Sex Magic Groups

A Brief History of Sexual Magic groups that call themselves Gnostics


Paschal Beverly Randolph

Modern sexual magic was initiated through the teachings of Paschal Beverly Randolph (Deveney, 1997, p. xxi; Urban, 2006, p. 36), a "trance speaker" and "clairvoyant physician." In 1857 he traveled to Europe and from there to Epypt and Syria. It is on this trip that he writes of encounters that change the course of his career.

One night - it was in far-off Jerusalem or Bethlehem, I really forget which - I made love to, and was loved by, a dusky maiden of Arabic blood. I of her, and the experience, learned - not directly, but by suggestion - the fundamental principle of the White Magick of Love; subsequently I became affiliated with some dervishes and fakirs of who, by suggestion still, I found the road to other knowledges; and of these devout practicers of a sublime and holy magic, I obtained additional clues - little threads of suggestion, which, being persistently followed, led my soul into labyrinths of knowledge themselves did not even suspect the existence of. (Randolph, 1874, p. 48; cited in Urban, 2006, p. 66)
The essence of sexual magic in Randolph's view is as follows:
The moment when a man discharges his seed--his essential self--into a ... womb is the most solemn, energetic and powerful moment he can ever know on earth; if under the influence of mere lust it be done, the discharge is suicidal. ... At the moment his seminal glands open, his nostrils expand, and while the seed is going from his soul to her womb he breathes one of two atmospheres, either fetid damnation from the border spaces or Divine Energy from heavens. Whatsoever he shall truly will and internally pray for when Love ... is in the ascendant, that moment the prayer's response comes down. (Randolph, 1874, p. 339-40; cited in Urban, 2004, p. 68)
The association and subsequent use of, and identification with, the term 'Gnosticism' by sexual magic groups is of twentieth century origin. In his book length study of the phenomenon, Hugh Urban concludes that, "despite the very common use of sexual symbolism throughout Gnostic texts, there is little evidence (apart from the accusations of the early church) that the Gnostics engaged in any actual performance of sexual rituals, and certainly not anything resembling modern sexual magic" (Urban, 2006, p. 36, note 68).


The Ordo Templi Orientis

At first associated with the Middle East, and then with Tantric traditions of the East, the association of sexual magic with Gnosticism came by way of Theodor Reuss and his interaction with leaders of the French Gnostic Church, with its close ties to Masonry, Martinism, and the strong esoteric current of the time. It is from that highly interconnected milieu of esoteric societies and orders which the most influential of sex magic orders arose, the Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO, 'Order of Oriental Templars').

The individual primarily responsible for associating sexual magic with Gnosticism was German Occultist Theodor Reuss, who was interested in the accusations of sexual impropriety made against the Gnostics and the Templars. Such charges brought against these groups were most probably politically motivated fictions, yet, "they would reappear in striking new form in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries with the foundation of a new Templar order--the Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO)..." (Urban, 2006, p. 36).

The Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor (HB of L) propagated sexual magic teachings derived from Paschal Beverly Randolph through its correspondence course on occultism (Deveney, 1997, p. xxiii; Greer, 2003, p. 348). It is likely that this was the primary source on sexual magic for Theodor Reuss, a member of the HB of L. In 1906, inspired by co-member and practitioner Carl Kellner, and assisted by Franz Hartmann, Reuss founded the OTO as an umbrella occult organization with sexual magic as its core (Greer, 2003, p. 221-2). It initially consisted of nine grades, the first six being along masonic lines and the last three focusing on sexual magic. For Reuss sexual magic was the "key" that explains "all the riddles of nature, all the secrets of Freemasonry, and all systems of religion" (Urban, 2006, p. 98).


The French Gnostic Connection

In 1908 Reuss came into contact with Gerard Encause and Jean Bricaud at a Masonic and Spiritualist conference organized by Encause. Further ties were established with Reuss and Encause exchanging charters for the OTO and Martinist Orders. A similar exchange is claimed by some sources, with Reuss granting charters in the Memphis Mizarim Rite of Freemasonry to Bricaud in return for a grant concerning the Eglise Catholique Gnostique (EGC, 'the Gnostic Catholic Church'). Sources infer this because Reuss subsequently founded Die Gnostische Katholische Kirche (GKK, 'the Gnostic Catholic Church'), under the auspices of the OTO (Pearson, 2007, p. 47). However, it is unclear whether there was any formal tie to the ECG, or the nature of such a connection. It should also be noted that there is a significant difference between ecclesiastical and esoteric bodies, it would not constitute a simple reciprocal exchange like that between Reuss and Encause.

When the OTO went public 1912, Reuss recruited Aleister Crowley and quickly raised him to the then highest degree of the order.

By 1918 the GKK certainly had no ties to the EGC/EGU, as Reuss proclaimed himself "Sovereign Patriarch and Primate" of the church, having dedicated the OTO to the promulgation of Crowley's philosophy of Thelema. It is for this church body, called in Latin the Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (EGC), that Aleister Crowley wrote the Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica Canon Missa ('the Canon Mass of the Gnostic Catholic Church'), the central ritual of the OTO that is now commonly called the "Gnostic Mass." Although it is generally referred to as the "Gnostic Mass," that name refers to its status as the official "mass" of the Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica.

