The Satyr’s Kiss: Queer Men, Sex Magic & Modern Witchcraft
By Storm Faerywolf
July 2022
Review by Coby Michael
The Satyr’s Kiss
I am writing this article from the perspective of a cisgender gay male, and my language is a reflection of that perspective. It is not intended to be exclusionary or to represent the sole scope of this book. Queer witchcraft has something to offer for everyone, and even if you aren’t a gay male you will be more fabulous after reading this book!
About a decade ago, I read Christopher Penczak’s book Gay Witchcraft, and it changed how I viewed myself as a gay man and as a magical practitioner. Penczak, who wrote the foreword to The Satyr’s Kiss was the first person to show me the important role that queer people have played throughout history. Learning that there are queer spirits and deities, and people who harness their queerness in the same powerful way as they did their magic, was empowering. Now, years later I have an even deeper appreciation for my homosexuality and how it has shaped my spirituality. It is such an honor to be part of the queer witchcraft community, and magical community in general!
While I have always been very in touch with my feminine side, my perspective is that of a gay male. Growing up, coming out and navigating relationships has been a learning experience. There were so many negative thought patterns that needed to be changed, and I am still working on some. Many of us have had to navigate these things on our own, and it has made us resilient, but it has left us with a hard exterior. For a community of such diverse and beautiful people, who have all experienced the hatred of homophobia, we could all be a little nicer to each other!
I think, like for many individuals living in this modern world that is preoccupied with social media clout and the latest war on (fill in the blank), gay men are desperately in need of spiritual support. The Satyr’s Kiss provides a comprehensive practical framework for spiritual practice, and seeks to bring together queer practitioners, uniting us through myth and modern practice.
Storm Faerywolf dedicated his life and his practice to queer spirituality and being a beacon of positivity in the magical community. Storm is an author, teacher, poet, professional warlock and the author of the new book The Satyr’s Kiss! He has authored a number of other books, and is a founder of Black Rose school of Witchcraft. Storm was one of the first people in the magical community that I found who resonated with me both as a gay man and a male witch. Now queer witches are every where and it is beautiful!
The Satyr’s Kiss: Queer Men, Sex Magic and Modern Witchcraft takes a queer look at hetero-normative witchcraft, and adopts a new mythos that queer practitioners can identify with. The book extensively explores queer symbology, including the Closet, the Queer Shadow, and specific symbols like the Lambda. These are symbols of liberation and queer identity. A poet and writer, Faerywolf emphasized the importance of myth and story telling, introducing the reader to the many queer gods and heroes. These are figures from antiquity and human rights activists throughout history. The author explains how homosexuality was often censored out of historical accounts by later “scholars,” and that the shamanic role of queer men was important in many ancient cultures.
The book also explores modern queer myths and gives insight into the many ways that gay men like to categorize themselves and one another. Bears, twinks, tops and bottoms all have a role in our queer mythos, and Faerywolf explains how we can connect with these forces for personal empowerment. Connecting with queer ancestors, the spirits of those fabulous individuals who came before us and working with them in ritual helps them to rise in power. When we remember their stories we pay them homage. Working with Queer Elders both living and deceased to keep out history is of the utmost importance. Faerywolf explains how we can work with queer saints, martyrs and other heroes in ritual, from Alexander the Great to Leonardo DaVinci.
Sacred sexuality is something that is maybe a little bit lacking from the mainstream queer community. I can only speak for the gay male community which is full of superficial standards, objectification and fetishization. We’re all reduced to our label, and we swipe left or right without a thought about the other person’s humanity. Gay sex can often feel like a commodity, and there is often little depth or emotional connection. The ways that we come together are not healthy, and we need more ways to connect with each other that have deeper meaning.
Not to say that sex is bad, because it is NOT, but the way that we have sex and the way that we treat our sexual partners could use a little more awareness. In the section on Queer Sex Magic the reader learns the power and importance of the orgasm as a liminal place. When we connect to people sexually we do so on an energetic and spiritual level, and that is a serious thing. We can tap into our sexual powers with the help of our partners to empower out sex as a “magical, radical and political act,” to lift ourselves up and tear down those who would oppress us. This section also covers how to direct our sexual energy, using techniques like kink and bondage to shift our consciousness.
The book is loaded with practical exercises, and queer magical correspondences. Part Two: Praxis, covers all of the working details including an extensive section of step-by-step rituals from The Mirror of Eros, to generate lust/power, to queer rites of passage, and rituals for mental wellness. Faerywolf also provides a section on queer-friendly pagan, witchy and spiritual resources. I know that this books is going to be a positive influence on so many magical practitioners and I am so grateful to live in a world, in a place where people like us can have a voice and share our magic!
Check out Storm’s other titles like The Stars Within the Earth, Betwixt & Between, and Forbidden Mysteries of Faery Witchcraft here > faerywolf.com
And follow on Twitter @stormfaerywolf
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