinTantricritual.Andevenwhenitisused,itistypicallyrestrictedtoverycloselyguarded,
highlyesotericritualsettingsandsurroundedwiththemostsevereinjunctionswarningofthedangersof
itsabuse.Inthewordsofoneofthemostfamousandinfluentialmedievaltexts,theKularnavaTantra,
151
WhatItellyoumustbekeptwithgreatsecrecy.Thismustnotbegiventojustanyone.Itmust
onlybegiventoadevoteddisciple.Itwillbedeathtoanyothers.
Ifliberationcouldbeattainedsimplybyhavingintercoursewitha[femalepartner],thenallliving
beingsintheworldwouldbeliberatedjustbyhavingintercoursewithwomen.[66]
ManyformsofTantricpracticedoinvolveexplicitformsofritualtransgression.Theritual
consumptionofmeatandwine,andinsomecasessexualintercourseinviolationofclasslaws,canbe
employedasameansofawakeningandharnessingtheawesomepowerorshaktithatflowsthroughall
things.Yetatthesametime,asBrooks,SanjuktaGuptaandmanyothershaveargued,Tantraisreallyby
nomeansthesubversive,antisocialforcethatmanyWesternreadersimagineittobe.Onthecontrary,it
isinmostcasesahighlyconservativetradition,whichultimatelyreassertstheritualauthorityandsocial
statusofmalebrahmins.Socialrelationsandsexualtaboosaretypicallyonlyviolatedinhighly
controlledritualcontextsandaregenerallyreassertedindeed,reinforcedoutsidetheboundariesof
esotericritual:"Anticastestatementsshouldneverbereadoutsidetheirritualcontext.Returnedto
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ordinarylife,nohighcasteTantricwouldthinkofbreakingsocialtaboos...Theritualegalitarianismof
Tantrisminpracticeactedasacasteconfirming...force."[67]
SinceitsfirstdiscoverybyEuropeanOrientalistscholarsandChristianmissionariesinthe18th
century,TantrahasheldaplaceofprofoundambivalenceintheWesternimagination.TomostEuropean
scholarsofthecolonialera,Tantrawasidentifiedastheveryworstandmostdepravedaspectofthe
Indianmind,thesourceofallthepolytheism,idolatryandlicentiousnessthathadledtotheapparent
degenerationofHinduisminmoderntimes.Aboveall,Tantrawasattackedbecauseofitsuseofsensual
pleasureandevensexualunionasameansofspiritualexperience.Ironically,althoughphysical
intercourseplaysaverylimitedroleinmostIndianTantrictraditions,thesexualaspectwasquickly
singledoutasthemostinfamousandmostshockingaspectofthisterribleperversionoftruereligion.As
thegreatSanskritist,SirMonierWilliams,putit,Tantrais"Hinduismarrivedinlastandworstageof
medievaldevelopment,"inwhichthenoblephilosophyoftheVedashadbeenreplacedbytheobscene
sexualperversionsandblackmagicofthelefthand(vamacara)Tantras:"Therites,orrather,orgies,of
thelefthandworshipperspresupposethemeetingofmenandwomanofallcastesinthemost
unrestrainedmanner."[68]
152
ThisidentificationofTantrawithsexuallicentiousnesswasonlyfurthercomplicatedinthelate
19thcentury,asTantrabecameincreasinglyconfusedwithvariouspornographicandsexological
literatureproliferatinginVictorianEngland.OneofthemostwidelyreadauthorsonTantra(thoughalso
oneoftheleastoriginal)wasEdwardSellon,whowasbestknownasanauthorofcheappornographic
books,suchasTheNewEpicureanortheDelightsofSexFacetiouslyandPhilosophicallyConsideredin
GraphicLettersAddressedtoYoungLadiesofQuality.[69]HavingservedasanEnsignintheMadras
infantryasayoungman,SellonalsoknewsomethingofHindubeliefandpractice,whichhepublishedin
hisAnnotationsupontheSacredWritingsoftheHindus.HisvividandtitillatingdescriptionofTantric
worshipinwhich"naturalrestraintsarewhollydisregarded"andwhich"terminateswithorgies
amongstthevotariesofaverylicentiousdescription"wouldbecomeoneofthemostinfluential
accountsinthelateVictorianpopularimagination.[70]Finally,thisequationofTantrawithitssexual
aspectswouldberenderedhopelesslyconfusedwiththepublicationofvariousSanskriterotictextssuch
astheAnangaRangaandtheKamaSutrabySirRichardFrancisBurtonandhiscohortsintheKama
ShastraSociety.[71]AlthoughtheKamaSutrainfacthadlittleifanythingtodowithTantra,itwould
soonbecomelargelyconfusedandoftencompletelyidentifiedwithTantraintheWesternpopular
imagination.Crowley,too,seemstohaveinheritedthisOrientalistidentificationofTantrawithsex,and
hewouldsoonbecomeinfamousasoneofthefirstWesternauthorstowedsexualmagicwiththe
esotericritesofTantra.AshisdiscipleKennethGrantputit,"TherevivalofTantricelementsintheBook
oftheLawmaybeevidenceofapositivemoveonthepartof[Crowley]toforgealinkbetweenWestern
andOrientalsystemsofmagick."[72]Butthequestionis,howmuchdidCrowleyreallyknowabout
IndianTantrictraditionsthatis,beyondthesecondhandcommentsandburstsofmoraloutrageabout
TantriclicentiousnessthatwerecommoninOrientalistscholarship?
ItistruethathedidhaveareasonablygoodknowledgeofIndianyoga,includingboththeraja
(royal)orashtanga(eightlimbed)yogaofPatanjaliandthemorephysicalpracticefocusedonbodily
posturesknownashathayoga.HisEightLecturesonYogaor"YogaforYahoos,"ashedescribedit
displaysacompetentgraspoftheclassicalyogasystemandwouldbecomeoneofthefirstvehicles
throughwhichyogawastransmittedtotheWest.[73]Anditisalsotruethathemadefrequentuseof
keySanskritterms,suchaslingamandyoni,themaleandfemalesexualorgans,toexplainhisown
magicalpractice.Infact,herecordsinhisConfessionsthatitwastheIndianworshipofthelingamthat
helpedchangehisattitudestowardsexandtoseethatthesexualorgancanbeasourceofspiritualpower
andanobjectofveneration.UnlikerepressedandneuroticmodernWesternsociety,Indiahadlong
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knowntheinherentdivinityofsexualityandthehumanbody:
OneofthegreatinsightsofSouthIndiaisthegreatTempleoftheShivalingam.Ispentagood
dealoftimeinitscourtsmeditatingonthemysteryofPhallicworship...MyinstincttoldmethatBlake
wasrightinsaying:"ThelustofthegoatisthegloryofGod."ButIlackedthecouragetoadmit
it.Theresultofmytraininghadbeentoobsessmewiththehideouslyfoulideathatinflictssuch
miseryonWesternmindsandcurseslifewithcivilwar.Europeanscannotfacethefactsfrankly,they
cannotescapefromtheiranimalappetite,yetsufferthetorturesoffearandshameevenwhile
gratifyingit.AsFreudhasnowshown,thisdevastatingcomplexisnotmerelyresponsibleformostof
thesocialanddomesticmiseryofEuropeandAmerica,butexposestheindividualtoneurosis
....Weresorttosuppression,andthegermscreateanabscess.[74]
153
ItalsoseemsthatCrowleyeventuallycametohaveacertainrespectforIndianTantrictraditions.Unlike
mostoftheOrientalistscholarsofhisday,whodenouncedTantraasahorribleperversion,Crowley
describedTantranotonlyavalidformofreligion,butinfactthe"mostadvanced"ofallformsofIndian
spirituality.ForunlikeotherformsofHinduismandBuddhism,Tantradoesnotdenythephysicalbody
orthenaturalworld,butaffirmsandmakesuseofthefleshandthesenses:
TheessenceoftheTantriccultsisthatbyperformanceofcertainritesofMagick,onedoesnot
onlyescapedisaster,butobtainspositivebenediction.TheTantricisnotobsessedbythewillto
die.Itisadifficultbusiness,nodoubt,togetanyfunoutofexistence,butatleastitisnot
impossible...[H]eimplicitlydeniesthepropositionthatexistenceissorrowandheformulatesthe
postulate...thatmeansexistbywhichtheuniversalsorrow...maybeunmasked.[75]
OneofthemostexplicitreferencestoTantricsexualpracticesinCrowley'sworkisfoundinhis
keytextfortheO.T.O.IXdegreerite,DeArteMagicka.HerespecificallycomparestheTantricviewof
thesemenandtheriteofmaithunawiththeIXdegreerite,andalsodemonstratesthatheisfamiliarwith
atleastoneTantrictext:
LiketheJews,thewisemenofIndiahaveabeliefthatacertainparticularPrana,orforce,resides
intheBindu,orsemen.
Thereforetheystimulatetothemaximumitsgenerationbycausingaconsecratedprostituteto
excitetheorgans,andatthesametimevigorouslywithholdbywill.Aftersomelittleexercise
theyclaimthattheycandeflowerasmanyaseightyvirginsinanightwithoutlosingasingledrop
oftheBindu.Noristhisevertobelost,butreabsorbedthroughthetissuesofthebody.The
organsthusactasasiphontodrawconstantlyfreshsuppliesoflifefromthecosmicreservoir,and
floodthebodywiththeirfructifyingvirtue.
