I'm fairly new to the world of magick, and before I cast my first spell, I have a few questions. I have done a fair bit of research, but it still leaves me with a few questions that I need clarified.
1. How do you raise, direct and release energy? Is this done before, after, or during a spell?
2. I have read somewhere that orgasming is a form of raising energy, but can this only be done when using spells for sexual purposes?
3. What exactly is divine blessings? and do should they be invoked before casting a spell?
Properly managing the flow of energy takes time and practice. Usually with intention in mind, you are able to raise, direct, and release energy at will. The key is to trust yourself that the energy is doing what you are willing it to do (within reason, of course).
Orgasm can raise and release a lot of energy, yes, but doesn't always require to be for sexual purposes. Some people who claim themselves to be psychic vampires feed off of the energy released during sex because there's so much energy being released. I'd suggest looking into Kamasutra if you want to learn more.
Divine blessings are blessings received when you perform a ritual/prayer in a gods/goddesses name. It's sort of like a transaction/deal. You pay homage or give offerings to any one of the gods/goddesses in exchange for them to help you with whatever spell it is you are casting (ex. if you were to give offerings to Aphrodite to help with a love spell). It should be noted that they will not always help you if they don't feel they can benefit from it. So using gods/goddesses aren't always required. It's best to just rely on yourself and your own abilities.
Another aspect of using orgasm in magic is seen in chaos magic. A lot of traditions recognize the creative energy involved with sexual release, such as Tantric Yoga. In chaos magic, it's used as a very direct way to basically pour raw creation-related energy into a sigil. There are a lot of explanations available online, if you're interested in more specifics.
That said, a lot of more experienced practitioners will agree with its effectiveness, but still consider its use among the less powerful methods of attaining energetic gnosis for a working. Some other methods are physical exhaustion and pain, for two examples. Repetition, such as tapping a drum or chanting, are also applicable. As for the former, it's the use of physical experience to affect the mental experience. As for the latter, it's more purely mental in nature.
As for how orgasm works, it's basically this: The sigil is created. This associates the intention with the image, from literal words to subconscious association with the abstract shape. Upon release, the image should be recalled in the mind or the person should look at the image in such a way that it pervades the vision. This way, the exertion and energy of that process is meant to entirely be (figuratively) poured into the symbol, giving its deeper meaning power to be set into motion.
On to raising, directing, and releasing energy:
Raising energy happens during ritual, getting more into general spellwork than the above. It's basically what the ritual of the spell is meant to do: focus and build emotional, magical, whatever, energy associated towards the desired result.
And that's basically what directing the energy is: It's making sure every bit of the process, the physical and emotional effort, are meant for that desired result. You could possibly think of it like a flashlight versus a bare bulb. When the small light is turned on, if it's out in the open, its light (or energy) goes every which way. But place a reflector behind it and a lens in front of it, and suddenly all of its light is more concentrated in a single direction. Configuring the reflector and lens can affect how broad of a beam is projected, whether for a general area of light or a very small, intense point.
Releasing energy can be explained similar to this, though opinions will certainly vary. The ritual of spellwork is meant to culminate at a point when you've accumulated all of the energy from the emotional and physical effort. Some witches I've spoken with have talked about it being almost tangible, especially in a group setting with their coven. It is all directed at the intention of the spell, the desired result. The flashlight has a fresh charge, and the light will shine only on its target. The release, then is that energy being set into motion, being sent to the desired end result you've worked so hard to achieve. It's built up, and set loose. The switch is thrown. It may be intense, it may be subtle. It can vary based on the specific spell and on the person casting it. Some people experience an intense reaction, while others may simply close their prayer, chant, or ritual with a simple, "Thank you."
