This spell can be a great and ethical spell done willingly with your partner’s full cooperation if you openly discuss it and choose to do it together, both of your own free will.
[contents]
eight
The Power of Lust
While most of us think of romantic love when we envision love magick in our idealistic minds, magick has been used just as much, if not more so, for lust and sex. Physical contact, affection, and simple sexual release are just as necessary to our overall health and well-being as romantic love and partnership.
We all have strong feelings about romantic love and sex, and for many people, the two have become completely linked. Such people can’t really conceive of having sex without deep, committed romantic love. Many of the dominant religions encourage sex only between married couples, but this rule was as much for social and political reasons as it was for religious reasons. Such rules helped the Jewish tribes to maintain their identity as a unique people, and it helped distinguish both Jewish and Christian cultures from the Pagan traditions that were much more free in regard to their sexuality.
In some Pagan religious traditions, such as those with the sacred priestess-prostitutes, sex was a part of ritual experience. Today, the Wiccan ritual of the Great Rite—in token through the union of the chalice and blade, or in physical reality through sexual union between priestess and priest—is a reclamation of Pagan sexual rites such as the sacred or divine marriage, or hieros gamos, for modern practitioners. For many traditional covens, the Great Rite, in token or reality, is one of the great mysteries for the initiate to experience, bringing a union between the Goddess and the God through ritual. Through the Great Rite, sex is one of the eight paths of power in traditional Wicca, used to raise energy and open the gates between worlds. Modern magicians borrow from Eastern tantra rituals to explore sacred sexuality as a method of personal enlightenment, seeing and worshipping the Divine within their partner. Sexual energy can also be used, with partner(s) or alone, to empower spells and talismans.
Today, modern Pagans have a range of sexual ideas to explore intellectually, emotionally, and physically if they so choose. This is not a call to do anything you don’t want to do. The beautiful part about living a magickal life is that you are called to do as your true will, your soul, dictates. You can follow what our current society considers “traditional values” and reserve sexuality for a committed relationship or marriage. You can be a serial monogamist. You can pursue different sexual orientations or gender identities if that is true to who you are. You can look into polyamory or open relationships. You can explore all range of fetishes, such as BDSM practices. You can view sex distinctly from love, as a different form of expression and sharing yourself with another.
In Paganism, we know that most of our societal moral codes have not come from a Pagan culture, and in our exploration and reconstruction of Pagan spiritualities, we can look at sexuality in new and different ways. Most Pagan cultures understood the differences between sex and love, various types of love, and how to express them all. Some did so well. Perhaps others did less so, depending on the culture or time period, but we know many philosophies and worldviews are available to us as modern Pagans.
We know our religion is one of freedom, not guilt, as the Goddess declares in her Charge that “all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals.” As long as we choose actions that are honorable, that do not hurt others and do not hurt ourselves, and we are as clear and honest in our communication as possible, we are free to explore and create new ways of living.
The problem with our modern struggle around sexuality is that there is so much religious and societal guilt about our desires and feelings. If we learned to examine them openly and honestly rather than suppress them, we’d have a much more sexually healthy society.
Cultures with a living magickal tradition have known that sex is an integral part of life for which people are always seeking aid. They have created spells and formulas specifically for sex, not necessarily love, to address those needs. If you are doing a love spell and what you really want is sex, you are not being honest with yourself or with the forces of magick. If you do magick for things you don’t really want, you are often shown the error of your ways. If you are honest and work toward the things you want, not only do your desires get to be fulfilled, but you get to explore some hidden emotions and urges. While at first lust magick seems to satisfy only our basest urges, Witches see such base urges as sacred. Sex—even raw carnal sex for sex’s sake—is just as sacred as a deep longing to be one with the Divine. Both are divine impulses we have as humans, as both express the life force but in different ways. And the exploration of life force is a huge part of our magickal spirituality.
The concept of lust, of desire, is usually considered something bad by most people. Lust is one of the seven deadly sins of Christianity, yet we come from a tradition that doesn’t recognize sin as a theological concept. In the Christian system of seven cardinal sins, pride is also considered a sin, yet there can be healthy pride where one takes pride in oneself or one’s community. Many disenfranchised communities hold “pride” rallies, such as Gay or GLBT Pride and the more recent Pagan Pride events. Lust, like pride, has positive aspects.
Many Pagan and magickal creation stories look at the lust and the desire between the Goddess and the God as primal forces to initiate and sustain creation. We emulate them, lusting for deeper union with each other and for union with our source. In the Thoth tarot deck of the modern magician Aleister Crowley, the card traditionally known as Strength is renamed Lust. While it denotes many of the same meanings as the original Strength card, it also adds qualities of rapture and joy in using our strength, the enjoyment of the material world, and in lusting after the material world and the pleasures of strength, the lust we have for the Divine. Through it we find the precarious balance between spirit and flesh, and realize that the mysteries are truly found in that space between. Through the teachings of lust, through desire, through the use of the body and its pleasures, we find the sublime joys of spirit and the union with the All; that is the true mystery found in tantric spiritualities. So exploring our lusts and passions can have a deeper significance than most people might think.
