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| Sorcery - Paramour with the devil (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The essence of this craft is an inane desire to possess additional powers to either enhance his youth or life. The epitome of this is the mystique of sex that is closely interwoven with witchcraft. Why sex? As Hegel and Adler have written, sex is a prime ordeal force and the sublime that everybody craves for. It does not die with old age or infirmness though one can crave and not be able to perform. At this stage, sexual fulfillment can only be prolonged by the black arts and its supreme the Devil. This is in sharp contrast to the religious doctrine which generally shuns sex. If God represents this doctrine than its antithesis the Devil represents sensual pleasure of which sex and all its variations are the main body.
The first stage of this art is the initiation and the ceremony involved with it. Initiation ceremonies are held the world over and vary from place to place. In England local initiation meetings were usually held once a week, but the "Sabbath of the Witches" held four times a year and usually on Thursday was the more important of the gatherings when a large no believer would be admitted to the fold. The person or Devil under whose superintendence it functioned was referred to as Beelzebub, Satan or Lucifer. The people who constituted this meeting called it the Coven. And to all such members of the Coven, the presiding person represented the GOD. He was worshiped and the greatest gift a disciple or a person being initiated could give was his or her body to the devil. In other words, the devil would copulate with the person and the person would receive the seed of the devil. This was and remains a major part of the initiation ceremony. So strong indeed was the covens belief in his power and so much was he adored, that the witches (persons attending the coven) dedicated their bodies and also of their daughters if any to the Devil,. The ritual was in early times quite queer, though by modern standards not all that bizarre. The ceremony would start with Devil undressing in front of the gathering and then would wear a long loose robe. A lady who had to be initiated into the cult would be led to the altar in the center of the room and laid on a raised platform. The Devil or the presiding deity would undress the lady in front of the congregation. She would be asked certain questions as to her willingness to be the Devil's disciple and whether she was ready to receive the seed of the devil. On her affirmative reply, the ceremony would proceed further.
The Devil would then begin the final part which was again played before the audience as the 'Devil' would position himself for the "Coup de Main", an entry into the initiator's body. The man would mate with the woman by making loud cries as if simulating the Devil. If the lady conceived the children were considered the Devils progeny and grew up "in the service". After the Devil had partaken of the woman she was kept on the altar and offered to other covens that also had sex with her. In fact, this ceremony is beautifully depicted in Roman Polanski in his film "Rosemary's Baby". In England, such ceremonies are still in existence and serve as a source of extreme sexual gratification.
Even in New Guiana in the Dutch East Indies, it was quite common to make love to the woman being initiated by a strong stud from the gathering, right out in the open air. Once in every 7 years there would be, what was called "Great Sabbath", at which all covens of a wide district would congregate, and tradition has it that on that occasion the Chief Witch or 'Devil" would sacrifice a young virgin after she had been deflowered and had mated with the Devil and his apostles. Thankfully this is now obsolete, but in some primitive cultures in India and Africa is still in vogue.
The actual initiation ceremony into the mysteries of witchcraft must have been an exciting experience. The aspirant to membership, after being duly recommended, would have to be introduced; and the manner of introduction would be kept secret until the actual event. Before the assembled covens there would be a renouncement on the part of the candidate of any former faith and then the person would give his or her body to the Devil. After the reception, the candidate would be baptized with a new name such as "Thief of Heaven" etc. The initiation ceremonies are an important part of the ritual of the black arts. Nothing can be complete until one gives his or her body to the "Devil". Also if there is a betrayal of confidence on the part of the member, then retribution is swift, sometimes with an iron rod.
There are also Demons, fiends and Specters known as Succubus and Incubus. Incubus is supposed to be a lascivious demon who appears to a woman at night and ravishes her body. While Succubus was somewhat similar Demon possessed of the power of assuming the form of a woman. This is itself a worldwide phenomenon and is persisted in modern times. Taylor in his work 'Primitive Culture (1873) says that these male and female nocturnal demons which consort lasciviously with men and women are indeed a fact. In the Islands of West Indies, there are Ghosts of the dead, vanishing when clutched at. In New Zealand ancestral deities form an attachment with females, paying them repeated visits. In the Samoan islands, such intercourse with inferior Gods was believed to bring about supernatural conception. In Hindu Tantra, formal rites are specified which enable a man to obtain a companion nymph by worshiping at night in any burial place. One of the aspects of witchcraft is the continuation of pagan ritual for fertility for barren women. In real terms, it is little more than absolute belief in the divine power of Satan. Many a barren woman has resorted to such rites for herself. But sex is the ultimate path in the Devils armor and leads to him. Like prayer leads to God.
The sexual act is known to release energy and is looked down by all religions, but for the Devil who is the Anti-thesis of God and goodness, it is an essential ritual. Perhaps this energy released in a sexual union does have something to do with black arts.
In Europe nocturnal intercourse with Incubi and Succubi are carried out in full belief by ecclesiastics and lawyers; priests and witches.
Nowadays the part of Incubus is usually played by the chief of witches Coven, in disguise and sometimes in semi-darkness to heighten the power and effect of the occult.
Bram Stoker in his famous work "Count Dracula" has vividly portrayed another facet of witchcraft. In this form a vampire (usually a man who remains alive after death with the help of sorcery) to remain 'alive' needs to have intercourse with a female and a woman vice versa i.e., cohabit with a man, with a peculiar ritual that makes such creatures live on by drinking the blood of their victims.
Like in prayer one gives himself up to God, so in this case, also there is a voluntary personal surrender of ones will and body to the Devil; and then only one can get something in return. The immortal tale of Dr. Faustus and the selling of his soul to the Devil in return for the immortal love of Helen, the most beautiful woman in history is a tragic example of this. Again the fundamental driving force for Dr. Faustus was sex and he craved of it with Helen.
Hence we may conclude that one of the essential ingredients of sorcery, witchcraft and black magic is the sexual act. Mans desire for the sublime pleasure of sex will ensure that the Black arts including witchcraft will survive for all time to come.
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