From: john@physiol.su.OZ.AU (John Mackin)
Newsgroups: alt.magick
Subject: Re: Bi/Pan Sexuality and the New Aeon from the Orgone Committee
Date: 30 Dec 92 16:04:55 GMT
Organization: Chickenhawk Software

In article <Leo_Sacher.039r@kumear.apana.org.au>,
	Leo_Sacher@kumear.apana.org.au (Leo Sacher) writes:

> This article was interesting but says nothing about other sexual minorites
> such as sadomasochists. Liber Null covers the magical implications of S/M,
> in that it is against trying to experience only one half of pleasure/pain
> or any other duality. It also covers pain as a method of acheiving
> one-pointedness. Does Orgone or any other group represented here have
> anything to say on the subject?

Well, the extremely flakey machine I read news on doesn't have
the original article yet and may never get it, but I do have a
few comments to make on this, since I'm doing practical work
in this area now.  I don't speak as a representative of any
group; neither do I conceal the fact that I'm an IoT member.

Firstly on the theoretical side.  Crowley has something to
say about exploration of dualities.  This is from _Liber
Tzaddi vel Hamus Hermeticus_ (90), 33-42.

       I reveal unto you a great mystery.  Ye stand between the abyss of
    height and the abyss of depth.

       In either awaits you a Companion; and that Companion is Yourself.

       Ye can have no other Companion.

       Many have arisen, being wise.  They have said, ``Seek out the
    glittering Image in the place ever golden, and unite yourselves with
    It.''

       Many have arisen, being foolish.  They have said, ``Stoop down unto
    the darkly splendid world, and be wedded to that Blind Creature of
    the Slime.''

       I who am beyond Wisdom and Folly, arise and say unto you: achieve both
    weddings!  Unite yourselves with both!

       Beware, beware, I say, lest ye seek after the one and lose the other!

       My adepts stand upright; their head above the heavens, their feet
    below the hells.

       But since one is naturally attracted to the Angel, another to the
    Demon, let the first strengthen the lower link, the last attach more
    firmly to the higher.

       Thus shall equilibrium become perfect.

I think these are good ideas.  So, I put them into practise.  For the
past several years, an important side of my magical work has been
my seeking involvement with anything I found disturbing, distressing,
revolting... you name it, with a view towards achieving a certain
creative neutrality towards the stimuli involved.  A large part of
this has been work with pain.  The easiest start, for those who want to
see how this works, is probably hot wax (nowhere too sensitive at first! --
begin with the back of the wrist).  I'm sure you can work up from there
by `thine own ingenium.'  [I would hope that I'd be insulting most
people's intelligences by adding that a careful and accurate record
is essential to make this work useful.]

There is only a small section in _Liber Null_ commenting on pain as
a vehicle of the gnostic state (p. 34 -- or have I missed something?),
and although (unlike some) I find the book in general to be rather
a breath of fresh air, and good to give to beginners, I always felt
that Carroll's comment to the effect that ``needless damage to the
body may result'' might perhaps have indicated a less than serious
attitude in this matter.  My explorations, specifically within the
context of the type of orgia Leo refers to above, have demonstrated that
at least for me personally, this is a powerful (I would hesitate
to say `easy' :) method of quickly reaching deep, lasting, profound
one-pointed states (and no, if any of you are wondering, neither I
nor my colleagues have required any medical attention :).

I commend these avenues to serious students.

And do remember that the word of Sin is Restriction.

-- 
John Mackin <john@civil.su.oz.au>
Knox's box is a 286.                 Fox in Socks does hacks and tricks
Knox's box is hard to fix.           To fix poor Knox's box for kicks.