Initiateswillnoticealsothattheseheathenphilosophershavemadeonefurthermarchtowardsthe
truthwhentheysaythattheSunandMoonmustbeunitedbeforethereabsorption(seealmost
anyTantra,inparticularShivaSanhita).[76]
154
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Forthesereasons,manyauthorshavespeculatedthatCrowleydidinfacthavesomeextensive
knowledgeofTantra.ThusLawrenceSutinmakestheargumentthatCrowleymayhavefirstbeen
introducedtothemoreradicallefthand(vamacara)formofTantrainCeylonasearly1901.Infamous
foritsuseofnormallyforbiddensubstances,suchasmeat,wineandsexualintercourse,vamacara
Tantraisconsideredthemostrapidanddangerouspathtoliberation.[77]Initially,Crowleyseemsto
havebeenrepulsedbysuchpractices,forexamplewhenhewrotewithdisdainabout"thesefolliesof
Vamacharya("debauchery,"i.e.,normallife).[78]InthisnegativeviewoflefthandTantra,however,
Crowleywasbynomeansaloneamongoccultistsandreligiousleadersoftheday.ManyleadingIndian
religiousfigures,suchasSwamiVivekananda(18631902)oneofthefirsttobringHinduphilosophy
totheWesthadasingulardisdainforTantra,particularinitslefthandforms.[79]EvenmanyWestern
occultistssuchasMadameBlavatsky(18311891)whohadagreatadmirationforIndianphilosophy
andeventuallyrelocatedtheTheosophicalSocietytoSouthIndiaidentifiedTantrawithblackmagic
ofthemostfoulanddepravedvariety:"[T]heTantras...aretheembodimentofceremonialblackmagicof
thedarkestdye...[T]hoseKabbalistswhodabbleintheceremonialmagicdescribed...byEliphasLeviare
asfullblownTantrikasasthoseofBengal."[80]ItseemsprobablethatCrowleywasinfluencedbythese
viewsofTantra,whichwerewidelycirculatedinbothIndiaandEnglandfromthelate19thcentury
onward.
However,SutingoesontoarguethatCrowley'sattitudestowardTantrabecameagooddeal
morepositiveinyearsafter1901,andthathebegantoexperimentinTantricinfluencedsexualritesof
hisown.Alreadyby1902,Sutinsuggests,CrowleyandhispartnerRosehadbeguntoengageinaseries
ofsecretrites,ofasexualnature(andrelatedtoTantricpractices,suchastheemulationofthepassive
ShivaincosmiccouplingwiththemountedenergeticShakti)."[81]Unfortunately,Sutinprovidesno
evidencethatCrowleyandRosewereengaginginanysortofactualTantricpracticesorthattheirsexual
relationswereinanywayinfluencedbyTantra.
155
OthershavespeculatedthatCrowleywasevenmoredeeplyinvolvedinlefthandTantricrituals
duringhistravelsinIndia.In1936,forexample,ElizabethSharpepublishedasemiautobiographical
accountentitledSecretsoftheKaulaCircle,whichdescribesamysteriousEnglishmancallinghimselfby
thenumber666,whoengagesinthemostesotericTantricrites:ImetaEuropeanwho...called
himselfbyanumber.Inthebeginninghewasextremelyhandsome,afterwardshegrewgross...Hehad
manywomenathisdisposal...Helearntmanymagicalprocessesbywhichhedrewintohiscirclegreat
phantoms...666woreaceremonialrobe,hadapentacle,awandaswordandacup."[82]Atleastone
authorhastakenthistobepositiveproofthatCrowleyhadintimateknowledgeofandexperiencein
Tantricpractice.[83]However,giventhefactthatSharpe'snovelwaspublishedatatimewhen
Crowley'sreputationasapervert,blackmagiciananddrugfiendwasquitewidespread,itseemsequally
(ifnotmore)likelythatSharpeappropriatedthefigureoftheinfamous"Beast666,"mingledhimwith
somewidespreadfantasiesaboutTantriclicentiousnessandincorporatedhimasapurelyfictional
characterintohernovel.
Butapartfromthesegeneralreferences,itwouldseemthatCrowley'sactualknowledgeofTantra
wasfairlyrudimentaryandlargelycoloredbytheOrientalistbiasesofhisera.Itisindeedstriking,for
example,thatCrowleydoesnotoncementiontheworkofSirJohnWoodroffe(a.k.a.ArthurAvalon,
18651936),[84]whoseworkpioneeredthemodernstudyofTantraandhelpedintroduceTantraasa
seriousreligiouspracticeandphilosophicalsystemtothewesternworld.AjudgeontheBritishHigh
CourtinCalcuttaandsecretstudentoftheTantras,WoodroffewasacontemporaryofCrowleywhose
majorworksonTantrawerepublishedinEnglandfromaround1913on.[85]Onewouldthinkthat
Crowleywouldhavewelcomedthepublicationofalargebodyofancientliteraturethatallowsfora
positiveroleforsexualexperienceandthisworldlypleasure,andonecannothelpbutwonderwhyhe
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completelyignoreditinhisownwritingsonsexualmagic.
156
Moreover,inthefewplaceswherehedoesdiscussTantricpractices,Crowleyfrequentlyeither
misunderstandsorsimplyreinterpretsthemforhisownpurposes.Forexample,mostTantrictraditions
useaformofphysicaldisciplineknownaskundaliniyoga.Accordingtothekundalinisystem,therearea
seriesofsevenenergycenters(chakras)locatedalongtheaxisofthespinalcolumn.Atthebaseofthese
liestheGreatGoddessaspower(shakti)hiddeninthehumanbody,whichisimaginedintheformofa
coiledserpent(kundalini).Theaimofkundaliniyogaistoawakenthisserpentpowerandtoraiseit
throughthesevenenergycenterswhereitwillultimatelybeunitedwiththesuprememasculineprinciple,
theGod,Shiva,whoisimaginedasdwellinginathousandpetalledlotusatthetopofthehead.Crowley
moreorlessacceptsthisbasicsystemofsevenchakrasandtheserpentpoweryet,quiteremarkably,he
alsoaddsaspecialsetoflowerchakraslocatedbeneaththelowestenergycenter(themuladharaor
root),intheregionsoftheanus,theprostategland(orurethracervixregioninthefemale)andthebase
ofthepenis(orclitorisinthefemale).Inotherwords,hehasaddedaseriesofsubchakrasthatare
explicitlyassociatedwiththesexualorgansandorifices.Asheexplainsinaletterin1916,
Itappearsthataspecialsetofnadis[nerves]fedtheMuladharalotusasifithadthreeroots.The
sourceoftheserootsisinthethreecentres...Buytheyarenotlotusesofthesameorderasthe
sacredSeven...
Theanallotusisofeightpetals,deepcrimson,glowingtorichpoppycolorwhenexcited...
Theprostaticlotusislikeaperidot,extremelytranslucentandlimpid...Thepetalsarenumerous,I
thinkthirtytwo.
Thethirdlotusisintheglanspenis,closetothebase...Itisofastartlinglyrichpurple...The
centreisgoldlikethesun
Inthefemalethesethreelotusesalsoexist,butinaverydifferentform...[T]hesecondofthe
chakrasissituatedbetweentheurethraandthecervixuteri...[I]tscolorisneutralgreybutin
pregnancyitbecomesabrilliantorangeandflowerlike...
Thethirdlotusisatthebaseoftheclitoris...ThepetalsarefortynineinnumberThebasiccolor
isaricholivegreen,sometimeskindlingtoemerald[86]
157
ThispassageisatellingexampleofCrowley'sappropriationandreinterpretationofTantraasawhole.
NotonlydoesheidentifyTantraprimarilywithitssexualaspects,but,goingstillfurther,healso
introduceshisownseriesofsubchakrasidentifiedspecificallywiththesexualorgans.However,
perhapsthegreatestdifferencebetweentheCrowleyianandHinduTantricsystemsistheroleofsexual
intercourseinritualpractice.Buthereagainthereissomeconfusion.Someauthorshavesuggestedthat
theprimarydifferenceliesinthewayinwhichthesexualactsarecarriedoutandthemannerinwhich
sexualunionoccurs.ThusSutinarguesthatthekeydifferenceisthattheHinduandBuddhistTantrics
callforaretentionandsublimationofthemalesemenduringunion,whileCrowleycallsforthe
ejaculationandconsumptionofthesexualfluids(infact,CrowleyhimselfpointedthisoutinDeArte
Magicka,chaptersXIVandXVI):
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HinduandBuddhistTantrism.callforretentionofsemenbythemale,evenintheheightsof
mysticalsexualunion.Crowleyfollowedthatalchemicaltraditionwhichregardedthefluidic
comminglingasan'elixir'which,whenimbibed,couldheightenbothone'sphysicalandspiritual
state.[87]
Actually,thisisnotquitecorrect.ItistruethatmanylaterTantrictextsemphasizeretentionofsemen
duringunionbutthereareinfactmanyHinduTantrictraditionsandarguably,theoldertraditions
thatcallforejaculationofthesemenandconsumptionofthecombinedmaleandfemalesexualfluids.
