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UNLEASHINGTHEBEAST

AleisterCrowley,TantraandSexMagicinLateVictorianEnglandHughUrban

OhioStateUniversity

Ifthissecret[ofsexualmagic],whichisascientificsecret,wereperfectlyunderstood,asitisnotbymeaftermorethantwelveyears'almostconstantstudyandexperiment,therewouldbenothingwhichthehumanimaginationcanconceivethatcouldnotberealizedinpractice.

AleisterCrowley[1]

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Whatispeculiartomodernsocietiesisnotthattheyconsignedsextoashadowexistence,butthattheydedicatedthemselvestospeakingofitadinfinitum,whileexploitingitasthesecret.

MichelFoucault[2]

AleisterCrowleystandsoutasoneofthoseremarkablyenigmaticcharacterswhohashadatremendousimpactoncontemporarynewreligiousmovements,esotericismandoccultism,evenashehasbeenalmostentirelyignoredbyacademicscholarship.Knowninthepopularpressofas"thewickedestmanintheworld,"andproclaiminghimselfthe"GreatBeast666,"Crowleywastheobjectofintensemediascandal,moraloutrageandtitillatingallurethroughouthislife.Intheyearssincehisdeath,hehasbecomeperhapsevenmorewellknownasoneofthemostimportantinfluencesonthemodernrevivalofpaganism,magicandwitchcraft.Yetdespitehisimportance,Crowleyhasbeenlargelyignoredbyhistoriansofreligions.Inmostcaseshehasbeendismissedas,atbest,apatheticcharlatan,and,atworst,asadisticpervertandaridiculouscrank.MostscholarsofWesternesotericism,suchasAntoineFaivre,makeonlypassingreferencetoCrowley,whileleadingscholarsofnewagereligions,suchasWouterHanegraaff,givehimonlybriefestmention.[3]

PerhapstheprimaryreasonforthisneglectofCrowleyandalsofortheintensescandalandtitillationthatsurroundedhimduringhislifewashispracticeofsexualmagic(orMagick,touseCrowley'sspelling).[4]RejectingtheprudishhypocrisyoftheVictorianChristianworldinwhichhewasraised,Crowleyidentifiedsexasthemostpowerfulforceinlifeandthesupremesourceofmagicalpower.TakinganapparentdelightinoutragingtheBritishsocietyofhistime,Crowleymadeexplicituseofthemost"deviant"sexualactssuchasmasturbationandhomosexualityascentralcomponentsinhismagicalpractice.Atthesametime,CrowleywasalsooneofthefirstWesternauthorstotakenaninterestintheHinduandBuddhisttraditionsofTantraahighlyesotericbodyofteachingsandthatcenter,inpart,aroundtheuseofsexualenergyasasourceofspiritualpowerwhichhadlongbeencriticizedbyEuropeanOrientalistscholarsandChristianmissionariesastheveryworstandmostperverseconfusionofsexualityandreligion.[5]Infact,formostAmericanreaderstoday,TantraistypicallyassociatedwithCrowleyiansexmagick.OneneednowonlybrowsetheshelvesofanyBarnesandNoblebookstoreorsurftheendlesslyproliferatingwebsitesontheInternettodiscoverthesecretsofTantra,SexMagickandTarot,practiceTantrawithoutTearsorevenengageinWiccaforLovers.Ashisearlybiographer,JohnSymonds,remarks,"HisgreatestmeritwastomakethebridgebetweenTantrismandtheWesternesoterictraditionandthusbringtogetherWesternandEasternmagicaltechniques."[6]

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Butthequestionremains:howmuchdidCrowleyactuallyknoweitherfirsthandorsecondhandaboutIndianTantra?Andwhatconnection,ifany,didhissystemofsexualmagichavewithtraditionalIndianTantricpractices?

Thisarticlewillcontinueandexpanduponsomeoftheargumentsmadeinapreviousessay,inwhichIexaminedtheimpactofIndianTantraonWesternesoterictraditionsattheturnofthetwentiethcentury,throughfigureslikeDr.PierreArnoldBernard,knowninthepopularpressas"theOmnipotentOom."[7]HereIwilltracetheincreasingimpactofTantraonWesternspiritualityinthelatertwentiethcenturythroughtheworkofCrowleyandhislaterdisciples.

Crowley,Iwillargue,isnotonlyafascinatingfigureworthyofattentionbyscholarsofreligion,butheisalsoofprofoundimportancefortheunderstandingofmodernWesternspiritualityandcultureasawhole.Thisimportanceisatleastthreefold.First,withhisradicalrejectionofVictorianmoralityandhiscentralemphasisonsexasthesuprememagicalpower,Crowleyisaremarkablereflectionofhisera

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andofthesexualattitudesoflateandpostVictorianEngland.[8]Second,withhisstudyofHinduismandBuddhism,hewasalsoakeyfigureinthetransmissionofIndianreligioustraditionstotheWest,includingthecontroversialtraditionsofIndianTantra.ButasIhopetoshow,althoughCrowleydidknowafairamountaboutHathaYoga,RajaYogaandotherIndianreligiouspractices,hedoesnotappeartohaveknownmuchaboutTantra.Whathedidknowseemstohavecomethroughsecondary,superficialandoftenhighlydistortedsourcesthataredeeplycoloredbytheVictorianOrientalistbiasesofthe19thcentury.Nonetheless,notlongafterCrowley'sdeath,TantrawouldsoonbecomelargelyconfusedintheWesternpopularimaginationwithCrowleyianstylesexmagic.Ironically,despitehisgeneralignoranceaboutthesubject,andarguablywithouteverintendingtodoso,CrowleywouldbecomeakeyfigureinthetransformationandoftengrossmisinterpretationofTantraintheWest,whereitwouldbecomeincreasinglydetachedformitsculturalcontextandincreasinglyidentifiedwithsex.Finally,inpartbecauseofthisequationofTantraandsexualmagic,Crowleyhasalsobeenoneofthemostinfluentialfiguresintherevivalofmagicandavarietyofalternativereligionsattheturnofthenewmillennium.Muchoftheliteraturenowbeingsoldunderthetitlesof"Tantra"and"sexmagic",Iwouldargue,islargelythefusion(andperhapshopelessconfusion)ofIndianTantrawithCrowleyianmagic.[9]

InmydiscussionofCrowley,IwilladaptsomeoftheinsightsofMichelFoucault,GeorgesBataille,andotherswhohaveexaminedtheroleofsexualityandtransgressioninmodernWesternsociety.AsFoucaultargues,theVictorianerahasoftenmistakenlybeencharacterizedasaperiodofprudishrepressionanddenialofsexuality.Infact,thelate19thcenturywitnessedanunprecedentedexplosionofdiscourseaboutsex,whichwasnowcategorized,classified,debatedanddiscussedinendlessdetail.[10]Crowley'swritingsonsexualityandmagic,Iwillsuggest,wereakeypartofthislargerfascinationwithsexualityduringthelate19thandearly20thcenturies.YetCrowleywouldalsopushthisdiscourseaboutsexualityagooddealfurtherthanmostofhiscontemporarieswouldhavedaredindeed,Crowleywouldmakeactssuchasmasturbationandhomosexualintercoursekeystomagicalpower.InBataille'sterms,wemightsaythatmuchofCrowley'ssexualpracticescenteredaroundcalculatedactsoftransgressionthatis,deliberateviolationsandsystematicinversionsofthemorallawsandsexualcodesofthelargersocialorder.[11]

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AfterbrieflyrecountingCrowley'searlylifeandbackground(partI),IwillplacehiminthecontextoflateVictoriansocietyanditslargerattitudestowardsexuality(II).IwillthenlookspecificallyatCrowley'ssexualmagicalpractices(III)andhisadaptationofIndianTantrictechniques(IV).Finally(V)IwillexaminetheroleoftransgressioninCrowley'slifeandmagicalworkCrowley,Iwillargue,foundindeliberateactsoftransgressionaradicalformofsuperhumanpowerthatpromisedtoexplodethenarrowboundariesofWesternChristiansocietyandopenthewayforawholeneweraofhumanhistory.Toconclude,IwillsuggestthatCrowleynotonlyreflectedhisowneraandthesexualanxietiesofthelateVictorianera,butalsoforeshadowedmuchofourowneraandourownsexualobsessionsatthedawnofthenewmillennium.

I.THENEWAEON:CrowleyandtheEndoftheVictorianAge

ThenightmareworldofChristianityvanishedatthedawn...[T]hedetestablemysteriesofsexweretransformedintojoyandbeauty.Theobsessionofsinfellfrommyshouldersintotheseaof

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oblivion.

TheConfessionsofAleisterCrowley[12]

ThepointaboutCrowleyisthatheseemstocontainallthesesortsofideasandidentitiesindeedmostofthevicesofthetwentiethcenturyandhewasdeadattheendof1947.

SnooWilson,authoroftheplayTheBeast[13]

Bornin1875,thesonofamemberofthehighlypuritanicalPlymouthBrethrensect,EdwardAlexander(Aleister)CrowleyembodiedsomeofthedeepesttensionsinlateVictoriansocietyasawhole.AchildraisedinastrictChristianhome,hewouldlaterturntotheoccultartsandextremesofsexualexcess.Aprolificpoetaswellasanaccomplishedmountainclimber,Crowleywouldalsobecomeoneofthemostreviledcharactersofthe20thcentury.Hehasbeendescribedvariouslyas"theKingofDepravity,archtraitor,debaucheeanddrugfiend"[14]and"aperverseidealist,Masteroftheoccultandslavetothedemonsheliberated."[15]Yet,ashismostrecentbiographerLawrenceSutinargues,Crowleywasfarmorethanameresadisticmasteroftheblackartsnotonlywasheagiftedpoet,painterand"mastermodernist"inhisprosestyle,buthewasalsooneofthefirstWesternstudentsofBuddhismandyoga,and"oneoftherarehumanbeingstodaretoprophesyadistinctivenewcreedandtodevotehimself...tothepromulgationofthatcreed."[16]

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ThedetailsofCrowley'slifearefairlywellknown,basedonhisownautobiographyandnumerouspopularbiographies,soIwon'treiterateallofthemhere.Iwillsimplyprovideabriefsketchofhisbackgroundandcontext.EducatedatTrinityCollegeinCambridge,Crowleywasfromanearlyagefascinatedwithpoetryandpaganreligionandwasaprolificauthorofbothverseandprose.WhilestillastudentatCambridgehehadpublishedhisfirstcollectionofpoetry,Aceldama,andhisnotoriouseroticcollection,WhiteStains(1898).Havinginheritedalargeamountofmoneywhilestillyoung,hewasfinanciallyindependentformanyyearsandspentmuchofhistimepursuinghispassionsofwritingandmountainclimbing.DuringhisCambridgeyears,hewouldalsoadoptthename"Aleister,"aGaelicformofhismiddlename,Alexander,andanhomagetotheheroofShelley'spoem,"Alastor,theSpiritofsolitude."

Hisfirstrealinitiationintotheworldofesotericismandmagicoccurreduntil1898,whenhewasintroducedtogroupknownastheHermeticOrderoftheGoldenDawn.FoundedbyWilliamWestcottandMacGregorMathersin1887,theGoldenDawnwasaneclecticblendingofanumberofolderWesternesoterictraditions,includingHermeticism,Freemasonry,RosicrucianismandtheurgicartsderivedfromJewishKabbalah.Anaffluentandelitegroup,theGoldenDawnattractedanumberofprominentartists,poetsandintellectuals,includingW.B.Yeats.EventuallyCrowleyandMatherswouldpartways,andfinallybecomemiredinalawsuitwhenCrowleypublishedafulldescriptionofthesecretritesoftheGoldenDawninhisjournal,Equinox.[17]Revealingsecretsandsparkingcontroversy,wewillsee,wassomethingofanobsessionthroughoutCrowley'slife.

Beginningin1899,Crowleyalsobegantoexploreavarietyofeasternspiritualtraditions.AfterstudyingyogainMexico,hetraveledtoCeylonandIndiain19012,duringwhichtimehestudiedvariousformsofBuddhismandHinduism.Aswewillseebelow,itseemspossiblethathealsolearnedsomethingoftheesoterictechniquesofIndianTantrathoughperhapsnotasmuchasmostcontemporaryadeptsgenerallysuppose.

