Phil Hine reviews Liber LXIX Vel Pan-Priapus: Sexual Magick in Theory & Practice by James Martin in the Bkwyrm archive.

Sexual Magick is one of those ‘difficult’ subjects where it is impossible to please everyone. Although there are a number of books available on the subject, many of them are either too twee, coy, or limited by the author’s own inhibitions to appeal to a wide readership. Happily this self-published work from James Martin does not shirk from delivering the goods. Exhaustive (in all senses of the word) and wide-ranging in scope, this book is a must for anyone with a serious interest in sexual magick, whether practical, theoretical or historical. James Martin serves up a heady brew, distilled from his own experience (in a refreshingly frank manner!), the works of Crowley, Dadaji, Reich, the Gnostics, and other magical approaches, both ancient and contemporary.

I have for some years been puzzled by the fact that although Thelema as a magical philosophy recognises the primacy of sexuality in magick, its numerous advocates appear to display a curious tendency to evade the discussion of sexuality in other than symbolism-drenched passages. Again, Pan-Priapus throws off the veil of coy symbolism, and gets stuck in with gusto! Fetishism, bondage, buggery, masturbatory rites, homosexual opera (both male and female), bisexuality, drugs, sexual demons and much more are given an open and honest appraisal. In addition, there is a thorough glossary, bibliography, and useful contact addresses.

Informative, inspiring, witty – at times eyebrow-raising; this is an excellent book for the magician or pansexualist of any persuasion.

Details of availability, price & postage from: James Martin, PO Box 1219, Corpus Christi, TX 78403-1219, USA