In this installment of Practical Magic, Lisa Stardust explains sex magic, and how to use orgasms to manifest your best self. Always remember that magic is for believers, but this column can also simply serve as a guide to getting in touch with yourself — magically or not.

Let’s talk about sex, baby! Did you know that orgasms can help manifest desires and bring forth dreams? In magic, orgasms are considered to be the ultimate magical force. In fact, occultists believe that orgasms can help cleanse the body, produce magical power, and are a vital tool in manifesting desires.

“The alchemic process of creation is our birthright,” bruja, artist, and botanica owner, Taylor Cordova, says about sex magic.”Through sacred sex, we find a particularly ripe portal for making our wildest dreams come true and drawing our hearts desire into our energetic field.” This allows us to be at harmony with the world and ourselves, using our inner strength and power to shift the universe, allowing us to use mystical forces from within to attain our hopes.

Here’s what you need to know about how to do that:

What kind of spells can you cast with orgasms?

You can attempt to cast any spell you want using sex magic, but, the first thing to remember is that magic works best when done on yourself. Using magic on others is a dangerous game — it can have unpredictable results and shouldn’t be done because it’s attempting to manipulate another’s will. Practicing magic on others can work against you in the end. That's why the kind of sex we're trying to make magical here is the kind you have with yourself! The best way to elevate your inner witchy spirit is to try manifesting your own personal goals—like catching a new love, healing your heart, getting a raise, or promotion at work.

When manifesting, it’s important to set a clear intention. This is a grounding exercise, in which we meditate on the desired outcome, enabling us to understand what we truly want. Intentions help us grow and amplify our dreams. The key to setting the right intention is to be specific. Letting the universe know the minutiae of our visions will help us cultivate our aspirations clearly and quickly. Pam Grossman, author of Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power, suggests “focusing on what it is you are hoping to manifest with so much attention that you can feel it in your whole body. It can be an image, a sentence, even just a word, but the key is to infuse it with as much intense, directed energy as you can.”

Techniques for Sex Magic:

The Art of Visualization

Now that you have set your intention, it’s time to meditate on it through the act of visualization. Since we’re focusing on magic for yourselves, let’s also focus on self-pleasure. When you start to masturbate, Kristen Sollee, author of Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring the Self Positive suggests tuning “into the goal you have in mind and channel all of the electric energy of your orgasm into that visualization.” This will allow your energy to mystically connect with your intention and give it power, potentially enabling it to come true.

Charge your Sex Toys Under the Moon

A radical approach of incorporating the lunar vibrations into your sex magic manifestation is to charge your sex toys under the moon. Chakrubs makes crystal vibrators and yoni eggs that can help heal your aura and revive your energy. Sollee says “pink quartz is a great stone for conjuring self-love, amethyst for spiritual guidance, or obsidian for working through trauma.”