In 1919 Bricaud named Reuss as a Gnostic Legate of the Eglise Gnostique Universelle (EGU) to Switzerland (Pearson, 2007, p. 47). Although it was a title conferred on many individuals in esoteric circles beginning in 1912, its conference on Reuss and his use of it at that time indicate that Reuss's church (GKK/EGC) had not officially been affiliated with, and so did not actually break away from Bricaud's (ECG/EGU). The Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica remains an active arm of the Ordo Templi Orientis, and the mass that Crowley wrote for it remains the central ritual of the OTO.


Krumm-Heller and the FRA

Arnoldo Krumm-Heller traveled in occult circles at the turn of the century where he studied with notable figures such as Gerard Encause of the Martinist Order and Franz Hartmann of the OTO.

Krumm-Heller moved back to Germany in 1920, where he made contact with Aleister Crowley. He founded the Iglesia Gnostica (Gnostic Church) in Mexico. Not finding as much success as he hoped for, he moved through Latin America before settling in Brazil. In 1929 he founded the Fraternitas Rosicruciana Antiqua (FRA, 'Fraternity of the Ancient Rosicrucians') and took the name Huiracocha.

He kept a low profile through WWII, but when he was able to travel again after the war, he resumed contact with his Latin America students. Between the end of WWII and his death in 1949, Krumm-Heller encountered and subsequently mentored Víctor Manuel Gómez Rodríguez who would subsequently take the name Samael Aun Weor (Dawson, 2007, p. 55-57). Rodríguez states that Krumm-Heller taught a form of sexual magic without ejaculation that would become the core of his own teachings.


Samael Aun Weor and the "International Gnostic Movement"

Víctor Rodríguez left the FRA after the death of Krumm-Heller. He also reports an experience of being called to his new mission by the "venerable white lodge" (associated with Theosophy). Sexual Magic without ejaculation (called the Arcanum AZF) became the core of Weor's "New Gnosis", calling it "the synthesis of all religions, schools and sects." Moving through Latin America, he finally settled in Mexico where he founded the Movimiento Gnostico Cristiano Universal (MGCU, 'Universal Gnostic Christian Movement'), then subsequently founded the Iglesia Gnostica Cristiana Universal ('Universal Gnostic Christian Church') and the Associacion Gnostica de Estudios Antropologicos Culturales y Cientificos (AGEAC, 'Gnostic Association of Scientific, Cultural and Anthropological Studies') to spread his teachings (Dawson, 2007, p. 54-60).

The MGCU became defunct by the time of Weor's death in December 1977. However, his disciples subsequently formed new organizations to spread Weor's teachings, under the umbrella term "the International Gnostic Movement". These organizations are currently very active via the Internet and have centers established in Latin America, the US, Australia, and Europe (Dawson, 2007, p. 60-65).



References:

Dawson, Andrew (2007). New era, new religions: religious transformation in contemporary Brazil. Burlington, VT: Ashgate.

Deveney, John Patrick (1997). Paschal Beverly Randolph: a nineteenth-century Black American spiritualist. Albany: State University of New York.

Greer, John Micheal (2003). The New Encyclopedia of the Occult. St. Paul: Llewellyn.

Pearson, Joanne (2007). Wicca and the Christian Heritage. New York: Routledge.

Urban, Hugh B. (2006). Magia Sexualis: Sex, Magic, and Liberation in modern Western esotericism. University of California.

 



Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (OTO)

The Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica is the ecclesiastical expression of the OTO (Ordo Templi Orientis)Image

Associated Organizations 

  • Ordo Templi Orientis (OTO)
  • Order of Oriental Templars
  • The Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (EGC)
  • Lodges, Camps, & Oases


Associated Terms

  • Thelema
  • Gnostic Mass
  • Aleister Crowley
  • Theodor Reuss
  • New Aeon
  • Prophet of the New Aeon
  • Liber AL vel Legis (The Book of the Law)
  • True Will
  • Magick
  • Ceremonial Magick
  • Sex Magick
  • Egyptian Mythology
  • Holy Guardian Angel (HGA)
  • 0-XII° (Initiatory Degrees)

 

Doctrine: 

"Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica (E.G.C.), or the Gnostic Catholic Church, is the ecclesiastical arm of Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.). The E.G.C. is a Thelemic religious environment, dedicated to the advancement of Light, Life, Love, and Liberty through alignment with the Law of Thelema."


