dyanaprajna2011
Dharmapala
What exactly is meant by "left hand path"? Is there a working definition, or a basic set of ideas?
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Definition of Left Hand Path
- Thread starter dyanaprajna2011
- Start date
A definition that captures the majority of the movement? I’d say folks creating their own dark-themed Total Environment and expanding that private world with others in real life or cyberspace usually through unacknowledged LARPing, sometimes not sharing it at all. A set of behaviors that typically entail wand waving, cloak wearing, secret jargon, and upside-down pentagram sketching in one’s bedroom with the idea that one is invoking the infernal powers of the cosmos to do one’s bidding and growing into a divine powerful being (or just a total prick). The latter usually entails plenty of confirmation bias, out-of-context experiences, and mental orgasm techniques as positive feedback that keeps the cycle going.
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Gjallarhorn
N'yog-Sothep
The historian Dave Evans studied self-professed followers of the Left-Hand Path in the early 21st century, making several observations about their practices:
-They often reject societal convention and the status quo, which some suggest is in a search for spiritual freedom. As a part of this, LHP followers embrace magical techniques that would traditionally be viewed as taboo, for instance using sex magic or embracing Satanic imagery. As Mogg Morgan wrote, the "breaking of taboos makes magick more potent and can lead to reintegration and liberation, [for example] the eating of meat in a vegetarian community can have the same liberating effect as anal intercourse in a sexually inhibited straight society."
-They often question religious or moral dogma, instead adhering to forms of personal anarchism.
-They often embrace sexuality and incorporate it into magical ritual.
Left-hand path and right-hand path - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
-They often reject societal convention and the status quo, which some suggest is in a search for spiritual freedom. As a part of this, LHP followers embrace magical techniques that would traditionally be viewed as taboo, for instance using sex magic or embracing Satanic imagery. As Mogg Morgan wrote, the "breaking of taboos makes magick more potent and can lead to reintegration and liberation, [for example] the eating of meat in a vegetarian community can have the same liberating effect as anal intercourse in a sexually inhibited straight society."
-They often question religious or moral dogma, instead adhering to forms of personal anarchism.
-They often embrace sexuality and incorporate it into magical ritual.
Left-hand path and right-hand path - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Orias
Left Hand Path
Left Hand Path, to me, symbolizes the basic principals our brain interprets in accord to how it functions. Psychologically speaking its more appealing to me. Its like martial arts or chess in a way, one move sets up the next move, one step follows the next, and they are all intended to implement a final move.
More importantly, LHP symbolizes darkness, and the more psychologically intense apprehensions and visions of the world.
LHP often defines a practical world around us in a way that relates to our own abilities and capabilities concerning these abilities. And the range is vast, from merely being able to think and articulate well versus being able to perform under duress, the LHP exists separately of RHP only in that they can move and function separately of each other. If you think about it literally, a man can loose his right hand and still use his left, or he can loose his right eye and still use his left (or vice versa of course). Though typically they are used to compliment each other. An orthodox view with an unorthodox view has always pushed the intuitive man to create and excel in his own self mastery and influence of the world around him.
Xeper!
What is darkness from a LHP perspective?
(I am a complete disaster at understanding Freudian / Jungian notions of shadow and darkness. Let's see if you can help me there.)
So the LHP choice of accepting darkness is, generally speaking, also (or even equivalently?) a choice for being radically honest with oneself, accepting of one's own desires, and respecting them instead of fighting them when the times comes to decide between pleasing oneself or pleasing the expectations of wider society? Would that be correct?
So the LHP choice of accepting darkness is, generally speaking, also (or even equivalently?) a choice for being radically honest with oneself, accepting of one's own desires, and respecting them instead of fighting them when the times comes to decide between pleasing oneself or pleasing the expectations of wider society? Would that be correct?
Orias
Left Hand Path
Almost.
Its not so much about not fighting them but being your own pack leader of yourself (and those around you). In a way, its a constant battle with desire, and the exercises which typically involve LHP style thinking can easily lead to a more mundane and less potentially destructive way of life. This is why many LHPer's tend to be thinkers, play instruments, or do some other physical activity.
Though a lot of people can be accounted for in this example, many people can also easily be defined as LHP.
So, it has to do with developing and expressing one's own identity and particularities instead of being washed aside by societal pressure?
Orias
Left Hand Path
Yes. While of course remaining aware and maintaing the sanity to uphold a form of social pressure and structure.
Infinitum
Possessed Bookworm
This describes it pretty well. I would like to add that magick isn't required, just a very useful and therefore used technique. Historically it was never a part of it.
Gjallarhorn
N'yog-Sothep
It's basically conformity vs nonconformity.
I would say auto theism is a big part too.
Threads like these gives me a chance to plug my favorite Initiatory School of the Left-Hand Path which can be found at www.xeper.org.
Hail, Set!
/Adramelek\
Hail, Set!
/Adramelek\
Gjallarhorn
N'yog-Sothep
Yeah...because it's unconventional, hence nonconforming... :slap:
dyanaprajna2011
Dharmapala
What I find interesting is the lack of terminology normally associated with what's generally considered evil. So, it seems to me, that the LHP is not so much about good versus evil, as much as it is about self versus others. While, what's generally considered RHP is more about altruism, LHP is more about the self. This, of course, means breaking the status quo or social norms, such as taboos, as the practitioner feels fit to do so. Applied spiritually, this would suggest things such as not worrying about morality as such, or maybe even redefining it. With that in mind, what would be considered a main goal of LHP?
Gjallarhorn
N'yog-Sothep
RHP goals are typically to unite with some higher power, at least in the magical traditions. LHP typically seeks to become the higher power or overcome the higher power. Same end state, different method.
For me as a Setian my highest goal, my greatest purpose is Self-directed Self-Creation i.e. Xeper (pronounced Khefer), an Egyptian verb meaning "To Become" or "I Have Come Into Being". We each have deep within us, within that very essence of our Self or psyche, which the Egyptians called Naos, an individual hidden Truth. The goal of Xeper, the purpose of the Great Work of Life is to uncover this Truth, to cultivate it, to Understand it, and to Become a living embodiment and perpetual remanifestation of it.
Xeper.
/Adramelek\
Gnothi seauton!
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