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However,itwasin1904thatCrowleywouldreceivehisfirstgreatrevelationandtheknowledgethathewastobetheheraldofanewerainhumanhistory.Accordingtohisownaccount,Crowley'sguardianAngel,Aiwass,appearedtohimanddictatedTheBookoftheLaw(LiberALvelLegis).[18]Hismostfamouswork,TheBookoftheLawannouncesthedawnofthethirdAeonofmankind:thefirstaeonwasthatoftheGoddessIsis,centeredaroundmatriarchyandtheworshipoftheGreatMotherthesecondaeonwasthatofOsiris,duringwhichthepatriarchalreligionsofsufferinganddeathi.e.,JudaismandChristianityrosetopower.Finally,withtherevelationoftheBookoftheLaw,anewAeonoftheson,Horus,wasborn:"Inthisaeontheemphasisisontheselforwill,notonanythingexternalsuchasgodsandpriests."[19]

Thepeakofhismagicalcareerandalsoofhisinfamyasthewickedestmanalivewasintheperiodafter1920,whenhefoundedhisownidealspiritualcommunitycalledtheAbbeyofThelemaatafarmhouseinCefalu,Sicily.TheoriginalinspirationderivedfromRabelais'classicworkof1534,Gargantua,whichdescribesanidealspiritualcommunitythatwouldtranscendthehypocriticalcorruptionoftheChristianmonasteries.Called"Theleme"(fromtheGreek,meaning"will"),thegovernmentofthecommunitywas"dowhatyouwill,"inajoyousblendingofStoicvirtueswithChristianspirituality.[20]CrowleytookRabelais'idealagooddealfurther,however,bycreatingautopiancommunityinwhicheverydesirecouldbegratifiedandeveryimpulseexpressed,throughfreeexperimentationindrugs,sexandphysicalexcess.

PerhapsthemostinfamousproductofthisperiodwasCrowley'ssemiautobiographicalnovel,DiaryofaDrugFiend,publishedin1922.Writtenattopspeedtofundhisgrowingdrughabit,theDiaryisoneofCrowley'smostoutrageousworks,butalsoonethatprovidesthemostinsightintohischaracterandhistoricalcontext.AthinlydisguisedimageofCrowleyhimself,thecentralcharacter,PeterPendragon,describeshisrapiddescentintococaineandheroinaddiction,ashecareensthroughtheaffluent,excessiveandwildlyhedonisticlifeoftheroaringtwenties,exploringeverypossiblesensualpleasureandmoralvice.AsLeslieShepardobserves,

Thisbook...comesfromanotherworldanageofcontrastslikealayercake,withathickwedgeoforthodoxy,athincoveringofdaringliterarycream,andacertainamountofexoticjam.ItwastheworldofcensorshipoftasteandalsotheJazzAgeofpettingparties,wildautomobilerides,speakeasies,silentfilms...Puritanismandinterwarpermissivenesslivedsidebysideandmadefacesateachother.[21]

Ironically,thecharacterisfinallyredeemedbyamysteriousfigurenamedKingLamus,whorunsaspiritualcentercalledtheAbbeyofThelemainfarofftowncalled"Telepylus."Inotherwords,thedrugaddictedCrowleyhasportrayedhimselfasthecharacter'sownfinalsaviorandredemption.

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CrowleyParodyingWinstonChurchill

Bythe1940s,however,Crowleyseemstohaveexhaustednotonlyhismoney(alreadylargelyspentby1915)butalsohisonceinfinitewilltopower.ThoughhecontinuedtobelievethathisBookoftheLawmighthaveadecisiveroletoplayintheunfoldingofglobaleventsduringandafterWorldWarII,mostpeoplewhosawhiminthoseyearsdescribedhimas"aboredoldmanwhofoundthelonelyeveningsfrightening."[22]HewouldspenthislastyearsinsmallguesthouseinLondon,increasinglyaddictedtoheroin(takingasmuchas11gramsaday,enoughtokillmostmen),untilhisdeathin1947.Therearemanyconflictingaccountsofhisfinaldays:accordingtosomehagiographicaccounts,heslippedblissfullyintotheBuddhiststateoffinalliberation,passingfrom"SamadhitoSuperSamadhitoNirvanatoSuperNirvana,expiringintheboundlessblissoftheInfinite."[23]Accordingtomorecynicalaccounts,hediedaloneinmiseryandselfloathing,utteringthefinalwords,"sometimesIhatemyself."[24]Stillotherssaythathediedquietlyinbed,followedbyagustofwindandapealofthunderasignthat"thegodsweregreetinghim."[25]

Insum,Crowleymightbesaidtobearemarkablereflectionoftheerainwhichhewasborn.Whiledeliberatelysettingouttooverthrowallestablishedvalues,hewasperhapsonlyexpressingthedarkerundersideor"secretlife"oftheVictorianworldinwhichhewasraised:

CrowleywasacontemporaryofFreudhegrewoutofthematrixofVictorianism...Hewasoneofmanywhohelpedtoteardownthefalse,hypocritical,selfrighteousattitudesofthetime.WhatispeculiarinCrowleyscaseitnotthathechoseevilbutthatinhisrevoltagainsthisparentsandGodhesethimselfupinGodsplace.[26]

AndperhapsnowherewasCrowley'ssimultaneousreflectionofandrevoltagainsttheworldinwhichhelivedmoreapparentthaninhisvolatilesexuallife.

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II.THEBEASTWITHTWOBACKS:CrowleyintheContextofLateandPostVictorianEngland

Itissex.Howwonderfulsexcanbe,whenmenkeepitpowerfulandsacred,anditfillstheworld!likesunshinethroughandthroughone!

D.H.Lawrence,ThePlumedSerpent[27]

Thesocietythatemergedinthenineteenthcenturythebourgeoiscapitalistorindustrialsociety...didnotconfrontsexwithafundamentalrefusalofrecognition.Onthecontrary,itputintooperationanentiremachineryforproducingtruediscoursesconcerningit.Notonlydiditspeakofsexandcompeleveryonetodosoitalsosetouttoformulatetheuniformtruthofsex.Asifitsuspectedsexofharboringafundamentalsecret.

MichelFoucault,TheHistoryofSexuality,volumeI[28]

InordertounderstandCrowleyandhiscontroversialwork,weneedtoplacethemagainstthebackdropofBritishattitudestowardsexualityinthelatenineteenthcentury.[29]Indeed,oneofthemanyreasonsfortheshocking,sordidanddeliciouslyscandalousreputationthatfollowedCrowleywashispracticeofsexualmagicandhisdeliberatetransgressionofthesexualmoresoftheworldinwhichhewasraised.RejectingtheeffetemoralityofhisChristianyouth,Crowleydeliberatelysetouttooverturnwhathesawastheoppressive,hypocriticalattitudesofVictorianEngland,byidentifyingsexasthemostcentralaspectofthehumanbeingandthemostprofoundsourceofmagicalpower(infact,inhisBookofLies,hepointsoutthattheEnglishwordforthepronoun"I"isitselfaphallicshape).[30]Thepopularpress,ofcourse,tooknoendofdelightinsensationalizingCrowley'ssexualpromiscuity,whichwasdescribedinvivid,exaggeratedandoftenhilariousdetailthroughoutthenewspapersoftheday.Thusheandhisdegeneratebandoffollowersweredescribedinthemostscandaloustermsas"ablasphemoussectwhoseproceedingslendthemselvestoimmoralityofthemostrevoltingcharacter,"whosemaingoalis"tofilltheirmoneybagsbyencouragingotherstogratifytheirdepravedtastes."[31]

Crowleydidlittletodenythispopularimage.AshewroteinhisConfessions,themainreasonfortheviolenceandturmoilofthemodernworldliesintherepressionofthesexualinstinctandconversely,thesurestwaytosolveourcontemporaryproblemsliesinitsliberation:

Thebattlewillragemostfiercelyaroundthequestionofsex.Mankindmustlearnthatthesexualinstinctisennobling.Theshockingevilswhichwealldeploreareprincipallyduetotheperversionsproducedbysuppressions.Thefeelingthatitisshamefulandthesenseofsincauseconcealment,whichisignobleandinternalconflictwhichcreatesdistortion,neurosis,andendsinexplosion.Wedeliberatelyproduceanabscessandwonderwhyitisfullofpus,whyithurts,whyitburstsinstenchandcorruption.

TheBookoftheLawsolvesthesexualproblemcompletely.Eachindividualhasanabsoluteright

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tosatisfyhissexualinstinctasisphysiologicallyproperforhim.[32]

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ThuswemightsaythatCrowleyreallyepitomizeswhatFoucaultcallsthe"repressivehypothesis"thatis,thebeliefthatthemodernWesternworldhaspainfullyrepressedanddeniedsexuality,andthatwhatismostneedednowisthefullestaffirmationandliberationofthesexualinstinct.AsCrowleyhimselfputitinhisConfessions,"Mysexuallifewasveryintense...LovewasachallengetoChristianity.Itwasadegradationanddamnation."[33]YetasFoucaultpointsout,itisreallyinaccuratetosaythattheVictorianerawasoneofrepressionandsilenceaboutsex.Onthecontrary,Westernculturewasinfactsaturatedwithakindof"hyperdevelopmentofdiscourseaboutsexuality,"whichwasnowclassifiedandcategorizedinendlessdetail."Paradoxically,itwasduringthenineteenthcenturythatthedebateaboutsexualityexploded.Farfromtheageofsilenceandsuppression,sexualitybecameamajorissueinVictoriansocialandpoliticalpractice."[34]Thecategorization,classificationandcontroloversexualitywasacriticalelementintheregulationofsocietyasawhole:"Thearrayofsexualdiscourses...exploitedsexuality'ssecrets.Sexbegantobemanaged....perversionbecamecodified...Sexualityproliferatedaspoweroveritwasextended."[35]

However,asPeterGaypointsout,discussionsofsexualityhadtotakeplaceinthepropercontexts,eitherprivately,intheclosedrealmsofsecrecyor,publicly,throughscientificdiscourse.[36]TheVictorianera,infact,witnessedatremendousproliferationofmedicaltreatisesonsexuality,inbothitsproperandperverseforms.Viewinganydeviationfrom"normal"sexasmorallysuspect,theVictorianimaginationwasobsessedwiththeidentification,enumerationandscientificclassificationofeveryimaginablesexualaberration.AmongthemostpopularworksinlatenineteenthcenturyEnglandwasKrafftEbing'sPsychopathiaSexualis(1886)whichbecamethemostinfluentialcatalogueofdeviations.Undertheprotectivecoverof"medicalnomenclature"andwiththe"postureofmoraloutrage,"Victorianreaders"couldindulgeinthis'medicoforensic'peepshowofsexualhyperaesthesia,paresthesia,aspermia,polyspermia,spermatorrhea,sadism,masochism,festishism,exhibitionism,psychichermaphroditism,satyriasisandnymphomania."[37]

Amongthemostsinisterperversions,intheeyesofmanyVictorianauthors,werethosethatconfusedthereligiousandsensualspheres.Britishmiddleandupperclasssensibilitiesofthelate19thcenturyinsistedontheproperseparationofreligionandsexuality:excessivereligiouscelibacyandsexuallicentiousnesswerebothconsidereddestructiveperversions.Onlythemarriedlifeofferedtheviamediabetweencelibacyandlicentiousness,which"repairstheFallandleadsfromearthtoheaven."[38]Inanerathatvaluedeconomicproductivity,generationofcapitalandrestraintinconsumption,healthysexualityhadtobeuseful,productiveandefficient:"normalheterosexualityappearedinoneguise...attractionbetweenmenandwomenthatledtomarriageandfamily.NormalsexwasconsistentwiththevaluesofVictorianindustrialsocietyitwasanothermodeofproduction."[39]Thusthemostphysicallyandmorallydangerousofallactswerethe"nonproductive"actssuchasmasturbationandhomosexualintercourse.AsLesleyHallobserves,masturbationwas"reprobateduniversallythroughoutVictoriansociety,"andconsideredapossiblesourcenotjustofmoraldecaybutevenofepilepsyandinsanity.Sotoo,homosexualitywasforemostamongthoseactsseentoviolatethe"bordersofmasculinity"definedbymiddleclasssociety,andthusamongthegreatestthreatstoaproductive,efficientandhealthysocialbody.[40]

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However,asMichaelMasonsuggests,thefirsttwodecadesofthe20thcenturyalsogavebirthtoapowerfulreactionagainstthesexualvaluesoftheVictorianera.[41]AsweseeinawidearrayofauthorslikeHavelockEllis,EdwardCarpenterandD.H.Lawrence,therewasagrowingcritiqueofthe

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pruderyoftheVictorianage,andanincreasingcallforsocialandsexualliberation.AsCarpenterputit,"thestrangeperiodofhumanevolution,theVictorianAge...markedthelowestebbofmoderncivilizedsociety:aperiodinwhich...cantinreligion,theimpurehushonmattersofsex...thecruelbarringofwomenfromeverynaturalandusefulexpressionoftheirlives,werecarriedtoanextremityoffollydifficultforusnowtorealise."[42]Increasingly,asthecharacterKateremarkedinD.H.LawrencePlumedSerpent,quotedabove,sexwasbelievedtoharborsomedeep,mysterioussecret,theliberationofwhichwasoftremendous,evensacred,power.ItwaspreciselythisawesomepowerthatCrowleywouldseektotapintothroughhismagicalpractices.

