A Druid's Handbook to the Spiritual Power of Plants: Spagyrics in Magical and Sexual Rituals - Jon G. Hughes 2014

The Ritual Incorporating The Complex of The Flower
The Sex Magic Ritual: The Pair
Workings and Rituals

Probably the sex magic ritual practiced most often, the paired ritual both is an opportunity to develop your awareness and skills and, when conducted correctly, is capable of generating enormous energy.

It is usually the case that practiced pairs are the most effective, committed, and valuable participants in a Gathering. They form the basis of most regular groups, and if you were to conduct a detailed census I am sure that the bulk of existing binding vessels contain earth compounds donated by practiced pairs.

Having practiced pairs in a Gathering is ideal for all concerned. It alleviates the task of the priest or priestess to institute gender balance, it ensures a high level of participation at Gatherings, and, as these pairs often become regular participants, it allows the priest or priestess to develop the Gathering as a group with common goals and well-understood practices.

If, in addition to their enthusiasm for being involved with each other, the paired individuals also share an enthusiasm for becoming involved with other individuals and pairs, then all the better.

You will find that as the Gathering divides into groups during the sex magic ritual, the practiced pairs will be the basis for the formation of larger active groups within the gathering. However, there must always be the opportunity for these pairs to participate between themselves, without including any additional group members.

The Ritual Incorporating The Complex of The Flower

Putting these group advantages to one side, we must look at the sex magic ritual as conducted between two individuals. We shall look at how a paired couple may facilitate a ritual in order to rebalance the diminished sexual appetite of the male partner by using a libation, unguent, and evaporation of the complex of the flower of the bird’s-foot trefoil (lotus corniculatus).

The purpose of the ritual is to restore the natural balance of the individual male and to increase his personal sexual appetite and energy. Adjustments must be made as appropriate, as with all the sections of this book, for lesbian and gay couples. If it is the intention to address the ritual at the female of the pair, then simply reverse the roles. If the facilitating partner does not feel confident enough to undertake the ritual, then substitute their role with that of a Druidic priestess, preferably the presiding Druidic priestess from their usual Gathering.

There are basically two formats for paired individuals: one priest or priestess and a participant, or one priest and one priestess. The relationship and commitment of the two individuals involved often determines this. If only one of the individuals is interested and committed enough to develop their knowledge, skills, and attitudes sufficiently to undertake the role of Druidic priest or priestess, but the other is interested enough to be an active participant, then their roles are determined for them. If both have equal commitment and dedication, they may work together as priest and priestess or exchange roles as they see fit.

However, for every ritual there must be a dominant role (that of priest or priestess) and a cooperative role (that of active participant). In the case of the paired ritual there must be a priest or priestess to facilitate the ritual and an active participant, who in this case is a male whose sexual balance has been disrupted.

The priestess will provide the majority of the stimulation, and her orgasm, although secondary to that of the participant, should be synchronized with it. The participant will be stimulated to the peak of his sensory potential, and his orgasm will begin the process of rebalancing the sexual energies.

It is important to remember, however, that both “roles” (and that word is again a poor translation from its Welsh equivalent) are equally important. Neither can function to their full potential without the collaboration of the other.

For this ritual you will need:

· Your wand(s), used in all your rituals.

· Your stave, to cast your first Circle.

· Your salt canister, to cast your second circle. It should contain sufficient salt for the purpose.

· Your hand-held candle, to cast your third Circle.

· Your dagger, to seal the Circle, along with the salt and candle above.

· Your cauldron, filled with moon-cleansed water, for the purification activities within the ritual.

· Two floor-standing candleholders, to create the portal within your Circle. The flames of these two candles will be at shoulder height.

· Three working stone candles, in candleholders, the center focus of your working stone.

· Your phallus, for stimulation during the ritual. Use a number of phalluses if you have them, together with the necessary condoms needed to ensure hygiene.

· The two cardinal essences of the bird’s-foot trefoil, to be combined to create the flower’s complex during the ritual.

· The incense of the bird’s-foot trefoil. The incense will energize and balance the flower’s complex as it is crafted.

· An incense burner and charcoal or peat as fuel, to place the flower’s incense on.

· 200 ml of moon-cleansed water in a goblet, to craft the libation.

· The unguent prepared just prior to the ritual from the flower’s same cardinal essences.

· The tincture prepared just prior to the ritual from the flower’s same cardinal essences. (It is sufficient to craft just the libation during the ritual. The unguent and tincture may be prepared just prior to the ritual, as long as they are all crafted from the same cardinal essences and incense.)

· Cleansing cloths. As many as you feel are necessary.

