Tania, Halea's handmaid responsible for sexual pleasure is not surprisingly one of Halea's most popular handmaids. She bargains with mortals for "hours of ecstasy" in return she is a demanding mistress.
Few members of the church have mastered all of these techniques, but the priestesses are quite adept at teaching them. Each "act" is in fact a series of techniques used to enhance pleasure. Male adepts practiced in the "10 forgotten acts" are much sought after. Particularly those who have mastered "control."
The first step toward ecstasy is deep diaphragmatic breath. This technique is both taught by the priestesses and enhanced during religious rites through drugs and incense designed to stimulate deep breathing. Deep breathing is the foundation upon which all other techniques are built. It continues throughout the entire sequence of the acts.
The second step toward ecstasy is meditation upon Halea herself and the sacred act. Meditation is often taught as a technique to relax the participants. More advanced meditation techniques help stimulate arousal. It is rumored that some Priestesses are able to achieve ecstasy by breathing and meditation alone.
Awakening is a process by which Haleans prepare for intimate relations. The act is generally practiced with a partner, but can also be done alone. One partner lies on their back (usually the woman who in sacred rites is seen as a manifestation of the Goddess), and the other gently touches/massages each of seven sacred body zones. This activation is said to awaken the goddess who lives within all living things and especially within women. By awakening Halea within ones partner, the adherent believes that Halea will share in the intimate act, and if the adherents are lucky contribute to it.
The fourth act, erotic massage is taught to all adherents. A variety of mundane and erotic techniques are taught. Erotic massage is designed primarily to relax the recipient, and (in women) to further the gentle "Awakening" process. As such it does not include direct stimulation of the Genitalia.
When "Halea emerges from her slumber"--as a woman becomes aroused, the massage advances to direct stimulation of the genitalia. Considerable attention is paid to technique here, as the priestesses are quite adept at finding and utilizing the various erogenous zones on both men and women. One particular technique involving stimulation of multiple erogenous zones at one time is oft practiced and known as Tania's grip. It is believed that this technique is the preferred method of pleasing the Goddess, as it is the method most adherents attribute to Tania when "assisting" her Goddess.
There are as wide a variety of techniques for erotic coupling as one can imagine. The variety is there for the adepts use, but the sixth act is often ignored or reduced to symbolic coupling at high mass and other religious rites, particularly those that are attended by priestesses (and their chosen followers). The sixth act is also as far as many adherents advance in the dogma of Halean sexuality. Most Halean low mass ceremonies on the other hand end in an orgy of the sixth act.
Few who attempt to awaken the Goddess are capable of doing so. Those who are successful are said to have transcended the seventh heaven. Sacred coupling is a technique easily mastered by priestesses, but it is much more difficult for the male adept. The object of Sacred coupling is to extend the union until the female partner has had one or more climaxes. The longer the stimulation continues, the more likely that is to occur. Thus the male partner must seek to delay his own gratification as a sacrifice to Halea, and to his partner. Further as the man learns "control", his own ecstasy becomes more intense, and can be extended greatly. Such ecstasy is referred to as "Passion with the Goddess."
In order to enhance male control, the "secret language" is practiced in lieu of more mundane sexual technique. The object is to provide maximum stimulation to the female, and minimum to the male. The secret language is the process whereby both parties refrain from any motion other than the direct interaction of the genitalia. Such fine muscular control is developed through various exercises throughout much of the Halean teachings.
Sacred coupling is the act whereby the female ecstasy can be extended for anywhere from thirty minutes to several hours. It is during this period of Passion with the Goddess, that Halea is most likely to manifest herself in the female form. Sacred coupling between man and woman is only possible when the male adept has developed complete control. It is said that Halea is not awakened within a woman's body until the male has provided ecstasy for two hours or more...
The 7th Ring of Heaven is a group ritual practiced by many Halean
priestesses and some lay adherents. The process is a combination
of the sacred coupling rite with a variety of other rituals.
The rite involves a priestess (or high priestess) and her partner,
and seven women (or priestesses) and their husbands/partners.
The rite begins with each woman selecting a small token (usually
a gold coin) to represent one of each of Halea's seven handmaids.
The token is then placed in a box, and each partner pays a tithe
to the church and is given in exchange a token at random. The
women then enter the rite with the partner who selected her token.
The newly formed couples orient themselves in a ring around the
officiating priestess and her partner, and undergo each of the
previous ten acts in turn. Throughout the process, the officiating
priestess is thought to be a particular manifestation of the goddess.
She is "displayed" prominently, and worshipped
as if she were the goddess herself.