New York Press review by Alan Cabal

”The definitive guide to sexual alchemy … Demons of the Flesh is a complete and thorough presentation of the history and techniques of radical self-transformation and enhancement through the practice of sacramental sex. The book is divided into three main sections covering the better known Eastern Tantric practices, the hermetic Western methods and a tutorial on the practical application of the methods described. The nature of magic is clearly stated by the authors in the very first chapter, as they introduce the reader to the Vama Marga Tantra of India:

‘It is a keystone of our understanding of magic’s underlying identity wth maya that magic is not a comfortable niche to be settled into forever. Instead it is a transitional vehicle, a means to an end. Magic can be the awakening agent that frees its practitioner from certain illusions, allowing the flash of insight that transcends all philopshical inquiry. Through magic, the mind can learn that there is not one indisputable reality. There is an endless multiplicity of realities…the direct confrontation with Maya that sorcery allows might be said to be magic’s primary objective. It is this confrontation that permits the sorcerer to viscerally understand how deeply his or her shifting subjective overlays influence that which he or she perceives – an understanding that may hasten the transformation of human sentience to divine consciousness.’

They also emphasize the need for ‘hands-on’ instruction, so to speak. Book-learning can only take one so far in these matters … The Schrecks have been around the block a few times, and have more than a few pithy things to say about the Western tendency to exploit this phenomenon for petty personal gain. They offer an excellent critique of Aleister Crowley and the various museum-piece fraternities dedicated to preserving his legacy. … There are numerous admonitions and warnings scattered throughout Demons of the Flesh, especially as regards the kind of parasitic explotiation that was Crowley’s specialty.

This is the Schrecks’ most refined and accomplished work. Meticulous research, extensive citations of original source documents and a modern, witty approach including the latest clinical research on the physiological effects of these practices enliven this book and place it on the top of the reading list for anyone interested in the subject. It presents not merely history and technique but a worldview and a way of life, a path to personal liberation much needed in a world that increasingly resembles the ‘Black Iron Prison’ of Philip K. Dick’s less pleasant revelations. Extreme conditions require extreme responses.”

Review by Daniel Pinchbeck, author of Breaking Open Your Head and 2012

”I have been reading the most enjoyable book, Demons of the Flesh: The Complete Guide to Left Hand Path Sex Magic, by the fabulously named Nikolas and Zeena Schreck.

Among much fascinating material, the Schrecks present a very plausible thesis: that Christ was in fact the model of a left-hand path sex magician. ‘Here was a magician who scandalized tribal elders by violently repudiating all the laws of orthodoxy and declaring himself a god. He teaches his followers that “the kingdom of heaven is within you,” and consorts with outcast elements of society. He claims to be self-deified and instructs his students that they can also become as gods – much like the Tantric bodhisattva. ‘

The ‘fallen woman’ Mary of Magdalene: ‘Her presence at the turning points in the myth of Jesus support the theory that she is his hidden initiatrix, the female power who grants him his magical abilities. MM stands below the cross when he endures initiatory death; it is she who goes to his tomb to perform the rite of annointing the corpse, and she is also the first disciple to discover that his body has vanished. Finally, of all his disciples, Christ chooses to reveal his resurrection to her. If we read this tale as the fragmentary remnant of a carefully conceived initiatory myth encoded with magical symbolism – rather than as a historical chronicle of “true” events – MM’s prominent position in the allegory becomes clear.’

Any taint of sex magic was of course purged in the next centuries, but can be found in other accounts: ‘Roman and Jewish opponents of the early Christian sect, for example, routinely characterized the disciples of Jesus as practicioners of a love cult whose rites included feasts that culminated in sexual promiscuity. Christ’s teaching of unconditional Agape (Greek for “love”), was often presumed to include a mystical transubstantiation of sex not dissimilar from that practiced in Tantric group rituals.’

The Schrecks then look at the Nag Hammadi material and the Gnostic Gospels, such as The Gospel of Mary, which indicate lost and expurgated sexual rites.

‘The Gnostic texts repeatedly state that Mary of Magdalene grasps some core mystery of Christ’s teaching better than any of his male disciples. She is referred to as “the woman who understood completely” and “the annointer” — Jesus praises her as the disciple who most deeply comprehends his instruction. Indeed, it seems that the female initiates in Christ’s circle all possess some secret knowledge that the males are lacking. Mary is only the foremost of seven female disciples who are said to be ‘strong by a perception which is in them,’ an advanced state of consciousness that the twelve male disciples readily acknowledge, although not without envy.’

The Gnostic metaphysic of early Christianity is a complete inversion/reversal of what became Christian doctrine: They deified the feminine principle (Sophia – hence the term , Philosophia, love of Sophia) and saw Jahweh as a malevolent demiurge. ‘It’s unlikely that modern Christians will enthusiastically embrace the notion that Jesus and his original followers worshipped the being now despised under the name of “Satan” as a benevolent female snake-deity, while vilifying the being they currently know as “God” as a malignant demiurge.’ Mary Magdalene was his consort, shakti, initiatrix.”