The ritual begins with the priestess raising her sensory awareness using the inverted triangular pyramid working. She then casts a triple-cast Circle of a suitable size. All the necessary tools and accessories have already been arranged within the Circle and upon the working stone.

The working stone has already been adorned with the covering cloth and decorated with fresh flowers and herbs with the appropriate attributes, as the season provides. The incense burner has been lit.

As each of the two participants enters the Circle, they extend their arms to each side, level with their shoulders, passing each hand quickly through the flames of the two portal candles, a symbolic final purification of the body. Once both are inside the Circle, the priestess seals the Circle with the triple seal. Both participants are now enclosed within the protective Circle and are ready to begin the sex magic ritual.

The male sits on the ground facing the working stone.

The priestess stands before the working stone and brings the first of the candles, the collective energy candle, to the front of the stone. She lights the candle, raises it into the air, and says:

“As this flame burns, so we converge with the collective energy. Our energies mingle, our potential becomes one.”

The “flame of the collective energy” candle is placed at the back, in the center, of the working stone.

The priestess then lights the sun, or male, candle, holds it up, and says:

“As this flame burns it binds us with the sun. We invoke the sun’s influence upon our workings.”

The “flame of the sun” candle is placed to the left and slightly forward of the “flame of the collective energy” candle.

She then lights the third and final moon or female candle, holds it up, and says:

“As this flame burns I bind myself with the moon. I invoke the moon’s influence upon all I do.”

The “flame of the moon” candle is placed to the right and slightly in front of the “flame of the collective energy” candle, forming the candle triangle.

You will see that this third invocation is a personal one. If the ritual is facilitated by the male, then the moon candle is lit before the sun candle, and this same personal invocation is given for the sun candle.

With all three candle flames lit, the priestess stands before them at the front and center of the working stone and extends her arms out so that each of her palms is directly above each of the sun and moon flames, close enough to feel the heat of the flames without burning her palms. She then brings both hands together above the central collective energy flame to form a cup shape above the flame, saying:

“I unite all things with the collective energy, as in nature they belong. I offer myself to this union, together with all those present here. Unite us in your common bond.”

This opening part of the ritual, called the “uniting of the flames,” is now complete.

Picking up her wand in her right hand (or in her left if she is left-handed), the priestess moves to the convocation stone. Extending her wand above the stone, she walks around it three times, saying quietly to herself:

“I invoke only what is good, I intend only what is beneficial, I banish all that is unwelcome.”

The priestess then returns to the working stone, picks up the cauldron with the moon-cleansed water, and returns to the convocation stone. Again she walks three times around the stone, but this time she dips the tip of the wand into the water and sprinkles drops of it on the stone as she walks. She again says:

“I invoke only what is good, I intend only what is beneficial, I banish all that is unwelcome.”

She returns the cauldron to the working stone and stands with her back to it, facing the center of the Circle. She says, in a loud voice:

“Come forward who wishes to lie here.”

The Principal Conduit approaches the priestess and says:

“That is I.”

The priestess says:

“And are you named?”

If the Principal Conduit has already been named, then his name is spoken. We shall use the name “David” for the sake of this example.

The Principal Conduit (David) says:

“Yes, my name is David. I wish to lie here.”

The priestess says:

“Then as I know your name to be David, take your place as it is offered.”

David then takes his place on the convocation stone, with his head at the center point of the Circle and his feet facing the working stone. This means that he is lying in the south/north orientation, so the energies will flow through him from his head to his feet, aiding the projection of generated energy from his body.

The priestess now stands between the two stones, facing the center of the Circle, and says:

“I welcome all those that wish us well. We are gathered with the intention of creating change. Change that offers benefit and goodwill. Our spell is crafted and I offer it to you.”

She then speaks the spell for the first time. The Gathering, in this case just her partner, already knows the spell and will have committed it to memory. For the sake of simplicity we shall just call it “the spell.”

A typical spell for these circumstances would be as follows.

“We call upon the collective energy and the four elemental energies to assist us in our work. David seeks a balance in his internal order, one that reflects the balance present in nature. Restore to him what was once his, restore the harmony of his being and the natural potency of his internal energy.”

The priestess says:

“The spell.”

The Principal Conduit repeats the spell three times:

“The spell; the spell; the spell.”

The priestess, picking up her wand and cauldron, walks to the convocation stone where the Principal Conduit now lies and says:

“Our Principal Conduit is David. Through him we shall cast and bind our spell.”

She sprinkles the Principal Conduit with the moon-cleansed water, using her wand to do so. As she does this, she says:

“I anoint you, David, and commit my efforts to your internal energy.”

