Lately, the practice of “karezza” — in which people have sex without orgasm in hopes of forming a deeper connection — has been getting increased attention . But it's not the first movement that tries to change the way we have sex. Others have included such unusual elements as giant wooden boxes, mass marriages, and masturbating on pictures of demons.
Karezza's foundational text, Karezza: Ethics of Marriage.
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Karezza
Karezza, invented by gynecologist Alice Bunker Stockham in 1896, is a practice wherein people have sex without orgasm — on purpose. It's okay if orgasm happens, but it's not the goal. Some practitioners go months without orgasm, and even aspire to avoid it for their entire lives, all while having plenty of intercourse. The goal is to improve emotional connection, in part by moderating the hormonal highs and lows that come with orgasm.
It may seem extreme, but for some people it could be beneficial. Dr. Diana Hoppe, an ob-gyn and author of Healthy Sex Drive, Healthy You, says karezza could encourage bonding between partners by taking the emphasis off orgasm. Especially if partners are feeling disconnected from each other, karezza could help them focus on each other rather than on their own sexual gratification. And she thinks the practice may be growing in popularity due to "our 24/7 bombardment with social media" — karezza may serve as a "meditative sexual experience" where people learn to be in the moment rather than dwelling on the past, the future, or what's happening on Twitter.
However, Hoppe also notes that there's nothing wrong with having an orgasm, and karezza could cause problems if one partner ends up feeling they've been denied sexual release.
Sex magic
A number of mystics and other thinkers throughout history have ascribed magical powers to sex. Nineteenth-century writer Paschal Beverly Randolph believed that couples could use sexual intercourse to induce visions and even make wishes come true. Orgasm of both parties was required to produce results, and sex with prostitutes didn't count. Famous occultist Aleister Crowley was also a believer in sex magic — he wrote that ejaculating on a demon's special symbol could open up communication with said demon.
Sex magic proponent Aleister Crowley.
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