Maria DeNaglowska, the Sophia of Montparnasse  (1883-1936)

By Tzeenj

Ms. DeNaglowska had an Aeonic theory not unlike that
of Joachim of Flores, starting with an Age of the
Father, than of the Son, followed by the present Age
of the Mother, DeNaglowska's "Third Term of the
Trinity".  According to Nikolas and Zeena Schreck:

"Naglowska did not envision her Third Era of the
Mother as a dark age of doom, but the concept of a
spiritual age ruled by the Leftwards Shakti power of
Woman and the previously reviled powers of
Satan/Lucifer can be seen as a Western form of the
Kali Yuga".
   ("Demons of the Flesh", p192)

Rather like in Vama Marg Tantra, DeNaglowska's
techniques are regarded as the use of the forces which
bind as the fuel of liberation.

Her idea of the New Age bringing reconciliation of
Lucifer/Satan with God anticipates Robert DeGrimston's
similar ideas some 30 years later.

 Although she used Satanic imagery extensively, her
overall paradigm seemed more Gnostic, and Julius Evola
(said to have had a fling with Ms. DeNaglowska)
speculated that the Satanic imagery was possibly for
shock value or, at best, deconditioning purposes.

Remarkably, her extremely-public and  overtly sexual
"Satanic" Magickal group drew little in the way of ire
from the local French populace, it's being called an
"interesting religious experiment" at one point.
Remarkable considering the treatment her contemporary
Aleister Crowley received around that time.

The primary group rite of her Fleche d'Or Magickal
group was the "precisely choreographed and controlled"
 "Mass of Gold", a practice which seems to resemble
the Vama Marg Tantrik Chakra Puja, couples forming a
"magical chain" for raising power.   This rite was
preceded by a meditative dance that has been compared
to the practices of another prominent Russian mystic,
Georges Gurdjieff.

Another, more risky practice was the "Trial of the
Hanging"- a variation of the infamous autoerotic
asphyxiation, only done with a partner, in which the
participant was sexually stimulated, then willingly
hanged, then couples (withholding ejaculation- "he who
goes through the Trial must remain dry until the end")
 with another participant, during which the ligature
was released, inducing a state described as "above all
delights", inducing "the explosive penetration of the
resplendent woman at the sublime moment of Holy
Coitus", transforming the participant in to the
"sublime madman of the Secret Doctrines". It's been
said that a modern Sex Magick group has continued this
practice.

(kids, don't try this at home!)

DeNaglowska's practices appear to have some similarity
to Kundalini Work as well, using sexual energy to
blast through the psyche, resulting in either
Illumination of madness. Her practices constitute  a
"second wedding" culminating in  the transformation of
the individual in to a "Messiah".

The Divine Feminine plays a major role in
DeNaglowska's practices, and many of her practices
centered around her specially-trained priestesses, the
Sophiales, "vanguard of the New Matriarchy"
(remarkably similar to the Tantrik Suvasini, the
Sophiale also acted as embodiment of the Divine
Feminine during ritual).  Male Initiates were referred
to as "Knights of the Heart". In DeNaglowska's vision,
all young women of age 17 and over would be trained as
Sex Magick priestesses, aiding in the balancing of
sexual polarities, which DeNaglowska saw as one of the
sources of the world's problems- seeing Sex Magick as
also having a wider, social purpose.  This seems
reminiscent of Wilhelm Reich's ideas, and DeNaglowska
also had ideas akin to Reich's "Orgastic Potency"
concept.  Her ideal of the sexo-spiritually
Illuminated woman was called "La Sagesse".
According to her "The Priestesses of Love are destined
to prepare the future of humanity"

The Initiatory service involved drinking from a
chalice resting on the pubic area of the Priestess and
swearing "I will research with my companions the
erotic act of Initiation, which transforms the heat in
light, revealing Lucifer in the Satanic Shadows".

Her circle included, among others, Georges Bataille
and Jean Poulhon. William Seabrook was said to have
been involved at some time.  She's been said to have
had some contact with Rasputin, or at least with the
Khlysti sect (she did a translation of a biography on
the man), which may have influenced her Magickal ideas
(possibly another origin for the aforementioned Mass
of Gold").  She also had some contact with P.B.
Randolph's ideas, and did a translation of his "Magica
Sexualis".  Like many Mages of her day, she also had
some interaction with the Theosophical Society.

Sadly, however, it seems that Fleche d'Or became too
much of a personality cult centered around
DeNaglowska, and after her death the group floundered,
despite her exhortations for them to continue on
without her.  A short-lived  spin-off group called
"Christ-Roi" carried on a bit longer, but eventually
collapsed as well, leaving her ideas to languish in
relative obscurity today.

Primary sources:

"Demons of the Flesh"- Nikolas and Zeena Schreck
"Eros and the Mysteries of Love"- Julius Evola
"New Flesh Palladium"- Robert North.
"Carnal Alchemy"- Crystal Dawn and Stephen Flowers