This topic may be disturbing for some, as it will touch on practices and beliefs in a fringe part of society that is not accepted by many people. However, in my constant search to discover higher/altered states of consciousness and their purposes in serving the enlightenment of the soul I choose to leave no stone unturned. In order to do this I have studied many mystical traditions, and have recently moved into alternative and fringe cultures. This has allowed me to compare the effects of altered states of awareness brought on by such things as pain, and psychodrama within a non-spiritual context with those in indigenous and mystical traditions.
When I started this blog I was researching the states of consciousness associated with suspension. Recently, I have connected with some people from the BDSM scene. This may conjure up images of spanking, gimps in masks, and various other "deviant" mental pictures, but as I've discovered this is a very broad subculture with many varying and interwoven fantasies, fetishes, and life-styles that are taken into consideration. This culture is not one that is primarily focused on what some may call "sexual deviancy" but instead delves into the unspoken drives of man that have not been broadly accepted by the mainstream. And whenever the subconscious drives of a man come out, a new piece of his personality is known, new boundaries and ideals are revealed, and the ability to go through personal alchemy is given its chance.
What I have found in my friendships with people in fringe communities, is that the great majority of them are incredibly intelligent and mature. Many people in their "play" have found that the resulting experiences have helped them find an internal strength that is then brought into their work, family, and process of self-discovery. Of course if you spend time testing your boundaries, giving yourself to another in an intimate way, and expressing your subconscious desires, you are going to find things out about abilities you never knew you had.
As magicians...do we not seek similar things? The point is for it to be positive and to explore in a controlled environment. I don't believe in people exploring their "shadow sides" in order to "grow", and delving into drugs, alcohol, cheating and other situations that are the anti-thesis of control. These things allow your lower nature to take over which of course is not in line with personal growth. Instead exploring our subconscious desires in a positive way, with people we love and trust is one tool we can use to stretch and explore our boundaries.
Within my research in BDSM two states of consciousness have been the most intriguing. One is called "subspace" an altered state of awareness that seemingly comes from a rush of endorphins during a "scene" (ritual of play) that leads to feelings of bliss, floating, and an expanded awareness of consciousness. These are similar descriptions to what I have found in my studies of tribal cultures when using "pain rituals" to create visions and connect with Divinity. However, in this instance an assortment of sensations and mental stimulation may come into play such as sexual stimulation, becoming centered in a role-play character, pain, feelings of helplessness, grandiosity, intense love...the list is almost infinite. What is most important in this discussion is what the person, known as a submissive, takes from the situation into real life. Although it is often noted that there is a "come down" phase which can be experienced as emotional lows, many submissive claim to have gained strength, feelings of well-being, and spiritual bliss, by entering this state that can then be applied to their outside lives.
The second intriguing topic has been the notion of willing servitude. Disclaimer: I do not support ANY type of illegal, unwanted, forced, sexual, chattel, slavery, or slavery of any kind! What I am referring to in this blog is the a ritual preformed for by two or more people where the person in servitude has asked to be entered into it of their own free will for their enjoyment. For those outside the BDSM community this may sound preposterous but I have taken the time to interview and discuss this life-style with people who have chosen this, and I assure you they obtain great satisfaction from it. Which is what is intriguing to me and is the basis of this subject.
If one were to study the Western mystical traditions we see the belief that man is a reflection of God. It is the duty of man to shed the material inclination and to claim his mystical heritage as a son or daughter of God, being one with Him/Her and thus being a perfect vessel to express and wield Gods power in the world. However, in order to do this one must reject the sense of ego-self. Thus, he will connect with the Self, ones' true nature, also known as one's Holy Guardian Angel or Higher Genius. This state of absolute humility is only one that those of us on the outside can intellectually contemplate while we strive diligently falling time and again to achieve it. Most of us have not even witnessed extreme humility, as it is mostly gained by those cloistered away from the world, who have undergone daily, heavy, spiritual conditioning.
But, now I have witnessed the attitude of those who have gained a similar state, although not for the goal of spiritual enlightenment (so I believe on some level, there may is a difference). There is one quality about the state of those whom I have talked to, who seek this humility and willing servitude that I think can be brought to our studies. Their happiness is not complete unless they whom they wish to serve is happy. They think about it and contemplate it, and it was described to me by one person "even while doing the dishes", they are lifted into a state of pure bliss described as "otherworldly" by contemplating the other's happiness. This is not far-fetched I often find myself in a state of bliss, while performing my "motherly and wifely" duties. Another interesting quality that I believe factors in is that they feel "called" to this life-style. (Now some may argue that this type of situation can open up a person to some types of abuse, however those in the BDSM community take these things seriously and usually spend a great deal of time getting to know each other, of which is included strict screening and interview processes of all people involved)
Some of my readers may be appalled at the thought of my connecting these two subjects (BDSM and spirituality)...but I don't judge, and my main concern here is to find elements within society that can help those of us who are seeking the completed work of the spirit to get there.
For many, the spiritual path can be a state of great difficulty at times. We continuously see our own imperfection, feel the pain of overcoming unhealthy habits, get burnt out from keeping strict duties of purification, witness the imperfection of our mentors, and are tested by our evil personas. I am not saying that we are like this all the time, of course these painful times are interspersed between periods of great happiness and bliss. But, when we are going through an extended period of harsh alchemy it can be hard to get out of our own heads and quit focusing on the feeling of discomfort or pain to the self. As the imperfect parts die, our egos lash back causing a heated focus on the self, and the desire to turn away from the Work.