ItisinthissensethatCrowley,"theGreatBeast,"mightbesaidtohavehadtwobacks,asitwere,turnedbothbackwardandforward.Forhewas,ontheonehand,deeplyrootedinthelateVictorianChristianworld,reflectingtheobsessiveconcernwithsexualityandsexualdevianceinthelatenineteenthcentury.YetlikeothersofthepostVictorianera,hewouldstruggleheroicallytobreakfreeofthatworld,settingoutdeliberatelytodestroythatuseful,productiveVictoriansocialorderthroughthemostextremeactsofconsumptionandexcess.

III.SEXISASACRAMENT:CrowleyandtheOriginsofWesternSexualMagic

[T]hescienceofthesexualmagicisthekeytothedevelopmentandtheunderlyingsecretofallMasonicsymbols.[I]tiscertainthatthesexualquestionhasbecomethemostburningquestionofourtime.

TheodorReuss,"MysteriaMysticaMaxima"[43]

ThesexualactisasacramentofWiIl.Toprofaneitisthegreatoffense.AlltrueexpressionofitislawfulallsuppressionordistortionofitiscontrarytotheLawofliberty.

Crowley,TheLawisforAll[44]

Sex,magicandsecrecyhad,ofcourse,longbeenassociatedintheWesternreligiousimagination.FromtheearlyGnosticstotheKnightsTemplartotheCatharsofmedievalEurope,esotericordershadlongbeenaccusedofusingsexualritualsaspartoftheirsecretmagicalarts.[45]However,perhapsthefirstsophisticatedandwelldevelopedsystemofsexualmagicwasthatofPaschalBeverlyRandolph(182575).ThesonofawealthyVirginianfatherandaslavefromMadagascar,Randolphwasraisedapoor,selftaughtfreeblackinNewYorkcity.Afterrunningawayfromhomeatagesixteen,hetraveledtheworldandlateremergedasoneoftheleadingfiguresin19thcenturySpiritualismandAmerica'sforemostexponentofmagicaleroticismorAffectionalAlchemy.Insexuallove,"hesawthegreatesthopefortheregenerationoftheworld,thekeytopersonalfulfillmentaswellassocialtransformationandthebasisofanonrepressivecivilization.[46]

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PaschalBeverlyRandolph

InthecourseofhiswanderingsintheMiddleEast,RandolphclaimedtobeeninitiatedbyagroupofFakirsintheareaofJerusalem,whichmayhavebeenabranchofthemysticalorderoftheNusa'iriagrouplongpersecutedbyorthodoxIslambecauseoftheirallegedGnosticsexualrituals.UponhisreturntotheUnitedStates,RandolphbegantoteachaformofsexualmagicthatwouldhaveaprofoundimpactonmuchoflaterWesternesotericism.ForRandolph,theexperienceofsexualorgasmisthecriticalmomentinhumanconsciousnessandthekeytomagicalpower:"trueSexpowerisGodpower,"asheputit.Asthemomentwhennewlifeisinfusedfromthespiritualrealmintothematerial,itiscrucialmomentonethesoulissuddenlyopeneduptothespiritualenergiesofthecosmos:"attheinstantofintensemutualorgasmthesoulsofthepartnersareopenedtothepowersofthecosmosandanythingtrulywilledisaccomplished."[47]Thepowerofsex,then,canbedeployedforawiderangeofbothspiritualandmaterialends.Notonlycanoneachievethespiritualaimsofdivineinsight,buthecanalsoattainthemundanegoalsofphysicalhealth,financialsuccessorregainingthepassionsofastrayinglover.[48]

OnceRandolph'steachingsonsexualmagictookrootinthelate19thcentury,theywouldquicklyflowerandgivebirthtoawidearrayofoccultmovementsthroughoutAmerica,EnglandandEurope.Atthesametime,theywouldalsobereinterpretedinwaysthatmighthavebeenquitehorrifyingtoRandolphhimself,astheywerenowmingledwiththemosttransgressiveactsofhomosexualintercourse,autoeroticismandevenbestialityasaformofsexualmagic.

PerhapsthemostimportantvehicleforthetransmissionofRandolph'steachingsonsexualmagicwasthehighlyesotericmovementknownastheOrdoTempliOrientis(O.T.O.).InspiredbyKarlKellner(d.1905)andlaterfoundedbyTheodorReuss(d.1923),theO.T.O.becamethemainconduitthroughwhichWesternsexualmagicbegantomergewitha(somewhatdeformed)versionofIndianTantricpractices.AwealthyAustrianchemistandindustrialist,Kellnerclaimstohavebeeninitiated

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intoIndiansexualtechniquesinthecourseofhisOrientaltravels,citingaSufiandtwoIndianyogisashismasters.[49]Reuss,too,hadageneralworkingknowledgeofIndianyogicpracticesandapparentlysomerudimentaryunderstandingofTantra(though,likeCrowley,asIwillarguebelow,hisknowledgeofTantrawasprobablysimplisticandinaccurate).[50]

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KarlKellner

Others,however,believethatKellnerandReusstrueinspirationwasinfactP.B.Randolph,whosesexualmagicalteachingshadbeenspreadtoEuropebyagroupofdisciplesinthelatenineteenthcentury.ManyofRandolph'sideasweretransmittedtoGermanythroughalittleknownbutextremelyinfluentialgroupknownastheHermeticBrotherhoodofLuxor(H.B.ofL.),begunbyMaxTheon(d.1927)andPeterDavidson(d.1916)probablysometimeinthe1880s.FollowingRandolph,theH.B.ofL.madesexcentraltoitsmetaphysicalsystemandspiritualpractice:itisthepolarityofmaleandfemaleenergiesthatcreatestheuniverse,anditissexualunionofmalesandfemalesthatleadstothe"reunionofthedivineEgoandtoangelhood."[51]Atthesametime,however,theH.B.ofL.wasevenmoreemphaticaboutthedangersthatarisefromtheabuseofsexualmagic.Indeed,theywarnthatRandolphhimselfwasledtoruinbyhissexualexcesses.[52]Nonetheless,theteachingsoftheH.B.ofL.wouldbeoneofthemostimportantmeansbywhichRandolph'sworkwastransmittedandhadaformativeimpactonmostlateresoterictraditionsintheWest:"Oncethesecretwasoutoflinkingoccultismwithsex,itwasimpossibletoignore...practicallyeveryoccultorderafterthe1880shadsomedebttotheH.B.ofL."[53]

OncethesesexualtechniquesweretransmittedtonewmovementsliketheOrdoTempliOrientis,however,theywouldalsoundergosomeprofoundtransformations.MuchoftheO.T.O.'sritualcenteredaroundthisinnerkernelofsexualmagicthoughonealreadyquitedifferentfromthemoreconservativesystemofRandolph.AstheO.T.O.proclaimedinthejournalOriflammein1904,"OurOrderpossessestheKeywhichunlocksallMasonicandHermeticsecrets,itistheteachingofsexualmagicandthisteachingexplainsalltheriddlesofnature,allMasonicsymbolismandallreligioussystems."[54]TheO.T.O.developedasystemofninedegrees,thefirstsixofwhichweremoreconventionalMasonicinitiations.Theseventh,eighthandninthdegrees,however,focusedrespectivelyuponthetheoryofsexmagicandonthetechniquesofautoandheterosexualmagic.[55]Throughthemagicalactofintercourse,byfocusingalloneswillandimaginationuponadesiredgoalinthemomentoforgasm,onecanachievesuccessinanyoccultoperation,fromtheinvocationofagodtothefindingofhiddentreasure.Onemay,forexample,usethesetechniquestomagicallyempoweratalismanorothermagicalobject:byfocusingonesentirewilluponthedesiredobjectduringorgasm,andthen

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afterwardsanointingthatobjectwiththesemen,onecanusethatempoweredobjecttoachievevirtuallyanydesiredend.[56]YetalthoughthesexmagicoftheO.T.O.mayhavefoundsomeofitsinspirationinthetechniquesofRandolph,therewerealsofundamentaldifferencesbetweenthetwo.AsGodwinpointsout,theautoeroticandhomosexualtechniquesdevelopedbyKellnerandReusswouldhavehorrifiedthemorereservedRandolph,forwhomsexwasasacramentbetweenmarriedcouples,guardedbyritualsanctityandmoralinjunctions.[57]

CrowleyasHeadofOTO

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CrowleybecameinvolvedwiththeO.T.O.in1910andwouldsoonbecomeitsmostinfamousmember.AccordingtoCrowley'saccount,hewasapproachedbyReuss,whohadreadacrypticchapterofCrowley'sBookofLiesandaccusedhimofrevealingtheinnermostsecretoftheO.T.O.:thesecretofsexualmagic.ThoughCrowleyhadapparentlydonesounintentionally,thestorygoes,hewasnamedtheSovereignGrandMasterGeneralofIreland,IoanaandalltheBritains.AsCrowleysuggests,thissecretissopowerfuland"ofsuchtremendousimport,"thatit"cannotbeusedindiscriminately"orrevealedtotheunworthy.[58]AshedescribeditinhisConfessions,"ifthissecretwhichisascientificsecretwereperfectlyunderstoodtherewouldbenothingwhichthehumanimaginationcanconceivethatcouldnot

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berealizedinpractice...Ifitweredesiredtohaveanelementofatomicweightsixtimesthatofuraniumthatelementcouldbeproduced."[59]

InCrowley'srevisedsystem,however,theO.T.O.'sninedegreeswereexpandedtoeleven.Theeighth,ninthandeleventhofthesefocusedonmoreexplicitlytransgressivesexualritesofautoeroticandhomosexualintercourse.AsPeterKoenigsummarizestheupperdegrees,

Crowley'sVIIIthdegreeunveiled...thatmasturbatingonasigilofademonormeditatingupontheimageofaphalluswouldbringpowerorcommunicationwithadivinebeing...TheIXthdegreewaslabeledheterosexualintercoursewherethesexualsecretsweresuckedoutofthevaginaandwhennotconsumed...putonasigiltoattractthisorthatdemontofulfillthepertinentwish...IntheXIthdegree,themostlyhomosexualdegree,oneidentifiesoneselfwithanejaculatingpenis.Theblood(orexcrements)fromanalintercourseattractthespirits/demonswhilethespermkeepsthemalive.[60]

Inmanyways,thissecretofsexualmagicwasreallythekeytohisentirevisionofanewAeonbasedonthefullaffirmationoftheWillandthecompleteliberationfromtherepressive,oppressivereligionsofthepast.Indeed,Crowleytakesthe"repressivehypothesis"andtheurgetosexualfreedomtoitsfurthestextreme:forhenotonlyproclaimstheliberationofsexualityfromtheprudishbondsofhisVictorianchildhood,buthealsomakesthemostdeviantandantisocialofsexualactsnamely,masturbation,oralconsumptionofsexualfluidsandhomosexualintercoursetheultimatekeystomagicalpower.Inotherwords,hesetouttousherinhisownnewAeonbysmashingandtearingdowntheentiresocialmoralstructureoftheworldinwhichhewasraised.[61]

TheodorReuss

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IV.THEYOGAOFSEX:TantraandotherExoticImportsfromtheMysteriousOrient

Shiva,theDestroyer,isasleep,andwhenheopenshiseyetheuniverseisdestroyed...Butthe"eye"ofShivaisalsohisLingam[phallus].ShivaishimselftheMahalingam,whichunitesthesesymbolisms.Theopeningoftheeye,theejaculationoftheLingam,thedestructionofthe

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universe,theaccomplishmentoftheGreatWorkallthesearedifferentwaysofsayingthesamething.

Crowley,TheBookofLies[62]

[P]aradoxicalasitmaysound,theTantricsareinrealitythemostadvancedoftheHindus.

Crowley[63]

AlreadyintheworkofKellner,ReussandtheearlyO.T,O,WesternsexualmagichadbeguntobemingledwiththerecentlydiscoveredtraditionsofHinduandBuddhistTantra.ButitisCrowleyandCrowley'sformofsexualmagicthatmostWesternersreadersnowthinkofwhentheyhearthewordTantra.Aswewillsee,however,thisassociationofCrowleyandTantramayturnouttobeagooddealmorespuriousandunfoundedthanmostauthorshavegenerallyassumed.