The cauldron and the wand are placed back on the working stone and the crafting of the complex and the libation begins.

The complex is crafted by uniting the flower’s two cardinal essences in the same method as described here. This ritual working must be carried out in its entirety, including the initial purification processes, for the complex to be properly empowered. Pour 100 ml of the empowered complex into a small ritual vessel.

The vessel containing the flower’s complex is now placed at the front center of the working stone, and the goblet containing the moon-cleansed water for the libation is placed next to it.

The priestess lifts the goblet in her left hand and the complex in her right, and as she pours the complex into the goblet of moon-cleansed water, she says:

“I craft this libation with the complex of the flower, whose energies and attributes I imbue upon all who take of it.”

The priestess turns to face the Principal Conduit and pours a very small amount of the libation onto the ground at her feet. She does this three times, saying:

“I return a part of what has been given in good faith, may it always be so.”

She lifts the goblet high into the air with both hands and says:

“We share the gift; we take its complex within us and about us. We begin the work of restoration.”

The priestess then drinks a small amount of the libation and passes the goblet to the Principal Conduit who drinks the remainder.

The seven phases or “successions” of the sex magic ritual now begin.

Each succession of the Projection Cycle represents a distinct form of activity that combines to form the sex magic ritual. The first succession, the Awakening, is the initial period of the ritual when all of the participants focus upon their sexual awareness and begin the process of arousal, a time for gentle exploration of bodies and for the abandonment of everyday cares and worries. The second succession, the Augmentation, is the time when the Gathering begins to increase their sexual stimulation. Their full connection is now on sexual arousal, and the Gathering, if large enough, will have divided into smaller groups. The next succession, the Intensification, involves more intense physical arousal, which results in the repeated approach and withdrawal from the Quickening or commitment to the orgasm. Each withdrawal leaves the participant in a more stimulated state than the previous until eventually he or she enters the Quickening succession. The Quickening is the period when the participant has committed to that last, irrevocable journey to the orgasm. It is a brief period of immensely heightened sensual excitement, but not the actual orgasm itself.

The fifth succession is the Orgasm, when the Principal Conduit projects the spell that the Gathering has composed. This is the point of projection of maximum energy and it is upon this stream of intense energy that the spell is carried to its recipient. Following the Orgasm or Projection succession comes the Continuance succession, where the Principal Conduit’s state of arousal is maintained in order to fuel his or her visualized journey to bind the spell to its recipient. The final stage of the cycle is the Relaxation succession, where the Principal Conduit and the other participants of the Gathering relax and return their consciousness to the mundane world.

As the pair progress through the first three successions—the Awakening, Augmentation, and Intensification—a variety of techniques may be employed to arouse and stimulate both the Principal Conduit and the priestess. The purpose of this stimulation is to bring the Principal Conduit to an orgasm so that he may experience the heightened sensory pleasure this ritual provides. This is his first step toward the restoration of his sexual energy and appetite.

What follows is just an example of a typical progression to use as a guide. There is no set format to this part of the ritual; it is up to the priestess to judge the most appropriate and effective methods. Each priestess will develop her own repertoire of techniques and actions together with a sensibility in relation to what is or is not acceptable.

The Awakening usually involves a gentle and sensuous awakening of the sexual senses. It may involve the use of massage, oils, lotions, creams, or the pre-prepared unguent, applied to the bodies and genitals of both the Principal Conduit and the priestess. These may be applied by hand and exchanged bodily massage. It can also involve gentle oral stimulation of the sensitive areas and genitalia.

This is always a slow buildup of sexual awareness and a gentle introduction to the pleasures to come, and it should result only in a simple arousal. It is the opportunity to get to know your own body and that of your partner in the ritual. The emphasis is on slow, sensual movement and gentle physical contact with fingertips, tongue, nipples, lips, and so on. It can be enhanced by the use of perfumed oils, incense, and sensual music.

As the ritual progresses to the Augmentation succession, the form of stimulation may change. The slow sensuality may become more physical. At this stage both the Principal Conduit and the priestess will be masturbating themselves and each other. Individuals may now part company in order to provide their partner with more visual stimuli. This can range from watching each other masturbate and stimulate themselves to using the phallus on and in themselves to erotic dance and other forms of exhibitionism.

As the couple passes the threshold into the Intensification succession, the stimulation, both visual and physical, becomes more intimate, involving more intense physical arousal and even greater heights of pleasure requiring even greater self-control. The couple becomes much more physical, their passion becoming much more intense. This is the time for close physical interaction. Both individuals may lie on the convocation stone together as they intensify each other’s sexual stimulation. This is the stage where the unguent is used to greatest effect upon the Principal Conduit.