But, what if we can reframe our pain, and make our happiness based not on what is in our environment or what our emotional state is but on something greater? This may sound confusing, but think to yourself... Have you ever felt two things at once? One more surface and the other deeper? Have you ever been happy but sad, or felt pain but still peaceful? Emotions are an imperfect reflections of the whole state of awareness available to us. Instead we must get in touch with that deeper faculty inside that shows us the truth. This is where humility comes in, it is the one tool that strips the lower self of all imperfections so that one can clearly see the Light. Thus, the deeper faculty of the True Self is revealed. Our true Nature is to be in complete alignment with the Divine and the Will of the Divine. Does it not make sense then that we would reach this state the quickest through humility, the desire to do the Divine's Will totally?
If our happiness was based on the deepest desire to fulfill the goals of our beloved Elohim would we not swiftly go running into our Mother's arms? True humility doesn't care if he is happy he only wants his Lord to be happy, and paradoxically he becomes happier than he ever imagined.
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Have you considered Gardnerian Wicca as an example of this?
ReplyDeleteCare Sr,
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post on what could be a very emotional topic for some people. I have little time here, but will make some quick points not in any particular order. My comments are drawn from my own traditional training in GD and western traditions as well as having close friends within the BDSM community. In addition I counselled and assisted on the inner levels when asked by initiates of our Order involved in BDSM. I have explored much of the literature on the convergence of spirituality and alternative sexual expression such as BDSM and DS and have seen results first hand. So hopefully I have something useful to contribute as I feel I must say a few things from my own experiences. :) This is over two comments for space reasons :)
I think you make a number of valid comments and observations and it is good to see this topic approached carefully and sensitively. However, I think a few further points need to be made:
1) Spiritual unfoldment is not the same an altered state of awareness nor is it brought on or developed solely by altered states of awareness – however achieved, by BDSM or traditional meditative processes. Other qualities, such as discipline, compassion, altruism, introspection, community service, etc are required.
2) The revelation of inner subconscious drives rarely results in transformation of those drives without lengthy spiritual and/or psychological adjustment which is carefully guided by spiritual teachers or depth therapists. I have not seen such guidance and adjustment within the BDSM and DS communities.
3) You write: “What I have found in my friendships with people in fringe communities, is that the great majority of them are incredibly intelligent and mature. Many people in their "play" have found that the resulting experiences have helped them find an internal strength that is then brought into their work, family, and process of self-discovery. Of course if you spend time testing your boundaries, giving yourself to another in an intimate way, and expressing your subconscious desires, you are going to find things out about abilities you never knew you had.”
I agree with this and have heard the same comments. However, the other side of the coin often involves many people psychologically damaged by engaging in practices where their power-sexual dysfunction stemming from childhood abuse is legitimised and thus never healed.
4) You write: “As magicians...do we not seek similar things? The point is for it to be positive and to explore in a controlled environment.” In a way, yes, in a way no. The central focus of all true western magic is the One and service to the One through the love of all. Magic is divine and focused beyond the self. The spirituality of most of the BDSM people I spoke to – and the majority have no conscious spiritual beliefs – is self focused. Even when they see the divine within they, like most new agers, implicitly deny the transcendence of God that goes beyond all humanity.
ReplyDelete5) The motivations then for most people in the BDSM community are not altruistic, not transpersonal at all. It is for PERSONAL reasons: personal enjoyment, personal growth, personal sexual expression, personal power exploration etc. This precludes the higher states of consciousness being activated.
6) Without those higher states of consciousness the “controlled environment” you mention is unlikely to be achieved. The higher states are required for the effective performance of the banishing and prefatory techniques required for productive excursions into the deeper states of consciousness and the inner realms that alternative sexuality produces. The reaching of the inner levels of consciousness, even going beyond the self into the macrocosmic astral realm is really not hard during DS and BDSM. After all, sexuality links all levels of our beings. But without control, balance and transpersonal forces such explorations are mostly unfruitful or at dangerous.
7) With respect your connection of subspace to traditional and indigenous rituals misses at least one important point: tradition. This crucial in a number of ways, of which I highlight two. Firstly, tradition invokes and is held by the entire cultural egregore of the society and ancestors, opening up a vast vista of spiritual resources and beings offering guidance, holding and protection. Secondly, tradition legitimises the pain/extremities of the experience. So an indigenous boy undergoing genital scarring knows it to be right, and proper and divine. Like it or not, in our culture our traditions, which are part and parcel of everyone’s subconscious, view BDSM etc as perverse. This means when exploring via BDSM or DS etc we have to be very careful not to activate, at a very deep and often unsuspected level, our interior feelings of self-hatred. I have seen this happen with many subs and the turnover of subs in the Australian community is very high. Most subs leave after being “burnt out”, not because they have grown from the experiences and seeking further “spiritual pursuits”.
8) Servitude. You write: “But, now I have witnessed the attitude of those who have gained a similar state, although not for the goal of spiritual enlightenment (so I believe on some level, there may is a difference).” I agree that the impetus of servitude within DS stems from the same divine source as our natural state in service to the One. However, I also believe there is a huge difference between the service towards a human, even if it is ‘perfect’, and service towards the One. The latter goes beyond the self and thus helps produce actual unfoldment. The former remains at the human level, and only moves the blocks around so to speak, never building a new person.
Servitude towards another person with the DS context normally always involves an imbalance in power. This keeps the whole affair dragged down at a very low level. Plus we must remember that just because these things are consensual that does not make them healthy. Most subs are not seeking to surrender the ego for mystical purposes; they are expressing a dysfunctional relation to a parental imago projected onto the dominant partner. This subverts and perverts the beautiful and natural impulse towards surrenders.