SEXCRAFT
SEXCRAFT (full title SEXCRAFT: Sacred Sexuality and Ritual Magic) is a modern grimoire of sex magic written by occultist Travis McHenry. It was first published in 2023 in conjunction with the Sexcraft Oracle deck of oracle cards.
The book combines elements of philosophy and ritual magic with human sexuality and progressive political ideas. It contains a large number of erotic or semi-erotic illustrations.
Background
McHenry began developing the principles behind the book in 2011 after reading a highly controversial pamphlet titled The Philosophy of Hot Tub (2010) written by Shammi Morrione (an otherwise unknown author whose name is suspected to be a pseudonym). This text espoused a philosophical and political vision for the future United States which was free from the restrictions imposed by Evangelical Christianity and the hypocritical morality of conservative Republican lawmakers.
SEXCRAFT was written throughout the year 2023 after McHenry's second divorce was finalized. His disillusion with marriage may have contributed to the rejection of conventional marriage norms found throughout the book.
The book has an extensive bibliography showing its sources which include sociological studies, scientific journals, and grimoires from authors such as Aleister Crowley and Damien Echols.
Contents
SEXCRAFT is broken into three main sections, each dealing with a different aspect of sex and sexuality. It begins by examining the biological imperatives for sex and why it is so fundamental to the existence of humans and all living things. The opening chapter ends by making a bold statement about the meaning of life: "The function of life is to propagate itself." This idea is encapsulated in an earlier statement, "Without sex, you would be nothing."
Part One: Sex
The first section examines sex as a biological function and how it exists completely independent from religion, morality, or legal codes. This is contrasted with the way sex is treated in many societies as a serious taboo which must be hidden away and prosecuted instead of performed freely as it is in nature. A keystone argument is presented by comparing the sexual attitudes of Sweden versus the United States and their corresponding societal issues such as divorce rates, teenage pregnancies, and violent crime.
This section also discusses the Pleasure Principles, a four tenants for a sexually liberated society as proposed by Shammi Morrione in The Philosophy of Hot Tub. These principles include practical steps to reduce or eliminate societal violence and sexually transmitted diseases while increasing overall happiness and opening a door to enlightenment.
Part Two: Sacred Sexuality
Section two explains the history of sex magic and provides numerous techniques for working with ritual magic in an intimate setting. Sexual alchemy and nude meditation form the foundation of this section, but it also discusses the Divine Feminine and Masculine and how to use a human being as an altar for magical operations.
There is a chapter on sigils and ideas for drawing them on a person's body to facilitate magic.
Part Three: Ritual Magic
The final section of the book contains four magic rituals including the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram, Ritual to Attract a Lover, and the Black Mass.
The Black Mass is especially interesting because it was reconstructed using the court testimony provided by notorious French poisoner La Voisin, who charged thousands of dollars to conduct a Black Mass with a defrocked priest. This ritual was performed by a defrocked priest who had sex with the human altar and then murdered a baby in homage to Astaroth. McHenry's Black Mass provides three different versions of varying intensity and complexity.
- A Theatrical Mass: The ritual is performed with only simulated sex.
- A Symbolic Mass: The sex is real, but there is no murder.
- A Sacrificial Mass: A re-telling of the ritual as it was originally performed.
Publication
The book was originally published in December 2023 as part of the Sexcraft Oracle Kickstarter campaign, which raised $26,686 against its $7,000 goal. It was released in two limited editions: hardcover and softcover. Both were signed by the author and featured metallic silver embossing on the cover and spine.