Zinnober Magazine review by Andreas Diesel

“Demons Of The Flesh”, mittlerweile das vierte Buch, das den Namen Nikolas Schreck auf dem Umschlag trägt, ist laut Untertitel “the complete guide to Left Hand Path Sex Magic”. Abgesehen von der Tatsache, dass ebensolche Sexualmagie allein durch persönliche Erfahrung “komplett” wird (darauf weisen die Autoren mehrmals nachdrücklich hin), ist die Fülle des hier auf knapp 400 Seiten gesammelten Materials tatsächlich höchst beeindruckend. “Demons Of The Flesh” teilt sich – nach einem sinnigerweise “Foreplay” genannten Vorwort – in drei Bücher: Das erste widmet sich natürlich der sinistren Strömung und tantrischen Tradition in dem Land, das man wohl als erstes mit einer unverfälschten vama-marga-Überlieferung in Verbindung bringt, nämlich Indien. Herr und Frau Schreck führen uns ein in Theorie und Praxis tantrischer Rituale und erhellen den geschichtlichen Hintergrund dieser magischen Strömung in der indischen Kultur. Buch Zwei überbrückt Tausende von Kilometern mit Siebenmeilenstiefeln und befasst sich mit der Magie von Eros und Sexus im Abendland. Zuerst werden dem Leser Schlüsselbegriffe wie Magie, Initiation und Theurgie ausführlich erklärt, denn – wie man im Order of Sekhmet (Zeenas Orden, früher im TOS) lehrt – “was nicht artikuliert werden kann, kann auch nicht verwirklicht werden” (S. 123). Danach gelangt man über die orientalische Tradition der sakralen Prostitution und gnostische Theologie zu einer sehr eigenen Lesart von Jesus Christus als linksseitigem Sexualmagier mit Maria Magdalena als heiliger Hure bzw. shakti, in Parallele zu Simon Magus und seiner Helena … Das ist nicht bloß eine blasphemische Verzerrung seitens der Autoren, die sich seit jeher mit teuflischer Lust “Ketzereien” widmen, sondern wird unter Anführung gnostischer Texte durchaus stringent untermauert. Durch die Machtentfaltung der christlichen Kirche bricht die Tradition sexueller Initiation im Westen erst einmal ab, weshalb “Demons Of The Flesh” Jahrhunderte überfliegt und erst bei der magischen Renaissance des 19. Jahrhunderts wieder zum Halten kommt. Von da an werden die verschiedenen sexualmagischen Thesen und Strömungen anhand biographischer Skizzen ihrer wichtigsten Verfechter dargelegt: Namen wie P.B. Randolph, Gurdjieff, Maria de Naglowska, Gregorius (Fraternitas Saturni) und Reuss (OTO) dürften jedem esoterisch Interessierten irgendwie geläufig sein und machen deutlich, dass zumindest in diesem Zeitraum die Geschichte der Sexualmagie immer auch die Geschichte der “allgemeinen” Magie ist. Dann folgt ein Kapitel, das besonderes Augenmerk verdient: über Aleister Crowley nämlich, den man gemeinhin am ehesten mit rituellen Orgien in Verbindung bringt. Für viele überraschend wird die These der Schrecks sein, dass Crowleys Anwartschaft auf den Titel “Adept des Pfades zur Linken Hand” durchaus Zweifel aufwirft, was vor allem an To Mega Therions “engstirnigem viktorianischem Konzept” (S. 245) und seiner Misogynie liegt – das Wesen des vama marga ist hingegen von höchster Wertschätzung des weiblichen Prinzips gekennzeichnet. Weit besser als Crowley selbst schneidet sein amerikanischer “Schüler” John Whiteside Parsons ab, der in der Welt des Okkultismus durch das “Babalon Working” bekannt wurde und den Autoren aufgrund seines spektakulären Todes bei einer Laborexplosion (er war Raketentechniker) als “James Dean der Sexualmagie” (S. 247) gilt. Danach werden erotisch-magische Konzepte bei modernen Esoterikern wie L. Ron Hubbard (!), Robert DeGrimston (The Process) und Kenneth Grant untersucht. Kapitel über die Church of Satan und den Temple of Set fehlen übrigens, was aufgrund hier nicht näher zu erläuternder persönlicher Differenzen kaum überrascht … Nach diesem historischen Überblick folgt mit Buch Drei ein “Crash-Kurs für das Kali Yuga”, also der praktische Teil für den angehenden Initianten. Auch hier wieder das warnende Wort, dass alle Lektüre und rationale Erwägung das eigene Erfahren und Erleben in keiner Weise ersetzen können. In diesem Sinne wird alles erläutert, was dem Adepten bei seiner erotischen Initiation von Hilfe sein könnte – Tipps zur Auswahl von Lehrern und Partnern, zu autoerotischen Übungen, magischen Orgien und rituellem Sadomasochismus gibt es zuhauf. Der praktische Wert des reich bebilderten Buches beschränkt sich nicht auf das heterosexuelle Modell, sondern bezieht gleichgeschlechtliche Magie ebenso mit ein wie Verkehr mit dämonischen Wesenheiten … Das alles wird, man höre und staune, sehr bodenständig und mit einer gesunden Prise Humor abgehandelt. Auch dank letzterem wird “Demons Of The Flesh” zu einer angenehmen und überraschend untrockenen Lektüre und einer Studie, die neben der “Metaphysik des Sexus” von Julius Evola – dem das vorliegende Buch übrigens zugeeignet ist – zu den besten ihrer Art gehören dürfte. Amor vincit omnia -Nikolas und Zeena Schreck wissen das nicht erst seit gestern.”