Asitisusedbymosthistoriansofreligionstoday,Tantrareferstoavastandextremelydiversebodyoftexts,practicesandtraditionshatspreadthroughouttheHindu,BuddhistandevenJaincommunitiessinceatlistthe3rdor4thcenturyCE.Thereisinfactintensedisagreement,notonlyastohowitisbestdefined,butevenastowhetherTantrareally"exists"atall.IsitreallyanindigenousAsiancategory,orisitinsteadlikethegenericcategoryof"Hinduism"itselftheproductofwesternOrientalistscholarsimposingtheirownfantasiesandobsessionsontotheexoticmirroroftheOrientalOther?[64]Althoughithasbeendefinedinmanydifferentways,Tantracentersinlargepartaroundtheconceptofshaktipowerorenergy,inallitsmanyforms.Shaktiisthepowerthatcreates,sustainsanddestroystheentireuniverse,butitisalsothepowerthatflowsthroughthesocialandpoliticalworld,aswell.Tantricritualseekstoharnessandexploitthispower,bothasameantospiritualliberationandasameanstothisworldlybenefits,suchaswealth,fameandsupernaturalabilities.AsDouglasBrookssummarizes,"TheTantrikaconceivesoftheworldaspower.Theworldisnothingbutpowertobeharnessed."[65]Sexualunion(maithuna)isindeedusedinsometraditionsasonemethodtoawakenandharnessthispowerbutitisbynomeanstheonly,orevenusuallythemostimportant,techniqueemployedinTantricritual.Andevenwhenitisused,itistypicallyrestrictedtoverycloselyguarded,highlyesotericritualsettingsandsurroundedwiththemostsevereinjunctionswarningofthedangersofitsabuse.Inthewordsofoneofthemostfamousandinfluentialmedievaltexts,theKularnavaTantra,

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WhatItellyoumustbekeptwithgreatsecrecy.Thismustnotbegiventojustanyone.Itmustonlybegiventoadevoteddisciple.Itwillbedeathtoanyothers.

Ifliberationcouldbeattainedsimplybyhavingintercoursewitha[femalepartner],thenalllivingbeingsintheworldwouldbeliberatedjustbyhavingintercoursewithwomen.[66]

ManyformsofTantricpracticedoinvolveexplicitformsofritualtransgression.Theritualconsumptionofmeatandwine,andinsomecasessexualintercourseinviolationofclasslaws,canbeemployedasameansofawakeningandharnessingtheawesomepowerorshaktithatflowsthroughallthings.Yetatthesametime,asBrooks,SanjuktaGuptaandmanyothershaveargued,Tantraisreallybynomeansthesubversive,antisocialforcethatmanyWesternreadersimagineittobe.Onthecontrary,itisinmostcasesahighlyconservativetradition,whichultimatelyreassertstheritualauthorityandsocialstatusofmalebrahmins.Socialrelationsandsexualtaboosaretypicallyonlyviolatedinhighlycontrolledritualcontextsandaregenerallyreassertedindeed,reinforcedoutsidetheboundariesofesotericritual:"Anticastestatementsshouldneverbereadoutsidetheirritualcontext.Returnedto

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ordinarylife,nohighcasteTantricwouldthinkofbreakingsocialtaboos...TheritualegalitarianismofTantrisminpracticeactedasacasteconfirming...force."[67]

SinceitsfirstdiscoverybyEuropeanOrientalistscholarsandChristianmissionariesinthe18thcentury,TantrahasheldaplaceofprofoundambivalenceintheWesternimagination.TomostEuropeanscholarsofthecolonialera,TantrawasidentifiedastheveryworstandmostdepravedaspectoftheIndianmind,thesourceofallthepolytheism,idolatryandlicentiousnessthathadledtotheapparentdegenerationofHinduisminmoderntimes.Aboveall,Tantrawasattackedbecauseofitsuseofsensualpleasureandevensexualunionasameansofspiritualexperience.Ironically,althoughphysicalintercourseplaysaverylimitedroleinmostIndianTantrictraditions,thesexualaspectwasquicklysingledoutasthemostinfamousandmostshockingaspectofthisterribleperversionoftruereligion.AsthegreatSanskritist,SirMonierWilliams,putit,Tantrais"Hinduismarrivedinlastandworstageofmedievaldevelopment,"inwhichthenoblephilosophyoftheVedashadbeenreplacedbytheobscenesexualperversionsandblackmagicofthelefthand(vamacara)Tantras:"Therites,orrather,orgies,ofthelefthandworshipperspresupposethemeetingofmenandwomanofallcastesinthemostunrestrainedmanner."[68]

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ThisidentificationofTantrawithsexuallicentiousnesswasonlyfurthercomplicatedinthelate19thcentury,asTantrabecameincreasinglyconfusedwithvariouspornographicandsexologicalliteratureproliferatinginVictorianEngland.OneofthemostwidelyreadauthorsonTantra(thoughalsooneoftheleastoriginal)wasEdwardSellon,whowasbestknownasanauthorofcheappornographicbooks,suchasTheNewEpicureanortheDelightsofSexFacetiouslyandPhilosophicallyConsideredinGraphicLettersAddressedtoYoungLadiesofQuality.[69]HavingservedasanEnsignintheMadrasinfantryasayoungman,SellonalsoknewsomethingofHindubeliefandpractice,whichhepublishedinhisAnnotationsupontheSacredWritingsoftheHindus.HisvividandtitillatingdescriptionofTantricworshipinwhich"naturalrestraintsarewhollydisregarded"andwhich"terminateswithorgiesamongstthevotariesofaverylicentiousdescription"wouldbecomeoneofthemostinfluentialaccountsinthelateVictorianpopularimagination.[70]Finally,thisequationofTantrawithitssexualaspectswouldberenderedhopelesslyconfusedwiththepublicationofvariousSanskriterotictextssuchastheAnangaRangaandtheKamaSutrabySirRichardFrancisBurtonandhiscohortsintheKamaShastraSociety.[71]AlthoughtheKamaSutrainfacthadlittleifanythingtodowithTantra,itwouldsoonbecomelargelyconfusedandoftencompletelyidentifiedwithTantraintheWesternpopularimagination.Crowley,too,seemstohaveinheritedthisOrientalistidentificationofTantrawithsex,andhewouldsoonbecomeinfamousasoneofthefirstWesternauthorstowedsexualmagicwiththeesotericritesofTantra.AshisdiscipleKennethGrantputit,"TherevivalofTantricelementsintheBookoftheLawmaybeevidenceofapositivemoveonthepartof[Crowley]toforgealinkbetweenWesternandOrientalsystemsofmagick."[72]Butthequestionis,howmuchdidCrowleyreallyknowaboutIndianTantrictraditionsthatis,beyondthesecondhandcommentsandburstsofmoraloutrageaboutTantriclicentiousnessthatwerecommoninOrientalistscholarship?

ItistruethathedidhaveareasonablygoodknowledgeofIndianyoga,includingboththeraja(royal)orashtanga(eightlimbed)yogaofPatanjaliandthemorephysicalpracticefocusedonbodilyposturesknownashathayoga.HisEightLecturesonYogaor"YogaforYahoos,"ashedescribeditdisplaysacompetentgraspoftheclassicalyogasystemandwouldbecomeoneofthefirstvehiclesthroughwhichyogawastransmittedtotheWest.[73]AnditisalsotruethathemadefrequentuseofkeySanskritterms,suchaslingamandyoni,themaleandfemalesexualorgans,toexplainhisownmagicalpractice.Infact,herecordsinhisConfessionsthatitwastheIndianworshipofthelingamthathelpedchangehisattitudestowardsexandtoseethatthesexualorgancanbeasourceofspiritualpowerandanobjectofveneration.UnlikerepressedandneuroticmodernWesternsociety,Indiahadlong

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knowntheinherentdivinityofsexualityandthehumanbody:

OneofthegreatinsightsofSouthIndiaisthegreatTempleoftheShivalingam.IspentagooddealoftimeinitscourtsmeditatingonthemysteryofPhallicworship...MyinstincttoldmethatBlakewasrightinsaying:"ThelustofthegoatisthegloryofGod."ButIlackedthecouragetoadmitit.TheresultofmytraininghadbeentoobsessmewiththehideouslyfoulideathatinflictssuchmiseryonWesternmindsandcurseslifewithcivilwar.Europeanscannotfacethefactsfrankly,theycannotescapefromtheiranimalappetite,yetsufferthetorturesoffearandshameevenwhilegratifyingit.AsFreudhasnowshown,thisdevastatingcomplexisnotmerelyresponsibleformostofthesocialanddomesticmiseryofEuropeandAmerica,butexposestheindividualtoneurosis....Weresorttosuppression,andthegermscreateanabscess.[74]

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ItalsoseemsthatCrowleyeventuallycametohaveacertainrespectforIndianTantrictraditions.UnlikemostoftheOrientalistscholarsofhisday,whodenouncedTantraasahorribleperversion,CrowleydescribedTantranotonlyavalidformofreligion,butinfactthe"mostadvanced"ofallformsofIndianspirituality.ForunlikeotherformsofHinduismandBuddhism,Tantradoesnotdenythephysicalbodyorthenaturalworld,butaffirmsandmakesuseofthefleshandthesenses:

TheessenceoftheTantriccultsisthatbyperformanceofcertainritesofMagick,onedoesnotonlyescapedisaster,butobtainspositivebenediction.TheTantricisnotobsessedbythewilltodie.Itisadifficultbusiness,nodoubt,togetanyfunoutofexistence,butatleastitisnotimpossible...[H]eimplicitlydeniesthepropositionthatexistenceissorrowandheformulatesthepostulate...thatmeansexistbywhichtheuniversalsorrow...maybeunmasked.[75]

OneofthemostexplicitreferencestoTantricsexualpracticesinCrowley'sworkisfoundinhiskeytextfortheO.T.O.IXdegreerite,DeArteMagicka.HerespecificallycomparestheTantricviewofthesemenandtheriteofmaithunawiththeIXdegreerite,andalsodemonstratesthatheisfamiliarwithatleastoneTantrictext:

LiketheJews,thewisemenofIndiahaveabeliefthatacertainparticularPrana,orforce,residesintheBindu,orsemen.

Thereforetheystimulatetothemaximumitsgenerationbycausingaconsecratedprostitutetoexcitetheorgans,andatthesametimevigorouslywithholdbywill.AftersomelittleexercisetheyclaimthattheycandeflowerasmanyaseightyvirginsinanightwithoutlosingasingledropoftheBindu.Noristhisevertobelost,butreabsorbedthroughthetissuesofthebody.Theorgansthusactasasiphontodrawconstantlyfreshsuppliesoflifefromthecosmicreservoir,andfloodthebodywiththeirfructifyingvirtue.

InitiateswillnoticealsothattheseheathenphilosophershavemadeonefurthermarchtowardsthetruthwhentheysaythattheSunandMoonmustbeunitedbeforethereabsorption(seealmostanyTantra,inparticularShivaSanhita).[76]

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Forthesereasons,manyauthorshavespeculatedthatCrowleydidinfacthavesomeextensiveknowledgeofTantra.ThusLawrenceSutinmakestheargumentthatCrowleymayhavefirstbeenintroducedtothemoreradicallefthand(vamacara)formofTantrainCeylonasearly1901.Infamousforitsuseofnormallyforbiddensubstances,suchasmeat,wineandsexualintercourse,vamacaraTantraisconsideredthemostrapidanddangerouspathtoliberation.[77]Initially,Crowleyseemstohavebeenrepulsedbysuchpractices,forexamplewhenhewrotewithdisdainabout"thesefolliesofVamacharya("debauchery,"i.e.,normallife).[78]InthisnegativeviewoflefthandTantra,however,Crowleywasbynomeansaloneamongoccultistsandreligiousleadersoftheday.ManyleadingIndianreligiousfigures,suchasSwamiVivekananda(18631902)oneofthefirsttobringHinduphilosophytotheWesthadasingulardisdainforTantra,particularinitslefthandforms.[79]EvenmanyWesternoccultistssuchasMadameBlavatsky(18311891)whohadagreatadmirationforIndianphilosophyandeventuallyrelocatedtheTheosophicalSocietytoSouthIndiaidentifiedTantrawithblackmagicofthemostfoulanddepravedvariety:"[T]heTantras...aretheembodimentofceremonialblackmagicofthedarkestdye...[T]hoseKabbalistswhodabbleintheceremonialmagicdescribed...byEliphasLeviareasfullblownTantrikasasthoseofBengal."[80]ItseemsprobablethatCrowleywasinfluencedbytheseviewsofTantra,whichwerewidelycirculatedinbothIndiaandEnglandfromthelate19thcenturyonward.

However,SutingoesontoarguethatCrowley'sattitudestowardTantrabecameagooddealmorepositiveinyearsafter1901,andthathebegantoexperimentinTantricinfluencedsexualritesofhisown.Alreadyby1902,Sutinsuggests,CrowleyandhispartnerRosehadbeguntoengageinaseriesofsecretrites,ofasexualnature(andrelatedtoTantricpractices,suchastheemulationofthepassiveShivaincosmiccouplingwiththemountedenergeticShakti)."[81]Unfortunately,SutinprovidesnoevidencethatCrowleyandRosewereengaginginanysortofactualTantricpracticesorthattheirsexualrelationswereinanywayinfluencedbyTantra.

