Sacred Courtesan Questionnaire

A little over a year ago, I started collecting information from some of the men and women who serve as "sacred courtesans." I'm still collecting questionnaires and talking with folks who do this work, and I would like to broaden my scope and search a bit. To that end, please pass along this questionnaire to anyone you think might be interested in sharing their experience with me. All responses can be sent to me at laurelei@asteriabooks.com. THANKS!



BACKGROUND: I consider myself a Sacred Courtesan. That service, which has always been linked to Aphrodite for me, has taken on different shapes and textures over the years, though. Lately, I've been more of a Sacred Madame (or a Scared Whore-ganizer), acting in a teacher or facilitator role. As I get more requests for instruction from folks, I realize that I want a broader base of understanding for this very somewhat sprawling topic.

DISCLAIMER: I plan to write about this topic at some point in the near future. I will likely publish a book, and it is entirely possible that experiences recounted in this conversation could appear in print. My *assumption* is going to be that you prefer anonymity, unless you specifically note otherwise. If you want me to use your name (or a chosen pseudonym), you'll need to let me know. (I'll probably send you a release form to sign.) Otherwise, I will make up a simple pseudonym or use no name at all.

INSTRUCTIONS: Answer the following questions as fully as you feel that you can. Some questions may not apply, of course. After I have received back your responses, I may have some follow-up questions for you.

Thank you for taking the time to talk with me about your work and experience.


1) ARE YOU CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN THE WORK OF THE SACRED COURTESAN?


2) WHAT HAS THAT WORK LOOKED LIKE FOR YOU? BE AS SPECIFIC HERE AS YOU CAN ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE.


3) DO YOU SEE YOURSELF AS A PRIEST/ESS OF A PARTICULAR DEITY (OR OTHER ENTITY), AS REGARDS BEING A SACRED COURTESAN? OR, DOES YOUR CALLING COME FROM SOME OTHER DESIRE/SOURCE?


4) HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY TRAINING FROM A MENTOR, EITHER IN PERSON OR VIA CORRESPONDENCE?


5) WHAT RESEARCH HAVE YOU UNDERTAKEN AS A PART OF YOUR WORK? (IE, RELATED BOOKS, CLASSES, OBSERVATIONS, ETC.)


6) HOW OPENLY HAVE YOU PRACTICED YOUR ARTS?


7) WHAT REACTIONS HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED FROM OTHERS REGARDING THIS WORK? (FAMILY, FRIENDS, CLIENTS, STRANGERS)


8) WHAT TRAINING OR INFORMATION HAVE YOU FOUND LACKING (VIA BOOKS, WORKSHOPS, ETC) THAT YOU WISH SOMEONE WAS DISCUSSING/TEACHING?


9) WHAT DOES YOUR SUPPORT NETWORK LOOK LIKE, IF YOU HAVE ONE? (DO YOU WORK WITH OTHERS OF A SIMILAR CALLING? DO YOU HAVE/NEED SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS? CAN YOU TALK WITH ANYONE ABOUT THE CHALLENGES AND SUCCESSES YOU EXPERIENCE?)


10) IN WHAT WAYS, IF ANY, DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE GROWN OR CHANGED BASED ON YOUR WORK AS A SACRED COURTESAN?

Did You Miss the Podcast?

I've been on two podcasts in the last couple of months. Did you get to catch them?

Scroll of Thoth -- episode 13 "Babalon in Black"
April 9, 2014
"This episode James, Colleen and Shade OfRoses speak with Laurelei and Natalie Black about the Babalon Rising Festival, Liber Qayin, Polyamory, being a priestess of Aphrodite, and the Witches’ goetia."


Voices of the Sacred Feminine -- Sacred Courtesans
June 18, 2014
 "Returning to the show we have Laurelei Black, author, independent scholar and practitioner devoted to Aphrodite, sharing with us her findings on Sacred Courtesans, past and present.  Laurelei is interested in how we apply the ancient wisdom and service to modern thought and practice.  She will give us insight into interviews she's conducted with modern-day courtesans as she's delved into what training they've undergone, what rexources or support they have (and lack) and what their service looks like in a practical sense."