AccordingtotheBrhatTantrasaraoneofthelargestcompendiaofTantricritualandiconography
composedbythegreat16thcenturyauthor,KrishnanandaAgamavagishathesheddingofsemeninto
thewombofthefemalepartneristheultimate"sacrificialact."For"sexualunionisthelibationthe
sacredpreceptisthesheddingofsemen."[88]Themingledsexualfluidsarethenconsecratedand
consumedasthesupremesacrificialofferingcalledthekuladravyaor"lineagesubstance"which
hasthepowertofulfillallworldlyandotherworldlydesires.[89]AsDavidGordonWhitehasargued,
thispracticeoforallyconsumingthesexualfluidscanbefoundinmanyoftheoldestTantrasand
probablypredatesthepracticeofseminalretention.[90]
158
Instead,IwouldsuggestthatthekeydifferencebetweentraditionalformsofTantraand
Crowley'ssystemliesnotinthedetailsofsexualunion,butratherintheemphasisthatisplacedonsexin
thefirstplace.InmostHinduandBuddhistTantras,sexualunionisafairlyminorpartofspiritual
practicewhenmentionedatall,itisoftentakeninpurelysymbolicterms,and,whenpracticedliterally,
isbutoneofmanywaysofawakeningthedivinepowerorshakti.AsGeorgFeuersteinobserves,"There
isnothingglamorousaboutTantricsexualintercourse."[91]ButinmostcontemporaryWestern
interpretationsandaboveall,inthewakeofCrowleyTantrahasbeenredefinedprimarilybyits
sexualelement,andoftensimplyequatedwith"spiritualsex,"thegoalofwhichisnotspiritual
developmentbutheightenedorgasmandoptimalphysicalpleasure.[92]
Intheend,itseemsthereislittleconcreteevidencethatCrowleyhadanyextensiveknowledgeof
IndianTantra,apartfromthecommonassociationofTantraandsexintheWesternimagination.Sohow,
then,didCrowley'sworkcometobesowidelyidentifiedwithTantrainlaterliterature?Theanswerlies
primarily,Ithink,intheworkofCrowley'searliestbiographers,suchasJohnSymondsand,aboveall,
KennethGrant.Infact,Granthimselfclaimedtohavereceived"fullinitiationintoahighlyrecondite
formulaoftheTantricvamamarg,"atthehandsofoneDavidCurwen,whointurnclaimedtohavebeen
initiatedbyaTantricGuruinSouthIndia.HavingmetCrowleyin1944andstudyingwithhimin1945,
GrantwouldgoontowriteaseriesofbooksonCrowleyandmagic,whichrepeatedlyemphasizethe
"Tantric"natureofCrowley'swork.Thus,TheBookoftheLawisevenpraisedas"theNewGnosis,the
latestTantra,"andCrowleyiscreditedwithhavingpenetratedtheinnermostsecretsofTantricsexual
practices(whichGrantalsocompareswiththeOrgasmtheoryofWilhelmReich):"Crowleyknewthat
thecruxoftantricrituallayinitsconnectionwiththemagicallyinducedecstasiesofsexualorgasm."
[93]Ultimately,GrantalsofindsintheTantrasaconfirmationofthecentraltenetofCrowley'slawof
Thelemathefundamentalbeliefinthedivinityofthehumanwill.JustasTantra,inCrowley'snew
interpretation,assertedthedivinityofthehumanbodyandthesexualinstinct,sotoodiditaffirmthe
godhoodofManabovealltheoldfalsedyinggodsofthepast:"AnotherpointofcontactbetweenTantra
andThelemaiscontainedintheThelemicaphorism:Thereisnogodbutman!"[94]
159
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Butironically,despitehisattemptstoreadCrowleythroughaTantriclens,evenGrantadmits
thatCrowley'sactualknowledgeofTantricpracticewaslimited.ThusherecountsCrowley's
correspondencewithDavidCurwen,whoallegedtohavestudiedlefthandTantrainSouthIndia.
AccordingtoGrant'sownaccount,CrowleywasratherannoyedthatCurwenseemedtopossessmuch
greaterknowledgeaboutTantraandsexualmagickasCrowleyhimselfadmitted,"Curwenknows100
timesasmuchasIdoabutTantra.ButIdonotadviseit."[95]ForCurwenclaimedtohavearecipefor
preparingtheprized"ElixirofLife"thatwasfarsuperiortothatoftheO.T.O.:
ThereexistsadocumentcompiledbyCurwen'serstwhileguru,aSouthIndiantantric.Init
appearedanadversecriticismofCrowley'sattemptsatpreparingtheElixirofLifeInthe
instructionswhichaccompanythehigherdegreesoftheO.T.O.thereisnocomprehensive
accountofthecriticalroleofthekalasorpsychosexualemanationsofthewomanchosenforthe
magicalrites...TheO.T.OlackedsomevitalkeystotherealsecretofmagickwhichCrowley
claimedtohaveincorporatedintothehigherdegrees.Curwenundoubtedlyknewmoreabout
thesemattersthandidCrowley.[96]
ButregardlessofCrowley'sactualknowledgeofTantra,virtuallyeveryonewritingonthesubject
sincethetimeofGrantandSymondsseemstohaveacceptedthisbasicidentityofCrowleyianmagicand
Tantra.[97]Crowley'sversionofthetraditionand,aboveall,hisidentificationofTantraprimarilywith
itssexualcomponent,wouldhaveaformativeimpactonvirtuallyalllaterformsofsexmagicinthe
West.
160
V.LeashingandUnleashingtheBeast:Taboo,TransgressionandPower
Iloathelaw.Itseemstomeasifitweremerelyanelaborateseriesofobstaclestodoingthings
sensibly.
Crowley,DiaryofaDrugFiend[98]
Transgressioncontainsnothingnegativebutaffirmslimitedbeingaffirmsthelimitlessnessinto
itwhichleapsasitopensthiszonetoexistenceforthefirsttime.
MichelFoucault,"PrefacetoTransgression"[99]
SowhatarewetomakeofCrowley'sseeminglyscandalousanddeliberatelyshockingsexual
practices?Weretheymerelytheexpressionofaperverseandhedonisticcharacterwhohopedtosatiate
everycarnaldesire?Orweretheysimplyacrudeformofsympatheticmagicdesignedtobringhim
materialgain,wealthandpower?Andhowdotheycomparetotheformsofsexualpracticethatone
findsintheIndiantraditionsofTantra?
HereIwouldsuggestthatCrowley'ssexualmagickisastrikingillustrationofwhatGeorges
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Bataillecallsthepoweroftransgression,whichisacentralaspectoferoticism,religiousritualand
mysticalexperiencealike.Transgression,Batailleargues,isnotsimplehedonismorunrestrainedsexual
licenserather,itspowerliesinthedialecticor"play"(lejeu)betweentabooandtransgression,through
whichonesystematicallyconstructsandthenoverstepsalllaws.Perhapsnowhereisthismoreapparent
thaninthecaseoferoticism.Notamatterofsimplenudity,eroticismarisesinthedialecticofveilingand
revealing,clothingandstriptease,betweenthecreationofsexualtaboosandtheexhilaratingexperience
ofoversteppingthem.Sotoo,inecstaticmysticalexperienceorreligiousrites(suchasbloodsacrifices,
carnivals,etc.),onemustfirstcreateanauraofpurityandsanctitybeforeonecandefileitwithviolence,
transgressionortheoverturningoflaw."Theprohibitionistheretobeviolated"rulesaremadetobe
broken,foritistheexperienceofoversteppinglimitsthatbringstheblissfulsenseofcontinuityand
communionwiththeOther:
[T]aboos...arenotonlytheretobeobeyed...Itisalwaysatemptationtoknockdowna
barrier...Fearinvests[theforbiddenact]withanauraofexcitement."Thereisnothing,"
writesdeSade,"thatcansetboundstolicentiousness...Thebestwayofenlargingand
multiplyingone'sdesiresistotrytolimitthem."[100]
161
Theultimateaimoftransgression,however,isnotmeresensualpleasurerather,itisthe
transgressionoftheveryboundariesoftheself,theexpenditure(depense)withouthopeofanyreturn,
whichshattersthelimitsoffinite,isolatedhumanconsciousnessinordertoexperiencetheboundless
continuityoftheInfinite.Itisthisexperienceoftransgressionandexpenditurethatlinkseroticism
intimatelytotheultimateexperienceofinfinitecontinuity,thatofdeathitself:
Eroticism...isassentingtolifeuptothepointofdeath...Althougheroticactivityisinthefirst
placeanexuberanceoflife,theobjectofthispsychologicalquest...isnotalientodeath.
Eroticactivity,bydissolvingtheseparatebeingsthatparticipateinit,revealstheirfundamental
continuity,likethewavesofastormysea.[101]
Nowhereisthisfundamentaldialecticbetweentabooandtransgressionmoreapparentthaninthe
caseofCrowley.QuiteselfconsciouslyoverthrowingthesexualrestraintsoftheVictorianworldin
whichhewasraised,Crowleymadeithismissiontoshattertheboundariesofconventionalmoralityin
ordertoliberatethesupremefreedomoftheindividualself.Thus,"Thequalitieswhichhavemadea
man,arace,acity,acaste,mustbethrownoff...Allmoralcodesareworthlessinthemselves."[102]In
placeoftheemasculatedmoralityofChrist,hecelebratedthehighermoralityoftheWill,avirile,phallic
powerthatburststhroughthenarrowboundariesofconventionalmorality:"TheLoveofLiberLegisis
alwaysbold,virile,ecstatic,evenorgiastic...Mightyandterribleandgloriousasitis,however,itisbut
thepennonuponthesacredlanceofWill."[103]Asweseeinthevowtobetakenbyhispartnersin
sexualrites,Crowley'smagicalworkdemandedtheexplicitviolationofthemoralboundariesthat
confineordinaryhumanbeings:
162
Iwillworktheworkofwickedness
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Iwillkillmyheart
Iwillbeloudandadulterous
Iwillbecoveredwithjewelsandrichgarments.
