It’s 2023, and women have become more confident than ever in demanding – not asking – their wants and needs, both in and out of the bedroom. But now, women are realising that their true power lies within their pleasure, or rather, their orgasms.
Enter sex magick: a conscious practice which sees people using the energy produced through sex or masturbation before ‘directing it’ to a specific purpose – like manifesting a particular dream career, relationship, house, car, or otherwise.
The #witchtok sex trend has already skyrocketed on TikTok, with many sex magick practitioners garnering upwards of a million likes on the platform after sharing their secrets for turning their pleasure into tangible assets.
So, it’s no wonder that Gen Z – the generation responsible for setting clear boundaries with trends like “quiet quitting” and “bare minimum Mondays” – would want to reap the rewards from something so pleasurable as, well, their orgasm.
Hannah Ross, a 28-year-old tarot reader from Glasgow, started exploring sex magick after coming across it on TikTok last year. “I love trying out anything of a witchy nature,” she says.
Although Ross has always been open with her partner about sex magick (consent is non-negotiable when it comes to sex of any kind), this is a practice that she enjoys solo.
“My partner and I discussed using the power of orgasm to manifest when we have sex together, however, we both agreed it might take the fun out of sex,” she explains. “He is very open to me using witchcraft and magick in whatever form - he loves to get involved with crystals and tarot, which is not something he did before meeting me. But I wouldn’t agree to do sex magick with him, without his permission.”
Practising sex magick alone hasn’t hindered her ability to manifest some pretty incredible things, though.
“I feel that sex magick, if solo, is a personal practice. Usually, the manifestations are business-related,” she explains of having turned her dreams into a reality through masturbation.
“It has aided in the growth of growing my business, like being published in magazines. I’ve had my writing published in two spiritual magazines this month. I’ll also be featured in a third this month, too.”
Ross is not the only one who’s been able to successfully manifest her dreams through solo sex magick. Morgana Marie, a Feminine Sensuality Embodiment Coach, attracted romantic partners into her life and “a good £80,000” through the practice, whilst Emily Tuck, who hails from South London, has “drawn in clients” for her business as a transformational mindset coach.
Meanwhile, Emma Carney, a digital marketing professional and practising witch, says that she manifested a two-bedroom house with a conservatory and garden, just days after practising sex magick under the glow of a Blue Moon.
According to these sex magick fans, these feats are proof that sex magick does not hold limitations – whether that be through personal differences in gender, sexuality, or partners (or lack thereof).
“Sex magick is about controlling and understanding your body’s energy, and appreciating that your spiritual and mental form exists within your body,” Carney says.
“So, if somebody is sat there thinking, ‘I don’t like touching myself’, or ‘I’m asexual and I don’t engage in that’, [sex magick] is open to you.” This form of “euphoria” can, instead, be channelled through inclusive practices of meditation or intention setting, for those who don’t wish to engage in sex or masturbation.
But the idea of manifestation through sex is not itself a new idea. Sex magick is actually thought to be derived from early teachings of magick (the act of raising and directing the energy which you harness to fulfil your intentions, FYI) from occultist Paschal Beverly Randolph in the 19th century. Though, sex magick is having its own resurgence moment some two centuries later, perhaps due to the mass reach of witchcraft teachings on social media.
“I think there’s a huge movement when it comes to witchcraft on TikTok,” Charlotte Johnston, a self-proclaimed Witch and Intuitive Coach and Healer tells HuffPost UK. “I think it’s incredible that people are finding the safety and being able to speak about witchcraft, and also embodying it in real life.”
You don’t have to search far to see the impact that social media has had on the revival of magick. Its reach has translated into billions of views on TikTok, with the hashtag #babywitch racking up 3.3 billion views, #witchtok gaining 39.7 billion and #tarot landing an impressive 49.8 billion. “I think that these platforms are allowing for a huge expansion in that way,” Johnston says. “I’m definitely excited for generations to come because I feel like that’s just going to keep on growing.”
There is a danger that those practising will set the wrong kind of intentions, or practise with the wrong partner if they’re not aware of the risks. “I would not be doing it with someone that I just met late last night,” Marie explains.
“Their energy needs to be pure and clean and clear. You can ask for any energy to be cleared before, but you definitely have to be able to trust them because you’re opening up your aura, you’re opening up your body, and you don’t want to be manifesting the bad stuff in your life.
“You need to be clear on what you’re wanting to manifest in your life because you will just manifest someone that could be potentially very challenging for you or someone that could not necessarily be such a contribution to your life. You just have to be super mindful of what you want,” Marie concludes.
Johnston also echoes those beliefs, calling on witches to be “responsible” in their practice. “I really encourage responsibility in terms of the power that comes with sexual energy,” she says. “So not using it to manipulate or not using it for ego desires. Ensure that what you are calling in or utilising this magick for comes from a really loving space.”
So, once you’ve set a mindful intention for your practice, you can start to “ground and protect” your energy. “This isn’t just for sex magick, but especially for sex magick because it’s such a powerful energy,” Johnston says. “Sexual energy is a very high energy, so really look after yourself.”
From there, you can start to think about setting up your physical space and the type of “tools” you might want to assist you. Carney says: “I dress up, put good underwear on, put on some music that I like that is relevant to what I want to manifest - I too use Cardi B’s ‘Bodak Yellow!’”
But others may want to light candles and incense or charge their tarot cards, crystals or sex toys in the moon or sunlight prior to using them: “There are so many tools that witchcraft has available that can also accelerate the spell.”
Here comes the sexy bit. “Once you’re visualising what it is you want when you get to the point of orgasm, release that energy and what it is that you want to happen in the world,” Carney explains. And like any good sex, aftercare needs to follow. “Slowly calm yourself down and [affirm] that ‘I have released that into the universe. It is done. I am very happy and contented.’”
We’re pretty confident that the endorphins are going to flow after an orgasm, and after positively affirming your future, anyway.