You can catch some podcasts with me from the further past at:
Sept 13, 2012 -- Voices of the Sacred Feminine -- Aphrodite's Symbols
Nov 15, 2012 -- Voices of the Sacred  Feminine -- Aphrodite's Clergy Then and Now
May 26, 2010 -- Erotic Awakening -- Priestess of Aphrodite
April 2011 -- Deviant Minds Salon -- Lauralei The Scarlet Woman (have to create a TalkShoe account to hear episode)

Come See Me!

I have FOUR appearances scheduled over the next month and a half, and I would really love to see  you at one (or all) of them.

Southern Indiana Druid and Heathen Event
July 18-20, 2014
Midian Festivals and Events -- Springville, IN

I'm organizing this one, but I am also on schedule to present. If you're into Celtic or Norse spirituality you will LOVE this event, but so will those with no particular ties to the Celtic or Nordic diaspora. We have rituals, workshops, games, and contests to delight and interest everyone.

I'll be presenting  Mythic Role Play: The Arthurian Mysteries.



International Left Hand Path Conference
July 25-27, 2014
Marriott East Indianapolis

The line-up for this event is incredible, and I'm excited to be a part of this work. Don't see me as a LHP type? Depends on your definition, I suppose. We'll be getting into that in another blog post. SOON.

I'll be presenting two classes.

Lucifer-Azazel-Qayin: The Devil at the Crossroads  -- The scapegoat of God, the bringer of enlightenment, the master of magic and the forge. Join Laurelei Black, co-founder of the American Folkloric Witchcraft tradition, in an exploration of the mythos and symbolism of Lucifer, Azazel, and Qayin. American Folkloric Witchcraft sees these names as three monikers of the same entity. Explore the mark of Qayin and the red thread that links witches to the potent and often misrepresented Man in Black -- the Golden Man, the Red God.

Siren, Succubus, Seductress: The Devil's Bride  -- Come close. Closer. Let me whisper a secret in your ear. It's a Mystery, my love. Are you ready? The God of alchemy, of magic, of enlightenment, of witchcraft has a Bride -- and she is the Lady of Love (and sacrifice). She is the golden star from whose iron he crafts the blade. She is the whore to whom he tells his secrets. Of old, she was Venus, Ishtar, Aphrodite -- the Morning and Evening Star. Her daughters are the sexy and seductive women of magic -- witches, succubi, sirens. Enticing, alluring, powerful ... and dangerous. Join me (Laurelei Black) in an exploration of the mythological waters that bore these temptresses and a discussion of the experience and application of being such a woman in the world of magic.

Cunning Folk Faire
August 1-3, 2014
Midian Festivals and Events

Come join a band of witches in the woods of Southern Indiana for a Lammas fest! This is another that I'm organizing and also presenting two classes. We welcome witches from all Traditions to celebrate the Red Day with us, to learn about practical and esoteric magic, and perform transformative rituals in the limestone hills of Southern Indiana.

The Witch's Familiar  -- Witches have a long and storied relationship with the Unseen World and with spirits of many types, abilities, and personalities. Those spirits with whom we are most familiar have a special place in our lives and our magic. This discussion will cover historical familiars -- including those found within the Legion and those named during witch trials -- as well as the contact, care, and keeping of familiars for modern witches. 

Flying Ointment and Sabbat Wine -- Learn the art of herbal astral travel. Come and discuss with us the historical ways in which the Witches of old flew to the Sabbat at the Mountain, leaving their bodies safe at home -- or how they went out into the night as hares. Laurelei  will discuss the theory and history behind the very toxic plant poisons used in the past and also explore some safe (but effective) non-toxic alternatives for modern spirit flight.

Indiana Homesteaders Festival
August 15-17, 2014
Midian Festivals and Events

This is a completely secular -- and very practical -- event designed to educate and inspire folks about homesteading, self-sufficiency, and traditional arts/skills. Whether you just want to learn to rely a little less on the big box stores, reduce your carbon footprint by incorporating alternative energy into your home, or genuinely hope to prepare for the Zombie Apocalypse, this fest is for you!

I'll be presenting two classes -- Basic Quilting Techniques and ... Five Must-Have Herbal Teas for Health.

