Description
Book SynopsisSexuality and the occult arts have long been associated in the western imagination, but it was not until the nineteenth century that a large and sophisticated body of literature on sexual magic - the use of sex as a source of magical power - emerged. This book presents the history of western sexual magic as a modern spiritual tradition.
Trade Review"This book offers a fascinating account of the development of Western sexual magic through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Urban focuses on an extraordinary set of historical figures, and his rich analysis illuminates the sexual - and supernatural - undercurrents that have shaped modernity." - Randall Styers, author of Making Magic: Religion, Magic, and Science in the Modern World"
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface, Acknowledgments, and Apologies introduction Sex Magic, Modernity, and the Search for Liberation 1. the recurring nightmare, the elusive secret Historical and Imaginary Roots of Sex Magic in the Western Tradition 2. sex power is god power Paschal Beverly Randolph and the Birth of Sex Magic in Victorian America 3. the yoga of sex Tantra, Kama Sutra, and Other Exotic Imports from the Mysterious Orient 4. the beast with two backs Aleister Crowley and Sex Magick in Late Victorian England 5. the yoga of power Sex Magic, Tantra, and Fascism in Twentieth-Century Europe 6. the goddess and the great rite Sex Magic and Feminism in the Neo-Pagan Revival 7. the age of satan Satanic Sex and the Black Mass, from Fantasy to Reality 8. sexual chaos Chaos Magic, Cybersex, and Religion for a Postmodern Age conclusion The Lessons of King Lamus: Religion, Sexuality, and Liberation in a "Post-Orgy" World Notes Bibliography Index
