Aslan on the Move. . . ?

She makes it so it's always winter and never Christmas!

This morning's news showed that downtown is entirely clear of snow. Me, I had to plow through snow up to my knees to get across the street to have dinner last night, and I'll still need to borrow a snow shovel to clear the space in front of my garage to get my car out.

However when I opened my window I heard the sound of water running through drains, even though it isn't raining. Things are starting to thaw!

And my family is having Christmas tomorrow. . . . I hope. . .

Different Forms of Hieros Gamos

Standard disclaimer: These are my experiences. Mileage varies.


While exchanging comments with freyasman this morning, I realized for the first time that I've been using the term hieros gamos to refer to two different-but-related experiences.

The first one relates most closely to what is, for me, the primary source of the hieros gamos: the consecration of some of the kings of Sumer through ritual marriage to Inanna.

My first experience of this was a spontaneous magical-sexual act with LM in which I acted as a priestess to ritually redeem and reaffirm his kingly nature from/over his beastly nature. It was something that happened unexpectedly, but once we were engaged in the process it was very clear what was going on, and there were marked and lasting shifts in his character and demeanor afterward. As a priestess, I was empowered by my relationship with Inanna to be able to facilitate the transformation in my partner.

Although this particular encounter was not planned between LM and myself, this was a role I had been yearning to play for decades. I hadn't expected the form it would take, but I had long felt on a very deep level that part of my "job" is to affirm and consecrate kingship. I had no idea how I was ever going to do that in this day and age, unless it was in a roleplaying situation. I consider it great blessing that I was able to do it authentically. We continued to play and work with the priestess-king dynamic during our time together, but a true "king making" only happens once in a lifetime for a particular man.

One of the things LM and I need to continue to explore together is how to use the hieros gamos dynamic of priestess-king-sovereignty to do our Work. We have done one very powerful ritual that I realize at this moment I still can not write about here.

The second form I experience is closer to what I consider "sacred prostitution" rather than "sacred marriage." In this form, I am a hierodule, a "sacred slave" (hieros doulos -- although there may be more correct form of the Greek?), who acts as a vessel or conduit between a Goddess and a man who worships Her. In this situation I am aware of being the place where Goddess and man meet: Her energy coming through me to him, his worship in erotic form coming through me to Her. Neither is making love to me, although they both use my body, but I partake of the energies flowing through me and experience pleasure. In this role, it has always been Freyja whom I have served.

( More on power dynamics )