Iwillbeshamelessbeforeallmen
Iwill,fortokenthereof,willfreelyprostitutemybodytothelustsofeachandeveryliving
creaturethatshalldesireit
IclaimtheMysteryofMysteries,BABALONtheGreat,andtheNumber156,andtherobeofthe
WomanofWhoredomesandtheCupofAbominations.[104]
BrandedwiththeBeast'sMark
Aswehaveseenabove,manyofCrowley'shigherlevelritualscenteredaroundactsthatwere
consideredextremelytransgressiveinlateVictoriansociety.Sodomyandmasturbationwereforemost
amongtheactsconsideredbothphysicallyandmorallydangerousinVictoriansociety,andtheywould
thereforebecomeamongthemostpowerfultoolsinCrowley'smagicalpractice.Theoriginalprefaceto
hisTheWorld'sTragedywas,infact,subtitled"Sodomy,"inwhichhevowed"tofightopenlyforthat
whichnolivingEnglishmandareddefend,eveninsecretsodomy![105]
However,evenCrowley'sheterosexualriteswouldhavebeenconsideredsomewhatagainstthe
grainofVictoriansexualvalues.Aswehavealreadyseen,manyofhismagicalpracticesinvolved
deliberateinversionsof"normal"sexualintercourse,suchastheconsumptionofthemaleandfemale
sexualfluids,whichwereregardedasthepowerful"elixir"employedinmanyoftheIXdegree
operations.[106]Insomecases,however,Crowleyseemstohavetrulyexultedinhisowndepravity,
goingtogreatlengthstodescribehisdescentintolicentioustransgression.Ashedescribedhisrelations
withhispartner,RonnieMinor,in1918,"Inowdoallthosethingswhichvoluptuariesdo,withequalor
greaterenthusiasmandpowerbutalwaysforanUlteriorEnd.InthismatterIamreproachedbythat
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whoreofniggersanddogs,withwhomIamnowlivinginmuchworsethanadultery."[107]Similarly,
ashedescribedhisrelationswithayoungAmerican,CecilFrederickRussell,whocometostudywith
himin1921andbecameapartnerinhissexualmagic,
163
NowI'llshaveandmakeupmyfacelikethelowestkindofwhoreandrubonperfumeandgo
afterGenesthai[Russell]likeadrunkentwobitprickpitinoldNewOrleans.Hedisgustsme
sexually,asIhim,asIsuspect[T]hedirtiermydeed,thedearermydarlingwillholdmethe
grossertheactthegreediermyarsetoengulphhim![108]
CrowleywouldgotoevenfurtherextremesoftransgressionduringhisyearsattheAbbeyofThelema.
Inhisdiaries,heclaimstohavetranscendedallmaterialdistinctions,shatteringtheboundarybetween
pureandimpure,suchthateventhemostdefilingsubstancesincludinghumanexcrementbecamefor
himthepureBodyofGod.ThustheshitofhisScarletWoman,LeahHirsig,becamethe"Thelemic
Host"inhisGnosticMass:
Mymouthburnedmythroatchoked,mybellywretchedmybloodfledwitherwhoknows...She
stoodaboveinhideouscontempt...SheateallthebodyofGodandwithHersoul'scompulsion
mademeeat...Myteethgrewrotten,mytongueulcered,rawwasmythroat,spasmtornmybelly,
andallmyDoubtofthatwhichtoHerteethwasmoonlightandtohertongueambrosiatoher
throatnectar,inherbellytheOneGod.[109]
MuchlikeBataille,Crowleyfindsinsexualmagickthemostpowerfulmeanstoshatteringthe
limitedrationalmindandfinitehumanego.Sexualtransgressionisalsoatransgressionofthe
boundariesofordinaryconsciousnessitself.FollowingNietzsche,Crowleyseestherational,logical
thinkingmindasakindofepiphenomenonandaberrationofthetruehumanself,whichisbodily,
instinctiveandsensual."Consciousnessisasymptomofdisease"butinthemomentofsexualunionand
orgasmcalledhere"theCharioting"thethinkingmindistemporarilyblottedout,allowingafleeting
glimmerof"universalconsciousness:"
164
Mindisadiseaseofsemen.Allthatamanisormaybeishiddentherein....Thereforeismanonly
himselfwhenlosttohimselfinTheCharioting.
Therefore,exceptinthecaseofanAdept,manonlyrisestoaglimmeroftheuniversal
consciousness,while,intheorgasm,themindisblottedout.[110]
AsJuliusEvolasuggests,Crowleysawinorgasm(asindrugexperience)ameanstocreatebreakagesof
consciousnessbypushingthemindtoapointofextremeexhaustionandsoopeningittothe
"supersensual:""Thetechnique...wasthatofexcessthroughpainorpleasure,sexorintoxication,itwas
necessarytoattainaconditionofexhaustiontakentotheextremelimit."[111]Ultimately,inthis
momentofsexualexcess,theselfdissolvesintotheabyssoftheInfinite,beyondalllimitations:
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Asmanloseshispersonalityinphysicallove,sodoesthemagicianannihilatehisdivine
personalityinthatwhichisbeyond.
Inlovetheindividualityisslain...Lovedeaththerefore,andlongeagerlyforit.
Lovedestroyethself...LovebreedethAllandNoneinOne.[112]
165
LikeBataille,then,Crowleyfoundinthisradicaltransgressionandshatteringofrationalthought
thesourceofatremendous,evensuperhumanpower.Themaguswhodarestobreaktheboundaries
betweenpureandimpure,therationalandtheirrational,selfandnothingness,canunleashtheultimate
magicalenergyandsubdueallofrealitytohisownwill:
ASorcererbythepowerofhismagickhadsubduedallthingstohimself...Hecouldflythrough
spacemoreswiftlythanthestars.Wouldheeat,drink,andtakehispleasure?Therewasnonethat
didnotobeyhisbidding.Inthewholesystemoftenmilliontimestenmillionspheresuponthe
twoandtwentymillionplaneshehadhisdesire.[113]
However,theultimategoalthatCrowleysoughtthroughhissexualmagicseemswentfarbeyondthe
mundanedesireformaterialwealthormortalpower.Inhismostexaltedmoments,Crowleyappearsto
havebelievedthathecouldachieveasupremespiritualpowerthepowertoconceiveadivinechild,a
godlikebeing,whowouldtranscendthemoralfailingsofthebodybornofmerewoman.Thisgoalof
creatingadivinefetus,Crowleysuggests,liesattheheartofmanyesoterictraditions,fromancient
MesopotamiatoIndiatotheArabworld:
ThisisthegreatideaofmagiciansinalltimesToobtainaMessiahbysomeadaptationofthe
sexualprocess.InAssyriatheytriedincest...GreeksandSyriansmostlybestiality....The
Mohammedanstriedhomosexualitymedievalphilosopherstriedtoproducehomunculiby
makingchemicalexperimentswithsemen.Buttherootideaisthatanyformofprocreationother
thannormalislikelytoproduceresultsofamagicalcharacter.[114]
166
Sexmagic,particularlyinitstransgressive,nonreproductiveforms,canthusunleashthesupreme
creativepower:thepowertocreatenotanordinaryfetus,butamagicalchildofmessianicpotential.
Atthispoint,wemightnowaskanimportantcomparativequestion:Giventhefactthatsomany
modernauthorshaveequatedCrowley'ssexmagicwithIndianTantricpractice,andgiventhefactboth
CrowleyianmagicandTantrainvolveexplicitviolationsofsocialtaboos,howshouldwecomparethe
roleoftransgressioninthesetwotraditions?Doestransgressionworkinbasicallythesameway,with
similarreligiousandsocialconsequences?Oraretheyinfactquitedifferent?
Ontheonehand,thereareindeedstrikingsimilarities.BothHinduShaktaTantraandCrowley's
magicdocenterinlargepartaroundtheacquisitionofpower(shaktiintheIndiancase),apowerthat
flowlieswithinboththenaturalcosmosandthehumanself,apowerthathasbothspritualandsocio
politicaldimensions.Andbothemployedexplicitactsoftransgressionthedeliberateviolationof
acceptedsocial,moralandsexualcodesasoneverypotentmeansofawakeningandharnessingthat
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power.Yetatthesametime,ontheotherhand,theendstowhichthatpowerwasdirectedseemstobe
quitedifferentinShaktaTantraandinCrowley'smagic.Aswesawabove,mostformsofHinduShakta
Tantrahavehistoricallybeenquiteconservativeinorientation,tendingtoreinforceratherthansubvert
theexistingsocialorder.Tantricritualdoesofteninvolvedeliberateinversionsandtransgressionsof
normalsociallawsandsexualtaboosbutthesearecloselyguardedbyritualsecrecyandgenerallytend,
intheend,toreassertthepoweroftheelite,male,welleducatedBrahminsastheritualexpertswho
alonehavetheauthoritytooverstepconventionalsocialboundaries.[115]Crowley,conversely,setout
deliberatelytooverthrow,teardownandsupplanttheentirereligious,socialandmoralworldinwhichhe
wasraised.FromtherevelationofhisBookoftheLawandcontinuingthroughouthislife,hesetoutto
deconstructanentireworldviewandsocialorderwhatheregardedastheeffete,corruptandbankrupt
worlddominatedbyChristianityandtosetupinitsplaceaneworderbasedonthelawofthe
Thelema.Inotherwords,boththeSaktaTantrikasandCrowleymadeuseofexplicitinversionsof
conventionalmoralityandsexualtaboos,buttheydidsoforverydifferent,evenoppositereasonsthe
onetoreinforcetheexistingsocialorderandstatusquo,andtheothertodestroyit.
