The Light of Sex: Initiation, Magic, and Sacrament, by Maria de Naglowska, has been translated from the French with an introduction by Donald Traxler, and will be published by Inner Traditions later this month.

From the publisher:

Never before available in English, The Light of Sex expounds the tenets of the revolutionary religious system conceived by Maria de Naglowska–Russian mystic, occultist, esoteric high priestess, rumored lover of Julius Evola, and self-styled “Satanic Woman” of 1930s Paris. Centered on what she called the Third Term of the Trinity, in which the Holy Spirit of the classic Christian trinity is recognized as the divine feminine, her practices aim to bring about a reconciliation of the light and dark forces in nature through the union of the masculine and feminine. Revealing the spiritually transformative power of sex, she shows how–through mystic sexual practices and veneration of the feminine spirit–growth of the soul, regeneration of the world, and enlightenment of humankind can be achieved.

This mystic treatise and guide to the sexually charged rituals that were a cause célèbre in 1930s Paris was required reading for those seeking to be initiated into Naglowska’s magical group La confrérie de la Flèche d’Or [The Brotherhood of the Golden Arrow]. It reveals Naglowska to be a powerful visionary, whose psychic powers were legendary, and an important figure in the continuing evolution of the Western Mystery tradition.

This is the first in a series of titles to be translated from this author. I look forward to reading this when it becomes available.

My review of Sexual Outlaw, Erotic Mystic: The Essential Ida Craddock, by Vere Chappell (Weiser, 2010) is up on SpiralNature.com here.

Craddock was indeed a remarkable person, but some of her notions about what was proper are… Well, here’s a quote from her 1900 treatise, “The Wedding Night”:

To approach a woman’s genitals with the finger for the purpose of excitation, is distinctly masturbative, and therefore wrong. The only lawful finger of love at her genitals is his sexual love organ.

It’s almost cute.

Actually, Craddock’s forthright approach to sex was fairly unique for its time, though much of what she wrote seems antiquated today it’s still a fascinating read. Continue reading »

On Friday I posted about Sexual Outlaw, Erotic Mystic: The Essential Ida Craddock, written by Vere Chappell and published by Weiser Books on December 1st, 2010.

Two other titles are also being released around the same time, the first in late October, and the second shortly after the publication of Sexual Outlaw, Erotic Mystic.

Teitan Press recently published Lunar and Sex Worship, which was written by Ida Craddock and includes an introduction by editor Vere Chappell.

From the publisher’s description: Continue reading »