Babalon Rising Festival, 2014

Since the Babalon Rising Festival concluded just a few days ago, I've been trying to process all of the energy and awe that I felt. I'm not sure that I am capable of putting into words what I have been feeling, but I will try for fear that all sense of coherence about those days of magic will drift away.

This was the 8th iteration of the festival, and it is probably significant to know that we took a year off last year. It was a hard year. A painful and lonely year. We (the Directors of the fest -- my partners) had a dramatic and public falling out with our event venue and home (Our Haven Nature Sanctuary). I won't go into the details here. I'm healing from those hurts, and dwelling on them only hurts more. That pain is only really relevant in the sense that it provides a backdrop for the Chaos that we experienced during 2013.

So, a lonely, painful, sad, and isolated year.

For those who don't know, Babalon Rising has been working a magical formula for the last nine years. We have been taking the serpent's path up the Tree of Life. Last year coincided with Da'ath, the Abyss. And boy was it!

THIS year, though, brought us out of the Abyss and into Binah, Understanding. It is the City of Pyramids, the Great Sea. It is the sphere of Babalon herself. *sighpurr*

Babalon Rising was the first event to take place at Midian, the event grounds established by my partners and I (and about 10 of our close friends). We closed on the land -- 25 heavily wooded acres in a reclaimed limestone quarry near Bedford, Indiana) on the first weekend in April. We had 8 weeks to take this beautiful but abused piece of land, clean her up, love her up, build her up a little, and open the gates for the festival. In those eight weeks, we:

* picked up around 100 garbage bags full of trash and debris left on the site by partiers and dumpers
* pulled about 80 pounds of broken glass out of the dirt where bottles, tv screens and car windshields had been broken and shot during target practice
* cut roads though the woods
* gravelled said roads
* laid sand for the main fire circle
* painted twenty or so abandoned tires to be used as raised flower beds
* installed electricity
* dug a well (with some of the tastiest water you can imagine!)
* ran plumbing and electricity to needed points
* built a stage on a solid limestone shelf (and broke a jackhammer doing it!)
* poured concrete pads for the kitchen and main event pavilion
* bought a kitchen full of equipment
* cleared over 200 campsites
* built 6 shower stalls and ran hot/cold water to 5 of them
* cleared a 2 acre parking lot
* laid stonework for a patio
* installed raised, stone-ringed flower beds

There's more, I know, but I think this is plenty to mention. On any given work weekend, there were about 20-30 of us on the land, including kids. Everyone worked so hard. We worked right up until the opening of Babalon Rising. We were so excited and nervous.

Attendees started arriving, and the reunions with old friends was like a salve to my soul. Connecting with new friends was exhilarating. We got so much positive feedback!

It rained all day during our set-up, which meant that all the lovely gravel got eaten by mud. So did a couple of cars. Eek. But then the skies cleared and the land drained and dried. (Thanks, rock quarry! You have amazing drainage!)

Workshops and rituals started on Thursday, and I noticed the weirdest thing. Everyone was asleep. BR might have a reputation as a party festival, but it also has some notoriety for being filled with excellent presentations ALL day, on THREE separate tracks, for THREE full days. Our shaded camping, though, lulled our attendees into sweet, long slumber.

The workshops were as amazing as ever. I spent all of my time in my own Scarlet Track. Since 2009, I have helped organize the sacred sexuality and sex magick (Scarlet) track at the festival. This year, I led an introductory talk on Western Sacred Sexuality; a group discussion on boundaries, Will, and consent; and a Sapphic Qadishti Circle (ladies-only sacred touch). All three were wonderful experiences for me. I have to say I particularly loved the Sapphic Qadhisti Circle. It has been a long time since I took a hands-on approach to my work as a Sacred Whore, and I realized at the hands (and lips and nails) of those women how much I missed it. (More on that in another post, I think.)

I also got to attend a workshop on Gender, Misogyny, and Occultism as led by Jason Winslade, which I thought was an excellent exploration of some of the gender issues within the Western esoteric traditions. AND ... my own coven sister, Sara Grey, help temple space in service to Lilith. This year marks the first time since I held Aphrodite temple that such a working has been done at BR. She is a talented priestess and vessel, and my interaction with the Grey Goddess on Friday evening was  profound.