167
CONCLUSIONS:"AftertheOrgy"SexandLiberationinaPostVictorianEra
Isaytoday:tohellwithChristianity,Rationalism,Buddhismallthelumberofthecenturies.I
bringyouapositiveandprimaevalfact,Magicbyname:andwiththisIwillbuildmeanew
HeavenandanewEarth.IwantnoneofyourfaintapprovalorfaintdispraiseIwantblasphemy,
murder,rape,revolution,anything,badorgoodbutstrong
Crowley,Lettertobrotherinlaw,GeraldKelly,[116]
IfitwerenecessarytocharacterizethestateofthingsIwouldsaythatitisaftertheorgy.The
orgyis...theexplosivemomentofmodernity,thatofliberationinalldomains.Politicalliberation,
sexualliberation,liberationofproductiveforces,liberationofdestructiveforces...Todayeverythingis
liberated...wefindourselvesbeforethequestion:WHATAREWETODOAFTERTHEORGY?
JeanBaudrillard,TheTransparencyofEvil[117]
Toconclude,IwouldliketosuggestthatCrowleyisnotonlyafascinatingandoftenneglected
figurewhogivesusanunusualinsightintothehistoryofmodernreligiousmovementsintheWeststill
moreimportantly,healsoreflectsinboldreliefsomeofthemostcentralissues,conflictsandtensions
surroundingsexualityandsexualliberationinlateandpostVictoriansociety.Likemanyother
controversialfiguresofhisday,suchasD.H.LawrenceandOscarWilde,Crowleysetouttoburstthe
oppressivevaluesandconstrictingmoralityoftheChristianworldinwhichhewasraised.YetCrowley
wouldalsotaketheidealoftransgressiontoitsfurthestpossibleextremes,bydeliberatelyoverthrowing
virtuallyeveryimaginablesocial,moralandsexualtabooinordertoachieveakindofradical
superhumanfreedom,selfaffirmationandevenselfdeification.
168
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Atthesametime,despitehisapparentlackofknowledgeofTantra,Crowleyisalsoakeyfigure
inthetransmissionofTantratotheWest,andalsoinitsincreasingfusion(perhapshopelessconfusion)
withWesternvarietiesofsexualmagic.InthecourseofitscomplexjourneytotheWest,Tantrahas
beenprogressivelytransformedformahighlyesoterictraditioncenteringaroundsecrecyandpowertoan
increasinglypopularformofspiritualitycenteringaroundhealthysexualityandliberatedopenness.In
spiteoforperhapsbecauseofhissuperficialunderstandingofTantra,Crowleywouldbecome
Crowleywasaseminalfigureinthistransformationandisstilltodaywidelycitedasthemodernpioneer
of"TantricSexMagick"andoneofthefirstWesternadeptsofTantra.Notonlycanwenowuncoverthe
SecretsofWesternTantraordabbleinCelticSexMagic,butthereisevenaorganizationdedicatedto
thesynthesisofWesternandEasternsexualtechniquescallingitself"NAMASTE"the"New
AssociationofMagical,SexualandTantricExplorers."[118]
Assuch,Crowleywasalsosomewhataheadofhistimealsoforeshadowedinaverystrikingway
muchoftheobsessionwithsexualityandtransgressioninourowngenerationattheturnofthe
millennium.ForCrowleyissurelynolessrelevantforourowngeneration.Perhapsmostimportantly,he
providessometellinginsightsintothecontemporarypreoccupationwithsexuality,whichnowsaturates
societythroughmedia,televisionandadvertising.AsAngusMcLaren"Today'smedia,whileclaimingto
beshockedbythesubversivenessofcarnaldesires,delugethepublicwithexplicitsexualimagerytosell
everythingfromCalvinKleinjeanstoBlackandDeckerpowerdrills."[119]Thus,asFoucaultargues,it
maynotbethecasethatweinthemodernWesthaveliberatedsexinanyradicalwaybutwhatwehave
doneistointensifyourdiscourseaboutsex,arguingandfantasizingaboutitasanendlesssourceof
titillation.Atthesametime,wehavealsotakensextothefurthestpossibleextremestoextremesof
transgressionandexcess,notrestinguntilwehaveviolatedeverytaboo:"The20thcenturywill
undoubtedlyhavediscoveredtherelatedcategoriesofexhaustion,excess,thelimitandtransgression
thestrangeandunyieldingformoftheseirrevocablemovementswhichconsumeandconsummateus."
[120]
169
Thus,onemightwellarguethatwearenowlivinginakindof"postorgyworld,"afterallthe
greatsocialandsexualrevolutionshavebrokeneveryimaginabletaboo.Yetthishasleftusinastrange
"undefinedstate,"inwhichweareleftquestioningourverybeing.AsJeanBaudrillardobserves,"The
orgyisover,liberationisover...Afteraculturebasedonprohibition...thisisaculturebasedonthe
questioningofone'sowndefinition:'AmIsexed?WhatsexamI?'...Liberationhaslefteveryoneinan
undefinedstate...Thisiswhythere'ssomuchlovemaking."[121]Afterall,asCrowleyseemstohave
askedhimselfintheend,whatistherelefttodoaftereveryforbiddendesirehasbeenindulgedandevery
tabootransgressed?
ENDNOTES
[1]Crowley,TheConfessionsofAleisterCrowley:AnAutohagiography,ed.JohnSymonds(NewYork:
HillandWang,1969),767.
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[2]Foucault,TheHistoryofSexuality,volumeI:AnIntroduction(NewYork:Vintage,1978),35.
170
[3]AntoineFaivreandJacobNeedleman'svolumeModernEsotericSpirituality(NewYork:Crossroad,
1992)makesnoreferencetoCrowleyFaivremakesverybriefreferencetoCrowleyinhisAccessto
WesternEsotericism(Albany:SUNY,1994),91,94,97,106.WouterHanegraaff's,NewAgeReligion
andWesternCulture:EsotericismintheMirrorofSecularThought(Albany:SUNY,1998)makesonly
briefpassingreferencetoCrowley.AmongthefewserioustreatmentsofCrowleyareMartinBooth,
AleisterCrowley:SelectedPoems(London:Crucible,1986),StoddardMartin,OrthodoxHeresy:The
Riseof"Magic"asReligionanditsRelationtoLiterature(Hampshire:MacMillanPress,1989),Ronald
Hutton,TriumphoftheMoon:AHistoryofModernPaganWitchcraft(Oxford:OxfordUniversityPrsss,
2000),chapter10andmorerecentlyLawrenceSutin,DoWhatThouWilt:ALifeofAleisterCrowley
(NewYork:St.MartinsPress,2000).
[4]Crowleyusesthespelling"Magick"todistinguishhisarttheartofchangingnatureinaccordance
withone'sWillfrommostvulgarunderstandingsoftheterm.SeeTheLawisforAll:TheAuthorized
PopularCommentaryonLiberALsubfiguraCCXX,TheBookoftheLaw(Tempe,AZ:NewFalcon
Publications,1996),39,andMagickinTheoryandPractice(Paris:Lecram,1929).
[5]Onthispoint,seeHughB.Urban,"TheExtremeOrient:TheConstructionof'Tantrism'asa
CategoryintheOrientalistImagination,"Religion29(1999):123146andUrban,TheEconomicsof
Ecstasy:Tantra,SecrecyandPowerinColonialBengali(NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,2001).
[6]Symonds,IntroductiontoCrowley,TheConfessions,.xxv.SeealsoKennethGrant,TheMagical
Revival(NewYork:SamuelWeiser,1973),126.PopularbooksonTantra/SexMagickaretoo
numeroustocitehere:seeforexampletheworksofChristopherS.Hyatt,TantrawithoutTears(New
FalconPublications,2000)SecretsofWesternTantra(NewFalconPublications,1989)SexMagic,
Tantra,andTarot(NewFalconPublications,1991)JenniferHunter,WiccaforLovers:Spellsand
RitualsforRomanceandSeduction(VikingPress,2001).
171
[7]Urban,"TheOmnipotentOom:TantraanditsImpactonModernWesternEsotericism,"Esoterica:
TheJournalofEsotericStudies3(2001):218259.
[8]HereIamusingthephrase"Victorianera"toreferprimarilytotheperiodofVictoria'srule,ending
in1901.However,asMichaelMasonandothersargue,manyoftheculturalandmoralattitudesthatwe
associatewiththeVictorianerawouldpersistwellintotheearly20thcentury.SeeMason,TheMakingof
VictorianSexuality(NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,1994)LesleyA.Hall,Sex,GenderandSocial
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ChangeinBritainSince1880(NewYork:St.Martin'sPress,2000).
[9]SeeHughB.Urban,"TheCultofEcstasy:Tantrism,theNewAgeandtheSpiritualLogicofLate
Capitalism."HistoryofReligions39(2000):268304,andUrban,Tantra:Sex,Secrecy,Politicsand
PowerintheStudyofReligion(Berkeley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress,forthcoming),ch.VII.