Blonde-to-die-for (UK) review

”Occultists who endorse the concept of aeons (periods of magical or psychological significance) might agree with the authors that we are currently living in the Kali Yuga – an era of violence, strife, deceit and the breakdown of morality and order. Whereas many individuals might give up and seek salvation in self-deception, cynicism, consumerism, or escapist and immature notions of fulfillment in ‘life after death’, the Tantrick initiate revels in this apparent chaos and seeks to use it to his own ends – namely to realise his own divinity. … The left hand path addresses the needs of those who seek enlightenment in the here-and-now; not in some uncertain mythical enlightenment supposedly conferred by abnegation of the senses. Such an approach explicitly denies embracing the status-quo or conventional beliefs and morality. For this reason, the left hand path is one of the most feared, reviled, misunderstood, and potentially exciting spiritual paths available for individuals brave and self-aware enough to understand and embrace it. Demons of the Flesh provides the most comprehensive survey of the left hand path currently available. Despite the prurient hype on the back cover, it is more concerned with using sex as a means of both liberation and self-deification than simply trying out every sexual technique for physical gratification. The authors clarify that the sex magician should differentiate between his carnal activities and the use of sex for sacred or magical purposes.The book provides a thorough overview of the left hand path in all its manifestations, from its origins in the India of several thousand years ago to its current form. It covers the fundamental principles of working with the ‘feminine daemonic’ or Shakti principle (in the Tantrick cosmology, the universe is seen as the divine coupling of Shiva, the male principle, and Shakti, the female principle – the resolution of polarities); the defiance of convention; and the possibility of becoming the god of one’s own universe. The feminine principle is described in all its myriad forms, from Venus like sensuality through to the dark destructiveness of the Kali, Inana, Ishtar, Astarte and Babalon archetypes – temple prostitutes, blood sated hags and aggressive warriors latterly manifesting as the Valkyries of Nordic mythology. Many a Wiccan eyebrow may be raised when contemplating the Goddess in all her guises; and some readers may find speculation that Jesus Christ was a sex magician of the first rank, aided in his rites by the prostitute Mary Magdalen difficult to accept. The Tantrick path is of necessity elitist, necessitating standing apart from the pashu herd. The savvy magician realises he springs from the herd himself, initially bound by the accident of his birth, his subsequent upbringing and the morals of the society around him. He seeks to liberate himself consciously and subconsciously from this conditioning. Demons of the Flesh provides extensive and detached analysis of many of the illuninaries who brought Tantra to the West, notably P B Randolph, the misguided H P Blavatsky, Gurdjieff, the Fraternitas Saturnite, the O.T.O., Crowley, Jack Parsons, Kenneth Grant, Ron Hubbard and many others. Lesser known figures such as Georges Bataille and Maria de Naglowska are also given their due. Intriguingly, certain figures, such as Church of Satan founder Anton LaVey, who did much to break convention and advocate sexual freedom for magical purposes, are downplayed. The analysis is trenchant and fascinating – indeed, many sacred cows are not merely slaughtered but turned into psychic fast food for the delectation of the Tantrick truth seeker. Aleister Crowley is depicted as something of an inadequate, seeking to supplant Christianity with his (heavily Christianised) Thelema. Magicians should consider whether the misogynist Beast 666, with his endless financial problems, petty bitterness and other character defects, offers a fitting role model. Far more interesting trailblazers include rocket man Jack Parsons. Parsons’ celebrated Babalon Working resulted not only in the arrival of the ‘elemental’ Marjorie Cameron, but potentially the release of energies resulting in the Atomic Bomb and the counter-culture of the Sixties. Kenneth Grant famously said that Parsons opened a door and ‘something flew in’. … Grant, (protégé of Crowley who took Thelema in a totally different direction and who was also responsible for creating the legend of Austin Osman Spare, himself a pretty effective sex-magician), comes across as one of the most avid (though not always the most lucid) exponents of the left hand path and the feminine daemonic.The book is nicely presented with many excellent and relevant illustrations (it’s a shame the book’s budget didn’t stretch to colour in this respect), and for the most part superbly written. .. the slightly academic and far from histrionic approach works well in tackling what for many could be difficult reading. The last three chapters cover the practicalities of sex magical practice; group workings and orgies; and Sado-Masochism. These are not simply ‘just add water’ techniques and rituals, but provide scope for further investigation. … The magician of the left hand path is exhorted, Socrates-like, to know himself and understand his beliefs and desires. This cannot be achieved by slavishly following any occult ‘authority’, no matter what their reputation. … In summary, an excellent and illuminating book, likely to remain the definitive work on the subject for many years to come. Of necessity, it covers strong stuff. Those of a conventional disposition have been warned.”