Historically, I don't get to attend much of the fire and party at this festival. My duties as Responsible Director Type have me going to bed exhausted and waking up early. Not this year. Don't get me wrong, I was tied. But I needed my dance time, my flirt time, my soak in the fire time. And I took it. I took every minute of it. I think I only got 6 hours of sleep between Wednesday night and Sunday morning. My body started to rebel by the end, but I did something I've never done before:  I stayed up until morning Resh on Sunday morning. In the 6 years I've been with the festival, I had yet to say dawn Resh.

The Feast of the Beast ritual was perfect! My own beloved Owlie wrote it (with a little help from me -- but only a little). It drew from Alan Moore's Promethea and Jack Parson's Babalon working. I was one of the four Queens depicted in the Tarot. The Queen of Cups, specifically. I'm interested to see how that plays out for me this year.

My time at the fire sustained me this year. While I was only able to have a little conversation through the day with friends both old and new, I was able to indulge in esoteric (and also some purely flirtatious) conversations and interactions at night. I got the most heavenly back rub I think I've ever had. I participated in a looooong (and frankly badass) chant. I got my feet rubbed by a world-class musician. (Come to think of it, "rubbing Laurelei" seems to have been a theme for me. It's a trend I would love to see continue into Chokmah.) I sat in the sand and talked until dawn. I watched people and loved people and connected with people all weekend.

If I start to say "thank you" to all the people who made my weekend amazing, I think I'll have to name literally everyone there. =) From the Midian directors, to the barter staff, to the presenters and musicians, down to every single attendee -- THANK YOU! You have no idea how meaningful and significant this year's Babalon Rising was for me on a personal level.

Temple of Love -- my first novel (free on Kindle for 3 days)

I can't even begin to express how happy I am to be re-releasing my first novel, Temple of Love. It is a story of passionate poets and sacred service in honor of love.

AND ... It's available FREE on Kindle from today (Feb 18) through Thursday (Feb 20)!  Get it here.
The book follows the life of Sappho, the famous Greek poet from Lesvos.

"This was part of Sappho’s art, to give herself so completely in lust and sweat and satisfaction, to allow herself to be contented and dependent on her lover. … She hadn’t yet learned that this art was a double-edged blade – one that would cut her again and again. It would lend heat to her passion and poetry, and it would eventually break her."

Sappho, the lyric poet whose life and lovers give us our current understanding of the word “Lesbian,” was hailed as the Tenth Muse on her island home of Lesvos and all throughout Classical Greece. Her poems of passion and longing were directed at the men … and women … whom she adored and sometimes envied.

Like most girls of Lesvos, Sappho lived a life among women. After her earliest education, though, she rejects the traditional married life and gives herself in service to the temple of Aphrodite to become a priestess of love, beauty, and sexual ecstasy. Cloistered among the sacred courtesans, she opens her heart and body to love. But when Pittakos the tyrant and Alcaeus the poet vie with each other to be first in her heart, will she lose herself and all that she holds dear?
 
Read it on Kindle (FREE for a limited time) or in paperback.

After you've read it, will you post a review in the comments? I would be delighted to hear what you think!

Finding a Mystery in a Well-Known Tale

Sappho and Alcaeus

On a professional writing forum in which I participate, a (romance) author asked the group what type of mystery or suspense we like to include in our stories.

As we all learned in elementary school (and had repeated throughout our formal educations), all stories are propelled by a major conflict and perhaps by a series of lesser ones.  You remember: man v. man, man v. nature, man v. society, man v. himself.

The novel I have already written (Temple of Love -- due for re-release in January 2014), as well as the several that I am planning within the same loose series, are all historical fictions based on Greek mythology and history. They are romances, to be sure; but they are also re-tellings or re-imaginings of famous lives or well-known legends.

For me, this means that the conflicts that propel the stories forward are already built in. In most cases, they are well-known conflicts -- Sappho's tempestuous emotional state and numerous lovers, Helen's love triangle that ignites the Trojan War, Psyche's attempts to prove herself to her immortal mother-in-law.

So, in my case, the conflicts were written 2500 years ago, but the "mysteries" are left to me to sort. Providing understandable motivations, fresh interpretations, and characters that are approachable to modern readers -- those are the mysteries my readers get to unlock.