[10]Foucault,TheHistoryofSexualitycf.JeffreyWeeks,Sex,PoliticsandSociety:theRegulationof
SexualitySince1800(London:Longon,1981)Mason,TheMakingofVictorianSexuality.
[11]SeeBataille,Erotism:DeathandSensuality(SanFrancisco:CityLights,1986)TheAccursed
Share,3volumes(NewYork:Zone,1991).
172
[12]Crowley,Confessions,75.
[13]QuotedinSutin,DoWhatThouWilt,422.
[14]"TheKingofDepravity,"JohnBull(March10,1923).
[15]LeslieShepard,IntroductiontoAleisterCrowley,TheDiaryofaDrugFiend(HydePark:
UniversityBooks,1970),v.
[16]Sutin,DoWhatThouWilt,pp.45.MartinsimilarlydescribesCrowleyasanexpressionofthelate
andpostVictorianZeitgeist(OrthodoxHeresy,188)
[17]ColinWilson,TheOccult(NewYork:VintageBooks,1973),362.
[18]Actually,therevelationcamefirstthroughCrowley'swife,Rose,duringtheirtriptoCairo,when
thevoiceofthegodHorusallegedlybegantospeakthroughher.Shelaterrevealedthatthebeing
speakingthroughherwasanemissaryofHorusnamedAiwass,andCrowleyeventuallyclaimedtohave
receivedtheBookoftheLawdirectlyfromAiwasswithoutRose'smediation.
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173
[19]Symonds,IntroductiontoTheConfessions,p.xxii.SeeCrowley,TheLawisforAll,47ff.
[20]Sutin,DoWhatThouWilt,126.
[21]Shepard,ForewordtoDiaryofaDrugFiend,iii.
[22]Wilson,TheOccult,p.373cf.Sutin,DoWhatThouWilt,405ff.
[23]GeraldSuster,TheLegacyoftheBeast:theLife,WorkandInfluenceofAleisterCrowley(York
Beach,ME:Weiser,1989),75.
[24]Symonds,TheBeast666(London:Pindar,1997),585.
[26]Symonds,IntroductiontoTheConfessions,p.xiii.MartinsimilarlydescribesCrowleyas"bothan
effectandacauseoftheshiftinturnofthecenturyZeitgeistfromQueenVictoriatoD.H.Lawrence"
(OrthodoxHeresy,183).
174
[27]QuotedinFoucault,TheHistoryofSexuality,volumeI,157.
[28]Foucault,TheHistoryofSexuality.volumeI,69.
[29]AsPamelaThurschwellobservesinherstudyofmagicandscienceinthelatenineteenthcentury,
"anxietiesaboutthepermeabilityandsuggestibilityofbodiesandmindseruptincrisesaroundsexuality.
SexualandgenderpanicmanifestsitselfinrepresentativefiguressuchastheNewWomanandthe
dandy,inpublicscandalssuchasOscarWilde'strialsandinthereificationofmedicalizing,
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pathologizingandcriminalizingdiscoursesaroundhomosexuality.Deepandfarreachinganxietiesabout
thestabilityofthetraditionalgroundsofgenderandsexualitypervadefindesiecleculture"(Literature,
TechnologyandMagicalThinking,18801920[Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,2001],2).
[30]Crowley,TheBookofLies,whichisalsofalselycalledBreaks(NewYork:Weiser,1952),12.
"SexisthemainexpressionoftheNatureofapersongreatnaturesaresexuallystrongandthehealthof
anypersonwilldependuponthefreedomofthatfunction"(TheLawisforAll,44).
[31]"AnAmazingSect,"TheLookingGlass(October29,1910).
[32]Crowley,Confessions,87475cf.TheLawisforAll,51.
175
[33]Crowley,Confessions,350.Onthe"repressivehypothesis"seeFoucault,HistoryofSexuality,v.I.
[34]JeffreyWeeks,Sex,PoliticsandSociety:theRegulationofSexualitySince1800(London:Longon,
1981),67cf.Foucault,ReligionandCulture,ed.JeremyR.Carrette(NewYork:Routledge,1999),
117.TheclassicmedicalsexmanualisRichardvonKrafftEbing,PsychopathiaSexualis:With
EspecialReferencetoAntipathicSexualInstinct:aMedicoforensicStudy(London:Rebman,1899
[1886]).
[35]RobertWuthnowetal,eds.,CulturalAnalysis:TheWorkofPeterBerger,MaryDouglas,Michel
FoucaultandJurgenHabermas(Boston:Routledge,1993),pp.1712."Themedicalexamination,the
psychiatricinvestigation,thepedagogicalreport...functionasmechanismswithadoubleimpetus:
pleasureandpower.Thepleasurethatcomesofexercisingapowerthatquestions,monitors,watches,
spies,searchesout,palpitates,bringstolight"(Foucault,TheHistoryofSexuality,volumeI,45).
[36]PeterGay,TheBourgeoisExperience:VictoriatoFreud,VolumeI:EducationoftheSenses(New
York:OxfordUniversityPress,1984),32627.
[37]StevenKern,TheCultureofLove:VictorianstoModerns(Cambridge:HarvardUniversityPress
1992),3345.SeeFoucault,TheHistoryofSexuality,volumeI,3839.
176
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[38]JohnMaynard,"VictorianDiscoursesonSexualityandReligion,"UniversityofHartfordStudiesin
Literature19(1987):61.
[39]"ForallthattheVictorianswerenottheprudes...ofmodernmyth,theirsexualworldwasnotaplace
werebiologywentunrestricted...Whathelpedtomakesexapotentforce...wastheVictorians'abilityboth
toexpressandtocontainsexuality...Thoselimitsweresetbytheprevailingideaof'normalsex:'thatis,
heterosexuality...Withgrowinginsistencesociety...demandedthechildbearingmaritalunion"(Patricia
Anderson,WhenPassionReigned:SexandtheVictorians[NewYork:BasicBooks,1995],1718).
[40]Hall,Sex,GenderandSocialChangeinBritain,p.26.SeealsoMason,TheMakingofVictorian
Sexuality,p.210StevenMarcus,TheOtherVictorians:AStudyofSexualityandPornographyinMid
NineteenthCenturyEngland(NewYork:BasicBooks,1966),13
[41]Mason,TheMakingofVictorianSexuality,912.
[42]EdwardCarpenter,MyDaysandDreams(London:G.Allen&Unwin,1916),32122.
[43]PeterR.Koenig,ed.DerKleineTheodorReussReader.Reproducedonlineat
http://www.mysunrise.ch/users/prkoenig/books/reader.htm
177
[44]Crowley,TheLawisforAll,p.42."WhenyouhaveprovedthatGodismerelyanameforthesex
instinct,itappearstomenotfartotheperceptionthatthesexinstinctisGod"(Crowley,quotedinIsrael
Regardie,TheEyeintheTriangle:AnInterpretationofAleisterCrowley[St.Paul,MN:Llewellyn
Publications,1970],417).
[45]OnthechargesofsexmagicbroughtagainsttheCatharsandlatertheTemplars,seeFrancisKing,
Sexuality,MagicandPerversion(Secacus:Citadel,1971),17071.
[46]FranklinRosemont,ForewardtoJohnPatrickDeveney,PaschalBeverlyRandolph:ANineteenth
CenturyAmericanSpiritualist,RosicrucianandSexMagician(Albany:SUNY,1997),xv.AsDeveney
observes,LargelythroughRandolph'sinfluencethegeniehadbeenreleasedfromthebottle...A
multitudeofsexualmysticismflourished"(PaschalBeverlyRandolph,252).
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[47]Deveney,PaschalBeverlyRandolph,2189.SeeRandolph,TheAnsaireticMystery:ANew
RevelationConcerningSex!(Toledo:ToledoSun,LiberalPrintingHouse,n.d.[c.1873])Eulis!The
HistoryofLove:ItsWondrousMagic,Chemistry,Rules,Laws,ModesandRationaleBeingtheThird
RevelationofSoulandSex(Toledo:RandolphPublishingCo.,1974)MagiaSeuxalis(Paris:Robert
Telin,1931).
178
[48]Randolph,TheMysteriesofEulis,337.Randolphlistsover100usesforsexualmagic,which
includeeverythingfromacquiringmoneytothesecretofdomestichappiness.Oneofthemoststriking
featuresofRandolphssexualmagicishisinsistencethatbothpartnersmusthaveanactiveroleandthat
bothmustachieveorgasminorderforthemagictosuccessful:Fortheprayertobeeffectivethe
paroxysmofbothisnecessary[T]hewoman'sorgasmsshouldcoincidewithman'semission,foronly
inthiswaywillthemagicbefulfilled(MagiaSexualis,768).
[49]JohnSymonds,TheMagicofAleisterCrowley(London:FrederickMuller,1958),95cf.PeterR.
Koenig,"TheO.T.O.Phenomenon,"TheosophicalHistory4,no.3(1992):928,and"TheodorReussasFounder
ofEsotericOrders."TheosophicalHistory4,nos.67(1993):18793.KellnerclaimstohavebeeninitiatedbytheArabfakir,
SolimanbenAifhaandtheIndianyogisBhimaSenPratapandSriMahatmaAgamyaGuruParamahamsa,fromwhomhe
learned"themysteriesofyogaandthephilosophyofthelefthandpathwhichhecalledsexualmagic(Symonds,TheMagic
ofAleisterCrowley,95).KoenigarguesthattheO.T.O.wasnotfoundedbyKellnerbutformedafterhis
deathunderReuss.
