Author: Frater U.D.
Trade Paperback, 240 pages
Publisher: Llewellyn
Publication date: March 2001
ISBN: 1567187064
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Secrets of Western Sex Magick is the third edition of a book previously titled Secrets of Sex Magick. Frater U.D.'s book is the standard handbook of practical sex magick for novice magicians.
This book does for western sex magick what Kraig's Modern Magick does for the more general field of western ceremonial magick. It teaches the basic theory -- and, more importantly -- the techniques of actual magickal practice in a clear and orderly manner. As sex magick is a popular subject, there are a large number of books available on the subject. Unfortunately, most fill many pages with hints, obscure theory, and (often exaggerated) promises, but never seem to actually explain the practical aspects. Secrets of Western Sex Magick is almost all practical instruction.
While this book starts with a brief history of sex magic and a section of handling sexuality intelligently, it quickly moves into practical explanations and training. Relaxation, protection, muscle and breathing exercises, meditation, aura, affirmations, creating sigils, and invocatory magic are covered from the point of view of the sex magician. The second half of the book goes into more advanced workings from 3 points of view: autoerotic, heteroerotic, and homoerotic. This shatters the common myth that sex magick requires male-female polarity. The final practical material covers group sexual rituals.
The final sections of Secrets of Western Sex Magick deals with the perils of sex magick and with the so-called "Chymical Marriage" (the Wiccan Great Rite is a form of this ritual). The author sums up the perils of sex magick as "no different from the perils of magic and sex in general," but covers them briefly. My only complaint about this section is that he only really covers the magickal perils, completely neglecting the physical perils. I think this is a sad omission given the AIDS epidemic and the number of unwanted children born every year.
While this book is an excellent introduction to Western sex magick, some people will find it does not live up to their expectations. It is not about Tantra. It is not luridly written or illustrated. It is not a sex manual. For most adults interested in sex magick and not knowing where to start, however, this book will provide a clearly-written and very practical starting point. Secrets of Western Sex Magick ends with a fairly extensive bibliography which provides material for further research. Unfortunately, as the author is from Belgium, many of the works cited are in German. In spite of such minor flaws, this book is one of the best available on the subject.
Reviewed by Randall
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