As the male is the Principal Conduit in this case, the priestess may position herself between the male’s legs and, bending over the convocation stone, take his penis in her mouth, using her hands to caress his testicles, stomach, and nipples. She may also insert a phallus into the male’s anus, using the unguent as a lubricant. Alternatively, the priestess may gently bite the nipples of the male as she masturbates his penis, or she may sit over the male in opposite direction, with her vagina just above the male’s face, while she bends over and takes his penis in her mouth. This is a particularly good position for her to stimulate his anus with fingers or a phallus. At the same time the male may stimulate the priestess’s vagina with mouth, fingers, and phallus.

Various methods and combinations of penetration, whether vaginal, anal, or oral, are also used at this stage by both priestess and the Principal Conduit. In all these situations the unguent may be used as a lubricant.

These ideas are put forward simply to illustrate the level of intensity of the contact between the priestess and the Principal Conduit. Many other positions are possible, and there is a great variety of source materials from which these imaginative positions may be drawn. The point is that both individuals should be doing their utmost to ensure the maximum stimulation of the other.

There will be innumerable approaches to the threshold of the Quickening and the same amount of retreats until, eventually, the priestess decides to commit to the Quickening. Only the priestess may make the decision to take the Gathering to the next succession of the Projection Cycle.

It is worth remembering that we are focusing here only on the physical and sensual elements of the ritual. You must not forget the duality of the approaching orgasm and the need to recall and invoke your spell.

The priestess and the Principal Conduit have now committed to the Quickening. This is the point at which the approaching orgasm in inevitable and very imminent. Hopefully, their impending orgasms have been synchronized by the cycle of repeatedly approaching and retreating from the threshold of the Quickening, so that when they both commit they may do so in a synchronized state.

As both parties commit to the Quickening, the priestess says:

“The Quickening is here!”

As soon as she has said this, both parties begin to chant the spell repeatedly, increasing in speed and volume as the orgasm approaches. It is possible for both parties to synchronize their orgasm by synchronizing their chanting of the spell.

If the pair is coupled when the priestess acknowledges the Quickening, they separate and lie together on the convocation stone to reach orgasm. They may augment each other’s stimulation by continued contact but must never reach orgasm while coupled.

The arrival of the orgasm and the projection of the generated energy are marked by the shouting of the spell as the energy is projected. The vocalization of the spell at high volume assists and magnifies the power of the Projection and the potency of the spell.

Once the Projection is complete and the orgasm subsides, it is the role of the priestess to maintain and fuel the generated energy’s journey by further stimulation of the Principal Conduit. In the circumstances described here, that is, the priestess and the male Principal Conduit, the favored position for this continued stimulation is as mentioned above, with the priestess standing between the male’s legs, stimulating the penis in her mouth and the testes and anus with her fingers. This is done gently and sympathetically so as not to distract the male during his visualized journey.

Once the Principal Conduit has “returned” from his journey, the parties separate.

Following the Relaxation succession, the male returns to his original place, seated on the ground facing the working stone, and the priestess stands in front of the working stone facing the center of the Circle.

The priestess now begins the group congress. Three times she chants the spell and the male repeats it. Then the priestess says:

“The spell is cast. The spell is bound. Let it run its course, and let no one interfere!”

This is the final part of the Projection Cycle and the confirmation of the spell.

If there are no other matters to be attended to within the protective Circle, the working stone candles are extinguished and the Circle is unsealed and erased. The ritual site is dismantled and the gift left for nature as the participants depart the site.

One of the most common observations brought to me by students reading about or experiencing this ritual for the first time is that it appears that both the priestess and the Principal Conduit receive equal amounts of the flower’s complex.

This is an accurate observation, but if you have read and fully understood the previous parts of this book the answer to this dilemma may already be apparent to you. As with the Doctrine of Signatures and the measure of the proportions of the plants we use, nature provides and uses what is required to restore a natural balance. Therefore, in the same way that each branch we harvest from the tree provides us with the correct proportion of leaves, bark, and wood that we need for a perfectly balanced complex, so the amount of the complex’s energies and attributes absorbed by each individual using it is proportionate to his or her needs. This tells us that even though the priestess and subject may have consumed and used the same amount of libation, unguent, and evaporation, the subject will have assimilated into himself more of the properties of the complex than the priestess. In fact both would have assimilated sufficient for his or her needs, whatever they may be.

As a result of the use of the bird’s-foot trefoil’s complex during this ritual the Principal Conduit’s sexual energy and appetite will have been reinforced and will continue to increase for some days without further action. The work may be further empowered by the regular use of the unguent as a home treatment regimen over the following few weeks.