[50]Seeforexample,Reuss,"MysteriaMaximaMystica,"wherehediscussestheyogicsystemofthe
tenvayusorwindsandthetransformationofsexualenergythroughyogicpractice.Thereisnoevidence
thateitherReussorKellnerhadseriousknowledgeofactualTantrictextsorinitiationintothemore
esotericTantricpractices(reproducedinKoenig,DerKleineTheodorReussReader).
[51]JoscelynGodwin,JohnPatrickDeveneyandChristianChanel,eds.,TheHermeticBrotherhoodof
Luxor(YorkBeach:SamuelWeiser,1995),71.SeealsoGodwin,TheTheosophicalEnlightenment
(Albany:SUNY,1994),25859,34761.
179
[52]Accordingtoatextcalled"TheMysteriesofEros:ExpresslyarrangedfortheExteriorCircleofthe
H.B.LofL.byT.H.Burgyon,""especiallymustallsexualrelationsbecarefullyguardedandonly
participatedinafterduethought...Itisthisfatalmistakeofsexthathasruinedthousandsof...aspirantsfor
occultinitiation"(Godwinetal,TheHermeticBrotherhoodofLuxor,273).
[53]Godwinetal,TheHermeticBrotherhoodofLuxor,67.
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[54]QuotedinR.SwinburneClymer,TheRosicrucianFraternityinAmerica:AuthenticandSpurious
Organizations(Quakertown:TheRosicrucianFoundation,n.d),541thistextisalsoreproducedin
Koenig,DerKleineTheodorReussReader.
[55]SeeKoenig,"TheO.T.O.Phenomenon"and"TheodorReussasFounderofEsotericOrders."
[56]FrancisKing,TheMagicalWorldofAleisterCrowley(London:WeidenfeldandNicolson,1977),
7980.
[57]Godwin,TheTheosophicalEnlightenment,255.
180
[58]Crowley,TheBookofLies,56."Shortlyafterpublication,theO.H.O.(OuterHeadoftheO.T.O.)
cametome.HesaidthatsinceIwasacquaintedwiththesupremesecretoftheOrder,Imustbe
allowedtheIX{degree}andobligatedinregardtoit.IprotestedthatIknewnosuchsecret.Hesaid'But
youhaveprinteditintheplainestlanguage'.IsaidthatIcouldnothavedonesobecauseIdidnotknow
it.HewenttothebookshelvestakingoutacopyofTHEBOOKOFLIES,hepointedtoapassagein
thedespisedchapter.Itinstantlyflasheduponme.TheentiresymbolismnotonlyofFreeMasonrybutof
manyothertraditionsblazeduponmyspiritualvision.FromthatmomenttheO.T.O.assumeditsproper
importanceinmymind.IunderstoodthatIheldinmyhandsthekeytothefutureprogressof
humanity...."(ibid.).
[59]Crowley,TheConfessions,767.SeealsoPeterR.Koenig,"SpermoGnosticsandtheO.T.O."
Availableonlineathttp://www.cyberlink.ch/~koenig/spermo.htm.ViewedDecember,18,2002.
[60]Koenig,"SpermoGnosticsandtheO.T.O."SeealsoCrowley,Magick:LiberABA,BookFour
PartsIIV(YorkBeach:SamuelWeiser,1997).TwoofthemostimportanttextsfortheIXdegree
ritualsareLiberAgapeandDeArteMagicka,republishedasLiberAgape,DeArteMagica(KadathPress
1986),andthemagicaldiariesbasedonhissexualoperations:JohnSymondsandKennethGrant,eds.
TheMagicalRecordoftheBeast666:TheDiariesofAleisterCrowley(London:Durckworth,1972).
[61]"CrowleyquicklycametobelievethathewasanewmagicalmessiahtheLordoftheNewAeon
whosedoctrinewouldsupersedeChristianityandalltheotheroutmodedreligionswhichhadconstructed
barrierstospiritualfreedom.Forhimthebasisofthisfreedomwassexuality"(NevillDrury,TheHistory
ofMagicintheModernAge[NewYork:CarollandGrafPublishers,2000],95).
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181
[62]Crowley,TheBookofLies,132.
[63]QuotedinGrant,TheMagicalRevival,367.
[64]Onthisquestion,seeUrban,Tantra,chapterI.AndrePadoux,forexample,hasarguedthat
"Tantrism"islargelythecreationof19thcenturyOrientalistauthorswholumpedawidearrayofdiverse
traditionsunderthissingularabstract"ism."SeePadoux,"Tantrism:AnOverview,"inEncyclopediaof
Religion,MirceaEliade,ed.(NewYork:MacMillan,1986),v.14.
[65]DouglasBrooks,AuspiciousWisdom:TheTextsandTraditionsofSrividyaSaktaTantrisminSouth
India(Albany:SUNY1992),xix.SeeUrban,Tantra,chapterI.AsDavidGordonWhitesuggests,Tantra
maybedefinedas"thatAsianbodyofbeliefsandpracticeswhich,workingfromtheprinciplethatthe
universeweexperienceisnothingotherthantheconcretemanifestationofthedivineenergyofthe
godheadthatcreatesandmaintainsthatuniverse,seekstorituallyappropriateandchannelthatenergy,
withinthehumanmicrocosm,increativeandemancipatoryways"(TantrainPractice[Princeton:
PrincetonUniversityPress,2000],9).
[66]KularnavaTantra,editedbyArthurAvalon(Delhi:MotilalBanarsidas,1965),II.4,II.117.
182
[67]SanjuktaGupta,DirkJanHoens,TeunGoudriaan,HinduTantrism(Leiden:E.J.Brill,1979),32.On
thispoint,seeHughB.Urban,"TheConservativeCharacterofTantra:Secrecy,SacrificeandThis
WorldlyPowerinBengaliSaktaTantra,"TheInternationalJournalofTantricStudies6,no.1(2002),on
lineat:http://www.asiatica.org/ijts/andDouglasBrooks,TheSecretoftheThreeCities:AnIntroduction
toHinduSaktaTantra(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1990),70.
[68]SirMonierMonierWilliams,Hinduism(London:SocietyforPromotingChristianKnowledge,
1894),116,130.OnOrientalistviewsofTantra,seealsoUrban,"TheExtremeOrient,"12346.
[69]Sellon,TheNewEpicureanortheDelightsofSexFacetiouslyandPhilosophicallyConsideredin
GraphicLettersAddressedtoYoungLadiesofQuality(London:J.C.Houten,1870).
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[70]Sellon,AnnotationsontheSacredwritingsoftheHinds,BeinganEpitomeofSomeoftheMost
RemarkableandLeadingTenetsintheFaithofthatPeople,IllustratingtheirPriapicRitesandPhallic
Principles(London,1865).
183
[71]SeeBurton,trans.KamaSutraofVatsyayana(London:KamaShastraSociety,1883)F.F.
ArbuthnotandRichardFrancisBurton,trans.Anangaranga:stageofthebodilessoneTheHinduartof
love,byKalayanaMalla(NewYork:MedicalPressofNewYork,1964).
[72]Grant,TheMagicalRevival,126.
[73]Crowley,EightLecturesonYoga(NewFalconPublications,1992).Heclaimedtohaveachievedthe
highestyogicstateofsamadhiwhilemeditatinginCeylonin1901.SeehisWritingsofTruth,
republishedin"TheTempleofSolomontheKing,"EquinoxI,4(London,1910):1667.
[74]Crowley,quotedinRegardie,TheEyeintheTriangle,.63
[75]Crowley,inGrant,TheMagicalRevival,367.
184
[76]DeArteMagicka,chapterXVI.
[77]OnsexualritualandtransgressioninTantra,seeUrbanThePathofPower:Impurity,Kingshipand
SacrificeinAssameseTantra,TheJournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligion69,no.4(2001):597
637.OnCrowleyspossibleTantricinfluences,seeUrban,TheOmnipotentOom"Sutin,DoWhat
ThouWilt,92,127,141,188.AsSymondssuggests,"Hisgreatestmeritwastomakethebridge
betweenTantrismandtheWesternesoterictraditionandthusbringtogetherWesternandEastern
magicaltechniques"(IntroductiontoTheConfessions,xxv).
[78]Crowley,TheTempleofSolomontheKing,inEquinoxI(4)(London,1910):161.Crowley's
maintextsonsexmagicinclude:OftheNatureoftheGodsLiberAgapetheBookoftheUnveilingof
theSangraaldeArteMagicaandOftheHomunculus,manyofwhichareincludedinFrancisKing,ed.,
TheSecretRitualsoftheO.T.O.(NewYork:SamuelWeiser,1973).
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[79]"FromcentralAsiathecruelbarbarianscame,havingestablishedtheirterriblepracticesintheir
ownlandinordertoattracttheignorantbarbariansthetruepathtookontheformoftheTantrasand
Mantrasandthatiswhywhentheybecamemisunderstood,weakenedandcorrupt...theyresultedinthe
terribleabominationsofVamacaraandbarbaricpractices"(TheCompleteWorksofSwamiVivekananda
[Calcutta:AdvaitaAshram,1984],,v.6,226).
185
[80]Blavatsky,CollectedWritings,ed.BorisDeZirkoff(Madras:TheosophicalPub.House,195073),
v.11,p.29cf.CollectedWritings,v.2,238.