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OthershavespeculatedthatCrowleywasevenmoredeeplyinvolvedinlefthandTantricritualsduringhistravelsinIndia.In1936,forexample,ElizabethSharpepublishedasemiautobiographicalaccountentitledSecretsoftheKaulaCircle,whichdescribesamysteriousEnglishmancallinghimselfbythenumber666,whoengagesinthemostesotericTantricrites:ImetaEuropeanwho...calledhimselfbyanumber.Inthebeginninghewasextremelyhandsome,afterwardshegrewgross...Hehadmanywomenathisdisposal...Helearntmanymagicalprocessesbywhichhedrewintohiscirclegreatphantoms...666woreaceremonialrobe,hadapentacle,awandaswordandacup."[82]AtleastoneauthorhastakenthistobepositiveproofthatCrowleyhadintimateknowledgeofandexperienceinTantricpractice.[83]However,giventhefactthatSharpe'snovelwaspublishedatatimewhenCrowley'sreputationasapervert,blackmagiciananddrugfiendwasquitewidespread,itseemsequally(ifnotmore)likelythatSharpeappropriatedthefigureoftheinfamous"Beast666,"mingledhimwithsomewidespreadfantasiesaboutTantriclicentiousnessandincorporatedhimasapurelyfictionalcharacterintohernovel.

Butapartfromthesegeneralreferences,itwouldseemthatCrowley'sactualknowledgeofTantrawasfairlyrudimentaryandlargelycoloredbytheOrientalistbiasesofhisera.Itisindeedstriking,forexample,thatCrowleydoesnotoncementiontheworkofSirJohnWoodroffe(a.k.a.ArthurAvalon,18651936),[84]whoseworkpioneeredthemodernstudyofTantraandhelpedintroduceTantraasaseriousreligiouspracticeandphilosophicalsystemtothewesternworld.AjudgeontheBritishHighCourtinCalcuttaandsecretstudentoftheTantras,WoodroffewasacontemporaryofCrowleywhosemajorworksonTantrawerepublishedinEnglandfromaround1913on.[85]OnewouldthinkthatCrowleywouldhavewelcomedthepublicationofalargebodyofancientliteraturethatallowsforapositiveroleforsexualexperienceandthisworldlypleasure,andonecannothelpbutwonderwhyhe

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completelyignoreditinhisownwritingsonsexualmagic.

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Moreover,inthefewplaceswherehedoesdiscussTantricpractices,Crowleyfrequentlyeithermisunderstandsorsimplyreinterpretsthemforhisownpurposes.Forexample,mostTantrictraditionsuseaformofphysicaldisciplineknownaskundaliniyoga.Accordingtothekundalinisystem,thereareaseriesofsevenenergycenters(chakras)locatedalongtheaxisofthespinalcolumn.AtthebaseoftheseliestheGreatGoddessaspower(shakti)hiddeninthehumanbody,whichisimaginedintheformofacoiledserpent(kundalini).Theaimofkundaliniyogaistoawakenthisserpentpowerandtoraiseitthroughthesevenenergycenterswhereitwillultimatelybeunitedwiththesuprememasculineprinciple,theGod,Shiva,whoisimaginedasdwellinginathousandpetalledlotusatthetopofthehead.Crowleymoreorlessacceptsthisbasicsystemofsevenchakrasandtheserpentpoweryet,quiteremarkably,healsoaddsaspecialsetoflowerchakraslocatedbeneaththelowestenergycenter(themuladharaorroot),intheregionsoftheanus,theprostategland(orurethracervixregioninthefemale)andthebaseofthepenis(orclitorisinthefemale).Inotherwords,hehasaddedaseriesofsubchakrasthatareexplicitlyassociatedwiththesexualorgansandorifices.Asheexplainsinaletterin1916,

Itappearsthataspecialsetofnadis[nerves]fedtheMuladharalotusasifithadthreeroots.Thesourceoftheserootsisinthethreecentres...BuytheyarenotlotusesofthesameorderasthesacredSeven...

Theanallotusisofeightpetals,deepcrimson,glowingtorichpoppycolorwhenexcited...

Theprostaticlotusislikeaperidot,extremelytranslucentandlimpid...Thepetalsarenumerous,Ithinkthirtytwo.

Thethirdlotusisintheglanspenis,closetothebase...Itisofastartlinglyrichpurple...Thecentreisgoldlikethesun

Inthefemalethesethreelotusesalsoexist,butinaverydifferentform...[T]hesecondofthechakrasissituatedbetweentheurethraandthecervixuteri...[I]tscolorisneutralgreybutinpregnancyitbecomesabrilliantorangeandflowerlike...

Thethirdlotusisatthebaseoftheclitoris...ThepetalsarefortynineinnumberThebasiccolorisaricholivegreen,sometimeskindlingtoemerald[86]

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ThispassageisatellingexampleofCrowley'sappropriationandreinterpretationofTantraasawhole.NotonlydoesheidentifyTantraprimarilywithitssexualaspects,but,goingstillfurther,healsointroduceshisownseriesofsubchakrasidentifiedspecificallywiththesexualorgans.However,perhapsthegreatestdifferencebetweentheCrowleyianandHinduTantricsystemsistheroleofsexualintercourseinritualpractice.Buthereagainthereissomeconfusion.Someauthorshavesuggestedthattheprimarydifferenceliesinthewayinwhichthesexualactsarecarriedoutandthemannerinwhichsexualunionoccurs.ThusSutinarguesthatthekeydifferenceisthattheHinduandBuddhistTantricscallforaretentionandsublimationofthemalesemenduringunion,whileCrowleycallsfortheejaculationandconsumptionofthesexualfluids(infact,CrowleyhimselfpointedthisoutinDeArteMagicka,chaptersXIVandXVI):

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HinduandBuddhistTantrism.callforretentionofsemenbythemale,evenintheheightsofmysticalsexualunion.Crowleyfollowedthatalchemicaltraditionwhichregardedthefluidiccomminglingasan'elixir'which,whenimbibed,couldheightenbothone'sphysicalandspiritualstate.[87]

Actually,thisisnotquitecorrect.ItistruethatmanylaterTantrictextsemphasizeretentionofsemenduringunionbutthereareinfactmanyHinduTantrictraditionsandarguably,theoldertraditionsthatcallforejaculationofthesemenandconsumptionofthecombinedmaleandfemalesexualfluids.AccordingtotheBrhatTantrasaraoneofthelargestcompendiaofTantricritualandiconographycomposedbythegreat16thcenturyauthor,KrishnanandaAgamavagishathesheddingofsemenintothewombofthefemalepartneristheultimate"sacrificialact."For"sexualunionisthelibationthesacredpreceptisthesheddingofsemen."[88]Themingledsexualfluidsarethenconsecratedandconsumedasthesupremesacrificialofferingcalledthekuladravyaor"lineagesubstance"whichhasthepowertofulfillallworldlyandotherworldlydesires.[89]AsDavidGordonWhitehasargued,thispracticeoforallyconsumingthesexualfluidscanbefoundinmanyoftheoldestTantrasandprobablypredatesthepracticeofseminalretention.[90]

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Instead,IwouldsuggestthatthekeydifferencebetweentraditionalformsofTantraandCrowley'ssystemliesnotinthedetailsofsexualunion,butratherintheemphasisthatisplacedonsexinthefirstplace.InmostHinduandBuddhistTantras,sexualunionisafairlyminorpartofspiritualpracticewhenmentionedatall,itisoftentakeninpurelysymbolicterms,and,whenpracticedliterally,isbutoneofmanywaysofawakeningthedivinepowerorshakti.AsGeorgFeuersteinobserves,"ThereisnothingglamorousaboutTantricsexualintercourse."[91]ButinmostcontemporaryWesterninterpretationsandaboveall,inthewakeofCrowleyTantrahasbeenredefinedprimarilybyitssexualelement,andoftensimplyequatedwith"spiritualsex,"thegoalofwhichisnotspiritualdevelopmentbutheightenedorgasmandoptimalphysicalpleasure.[92]

Intheend,itseemsthereislittleconcreteevidencethatCrowleyhadanyextensiveknowledgeofIndianTantra,apartfromthecommonassociationofTantraandsexintheWesternimagination.Sohow,then,didCrowley'sworkcometobesowidelyidentifiedwithTantrainlaterliterature?Theanswerliesprimarily,Ithink,intheworkofCrowley'searliestbiographers,suchasJohnSymondsand,aboveall,KennethGrant.Infact,Granthimselfclaimedtohavereceived"fullinitiationintoahighlyreconditeformulaoftheTantricvamamarg,"atthehandsofoneDavidCurwen,whointurnclaimedtohavebeeninitiatedbyaTantricGuruinSouthIndia.HavingmetCrowleyin1944andstudyingwithhimin1945,GrantwouldgoontowriteaseriesofbooksonCrowleyandmagic,whichrepeatedlyemphasizethe"Tantric"natureofCrowley'swork.Thus,TheBookoftheLawisevenpraisedas"theNewGnosis,thelatestTantra,"andCrowleyiscreditedwithhavingpenetratedtheinnermostsecretsofTantricsexualpractices(whichGrantalsocompareswiththeOrgasmtheoryofWilhelmReich):"Crowleyknewthatthecruxoftantricrituallayinitsconnectionwiththemagicallyinducedecstasiesofsexualorgasm."[93]Ultimately,GrantalsofindsintheTantrasaconfirmationofthecentraltenetofCrowley'slawofThelemathefundamentalbeliefinthedivinityofthehumanwill.JustasTantra,inCrowley'snewinterpretation,assertedthedivinityofthehumanbodyandthesexualinstinct,sotoodiditaffirmthegodhoodofManabovealltheoldfalsedyinggodsofthepast:"AnotherpointofcontactbetweenTantraandThelemaiscontainedintheThelemicaphorism:Thereisnogodbutman!"[94]

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Butironically,despitehisattemptstoreadCrowleythroughaTantriclens,evenGrantadmitsthatCrowley'sactualknowledgeofTantricpracticewaslimited.ThusherecountsCrowley'scorrespondencewithDavidCurwen,whoallegedtohavestudiedlefthandTantrainSouthIndia.AccordingtoGrant'sownaccount,CrowleywasratherannoyedthatCurwenseemedtopossessmuchgreaterknowledgeaboutTantraandsexualmagickasCrowleyhimselfadmitted,"Curwenknows100timesasmuchasIdoabutTantra.ButIdonotadviseit."[95]ForCurwenclaimedtohavearecipeforpreparingtheprized"ElixirofLife"thatwasfarsuperiortothatoftheO.T.O.:

ThereexistsadocumentcompiledbyCurwen'serstwhileguru,aSouthIndiantantric.InitappearedanadversecriticismofCrowley'sattemptsatpreparingtheElixirofLifeIntheinstructionswhichaccompanythehigherdegreesoftheO.T.O.thereisnocomprehensiveaccountofthecriticalroleofthekalasorpsychosexualemanationsofthewomanchosenforthemagicalrites...TheO.T.OlackedsomevitalkeystotherealsecretofmagickwhichCrowleyclaimedtohaveincorporatedintothehigherdegrees.CurwenundoubtedlyknewmoreaboutthesemattersthandidCrowley.[96]

ButregardlessofCrowley'sactualknowledgeofTantra,virtuallyeveryonewritingonthesubjectsincethetimeofGrantandSymondsseemstohaveacceptedthisbasicidentityofCrowleyianmagicandTantra.[97]Crowley'sversionofthetraditionand,aboveall,hisidentificationofTantraprimarilywithitssexualcomponent,wouldhaveaformativeimpactonvirtuallyalllaterformsofsexmagicintheWest.

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V.LeashingandUnleashingtheBeast:Taboo,TransgressionandPower

Iloathelaw.Itseemstomeasifitweremerelyanelaborateseriesofobstaclestodoingthingssensibly.

Crowley,DiaryofaDrugFiend[98]

Transgressioncontainsnothingnegativebutaffirmslimitedbeingaffirmsthelimitlessnessintoitwhichleapsasitopensthiszonetoexistenceforthefirsttime.

MichelFoucault,"PrefacetoTransgression"[99]

SowhatarewetomakeofCrowley'sseeminglyscandalousanddeliberatelyshockingsexualpractices?Weretheymerelytheexpressionofaperverseandhedonisticcharacterwhohopedtosatiateeverycarnaldesire?Orweretheysimplyacrudeformofsympatheticmagicdesignedtobringhimmaterialgain,wealthandpower?AndhowdotheycomparetotheformsofsexualpracticethatonefindsintheIndiantraditionsofTantra?

