The further one investigates magickal doctrines there seems to be a relentless
pointer towards the use of sexuality as a mode towards enlightenment. One
of the greatest mysteries of the United Kingdom are the Knights of King
Arthur and especially the Holy Graal. My ideas in the following paragraphs
will be to cover areas of this and other mysteries. I will make reference
to the magickal and sexual significance of each and speculate upon these.
As for enlightenment ? We will hope to see this pop up later as an interesting
phrase. An in-depth study of spiritual alchemy may discover greater trails
towards sexuality. Even in the Qabalistic creation myths (specifically on
the Tree Of Life Glyph), the divine traits one witnesses impose a form of
incestuous sexuality. This myth follows the lightening flashes Path starting
with father (Chokmah) and mother (Binah) creating a son (Hesed) who mates
with his sister (Geburah) to form another child etc. To my knowledge the
first mention of the Holy Graal with this spelling was by the Arthurian
romanticist Creitien De Troyes. The word Grail comes from the Latin gradulus
which means serving dish. The Graal in its many forms has changed from a
dish shaped object (like a platter), a cauldron or a chalice, depending
it its source in Cymru, Saxon, Pict, Norman or Anglo-Saxon legend. It is
interesting to see even in some Christian depictions of the Graal that it
resembles beyond doubt a platter and not a Chalice . Arguments on whether
the Graal or Arthur the True King ever existed is immaterial. However what
must be taken seriously is the oral tradition of narrating folklore and
its esoteric symbolism. Stories of great heroes and poems were, to an esotericist,
mediums to preserve and pass on wisdom from master to initiate. Not only
this, but it forges a paradigm of bringing an existing but unperceptable
land (i.e. the underworld or psychic realm) closer to the consciousness
of the magickian. This analogy seems to make sense as astral travel / magick
would seem to benefit. The medium in which this was presented would be far
more powerful for shamanistic workings. Compare nowadays with our material
scientific attitude we have adopted for all our stories or theorems. A change
in attitude can creates possibilities which can obviously aid or oppose
the effects of magick. A cup, cauldron or the Holy Graal is a ritual object
of feminine gender. Quabalistic correspondences of the cup are attributed
to Binah hence Understanding . Binah is also the Great Mother, and this
glyph is that of the great seas of creation. In physical essence the cup
in ritual is often crescent shaped. This symbolism links it to the moon,
another feminine aspect. The cup and the great waters of Binah could be
perhaps the waters of life which surround an unborn child? Furthermore a
cup or Graal performs a function of a receptacle. The symbol of the Great
Rite in the Book Of Shadows depicts a dagger hanging above about to enter
into a chalice. The sexual concepts really need no explanation. However
this rite witnesses a consecration and magickal fusion at its forte. A union
of essences evoked for the god and goddess shared in sacrament. Salt is
the true consecrational element used in many magickal circles of thought.
Salt in alchemy (the body, an earthy function of grounding) is seen as a
bonding catalyst of the other counterparts: sulphur (the soul, energy, masculine
in form) and mercury (fluidity, the spirit, feminine in form). Let us not
however forget the feminine angle. The Graal in some schools of thought
is believed to be the female vagina or woman's whole body, the shrine, a
sanctuary men seek. In the Mabinogion, the Cauldron of Branwen is seen as
a regenerating / rebirthing object able to re animate dead warriors. Does
the Graal not only regenerate the land and King Arthur to former vitality?
Thus could we suggest that mankind seeks its redemption by going back to
the womb; the all innocent motherp;bearing figure via enlightenment?
So is a Heaven of splendour just the womb experience or Nirvana an ideal
of sexual ecstacy ? Enlightenment could be compared to that of the orgasmic
experience. The great feeling of inner glow, of oneness, a loss of ego and
unselfishness experienced at the climax of this act. The word enlightenment
is a greatly misunderstood term which, in my opinion, is not totally grasped
by many surface occult traditions. Alchemical doctrines question the magickian
to know about the knowledge of metals contained within oneself. The familiar
mention of transmutation and pure elixirs perhaps could refer to orgasm
and semen respectively. The great rite could be illustrated numerically
in Hebrew Gematria:- A "Flower" or a "cup" is Gimel,
Beth, Yod, Ayin = numbers 3 + 2 + 10+ 70 = 85. With 85 we can further investigate
its meaning. If we add 8+5 together we get 13. "Unity" in Hebrew
is Aleph, Cheth, Daleth. Which numerically (1 + 8 + 4) adds to 13. Therefore
we could speculate that unity is discovered via the cup / flower. The Rosicrucians"
mystical Rose and Cross are believed to be the male and female genitalia.
Looking closer at the rosep;cross symbolism; could this possibly be
compared to Christ dying upon a cross (penis, sperm and their death) and
is put into a sealed cave (vagina) and is reborn (regenerated)? Another
example of lovemaking could be compared to Crowley's comments in "Magick".
'It is a woman whose cup must be filled' and 'It is on the cross that a
rose blooms' points not only to Aleister Crowley's RC involvement, but again
to sexual innuendo. The Rose obviously symbolises the woman's genitals.
The act of lovemaking is both death and generation as excess semen which
are unable to fertilise the egg die. Again we see a valid connection between
a cup and a rose/flower. For further reading try to read through scriptures
of the Torah, New Testament, The Song of Songs, to the Sepher Yetzirah,
through to twentieth century occult authors notably Regardie, Crowley and
Waite. Sexual symbolism cannot be ignored. Great examples of sexual innuendo
can further be researched most notably in Crowley's "Magick",
especially in the appendix. All the rites described are pretty tongue-in-cheek.
For further reference to Crowley's innuendo check out "The Book Of
Lies" poem 69. Gematrically the adopted name of Aleister Crowley, To
Mega Therion, adds to number 666. This numerological concept has come under
a great deal of scrutiny by many. Because numerology is a huge field one
can obviously get a few bad results. However a 666 combination in Hebrew
could be Vau, Samekh and Mem (in terminals ) thus numbers to letters are
6 + 60 + 600 = 666. Vau is an agent of male fertility, and Samekh its female
opposite. Mem interestingly enough is the byp;product of these intimate
fruitful connections in either body or soul and in Hebrew it is grammatically
a copulative or a connecting medium. To conclude, the ideals here are to
provoke thought and not necessarily held by myself. Only by playing with
concepts can an element of truth be discovered, albeit partially. All creation
is an exchange of energy and essences. A sexual act is but one of the microcosmic
processes which parallel the great might of the cosmos. Using the Tree Of
Life as a comprehensive glyph for understanding we can begin to approach
processes of creation and awe at our potential power on every level. Or
is this glyph a great orgasmatron?