Here are a selection of lust spells, aphrodisiacs and virility spells, potions and charms. I suggest putting disclaimers into any of these spells, such as the intention of the sex being safe on all levels. As with all magick, follow it up with real-world action. Please do not make the mistake in thinking that it is magick, so you are protected from HIV and all STDs. Please practice safe sex and take no unnecessary risks, and if you do, be prepared for the consequences.
Aphrodisiacs
Aphrodisiacs have always been a part of the repertoire of the village spellcaster. Natural magicians believe there are substances—be they vegetable, animal, or mineral—whose virtue inspires lustful thought in the mind, desire in the heart, and vigor in the body. Some have proved to have some scientific fact, but enough of them have so much folklore around their power that they have been relegated to the realm of magick and superstition by most people. They are substances that, when consumed or carried, raise the libido and are most effective when used on yourself or used with your partner, mutually and knowingly. They can be a part of foreplay and sensuality, something to be enjoyed in the process leading up to sex.
There are many substances that are considered to be general aphrodisiacs for both men and women. Honey is considered both a medicine and an aphrodisiac for both men and women. In the thirteenth century, the Arab physician Avicenna recommended a mix of honey, pepper, and ginger as a powerful aphrodisiac. Bee pollen also will help a woman get pregnant.
Chocolate was considered a divine food of the gods in Central and South America, though their foamy drink preparations were a far cry from our modern candy. The Greek name for chocolate is Theobroma cacao, with theo meaning “god” and broma meaning “food.”
This divine treat is considered an aphrodisiac for both men and women. It contains antioxidants like those found in tea and red wine, and it enhances the mood, giving a boost to serotonin and dopamine.
Other classic aphrodisiacs include almonds, apples, bananas, black pepper, cardamom, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, damiana, dill, figs, ginger, ginseng, hops, jasmine, licorice, lotus, mandrake, mugwort, saffron, walnuts, and wild lettuce, along with a variety of animals and animal parts—powdered rhino horn, frog, bull testicles, snakes, powdered deer antler, sparrows, lizards, and oysters.
aphrodisiac} Damiana Cordial
Damiana is a powerful aphrodisiac that will increase your libido. One of the traditional ways of taking damiana is to make it into a cordial. Cordials are usually sweet alcoholic herbal preparations generally thought to be invigorating, stimulating, or otherwise good for your health. They can be made at home, though there are many commercial preparations available.
To make damiana cordial, soak two tablespoons of damiana leaves in two cups of vodka for five days in a sealed jar. Separate the leaves from the liquid by straining them out, and bottle the liquid. Put the alcohol-soaked leaves in one and a half cups of spring water for another five days. Some recipes suggest heating the water and making a tea, while others infuse the leaves in cool spring water. After five days, strain the leaves out again and discard them while reserving the water. Gently heat the water extract. Dissolve one cup of honey in the water, and then add the alcohol to the honey water.
I have to say that damiana alone is traditional, but I personally find such a cordial disgusting. The flavor of it doesn’t make me feel amorous. But I’ve had some excellent homemade cordials that mixed damiana with more flavorful herbs and spices, which enhanced both its aphrodisiac qualities and its taste. Experiment with adding any of the following: cinnamon, mace, allspice, coriander, licorice, orange peel, anise seed, star anise, vanilla (bean or extract), and rose (petals or hydrosol/food-quality rose water). Combinations of these herbs will greatly enhance your cordial and increase its power. Add in another two tablespoons total of herbs and double the liquid proportions of the recipe, using four cups of vodka, three cups of water, and two cups of honey.
aphrodisiac} Wine of Lust
1 bottle red wine
3 tablespoons honey
3 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons allspice
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon clove
1 teaspoon ginger
A magickal mulled wine can be shared with your lover(s) to increase passion, lust, and sexual intensity. They are simple to make and are best served immediately after making, as they don’t store well for long periods of time.
Pour the wine in a ceramic, enamel, or Pyrex saucepan. Though most people would use stainless steal, it inhibits the magick of this recipe, so I would avoid it. If you should happen to have a copper saucepan, so much the better, for copper is the metal of Venus.
Add all the ingredients into the saucepan and stir them together with a wooden spoon. Special wands for love and lust magick can be used to stir rather than a spoon, such as a wand of apple, almond, walnut, rose, or willow wood, or a wand made from a stalk of yarrow. For those who like a more citrus flavor to the wine, you can slice up an orange and/or a lemon and add the slices to the wine mix. Charge (empower through intention, visualization, or spoken words) all the ingredients as you add them.
Simmer the brew over a gentle heat for thirty minutes. Do not bring the mixture to a boil. Strain and let it cool a bit, but serve it still warm. While a glass or three can loosen inhibitions and intensify the senses, much more can have the opposite effect and inhibit the drinker from taking any action.