HereIwouldsuggestthatCrowley'ssexualmagickisastrikingillustrationofwhatGeorges

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Bataillecallsthepoweroftransgression,whichisacentralaspectoferoticism,religiousritualandmysticalexperiencealike.Transgression,Batailleargues,isnotsimplehedonismorunrestrainedsexuallicenserather,itspowerliesinthedialecticor"play"(lejeu)betweentabooandtransgression,throughwhichonesystematicallyconstructsandthenoverstepsalllaws.Perhapsnowhereisthismoreapparentthaninthecaseoferoticism.Notamatterofsimplenudity,eroticismarisesinthedialecticofveilingandrevealing,clothingandstriptease,betweenthecreationofsexualtaboosandtheexhilaratingexperienceofoversteppingthem.Sotoo,inecstaticmysticalexperienceorreligiousrites(suchasbloodsacrifices,carnivals,etc.),onemustfirstcreateanauraofpurityandsanctitybeforeonecandefileitwithviolence,transgressionortheoverturningoflaw."Theprohibitionistheretobeviolated"rulesaremadetobebroken,foritistheexperienceofoversteppinglimitsthatbringstheblissfulsenseofcontinuityandcommunionwiththeOther:

[T]aboos...arenotonlytheretobeobeyed...Itisalwaysatemptationtoknockdownabarrier...Fearinvests[theforbiddenact]withanauraofexcitement."Thereisnothing,"writesdeSade,"thatcansetboundstolicentiousness...Thebestwayofenlargingandmultiplyingone'sdesiresistotrytolimitthem."[100]

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Theultimateaimoftransgression,however,isnotmeresensualpleasurerather,itisthetransgressionoftheveryboundariesoftheself,theexpenditure(depense)withouthopeofanyreturn,whichshattersthelimitsoffinite,isolatedhumanconsciousnessinordertoexperiencetheboundlesscontinuityoftheInfinite.Itisthisexperienceoftransgressionandexpenditurethatlinkseroticismintimatelytotheultimateexperienceofinfinitecontinuity,thatofdeathitself:

Eroticism...isassentingtolifeuptothepointofdeath...Althougheroticactivityisinthefirstplaceanexuberanceoflife,theobjectofthispsychologicalquest...isnotalientodeath.

Eroticactivity,bydissolvingtheseparatebeingsthatparticipateinit,revealstheirfundamentalcontinuity,likethewavesofastormysea.[101]

NowhereisthisfundamentaldialecticbetweentabooandtransgressionmoreapparentthaninthecaseofCrowley.QuiteselfconsciouslyoverthrowingthesexualrestraintsoftheVictorianworldinwhichhewasraised,Crowleymadeithismissiontoshattertheboundariesofconventionalmoralityinordertoliberatethesupremefreedomoftheindividualself.Thus,"Thequalitieswhichhavemadeaman,arace,acity,acaste,mustbethrownoff...Allmoralcodesareworthlessinthemselves."[102]InplaceoftheemasculatedmoralityofChrist,hecelebratedthehighermoralityoftheWill,avirile,phallicpowerthatburststhroughthenarrowboundariesofconventionalmorality:"TheLoveofLiberLegisisalwaysbold,virile,ecstatic,evenorgiastic...Mightyandterribleandgloriousasitis,however,itisbutthepennonuponthesacredlanceofWill."[103]Asweseeinthevowtobetakenbyhispartnersinsexualrites,Crowley'smagicalworkdemandedtheexplicitviolationofthemoralboundariesthatconfineordinaryhumanbeings:

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Iwillworktheworkofwickedness

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Iwillkillmyheart

Iwillbeloudandadulterous

Iwillbecoveredwithjewelsandrichgarments.

Iwillbeshamelessbeforeallmen

Iwill,fortokenthereof,willfreelyprostitutemybodytothelustsofeachandeverylivingcreaturethatshalldesireit

IclaimtheMysteryofMysteries,BABALONtheGreat,andtheNumber156,andtherobeoftheWomanofWhoredomesandtheCupofAbominations.[104]

BrandedwiththeBeast'sMark

Aswehaveseenabove,manyofCrowley'shigherlevelritualscenteredaroundactsthatwereconsideredextremelytransgressiveinlateVictoriansociety.SodomyandmasturbationwereforemostamongtheactsconsideredbothphysicallyandmorallydangerousinVictoriansociety,andtheywouldthereforebecomeamongthemostpowerfultoolsinCrowley'smagicalpractice.TheoriginalprefacetohisTheWorld'sTragedywas,infact,subtitled"Sodomy,"inwhichhevowed"tofightopenlyforthatwhichnolivingEnglishmandareddefend,eveninsecretsodomy![105]

However,evenCrowley'sheterosexualriteswouldhavebeenconsideredsomewhatagainstthegrainofVictoriansexualvalues.Aswehavealreadyseen,manyofhismagicalpracticesinvolveddeliberateinversionsof"normal"sexualintercourse,suchastheconsumptionofthemaleandfemalesexualfluids,whichwereregardedasthepowerful"elixir"employedinmanyoftheIXdegreeoperations.[106]Insomecases,however,Crowleyseemstohavetrulyexultedinhisowndepravity,goingtogreatlengthstodescribehisdescentintolicentioustransgression.Ashedescribedhisrelationswithhispartner,RonnieMinor,in1918,"Inowdoallthosethingswhichvoluptuariesdo,withequalorgreaterenthusiasmandpowerbutalwaysforanUlteriorEnd.InthismatterIamreproachedbythat

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whoreofniggersanddogs,withwhomIamnowlivinginmuchworsethanadultery."[107]Similarly,ashedescribedhisrelationswithayoungAmerican,CecilFrederickRussell,whocometostudywithhimin1921andbecameapartnerinhissexualmagic,

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NowI'llshaveandmakeupmyfacelikethelowestkindofwhoreandrubonperfumeandgoafterGenesthai[Russell]likeadrunkentwobitprickpitinoldNewOrleans.Hedisgustsmesexually,asIhim,asIsuspect[T]hedirtiermydeed,thedearermydarlingwillholdmethegrossertheactthegreediermyarsetoengulphhim![108]

CrowleywouldgotoevenfurtherextremesoftransgressionduringhisyearsattheAbbeyofThelema.Inhisdiaries,heclaimstohavetranscendedallmaterialdistinctions,shatteringtheboundarybetweenpureandimpure,suchthateventhemostdefilingsubstancesincludinghumanexcrementbecameforhimthepureBodyofGod.ThustheshitofhisScarletWoman,LeahHirsig,becamethe"ThelemicHost"inhisGnosticMass:

Mymouthburnedmythroatchoked,mybellywretchedmybloodfledwitherwhoknows...Shestoodaboveinhideouscontempt...SheateallthebodyofGodandwithHersoul'scompulsionmademeeat...Myteethgrewrotten,mytongueulcered,rawwasmythroat,spasmtornmybelly,andallmyDoubtofthatwhichtoHerteethwasmoonlightandtohertongueambrosiatoherthroatnectar,inherbellytheOneGod.[109]

MuchlikeBataille,Crowleyfindsinsexualmagickthemostpowerfulmeanstoshatteringthelimitedrationalmindandfinitehumanego.Sexualtransgressionisalsoatransgressionoftheboundariesofordinaryconsciousnessitself.FollowingNietzsche,Crowleyseestherational,logicalthinkingmindasakindofepiphenomenonandaberrationofthetruehumanself,whichisbodily,instinctiveandsensual."Consciousnessisasymptomofdisease"butinthemomentofsexualunionandorgasmcalledhere"theCharioting"thethinkingmindistemporarilyblottedout,allowingafleetingglimmerof"universalconsciousness:"

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Mindisadiseaseofsemen.Allthatamanisormaybeishiddentherein....ThereforeismanonlyhimselfwhenlosttohimselfinTheCharioting.

Therefore,exceptinthecaseofanAdept,manonlyrisestoaglimmeroftheuniversalconsciousness,while,intheorgasm,themindisblottedout.[110]

AsJuliusEvolasuggests,Crowleysawinorgasm(asindrugexperience)ameanstocreatebreakagesofconsciousnessbypushingthemindtoapointofextremeexhaustionandsoopeningittothe"supersensual:""Thetechnique...wasthatofexcessthroughpainorpleasure,sexorintoxication,itwasnecessarytoattainaconditionofexhaustiontakentotheextremelimit."[111]Ultimately,inthismomentofsexualexcess,theselfdissolvesintotheabyssoftheInfinite,beyondalllimitations:

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Asmanloseshispersonalityinphysicallove,sodoesthemagicianannihilatehisdivinepersonalityinthatwhichisbeyond.

Inlovetheindividualityisslain...Lovedeaththerefore,andlongeagerlyforit.

Lovedestroyethself...LovebreedethAllandNoneinOne.[112]

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LikeBataille,then,Crowleyfoundinthisradicaltransgressionandshatteringofrationalthoughtthesourceofatremendous,evensuperhumanpower.Themaguswhodarestobreaktheboundariesbetweenpureandimpure,therationalandtheirrational,selfandnothingness,canunleashtheultimatemagicalenergyandsubdueallofrealitytohisownwill:

ASorcererbythepowerofhismagickhadsubduedallthingstohimself...Hecouldflythroughspacemoreswiftlythanthestars.Wouldheeat,drink,andtakehispleasure?Therewasnonethatdidnotobeyhisbidding.Inthewholesystemoftenmilliontimestenmillionspheresuponthetwoandtwentymillionplaneshehadhisdesire.[113]

However,theultimategoalthatCrowleysoughtthroughhissexualmagicseemswentfarbeyondthemundanedesireformaterialwealthormortalpower.Inhismostexaltedmoments,Crowleyappearstohavebelievedthathecouldachieveasupremespiritualpowerthepowertoconceiveadivinechild,agodlikebeing,whowouldtranscendthemoralfailingsofthebodybornofmerewoman.Thisgoalofcreatingadivinefetus,Crowleysuggests,liesattheheartofmanyesoterictraditions,fromancientMesopotamiatoIndiatotheArabworld:

ThisisthegreatideaofmagiciansinalltimesToobtainaMessiahbysomeadaptationofthesexualprocess.InAssyriatheytriedincest...GreeksandSyriansmostlybestiality....TheMohammedanstriedhomosexualitymedievalphilosopherstriedtoproducehomunculibymakingchemicalexperimentswithsemen.Buttherootideaisthatanyformofprocreationotherthannormalislikelytoproduceresultsofamagicalcharacter.[114]

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Sexmagic,particularlyinitstransgressive,nonreproductiveforms,canthusunleashthesupremecreativepower:thepowertocreatenotanordinaryfetus,butamagicalchildofmessianicpotential.

Atthispoint,wemightnowaskanimportantcomparativequestion:GiventhefactthatsomanymodernauthorshaveequatedCrowley'ssexmagicwithIndianTantricpractice,andgiventhefactbothCrowleyianmagicandTantrainvolveexplicitviolationsofsocialtaboos,howshouldwecomparetheroleoftransgressioninthesetwotraditions?Doestransgressionworkinbasicallythesameway,withsimilarreligiousandsocialconsequences?Oraretheyinfactquitedifferent?

Ontheonehand,thereareindeedstrikingsimilarities.BothHinduShaktaTantraandCrowley'smagicdocenterinlargepartaroundtheacquisitionofpower(shaktiintheIndiancase),apowerthatflowlieswithinboththenaturalcosmosandthehumanself,apowerthathasbothspritualandsociopoliticaldimensions.Andbothemployedexplicitactsoftransgressionthedeliberateviolationofacceptedsocial,moralandsexualcodesasoneverypotentmeansofawakeningandharnessingthat

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power.Yetatthesametime,ontheotherhand,theendstowhichthatpowerwasdirectedseemstobequitedifferentinShaktaTantraandinCrowley'smagic.Aswesawabove,mostformsofHinduShaktaTantrahavehistoricallybeenquiteconservativeinorientation,tendingtoreinforceratherthansubverttheexistingsocialorder.Tantricritualdoesofteninvolvedeliberateinversionsandtransgressionsofnormalsociallawsandsexualtaboosbutthesearecloselyguardedbyritualsecrecyandgenerallytend,intheend,toreassertthepoweroftheelite,male,welleducatedBrahminsastheritualexpertswhoalonehavetheauthoritytooverstepconventionalsocialboundaries.[115]Crowley,conversely,setoutdeliberatelytooverthrow,teardownandsupplanttheentirereligious,socialandmoralworldinwhichhewasraised.FromtherevelationofhisBookoftheLawandcontinuingthroughouthislife,hesetouttodeconstructanentireworldviewandsocialorderwhatheregardedastheeffete,corruptandbankruptworlddominatedbyChristianityandtosetupinitsplaceaneworderbasedonthelawoftheThelema.Inotherwords,boththeSaktaTantrikasandCrowleymadeuseofexplicitinversionsofconventionalmoralityandsexualtaboos,buttheydidsoforverydifferent,evenoppositereasonstheonetoreinforcetheexistingsocialorderandstatusquo,andtheothertodestroyit.

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CONCLUSIONS:"AftertheOrgy"SexandLiberationinaPostVictorianEra

Isaytoday:tohellwithChristianity,Rationalism,Buddhismallthelumberofthecenturies.Ibringyouapositiveandprimaevalfact,Magicbyname:andwiththisIwillbuildmeanewHeavenandanewEarth.IwantnoneofyourfaintapprovalorfaintdispraiseIwantblasphemy,murder,rape,revolution,anything,badorgoodbutstrong

Crowley,Lettertobrotherinlaw,GeraldKelly,[116]

IfitwerenecessarytocharacterizethestateofthingsIwouldsaythatitisaftertheorgy.Theorgyis...theexplosivemomentofmodernity,thatofliberationinalldomains.Politicalliberation,sexualliberation,liberationofproductiveforces,liberationofdestructiveforces...Todayeverythingisliberated...wefindourselvesbeforethequestion:WHATAREWETODOAFTERTHEORGY?