[81]Sutin,DoWhatThouWilt,141.Sutinquotesthefollowingasevidenceforthis:"Butforprivate
worktheBeastisHadit,theScarletWomanNuit,andsheiseverabovehim...Lethimeverlooktoher!
Amen"(GeraldYorke,"NotesfromG.Y.RegardingBookoftheLaw,"O.T.O.Archives).
[82]ElizabethSharpe,TheSecretsoftheKaulaCircle(London:Luzac&Co.,1936),489.
[83]SeeNikDouglas,SpiritualSex:FromtheIceAgetotheNewMillennium(NewYork:Pocket
Books,1997),208.
[84]ThebestworkonWoodroffeisKathleenTaylor'srecentbook,SirJohnWoodroffe,Tantraand
Bengal:AnIndianSoulinaEuropeanBody?(London:Curzon,2001).Taylorarguespersuasivelythat
"ArthurAvalon"wasnotinfactsimplyapseudonymforWoodroffe,butwasratheracomposite
personalitymadeupofWoodroffe(whoknewrelativelylittleSanskrit)andhisBengalitranslator,who
wishedtoremainanonymous.OnWoodroffe/Avalon'sinterpretationofTantra,seealsoUrban,"The
ExtremeOrient,"andTantra,chapterV.
186
[85]SeeArthurAvalon,trans.TantraoftheGreatLiberation:MahanirvanaTantra(London:Luzac&
Co.,1913)Avalon,ed.PrinciplesofTantra:theTantratattvaofShriyuktaShivaChandraVidyarnava
BhattacharyyaMahodaya(London:Luzac&Co.,191416)Woodroffe,ShaktiandShakta:Essaysand
AddressesontheShaktaTantrashastra(London:Luzac&Co.,1918).
[86]Grant,TheMagicalRevival,823.Oneoftheanonymousreadersforthisarticleverygraciously
gavemetheoriginalsourceforthisquotation,whichiscontainedinanotebookintheYorkeCollection,
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WarburgInstitute.ThepressmarkisYCI,20(b).ThedateisroughlyJune1916.
[88]KrishanandaAgamavagisha,BrhatTantrasara,ed.RasikamohanaCattopadhyaya(Calcutta:
NavabharataPublishers,1996),703."Ashereleaseshissemen,heshouldsaythegreatmantra,
"Drunken,andclingingtothetwohandsoftheLightandtheSky,Shruca!Imaketheofferingof
dharmaandadharmaintotheblazingfireoftheSelf,svaham!"...Withthesacrificialelements,the
semen,unbrokengrainsofrice,perfume,flowers,ODeveshi,heshouldworshiptheGoddessinthe
vagina...Withincense,lampsandvariousfoodofferings,theKulaadeptshouldhonorherinvarious
ways,andthenheshould[consume]theremnants[ucchishta]himself"(ibid.).
[89]"Thenwithgreateffort,hemustobtainthepreciousKulanectar.Forwiththatdivinenectar,all[the
gods]arepleased.Whateverthewisemandesires,hewillimmediatelyattain...HavingpurifiedtheKula
substance,whichhasthenatureofShivaandShakti,andhavingdepositedthisnectaroflife,whichisof
thenatureoftheSupremeBrahman,inasacrificialvessel,[heattains]theeternallyblamelessstatefree
ofalldistinctions"(BrhatTantrasara,703).
187
[90]SeeDavidGordonWhite,"TantricSectsandTantricSex:TheFlowofSecretTantricGnosis,"in
RendingtheVeil:ConcealmentandSecrecyintheHistoryofReligions,editedbyElliotR.Wolfson
(NewYork:SevenBridgesPress,1999),andUrban,"TheConservativeCharacterofTantra."
[91]Feuerstein,Tantra:ThePathofEcstasy(Boston:Shambhala,1998),243.AsN.N.Bhattacharyya
observes,"Mostmodernwriters...insistsolelyonitssexualelements,minimalthoughtheyare
comparedtothevastnessofthesubject,andpurporttopopularizecertainmodernideaspertainingtosex
problemsinthenameofTantra"(HistoryoftheTantricReligion:AHistorical,Ritualisticand
PhilosophicalStudy[Delhi:Manohar,1982],v).
[92]AgoodexampleofthiscontemporaryinterpretationofTantraisMargoAnand,TheArtofSexual
Ecstasy:ThePathofSacredSexualityforWesternLovers(LosAngeles:JeremyP.Tarcher,1989):
"BecausethescienceofTantrawasdevelopedthousandsofyearago...manyofthetechniquesarenot
relevanttotheneedsofthecontemporaryWesternlover...SowhileIhaveretainedtheTantricgoalof
sexualecstasy,I'vedevelopednewapproachestomakethisexperienceaccessibletopeopletoday"(7).
[93]Grant,TheMagicalRevival,7and37.
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188
[94]Grant,TheMagicalRevival,127.
[95]LettertoKennethGrant,SpringEquinox,1946citedinGrant,RememberingAleisterCrowley
(London:SkoonPublishing,1991).
[96]Grant,RememberingAleisterCrowley,49.
[97]EvenveryfinehistoriansofmodernwitchcraftsuchasRonaldHuttonacceptthebeliefthat
CrowleywasindebtedtoTantra:"Crowleyhadinturndrawnuponorientaltraditionsoftantra"
(TriumphoftheMoon,231).
[98]Crowley,DiaryofaDrugFiend,6.
[99]Foucault,"PrefacetoTransgression,"inReligionandCulture,61.
189
[100]Bataille,Erotism:DeathandSensuality(SanFrancisco:CityLightsBooks,1986),64,48.For
Bataille'sviewsontransgression,seealsoTheAccursedShare,volume2,89111VisionsofExcess:
SelectedWritings,19271939(Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1985),andTheUnfinished
SystemofNonknowledge(Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,2001),2675.
[101]Bataille,Erotism,11,2122.
[102]Crowley,TheBookofLies,129."ThewordofSinisRestriction"(TheLawisForAll,41).
[103]MessagefromMasterThirion(AleisterCrowley),ConstitutionoftheAncientOrderofOriental
Templars(O.T.O)(1917),inR.SwinburneClymer,TheRosicrucianFraternityinAmerica:Authentic
andSpuriousOrganizations(Quakertown:TheRosicrucianFoundation,n.d),v.II,600.
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[104]Symonds,TheGreatBeast,334.
190
[105]Crowley,TheWorld'sTragedy(Privateeditionof1910),xxvii.OneofCrowleysmostintense
periodsofexperimentationinsexmagicbeganin1914,duringhisParisWorkings,conductedwiththe
helpofhislover,VictorNeuberg,Crowleyengagedinavarietyofsexualritesintendedtoachieveboth
theprimarygoalofinvokingthegodsJupiterandMercuryandthesecondaryoneofgettingthesegods
tosupplyCrowleyandNeubergwithmoney.Inthecourseoftheseoperations,Crowleybecame
possessedbyanevilspiritposingasthegodMercury.Thisbeinginformedthemthattheultimateactof
magicwouldrequirethe"rape,ritualmurderanddissectionofthebodyofayounggirl.Theresulting
chunksoffleshweretobeofferedassacrificeofthegods."However,eventheBeast666recoiledfrom
thisact(King,TheMagicalWorldofAleisterCrowley,85).
[106]Ontheconsumptionofthe"elixir"seeespeciallyDeArteMagicka,chaptersXIVXVI,andhisRex
deArteRegia,whichisawrittenrecordofhisexperimentationwithsexualmagic.Manyentriesdiscuss
preparationofthe"elixir",thecommingledmaleandfemalefluidsintegraltotheO.T.O.IXdegree
ritual:TheMagicalRecordoftheBeast666,45ff.
[107]Crowley,1918Diary(OTOArchives),citedinSutin,DoWhatThouWilt,265.
[108]Crowley,1918Diary(OTOArchives),citedinSutin,DoWhatThouWilt,288.
191
[109]TheMagicalRecordoftheBeast666,235.
[110]Crowley,TheBookofLies,72,25,26."Themostfavourabledeathisthatoccurringduringthe
orgasm,andiscalledMorsJusti"(DeArteMagicka,ChapterXV).
[111]Evola,TheMetaphysicsofSex(NewYork:InnerTraditions,1983),264,266.
[112]Crowley,TheBookofLies,40,41,65.
[113]Crowley,TheBookofLies,63.
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[114]Crowley,TheVisionandtheVoice(London:Simpkin,Marshall,Hamilton,Kent,1911),p.3856.
192
[115]"Tantrism...doesnotintendtoberevolutionaryinthesenseofestablishinganewstructureof
socialegalitarianism...Itopensitsdoorsonlytoafewwho...seektoempowerthemselves"(Brooks,The
SecretoftheThreeCities:AnIntroductiontoHinduSaktaTantra[Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,
1990],p.70)cf.Urban,"TheConservativeCharacterofTantra."
[116]Crowley,quotedinSuster,TheLegacyiftheBeast,44.
[117]Baudrillard,TheTransparencyofEvil:EssaysonExtremePhenomena(NewYork:Verso,1993),
3.
[118]DonaldMichaelKraig,ModernSexMagickSecretsofEroticSpirituality(St.Paul:Llewellyn
Publications,1998)xvii.
[119]McLaren,TwentiethCenturySexuality:AHistory(London:Blackwell1999),1.
[120]Foucault,ReligionandCulture,69.
[121]Baudrillard,America(NewYork:Verso,1988),46.
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