Virility Magick
Virility magick is typically directed toward men. They are spells, charms, and concoctions to enhance men’s physical performance, working with issues of impotence and erectile dysfunction. While there was a time when virility magick and charms were the only recourse in such situations, magick is not a substitute for seeking medical attention in the case of injury or illness. But today, many men immediately go for prescription medication when essentially nothing is wrong. As we grow older, our bodies and hormone levels change, and the fifty-year-old man should not expect his body to act like a twenty-year-old’s, and medication to do so takes its toll on the energetic health in other ways. Simpler remedies like working with both magickal energies and herbal power can be used to enhance a man’s physical performance. Virility magick is best when the recipient of it is working with the magick and fully aware of the process, as it involves either imbibing a remedy or carrying a charm, but some forms of magick are used secretly by lovers and spouses to enhance the man’s performance.
Please consult a qualified healthcare professional before consuming any of these remedies internally. A few are listed as homeopathic, not herbal, remedies. Homeopathic medicines can be found in health food stores and online. They are dilutions of substances, often stored in a lactose pellet form. The traditional dose is three pellets dissolved under the tongue. Most homeopathic practitioners will also tell you to avoid mint and coffee when taking remedies. They can all be safely used as charms, without ingestion.
Cayenne—Like other herbs listed above, the value of cayenne is in its ability to stimulate blood flow. It is also nourishing to the entire circulatory system and the nerves. Cayenne is useful for both men and women.
Conium Maculatum—The homeopathic preparation of poison hemlock (do not take in herbal form!) is a remedy for men who experience erectile dysfunction due to anxiety or prostate issues.
Damiana—Though primarily an aphrodisiac for both men and women, damiana is also a sexual stimulant for many people and is used in virility formulas.
Ferrum Picricum—The homeopathic remedy of iron picrate helps men increase their sex drive when there are issues involving the prostate or urinary tract.
Ginger—Ginger root is a wonderful warming herb with many healing properties. Among those properties include stimulating the loins by increasing blood flow to the genitals.
Ginkgo Biloba—Often spelled simply as ginkgo, this generally improves circulation and blood flow, and is said to improve blood flow to the genitals. Thought of as a stimulant to memory and an herb used against the aging process, the results of ginkgo are controversial and not widely accepted by all healthcare practitioners.
Ginseng—Ginseng is generally used as a rejuvenating tonic, reducing stress and strain and aiding in the release of life energy. It can be used as a sexual stimulant. Ginseng is thought to be a remedy for impotence and infertility, and it will help prevent premature ejaculation. It helps normalize blood pressure and is generally seen as a rejuvenating tonic by natural healthcare practitioners. (Siberian ginseng, or eleuthero, is another plant entirely and not a true ginseng, though it too has healing properties.)
Gotu Kola—Gotu kola is used in traditional Chinese medicine as a general tonic, cerebral tonic, circulatory stimulator, and anti-infection remedy. Often seen as an herbal fountain of youth, it gets its reputation as a cure for impotence by stimulating blood flow to the genitals.
Horny Goat Weed—The plants in the genus of Epimedium are known as horny goat weed, as a goat farmer in China supposedly discovered its properties by watching his goats’ behavior after eating it. While it is supposed to work on a multitude of levels, having the same active ingredients as the Viagra pharmaceutical, it has been used by modern men seeking a more natural stimulant. It reduces stress, which can aid in performance anxiety issues for many men, while not diminishing excitement. Horny goat weed is also said to be an aphrodisiac for women.
Kava—A controversial plant from the Pacific, kava is generally thought to relax the body. It is used in socialization after work to relax, and it creates clear thinking and a sociable atmosphere. Others use it for spiritual and artistic inspiration and dream magick. The t
rue benefit of the kava in virility formulas, as well as many other relaxants, is to relax the mind and lower stress over performance anxiety.
Licorice—Like ginger, licorice has a range of healing properties. It can affect the endocrine system and testosterone levels as well as stimulate the physical body. While it is not a main ingredient in virility magick, it is a wonderful addition to a formula.
Phallic Charms—Anything reminding the user of an erect penis can be used in sympathetic magick to stimulate sexual potency. Today many crystals are carved in a variety of shapes, from hearts and skulls to penises. They come in all sizes, from life size and larger-than-life size to small charms that can be put in a charm bag and carried easily. The larger stones can be used on altars and shrines, particularly to sexually virile gods such as Freyr. Smaller ones are used as charms and jewelry. Ones carved from quartz, rose quartz, and hematite are common. The Greeks and Romans had a tradition of phallic carvings and jewelry, and reproductions can be used today. In India, tumbled phallic river stones, known as Shiva Linghams, are signs of male virility and divine masculinity. In Hoodoo, the penis bone of a raccoon, also known as a “coon dong,” usually harvested today from road kill, can be used in lust magick. The buckeye nut of the actual buckeye tree, or the related chestnut or horse chestnut, bears a striking resemblance to the testicles and can also be used in phallic charms as well as gambling charms where you must have the “balls” to risk your money in order to win.
Sarsaparilla—Besides being an ingredient in traditional root beer, sarsaparilla has been used by Native people in Central and South America as a remedy for impotence as well as a general tonic.
Saw Palmetto—A tonic for the entire male reproductive system, particularly the prostate gland. Saw palmetto is also helpful in healing and nourishing the nervous system.
The Witch's Heart Page 15