JeanBaudrillard,TheTransparencyofEvil[117]

Toconclude,IwouldliketosuggestthatCrowleyisnotonlyafascinatingandoftenneglectedfigurewhogivesusanunusualinsightintothehistoryofmodernreligiousmovementsintheWeststillmoreimportantly,healsoreflectsinboldreliefsomeofthemostcentralissues,conflictsandtensionssurroundingsexualityandsexualliberationinlateandpostVictoriansociety.Likemanyothercontroversialfiguresofhisday,suchasD.H.LawrenceandOscarWilde,CrowleysetouttobursttheoppressivevaluesandconstrictingmoralityoftheChristianworldinwhichhewasraised.YetCrowleywouldalsotaketheidealoftransgressiontoitsfurthestpossibleextremes,bydeliberatelyoverthrowingvirtuallyeveryimaginablesocial,moralandsexualtabooinordertoachieveakindofradicalsuperhumanfreedom,selfaffirmationandevenselfdeification.

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Atthesametime,despitehisapparentlackofknowledgeofTantra,CrowleyisalsoakeyfigureinthetransmissionofTantratotheWest,andalsoinitsincreasingfusion(perhapshopelessconfusion)withWesternvarietiesofsexualmagic.InthecourseofitscomplexjourneytotheWest,Tantrahasbeenprogressivelytransformedformahighlyesoterictraditioncenteringaroundsecrecyandpowertoanincreasinglypopularformofspiritualitycenteringaroundhealthysexualityandliberatedopenness.InspiteoforperhapsbecauseofhissuperficialunderstandingofTantra,CrowleywouldbecomeCrowleywasaseminalfigureinthistransformationandisstilltodaywidelycitedasthemodernpioneerof"TantricSexMagick"andoneofthefirstWesternadeptsofTantra.NotonlycanwenowuncovertheSecretsofWesternTantraordabbleinCelticSexMagic,butthereisevenaorganizationdedicatedtothesynthesisofWesternandEasternsexualtechniquescallingitself"NAMASTE"the"NewAssociationofMagical,SexualandTantricExplorers."[118]

Assuch,Crowleywasalsosomewhataheadofhistimealsoforeshadowedinaverystrikingwaymuchoftheobsessionwithsexualityandtransgressioninourowngenerationattheturnofthemillennium.ForCrowleyissurelynolessrelevantforourowngeneration.Perhapsmostimportantly,heprovidessometellinginsightsintothecontemporarypreoccupationwithsexuality,whichnowsaturatessocietythroughmedia,televisionandadvertising.AsAngusMcLaren"Today'smedia,whileclaimingtobeshockedbythesubversivenessofcarnaldesires,delugethepublicwithexplicitsexualimagerytoselleverythingfromCalvinKleinjeanstoBlackandDeckerpowerdrills."[119]Thus,asFoucaultargues,itmaynotbethecasethatweinthemodernWesthaveliberatedsexinanyradicalwaybutwhatwehavedoneistointensifyourdiscourseaboutsex,arguingandfantasizingaboutitasanendlesssourceoftitillation.Atthesametime,wehavealsotakensextothefurthestpossibleextremestoextremesoftransgressionandexcess,notrestinguntilwehaveviolatedeverytaboo:"The20thcenturywillundoubtedlyhavediscoveredtherelatedcategoriesofexhaustion,excess,thelimitandtransgressionthestrangeandunyieldingformoftheseirrevocablemovementswhichconsumeandconsummateus."[120]

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Thus,onemightwellarguethatwearenowlivinginakindof"postorgyworld,"afterallthegreatsocialandsexualrevolutionshavebrokeneveryimaginabletaboo.Yetthishasleftusinastrange"undefinedstate,"inwhichweareleftquestioningourverybeing.AsJeanBaudrillardobserves,"Theorgyisover,liberationisover...Afteraculturebasedonprohibition...thisisaculturebasedonthequestioningofone'sowndefinition:'AmIsexed?WhatsexamI?'...Liberationhaslefteveryoneinanundefinedstate...Thisiswhythere'ssomuchlovemaking."[121]Afterall,asCrowleyseemstohaveaskedhimselfintheend,whatistherelefttodoaftereveryforbiddendesirehasbeenindulgedandeverytabootransgressed?

ENDNOTES

[1]Crowley,TheConfessionsofAleisterCrowley:AnAutohagiography,ed.JohnSymonds(NewYork:HillandWang,1969),767.

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[2]Foucault,TheHistoryofSexuality,volumeI:AnIntroduction(NewYork:Vintage,1978),35.

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[3]AntoineFaivreandJacobNeedleman'svolumeModernEsotericSpirituality(NewYork:Crossroad,1992)makesnoreferencetoCrowleyFaivremakesverybriefreferencetoCrowleyinhisAccesstoWesternEsotericism(Albany:SUNY,1994),91,94,97,106.WouterHanegraaff's,NewAgeReligionandWesternCulture:EsotericismintheMirrorofSecularThought(Albany:SUNY,1998)makesonlybriefpassingreferencetoCrowley.AmongthefewserioustreatmentsofCrowleyareMartinBooth,AleisterCrowley:SelectedPoems(London:Crucible,1986),StoddardMartin,OrthodoxHeresy:TheRiseof"Magic"asReligionanditsRelationtoLiterature(Hampshire:MacMillanPress,1989),RonaldHutton,TriumphoftheMoon:AHistoryofModernPaganWitchcraft(Oxford:OxfordUniversityPrsss,2000),chapter10andmorerecentlyLawrenceSutin,DoWhatThouWilt:ALifeofAleisterCrowley(NewYork:St.MartinsPress,2000).

[4]Crowleyusesthespelling"Magick"todistinguishhisarttheartofchangingnatureinaccordancewithone'sWillfrommostvulgarunderstandingsoftheterm.SeeTheLawisforAll:TheAuthorizedPopularCommentaryonLiberALsubfiguraCCXX,TheBookoftheLaw(Tempe,AZ:NewFalconPublications,1996),39,andMagickinTheoryandPractice(Paris:Lecram,1929).

[5]Onthispoint,seeHughB.Urban,"TheExtremeOrient:TheConstructionof'Tantrism'asaCategoryintheOrientalistImagination,"Religion29(1999):123146andUrban,TheEconomicsofEcstasy:Tantra,SecrecyandPowerinColonialBengali(NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,2001).

[6]Symonds,IntroductiontoCrowley,TheConfessions,.xxv.SeealsoKennethGrant,TheMagicalRevival(NewYork:SamuelWeiser,1973),126.PopularbooksonTantra/SexMagickaretoonumeroustocitehere:seeforexampletheworksofChristopherS.Hyatt,TantrawithoutTears(NewFalconPublications,2000)SecretsofWesternTantra(NewFalconPublications,1989)SexMagic,Tantra,andTarot(NewFalconPublications,1991)JenniferHunter,WiccaforLovers:SpellsandRitualsforRomanceandSeduction(VikingPress,2001).

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[7]Urban,"TheOmnipotentOom:TantraanditsImpactonModernWesternEsotericism,"Esoterica:TheJournalofEsotericStudies3(2001):218259.

[8]HereIamusingthephrase"Victorianera"toreferprimarilytotheperiodofVictoria'srule,endingin1901.However,asMichaelMasonandothersargue,manyoftheculturalandmoralattitudesthatweassociatewiththeVictorianerawouldpersistwellintotheearly20thcentury.SeeMason,TheMakingofVictorianSexuality(NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,1994)LesleyA.Hall,Sex,GenderandSocial

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ChangeinBritainSince1880(NewYork:St.Martin'sPress,2000).

[9]SeeHughB.Urban,"TheCultofEcstasy:Tantrism,theNewAgeandtheSpiritualLogicofLateCapitalism."HistoryofReligions39(2000):268304,andUrban,Tantra:Sex,Secrecy,PoliticsandPowerintheStudyofReligion(Berkeley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress,forthcoming),ch.VII.

[10]Foucault,TheHistoryofSexualitycf.JeffreyWeeks,Sex,PoliticsandSociety:theRegulationofSexualitySince1800(London:Longon,1981)Mason,TheMakingofVictorianSexuality.

[11]SeeBataille,Erotism:DeathandSensuality(SanFrancisco:CityLights,1986)TheAccursedShare,3volumes(NewYork:Zone,1991).

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[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.MartinsimilarlydescribesCrowleyasanexpressionofthelateandpostVictorianZeitgeist(OrthodoxHeresy,188)

[17]ColinWilson,TheOccult(NewYork:VintageBooks,1973),362.

[18]Actually,therevelationcamefirstthroughCrowley'swife,Rose,duringtheirtriptoCairo,whenthevoiceofthegodHorusallegedlybegantospeakthroughher.ShelaterrevealedthatthebeingspeakingthroughherwasanemissaryofHorusnamedAiwass,andCrowleyeventuallyclaimedtohavereceivedtheBookoftheLawdirectlyfromAiwasswithoutRose'smediation.

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[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(YorkBeach,ME:Weiser,1989),75.

[24]Symonds,TheBeast666(London:Pindar,1997),585.

[25]Sutin,DoWhatThouWilt,418.

[26]Symonds,IntroductiontoTheConfessions,p.xiii.MartinsimilarlydescribesCrowleyas"bothaneffectandacauseoftheshiftinturnofthecenturyZeitgeistfromQueenVictoriatoD.H.Lawrence"(OrthodoxHeresy,183).

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[27]QuotedinFoucault,TheHistoryofSexuality,volumeI,157.

[28]Foucault,TheHistoryofSexuality.volumeI,69.

[29]AsPamelaThurschwellobservesinherstudyofmagicandscienceinthelatenineteenthcentury,"anxietiesaboutthepermeabilityandsuggestibilityofbodiesandmindseruptincrisesaroundsexuality.SexualandgenderpanicmanifestsitselfinrepresentativefiguressuchastheNewWomanandthedandy,inpublicscandalssuchasOscarWilde'strialsandinthereificationofmedicalizing,

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pathologizingandcriminalizingdiscoursesaroundhomosexuality.Deepandfarreachinganxietiesaboutthestabilityofthetraditionalgroundsofgenderandsexualitypervadefindesiecleculture"(Literature,TechnologyandMagicalThinking,18801920[Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,2001],2).

[30]Crowley,TheBookofLies,whichisalsofalselycalledBreaks(NewYork:Weiser,1952),12."SexisthemainexpressionoftheNatureofapersongreatnaturesaresexuallystrongandthehealthofanypersonwilldependuponthefreedomofthatfunction"(TheLawisforAll,44).

[31]"AnAmazingSect,"TheLookingGlass(October29,1910).

[32]Crowley,Confessions,87475cf.TheLawisforAll,51.

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[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:WithEspecialReferencetoAntipathicSexualInstinct:aMedicoforensicStudy(London:Rebman,1899[1886]).

[35]RobertWuthnowetal,eds.,CulturalAnalysis:TheWorkofPeterBerger,MaryDouglas,MichelFoucaultandJurgenHabermas(Boston:Routledge,1993),pp.1712."Themedicalexamination,thepsychiatricinvestigation,thepedagogicalreport...functionasmechanismswithadoubleimpetus:pleasureandpower.Thepleasurethatcomesofexercisingapowerthatquestions,monitors,watches,spies,searchesout,palpitates,bringstolight"(Foucault,TheHistoryofSexuality,volumeI,45).

[36]PeterGay,TheBourgeoisExperience:VictoriatoFreud,VolumeI:EducationoftheSenses(NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,1984),32627.

[37]StevenKern,TheCultureofLove:VictorianstoModerns(Cambridge:HarvardUniversityPress1992),3345.SeeFoucault,TheHistoryofSexuality,volumeI,3839.

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[38]JohnMaynard,"VictorianDiscoursesonSexualityandReligion,"UniversityofHartfordStudiesinLiterature19(1987):61.

[39]"ForallthattheVictorianswerenottheprudes...ofmodernmyth,theirsexualworldwasnotaplacewerebiologywentunrestricted...Whathelpedtomakesexapotentforce...wastheVictorians'abilitybothtoexpressandtocontainsexuality...Thoselimitsweresetbytheprevailingideaof'normalsex:'thatis,heterosexuality...Withgrowinginsistencesociety...demandedthechildbearingmaritalunion"(PatriciaAnderson,WhenPassionReigned:SexandtheVictorians[NewYork:BasicBooks,1995],1718).