"According to Thelemic doctrine, the expression of Divine Law in the Æon of Horus [the current age] is 'Do what thou wilt'. This 'Law of Thelema', as it is called, is not to be interpreted as a license to indulge every passing whim, but rather as the divine mandate to discover one's True Will or true purpose in life, and to accomplish it; leaving others to do the same in their own unique ways. The "acceptance" of the Law of Thelema is what defines a Thelemite; and the discovery and accomplishment of the True Will is the fundamental concern of all Thelemites. Achieving the "Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel" is considered an integral part of this process. The methods and practices to be employed in this process are numerous and varied; and are grouped together under the generalized term 'Magick'"


Sources: website of the US Grand Lodge of the OTO


Conclusion

 

The understanding of Gnosticism that went into the founding of the OTO came from hereseological writings: accusations made against both the Templars and the ancient Gnostics. It appears that it was the accusations of a sexual nature that appealed to Reuss, and led to the adoption of the Templar name. This was linked to accusations made by Hippolytus about a group of Gnostics in the Classical period. These include very lurid descriptions of secret rites from an overactive imagination, and common patterns we can recognize from later centuries of “blood libel.” They are not considered to have any basis in fact by scholars.

Aleister Crowley was a gifted and very complex figure of great influence, including personality quirks and flaws. He is certainly not a figure to be followed passively. Crowley did incorporate Hermetic Gnosticism into his thought and practice, and that is the arguably Gnostic element in the OTO.

In as much as the OTO tends towards being a personality cult of Crowley, it may follow the pattern of other revealed religions that call their revelations 'gnosis.' However, the term 'gnosis' as used in the OTO seems to primarily be associated with ceremonial magic involving sexual acts either symbolically or actually. (It should be clarified that in OTO practice this is only done at a symbolic level.) Making it a highly idiosemantic use of the term.

 
Samael Aun Weor (The Gnostic Movement)

Víctor Manuel Gómez Rodríguez 1917-1977 Colombia 

Samael Aun Weor
Samael Aun Weor

Associated Organizations 

  • The World Gnostic Movement
  • The Gnostic Movement
  • The Gnostic Association for Anthropological, Cultural, and Scientific Studies (AGEAC)
  • The Gnostic Institute of Anthropology (IGA)
  • International Gnostic Association for Anthropological Studies (IGAAS)
  • Thelema Press' GnosticSchool.org
  • The Gnostic Center of Seattle
  • Many organizations and web sites with "Gnostic" and "Gnosis"


Associated Terms

  • Gnostic Anthropology
  • Gnostic Movement
  • Samael Aun Weor
  • Gnostic Master
  • The Gnostic Institute of Anthropology (IGA)
  • International Gnostic Association for Anthropological Studies (IGAAS)
  • Christic Substance
  • Solar Body
  • Sexual Magic
  • Conserving Semen
  • Lots of jargon

 

Doctrine: 

From The Perfect Matrimony:

It is urgent to practice Sexual Magic to attain Christification. (p5)

Sexual Magic and the Cosmic Christ are the synthesis of all religions, schools and sects.(p5)

Thought draws the sexual fluid to the spinal column to deposit it in its respective
bursa. With the fatal spilling of this fluid, billions of solar atoms are lost. The movement
of sexual contraction that follows the spilling of the semen gathers from the Atomic
Infernos of Man billions of satanic atoms which replace the lost solar atoms. In this way
we form the Devil within us. (p38)

When we stimulate the sexual organs in order to realize the coitus, the semen is multiplied. When it is not spilled, it is transmuted and converts us into Gods. (p39)

In the semen the powers of Light fight against the powers of Darkness. (p40)

It is not necessary to spill the semen to create a child. The spermatozoon that escapes without the loss of semen is a selected spermatozoon, a spermatozoon of a superior type, a totally mature spermatozoon. An infant of a very high order is the result of this form of fecundation. This is how we are able to form a race of Supermen. (p45)

These studies demand infinite faith. Skeptical people must not come to our studies because occult science is very demanding. The skeptics fail totally. Thus, incredulous people will not succeed in entering the Heavenly Jerusalem. (p80)

-Samael Aun Weor, The Perfect Matrimony (1961)

 

Personal Claims:

"Many people believe that Samael is just a pseudonym. No! Indeed, I am Samael! By yourselves, you have read that in Kabbalah that Samael is classified as the angel regent of Mars. In the Bible, Samael is classified as a demon. It does not matter! The fact is that I am Samael! ......" ".... Samael Aun Weor is my true name as a Boddhisattwa. Samael is the name of my Monad! I am perfectly cognizant of the dawn of life in this Solar System! I saw the dawning of Creation! I am here with this humanity, from the very first moment, since the heart of this solar system started to palpitate after the long Cosmic Night. I came here (to this planet) because my Internal God, my Father who is within me, sent me! My only purpose is to serve and help this humanity! This is why I am serving my fellowmen. This is why I am working for the sake of this humanity! ..."  - Lecture (1975)



Conclusion

The self-styled Gnostic Master Samael Aun Weor wrote a great many books in a trance-state. These books claim to synthesize his studies in esotericism and occultism into a system that appears to be  primarily concerned with sexual practices. For Weor  "the synthesis of all religions, schools, orders, sects, lodges, yoga systems etc." comes down to the action of either "spilling" or "retaining" male reproductive fluids. The former leads to divinization, the later to demonization.

A number of official and offshoot organizations exist that trace their teachings to Weor, and show a great deal of personal devotion to him. Some do not claim to be a part of Gnosticism, existing to spread the teachings of Weor. However, in recent years this movement has tried to coopt the terms "Gnostic" and "Gnosticism" for their version of Sex Magic.