Sam Wise

The archetype of the witch has been associated with sexual deviancy for centuries. Throughout history, witches have been accused of sleeping with devils, seducing married men, and other taboo sex acts. While most of these claims are just plain false, sexuality does have a place in a modern magical practice.

Sex magic is the art of using sex to raise energy for a ritual or spell. Think about it — magic is the art of directing energy in accordance with will, and there are few forms of energy more powerful than an orgasm. Sex magic can be an easy and fun way to add a serious power boost to your spells.

Sex magic can be performed alone, with a partner, or with multiple partners, as long as everyone involved is a consenting adult. Sexual ethics (like ongoing, informed consent, respect for the autonomy of your partner(s), and proper use of contraception) also apply to sex magic, as do magical ethics. Like with any other sexual act (or magical act, for that matter), it’s important to make sure everyone feels comfortable and safe.

Don’t use a sexual act for magical purposes without permission from your partner(s). If you have a partner who is also interested in witchcraft, or who is at least open to new spiritual experiences, sex magic can be a very fun and powerful bonding activity. However, if your partner isn’t comfortable being a part of a magical ritual or isn’t willing to mix magic with their sex life, don’t push the issue. In that case, you may be doing your sex magic solo, which can still be a very powerful experience.

Performing a sex magic ritual is actually quite simple. You don’t need anything besides your own body (and a willing partner, if you have/want one) and a private space. You may choose to include other sexual elements like toys, or other ritual elements like incense, candles, or oils. Just make sure any open flames are in a secure place, where they won’t be knocked over in the throes of passion!

Once you’ve set up your space, begin intercourse or self-pleasure. Now comes the part that may be a little bit tricky: as you are building towards orgasm, you need to keep your intention in mind. What purpose are you directing this energy towards? Keep that image at the forefront of your mind as you feel the energy begin to build.

When you achieve orgasm, release the energy you’ve been building — let it fly out of your body and into the world, where it can begin manifesting your intention.

You can absolutely incorporate kinks or fetishes into your sex magic ritual if you want! Sex magic only works if all participants are properly aroused, so if a kink helps achieve that it should definitely be included. As always, make sure that you are being safe and healthy, and make sure you have a discussion with your partner(s) ahead of time about any kinks you would like to bring into the bedroom or the ritual space.

Like blood magic, sex magic is extremely potent and may not be appropriate for every situation. You’ll want to save sex magic for manifesting big goals, like a new home or the conception of a child. Using an orgasm to manifest a good parking spot is probably overkill.

There are certain types of spells where sex magic should probably be avoided. One of these is in curses. Because this type of magic requires you to focus on your intention during sex, you may not be able to feel aroused or to achieve orgasm if your intention is negative or is closely tied to personal trauma. It’s best to use sex as a tool in positive magic so you don’t run into this issue.

Besides manifestation, sex can be used for a couple of other purposes in witchcraft. If you work with a deity that is closely associated with sex and/or fertility, it may be appropriate to perform a sex ritual as a devotional act to that deity. Communicate with your deity ahead of time and ask if this is something they would be interested in.

Sex magic can also be very powerful for healing and overcoming issues with self-worth and self-esteem. A lot of times, low self worth can cause us to feel disconnected from our bodies. Self pleasure as an act of self love can be a powerful way to overcome this feeling of disconnection. For this kind of work, I recommend going it alone instead of bringing in a partner. The purpose is to use sexual energy to build feelings of self love, which is easier without another person present.

No matter what purpose you are using it for, it’s important to take care of yourself and your partner(s) after a sex magic ritual. This includes any necessary aftercare or physical cleanup as well as spiritual self care.

The most important part of this spiritual aftercare is grounding — it can be overwhelming to channel so much energy at once, so you need to ground yourself afterwards. The easiest way to accomplish this is by eating a small snack or drinking a cup of tea or coffee.

Sex magic really is not hard to practice, and if you already have an active sex life it can be a fun way to switch things up. You may find a new level of depth in your sexual experiences, or you may simply discover a new tool to add to your magical arsenal. Either way, sex magic is a very effective way to use the energy of your own body in spells and rituals.

Resources:

• New World Witchery podcast, “Episode 64 — Sex and Magic”
• Light Magic for Dark Times by Lisa Marie Basile
• The Satanic Bible by Anton Levay