[40]Hall,Sex,GenderandSocialChangeinBritain,p.26.SeealsoMason,TheMakingofVictorianSexuality,p.210StevenMarcus,TheOtherVictorians:AStudyofSexualityandPornographyinMidNineteenthCenturyEngland(NewYork:BasicBooks,1966),13

[41]Mason,TheMakingofVictorianSexuality,912.

[42]EdwardCarpenter,MyDaysandDreams(London:G.Allen&Unwin,1916),32122.

[43]PeterR.Koenig,ed.DerKleineTheodorReussReader.Reproducedonlineathttp://www.mysunrise.ch/users/prkoenig/books/reader.htm

177

[44]Crowley,TheLawisforAll,p.42."WhenyouhaveprovedthatGodismerelyanameforthesexinstinct,itappearstomenotfartotheperceptionthatthesexinstinctisGod"(Crowley,quotedinIsraelRegardie,TheEyeintheTriangle:AnInterpretationofAleisterCrowley[St.Paul,MN:LlewellynPublications,1970],417).

[45]OnthechargesofsexmagicbroughtagainsttheCatharsandlatertheTemplars,seeFrancisKing,Sexuality,MagicandPerversion(Secacus:Citadel,1971),17071.

[46]FranklinRosemont,ForewardtoJohnPatrickDeveney,PaschalBeverlyRandolph:ANineteenthCenturyAmericanSpiritualist,RosicrucianandSexMagician(Albany:SUNY,1997),xv.AsDeveneyobserves,LargelythroughRandolph'sinfluencethegeniehadbeenreleasedfromthebottle...Amultitudeofsexualmysticismflourished"(PaschalBeverlyRandolph,252).

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[47]Deveney,PaschalBeverlyRandolph,2189.SeeRandolph,TheAnsaireticMystery:ANewRevelationConcerningSex!(Toledo:ToledoSun,LiberalPrintingHouse,n.d.[c.1873])Eulis!TheHistoryofLove:ItsWondrousMagic,Chemistry,Rules,Laws,ModesandRationaleBeingtheThirdRevelationofSoulandSex(Toledo:RandolphPublishingCo.,1974)MagiaSeuxalis(Paris:RobertTelin,1931).

178

[48]Randolph,TheMysteriesofEulis,337.Randolphlistsover100usesforsexualmagic,whichincludeeverythingfromacquiringmoneytothesecretofdomestichappiness.OneofthemoststrikingfeaturesofRandolphssexualmagicishisinsistencethatbothpartnersmusthaveanactiveroleandthatbothmustachieveorgasminorderforthemagictosuccessful:Fortheprayertobeeffectivetheparoxysmofbothisnecessary[T]hewoman'sorgasmsshouldcoincidewithman'semission,foronlyinthiswaywillthemagicbefulfilled(MagiaSexualis,768).

[49]JohnSymonds,TheMagicofAleisterCrowley(London:FrederickMuller,1958),95cf.PeterR.Koenig,"TheO.T.O.Phenomenon,"TheosophicalHistory4,no.3(1992):928,and"TheodorReussasFounderofEsotericOrders."TheosophicalHistory4,nos.67(1993):18793.KellnerclaimstohavebeeninitiatedbytheArabfakir,SolimanbenAifhaandtheIndianyogisBhimaSenPratapandSriMahatmaAgamyaGuruParamahamsa,fromwhomhelearned"themysteriesofyogaandthephilosophyofthelefthandpathwhichhecalledsexualmagic(Symonds,TheMagicofAleisterCrowley,95).KoenigarguesthattheO.T.O.wasnotfoundedbyKellnerbutformedafterhisdeathunderReuss.

[50]Seeforexample,Reuss,"MysteriaMaximaMystica,"wherehediscussestheyogicsystemofthetenvayusorwindsandthetransformationofsexualenergythroughyogicpractice.ThereisnoevidencethateitherReussorKellnerhadseriousknowledgeofactualTantrictextsorinitiationintothemoreesotericTantricpractices(reproducedinKoenig,DerKleineTheodorReussReader).

[51]JoscelynGodwin,JohnPatrickDeveneyandChristianChanel,eds.,TheHermeticBrotherhoodofLuxor(YorkBeach:SamuelWeiser,1995),71.SeealsoGodwin,TheTheosophicalEnlightenment(Albany:SUNY,1994),25859,34761.

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[52]Accordingtoatextcalled"TheMysteriesofEros:ExpresslyarrangedfortheExteriorCircleoftheH.B.LofL.byT.H.Burgyon,""especiallymustallsexualrelationsbecarefullyguardedandonlyparticipatedinafterduethought...Itisthisfatalmistakeofsexthathasruinedthousandsof...aspirantsforoccultinitiation"(Godwinetal,TheHermeticBrotherhoodofLuxor,273).

[53]Godwinetal,TheHermeticBrotherhoodofLuxor,67.

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[54]QuotedinR.SwinburneClymer,TheRosicrucianFraternityinAmerica:AuthenticandSpuriousOrganizations(Quakertown:TheRosicrucianFoundation,n.d),541thistextisalsoreproducedinKoenig,DerKleineTheodorReussReader.

[55]SeeKoenig,"TheO.T.O.Phenomenon"and"TheodorReussasFounderofEsotericOrders."

[56]FrancisKing,TheMagicalWorldofAleisterCrowley(London:WeidenfeldandNicolson,1977),7980.

[57]Godwin,TheTheosophicalEnlightenment,255.

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[58]Crowley,TheBookofLies,56."Shortlyafterpublication,theO.H.O.(OuterHeadoftheO.T.O.)cametome.HesaidthatsinceIwasacquaintedwiththesupremesecretoftheOrder,ImustbeallowedtheIX{degree}andobligatedinregardtoit.IprotestedthatIknewnosuchsecret.Hesaid'Butyouhaveprinteditintheplainestlanguage'.IsaidthatIcouldnothavedonesobecauseIdidnotknowit.HewenttothebookshelvestakingoutacopyofTHEBOOKOFLIES,hepointedtoapassageinthedespisedchapter.Itinstantlyflasheduponme.TheentiresymbolismnotonlyofFreeMasonrybutofmanyothertraditionsblazeduponmyspiritualvision.FromthatmomenttheO.T.O.assumeditsproperimportanceinmymind.IunderstoodthatIheldinmyhandsthekeytothefutureprogressofhumanity...."(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,BookFourPartsIIV(YorkBeach:SamuelWeiser,1997).TwoofthemostimportanttextsfortheIXdegreeritualsareLiberAgapeandDeArteMagicka,republishedasLiberAgape,DeArteMagica(KadathPress1986),andthemagicaldiariesbasedonhissexualoperations:JohnSymondsandKennethGrant,eds.TheMagicalRecordoftheBeast666:TheDiariesofAleisterCrowley(London:Durckworth,1972).

[61]"CrowleyquicklycametobelievethathewasanewmagicalmessiahtheLordoftheNewAeonwhosedoctrinewouldsupersedeChristianityandalltheotheroutmodedreligionswhichhadconstructedbarrierstospiritualfreedom.Forhimthebasisofthisfreedomwassexuality"(NevillDrury,TheHistoryofMagicintheModernAge[NewYork:CarollandGrafPublishers,2000],95).

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[62]Crowley,TheBookofLies,132.

[63]QuotedinGrant,TheMagicalRevival,367.

[64]Onthisquestion,seeUrban,Tantra,chapterI.AndrePadoux,forexample,hasarguedthat"Tantrism"islargelythecreationof19thcenturyOrientalistauthorswholumpedawidearrayofdiversetraditionsunderthissingularabstract"ism."SeePadoux,"Tantrism:AnOverview,"inEncyclopediaofReligion,MirceaEliade,ed.(NewYork:MacMillan,1986),v.14.

[65]DouglasBrooks,AuspiciousWisdom:TheTextsandTraditionsofSrividyaSaktaTantrisminSouthIndia(Albany:SUNY1992),xix.SeeUrban,Tantra,chapterI.AsDavidGordonWhitesuggests,Tantramaybedefinedas"thatAsianbodyofbeliefsandpracticeswhich,workingfromtheprinciplethattheuniverseweexperienceisnothingotherthantheconcretemanifestationofthedivineenergyofthegodheadthatcreatesandmaintainsthatuniverse,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.Onthispoint,seeHughB.Urban,"TheConservativeCharacterofTantra:Secrecy,SacrificeandThisWorldlyPowerinBengaliSaktaTantra,"TheInternationalJournalofTantricStudies6,no.1(2002),onlineat:http://www.asiatica.org/ijts/andDouglasBrooks,TheSecretoftheThreeCities:AnIntroductiontoHinduSaktaTantra(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1990),70.

[68]SirMonierMonierWilliams,Hinduism(London:SocietyforPromotingChristianKnowledge,1894),116,130.OnOrientalistviewsofTantra,seealsoUrban,"TheExtremeOrient,"12346.

[69]Sellon,TheNewEpicureanortheDelightsofSexFacetiouslyandPhilosophicallyConsideredinGraphicLettersAddressedtoYoungLadiesofQuality(London:J.C.Houten,1870).

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[70]Sellon,AnnotationsontheSacredwritingsoftheHinds,BeinganEpitomeofSomeoftheMostRemarkableandLeadingTenetsintheFaithofthatPeople,IllustratingtheirPriapicRitesandPhallicPrinciples(London,1865).

183

[71]SeeBurton,trans.KamaSutraofVatsyayana(London:KamaShastraSociety,1883)F.F.ArbuthnotandRichardFrancisBurton,trans.Anangaranga:stageofthebodilessoneTheHinduartoflove,byKalayanaMalla(NewYork:MedicalPressofNewYork,1964).

[72]Grant,TheMagicalRevival,126.

[73]Crowley,EightLecturesonYoga(NewFalconPublications,1992).HeclaimedtohaveachievedthehighestyogicstateofsamadhiwhilemeditatinginCeylonin1901.SeehisWritingsofTruth,republishedin"TheTempleofSolomontheKing,"EquinoxI,4(London,1910):1667.

[74]Crowley,quotedinRegardie,TheEyeintheTriangle,.63

[75]Crowley,inGrant,TheMagicalRevival,367.

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[76]DeArteMagicka,chapterXVI.

[77]OnsexualritualandtransgressioninTantra,seeUrbanThePathofPower:Impurity,KingshipandSacrificeinAssameseTantra,TheJournaloftheAmericanAcademyofReligion69,no.4(2001):597637.OnCrowleyspossibleTantricinfluences,seeUrban,TheOmnipotentOom"Sutin,DoWhatThouWilt,92,127,141,188.AsSymondssuggests,"HisgreatestmeritwastomakethebridgebetweenTantrismandtheWesternesoterictraditionandthusbringtogetherWesternandEasternmagicaltechniques"(IntroductiontoTheConfessions,xxv).

[78]Crowley,TheTempleofSolomontheKing,inEquinoxI(4)(London,1910):161.Crowley'smaintextsonsexmagicinclude:OftheNatureoftheGodsLiberAgapetheBookoftheUnveilingoftheSangraaldeArteMagicaandOftheHomunculus,manyofwhichareincludedinFrancisKing,ed.,TheSecretRitualsoftheO.T.O.(NewYork:SamuelWeiser,1973).

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[79]"FromcentralAsiathecruelbarbarianscame,havingestablishedtheirterriblepracticesintheirownlandinordertoattracttheignorantbarbariansthetruepathtookontheformoftheTantrasandMantrasandthatiswhywhentheybecamemisunderstood,weakenedandcorrupt...theyresultedintheterribleabominationsofVamacaraandbarbaricpractices"(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:"ButforprivateworktheBeastisHadit,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:PocketBooks,1997),208.

[84]ThebestworkonWoodroffeisKathleenTaylor'srecentbook,SirJohnWoodroffe,TantraandBengal:AnIndianSoulinaEuropeanBody?(London:Curzon,2001).Taylorarguespersuasivelythat"ArthurAvalon"wasnotinfactsimplyapseudonymforWoodroffe,butwasratheracompositepersonalitymadeupofWoodroffe(whoknewrelativelylittleSanskrit)andhisBengalitranslator,whowishedtoremainanonymous.OnWoodroffe/Avalon'sinterpretationofTantra,seealsoUrban,"TheExtremeOrient,"andTantra,chapterV.

186

[85]SeeArthurAvalon,trans.TantraoftheGreatLiberation:MahanirvanaTantra(London:Luzac&Co.,1913)Avalon,ed.PrinciplesofTantra:theTantratattvaofShriyuktaShivaChandraVidyarnavaBhattacharyyaMahodaya(London:Luzac&Co.,191416)Woodroffe,ShaktiandShakta:EssaysandAddressesontheShaktaTantrashastra(London:Luzac&Co.,1918).

[86]Grant,TheMagicalRevival,823.Oneoftheanonymousreadersforthisarticleverygraciouslygavemetheoriginalsourceforthisquotation,whichiscontainedinanotebookintheYorkeCollection,

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WarburgIns