17. BLOODY VALENTINES

"Not even their alliances are made without the shedding of blood ; the partners in the compact wound themselves, and when the blood gushes out, they mingle the stream and taste of it when it is mixed. This they consider to be the most assured pledge of eternal loyalty and trust."     
          -- Pomponius Mela De Situ Orbis, II, 1

"Mon ostie de saint-sacrament de calice de crisse!"
          -- M and 'Tin


     One of the first rituals we (the doomed lovers) took part in was (in retrospect, A DANGEROUS AND STUPID IDEA) called The Dark Trick : the sharing of each other's blood. Vampires imbibe blood to exchange its narcotic properties, and to instill the Living Word Virus into the Host. We used the sacred tool of the Vein, the syringe, as the holy vessel to be filled. Gazing with reverence at the sacrament's crimson / scarlet palette, we uttered third-eye-given, telepathic oaths of fidelity.....and pushed the plungers.

     A treasured, immeasurable, understanding pervaded our consciousness, as our rivulets commingled in mutual injections. I felt a supreme light-headedness, almost to a faint, attributing it to the romantic nature of our daring duet (not considering the potential danger in assuming another's blood type) (Warning : I later realized this is potentially lethal; Acute Hemolytic Transfusion Reaction is responsible for an estimated 20 annual deaths in the U.S. - Do not do this at home). 

     Our needle exchange existed beyond such idiosyncrasies. We believe the spirited intention decreed by ritual magic ensures protection, and the extension of our good faith to supersede the boundaries of general scientific brouhaha. The rite bestowed a remarkable joining of our pentacular essences. We were way beyond the infectious stage!.......(oh so young and naive).

    Venice Mural Art by Luke Brown 

     In the circles of the strange folk with which we dance; the FEY,

a given, antiquated knowing, pervades our core (the state of being Enchanted or Charmed). The act of blood sharing may have originated in M and 'Tin's maternal, Mohican roots, as Iroquois blood brothers ritually slashed their forearms, in the act of binding cuts, thereby sealing their fate as allies (equally a tradition in the twin's paternal, Scot / Celtic ancestry). Sirius lovers from time immemorial, instinctively crave the sweetness of one another's blood - Bloody Valentines - belying Vampyrean roots.

     M's Aquarian, and my Piscean nature, distilled eccentric, alembic fluids (the Water-Bearer and Depth-Dreamer, respectively). One of our learned friends, a disciple of Sri Aurobindo, well-versed in esoteric lore and Eastern Tantric traditions, facilitated our introduction to Yoga. He spoke of the internal sustenance of human beings as potentially alchemical, in granting Immortality, or Longevity, at the very least. All the essences needed for Perpetual Rejuvenation are produced and secreted by our orgasmic body-chemistry....in an ever-lasting state of Ecstatic Bliss. The bio-luminescent seed of the male, its cosmic flux and intergalactic pollen, is chock-full of nutrients! 
     Likewise, the secretions, or holy dew, of the female, is a rich and nourishing nectar. When stimulated, the mammary glands of a woman's breasts produce milk, whether lactating for a child or a lover. Add to these potions her oceanic, Creatrix, moon-cycle blood, and lovers may fortuitously sip a mighty brew of Immortality : the famed red and white lions' libation of Alchemical Lore. Golden Rays of thee Inner Soul Fire, awakened by cosmically libidinous, devotional interplay. Getting It On with the G - U - R - U! (Sanskrit GU = Darkness and RU = Light).

     "The man in the moon drinks claret" was a popular medieval toast. Claret was the traditional refreshment of kings, as well as a synonym for blood (translated "Enlightenment", "Clarity", and "Clear Ray"). Yogic Sadhu sects in India, and Wiccan tantric covens, have championed these recipes, calling for a Magickal Blend into Practical Reality. The practice of Tantra, i.e. seeking knowledge via the sensuality / sexuality of shared (and retained) inner essences (flesh-sucking cum-munion) - mirrors Love's Quest - to invoke the God and Goddess Within. 

     In orgiastic ritual, we seek to heal / mimic the fertility of the land (the regenerative dew) - enacting ceremonial / theatrical, pagan Arts of the Coven-ant. The Fey Craft seeks to sustain Itself, in draughts of Thee Intimate Grail; as a sole form of nutrient uptake, however, it remains elusive. Tribal revivals promise delights in tropical paradises over the rainbow. We continued to delve into the Inner Sanctum; imbibing the sacramental aspects of our Bloody Marys, with whole-hearted, Energized Enthusiasm.1  

1 Crowley, Aleister, Energized Enthusiasm