Sex-magic forms an esoteric element in Eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism, and is known as Tantra. Tantric texts supplement orthodox Buddhist and Hindu scriptures and form their own cannon of literature. Forms of sex-magic may have been practiced in pre-Christian Europe, and may have continued underground during the rise of the Christianity. The concept figures in primal fertility religions that developed in cultures based on agriculture and the changing of the seasons and the monitoring of the sun, moon and stars to determine the time of the years to plant and harvest crops. This frequently took on sexual imagery, for example spring rains being like the male seed fertilizing the female earth. It is said that the "witches" persecuted by the Church were followers of some such ancient cult. There is some speculation regarding the status of witches during the Middle Ages. Occultists claim that they were practitioners of a pre-Christian universal Goddess religion. Others, such as the noted scholar Rev. Montague Summers, claim that these witches were literally in leage with Satan himself and that the stories of them copulating with [satan] and casting spells to disrupt the Faithful are true. The status of these so-called "witches" is not well understood by either side, pro-, or anti-Christian.
Modern interest in sex-magic originated from the stories brought back to Europe from travelers during the Victorian Era. Various cults sprang up which practiced heterosexual, homosexual and masturbation rites, animal sacrifices, poisons, abortions and black masses. Two of the most well known occult groups from the past 100 years are the Order Templi Orientis (OTO) and the Theosophical society. British occultist Alestier Crowley, rocket scientist Jack Parsons and Madame Blavaksky are among the noted figureheads in those occult groups.
This one takes the magic-meets-sex motif into unique territory; for instance, revealing intimate details about well-known occultists and intriguing tidbits such as the contention that Crowley was the one who introduced Aldous Huxley to mushrooms. The author leaves no rock unturned within this concentrated study.
At times, the author goes on endlessly with heavy passages quoted from other sources (which proves tedious), but this is balanced by an insightful, judicious study of the subject matter that includes humorously exposing frauds whenever possible. The reader definitely feels compelled to keep turning the page.
I recommend this one...