I'm polishing up Sappho's story now -- Temple of Love (excerpts available behind the link). It will be available again VERY SOON, with a big marketing push to bring it into the public eye. After that, I will be continuing my work on Helen's tale -- Temple of Beauty (more excerpts). Beyond that, I'm not sure who will follow. Psyche? Medusa? Pandora? Ariadne?

Big Things are Happening!

I haven't posted much lately, but that is largely because I have been so incredibly busy for the last few months. HUGE projects are in the works with me, and I'd love to share with you about them.

Liber Qayin -- A New Gospel for Witches

First off, Glaux and I released a book in August called Liber Qayin. It is a channeled work that we received in two sessions. We were told by Tubal Qayin, the Witchfather and deliverer of magic to mortals, that we were to open ourselves up to this work. Then, we each received the words of the Black and White Goddesses. A few days later, I received His message.

Skeptical? I would be, too. I WAS, in fact. I often tread very carefully around folks who claim to be the mouthpiece of the Gods. I tend to be cynical and wonder how much of their own filters are coloring the words. Like a true skeptic, though, I accept that anything is possible.

Reading back over the words that came through Natalie and I, not much seems like a personal agenda of either of ours. Several of the sections challenged both of our perceptions, but ALL of it rings True to us. This is the message of Magic -- and of Love. It is the story of our souls. It is the Genesis of the Craft.

This book is available in print and PDF versions from Asteria Books. (And I want to extend a special thanks to my friend John Birkel for supplying the *gorgeous* cover art!)


The Witches' Key to the Legion: A Guide to Solomonic Sorcery

I have to thank John again for his amazing artwork. He not only created the cover art, but he also illustrated 10 of the spirits described within this work.

The Witches' Key to the Legion is a project that Natalie and I have been working on for a little over a year now. We each work with familiar spirits who hail from within the ranks of the Legion (the spirits that are often collectively called the Goetia). In talking with my familiar, we became increasingly aware of their hatred of spirit abuse as advocated by most of the authors who write about demonic magic. (I've written here before about daemons and the misapprehensions that most people harbor on that topic.)

We were both moved to explore the Legion further -- to discover better ways of working with the spirits listed there and to get a good understanding of who they were. To say that my familiar was enthusiastic in leading us into this research would be an understatement. We (Natalie, my familiar, and I) proceeded to embark on a four-month-long series of talking board sessions in which we discussed each of the 72 spirits, the creation of the Legion, the meanings behind the seals, and the nature of God (and His Adversary). We had now idea how much our worldview would change when we started this project -- or how fierce we would become regarding the treatment of these spirits.

The Witches' Key is about to be released (as soon as I've reviewed the proof) in the next several days. It, too, will be available in paperback and PDF versions. Look for illustrations by John Birkel and Natalie Black as well as alternate sigils for almost all 72 spirits.


Aphrodite's Eyes: A Cowrie Divination System

Some of you will have seen my last blog post in which I share the basics of a divination system which I've been developing over the last year and a half. I posted the basics, and that is certainly enough for interested readers to begin with. However, I am working on writing up a full booklet that will provide some insights into the verses and a few sample readings.

Once it is done it will be available through Asteria Books in (you guessed it) paperback and PDF.


Midian Festival and Event Grounds

On a non-publishing note, my family and a group of close friends have been working like mad to get a new event venue up and running for the 2014 festival season.

Here is the press-release we posted a couple of weeks ago:

Midian, a new festival and event venue located in Lawrence County, Indiana, is currently in preparations to open their gates for their 2014 festival season.

The grounds of Midian cover 21 acres of primitive woodlands in South-Central Indiana. By the time of the venue's first event, scheduled for early/mid June 2014, Midian will feature hot/cold rinse stations, a performance stage, several temporary pavilions, electricity in the main event areas, a bonfire ring, several acres of shaded campsites, and well-maintained restroom facilities.

Midian's owners intend to implement a staged development plan. Such developments will likely include several permanent indoor and outdoor meeting facilities, a fully operational kitchen, a lending library, permanent restroom facilities, and more.

The gates will open to the public in April 2014, with the first event being held June 12-16, 2014.

For more information, or to book your event at Midian, please email admin@campmidian.com.