[Opinion] What is the Left Hand Path to you?

[HoldAll]

My point being, trading one God to other doesn't seem like in the essence of Left-Hand Path, where individual is put above all.

All the more power to you if they are helping you of course, but JCI=right hand and Demons=left hand isn't a good categorisation, imo.

That's exactly my problem with theistic Satanism. In one of the books I recently uploaded, can't remember which, the author stated what I suspected all along: "Satanism defines itself in opposition to Christianity". Some time ago I posted this Popular Satanism collection for a lark, just a small collection of a myriad of Satanic 'bibles', 'gospels', 'scriptures', etc. out there which I found disappointing because it's a missed chance to create something new, a really groundbreaking religion with a novel set of ethics and aestheics totally different from what has come before. Instead, those people have simply turned Satan into a Goth Jesus. Demonolaters aren't much different, worshipping demons like Catholics would pray to their saints. LaVey must be spinning in his grave…

I loved Stephen E. Flower's "Lords of the Left-Hand Path", @Wintruz's posts and what little I've read from Aquino's books, how the Left-Hand Path was all about disciplined self-development and radical individualism, which is an ideology I can respect but not the mindless faux-rebellious evil-chic herd celebrating Halloween all year round.

What do you get when you invert a cross? Answer: just another cross. It's all so depressing.

 

[tornribbon1402]

oh and also ! i actually heard about people doing nice things with their help . like one time , i heard of someone who found a dead kitten on the way near their home and put an incantation to a necromancy demon asking Him to care care of her soul in the after life on her fur . also some little flowers . isn't that ... a kind thing to do ... ?

 

[IllusiveOwl]

but why ? i've never heard of someone actually doing horrible things with demons . can you ... give some examples ... ?

In order to have any success with Magic, you need a roadmap to how the cosmos works at all levels, material, esthetic, divine, etc. if everyone and everything is good and cute, you're missing the yin and are half blind. Bad things don't necessarily exist, but bad actions occur, and virtually all of these bad things have to do with material motivations: list, greed, power, etc.

The demonic forces are interested in materiality, Jesus and Buddha were both offered the Earth as their kingdom before galvanizing to Truth. Therefore demons are traditionally used to further success in the material world, to gain wealth, power, Earthly knowledge, and to gratify lust. This can have LHP elements, as this is what many Black Magicians do, but a child rapist is certainly someone who is a slave to their lusts and enthralled by their evil base nature.

i heard of someone who found a dead kitten on the way near their home and put an incantation to a necromancy demon asking Him to care care of her soul in the after life on her fur . also some little flowers . isn't that ... a kind thing to do ... ?

This is a childish feel-good ritual, and is under the assumption that the kitten is in Hell and needs to be looked after by a demon. Really this conversation isn't even worth having and I'll stop responding to it to avoid further derailment on the subject of the LHP.

 

[tornribbon1402]

In order to have any success with Magic, you need a roadmap to how the cosmos works at all levels, material, esthetic, divine, etc. if everyone and everything is good and cute, you're missing the yin and are half blind. Bad things don't necessarily exist, but bad actions occur, and virtually all of these bad things have to do with material motivations: list, greed, power, etc.

The demonic forces are interested in materiality, Jesus and Buddha were both offered the Earth as their kingdom before galvanizing to Truth. Therefore demons are traditionally used to further success in the material world, to gain wealth, power, Earthly knowledge, and to gratify lust. This can have LHP elements, as this is what many Black Magicians do, but a child rapist is certainly someone who is a slave to their lusts and enthralled by their evil base nature.


This is a childish feel-good ritual, and is under the assumption that the kitten is in Hell and needs to be looked after by a demon. Really this conversation isn't even worth having and I'll stop responding to it to avoid further derailment on the subject of the LHP.

oh ... ok i understand !

 

[Amur]

LHP for me is pure Fire while RHP is pure Water.

 

[IllusiveOwl]

LHP for me is pure Fire while RHP is pure Water.

Could you elaborate on that? What about the paths makes you say that?

Your idea reminded me of a passage from Initiates of the Flame by Manly P Hall that explained worshippers of the living God symbolically being divided into Water and Fire as well, with Fire being the Sons of Cain, who grow through mind and wisdom, and the water route are the Sons of Seth, who worship through faith and emotion.

 

[Amur]

Could you elaborate on that? What about the paths makes you say that?

Your idea reminded me of a passage from Initiates of the Flame by Manly P Hall that explained worshippers of the living God symbolically being divided into Water and Fire as well, with Fire being the Sons of Cain, who grow through mind and wisdom, and the water route are the Sons of Seth, who worship through faith and emotion.

The Fire is the Divine Spark which we all Worship. The Water is the Loving Kindness or Chesed which flows through us.

 

[IllusiveOwl]

The Fire is the Divine Spark which we all Worship.

Can you explain the link between this and the Left Hand Path specifically? I'm not seeing the connection.

 

[Amur]

Can you explain the link between this and the Left Hand Path specifically? I'm not seeing the connection.

The link is that the essence of all Divinity is inside the Fire element or the Divine Spark. The connection is something that you manage yourself. But as LHP is mostly Self-Deification, it's through this self-deification of that Divine Spark which gives LHP it's character. In RHP you submit to this by surrendering, but in LHP you merely create another type of loop around it. Self-Deification is the key for LHP.

Did that explain it better?

**Edit note: We could also assume that "Taking a God-form" is another type of Self-deification, but it goes a bit around the topic "What is LHP". But still same phenomenom inside "Taking a God-form".

 

[Billionaire]

To me the LHP is the ideology that you are not required to worship anything but yourself. Sure, you can work with deities. But never bow to them. I suppose that's the gist of it for me.

LHP and RHP are both bullshit. Just pick up your grimoire and do magic

 

[JGVDRG]

In my perspective the Left Hand Path, (without mentioning the Vamachara initiated by religious outcasts in India, which consisted in a large compendium of spiritual practices and mysteries considered transgressive by the rules of standard forms of Hinduism, very roughly speaking) is the path of Separation, in opposition to the path of Dissolution (taken as Union by RHP practitioners). Which basically means going against the grain of the cosmological momentuum, knowing that the cosmos and it's creator(s) aims to engulf, assimilate and dissolve every consciousness that dwells within it's realm. Because the Macrocosmos is the Dream of another mind.

I personally like the Qabalistic reference to approach the mechanisms of both paths. The Dark Path, the Draconian (severity) Path, is the path of knowledge, ownership, to preserve and enhance individuality to heights beyond the Godly. Symbolically it could mean that this is the path that fulfills the Serpent's proposal to mankind with the offering of the Fruit of Knowledge. Going through the left pillar of the Tree of Life will lead the practitioner to the Tree of Death/Knowledge, the Qliphoth.

It means to take ownership of your own alchemical process and explore the dark evidences that exposes the very existence of the Cosmos as a hack full of flaws, backfires and accidents caused by a consciousness that cannot be taken as anything other than downright lost and incompetent. Honestly, to me, it means to radically deny the sugar-coated falsity carried by any conjecture about external reality, including philosophies, doctrines, religions, etc. This attitude will lead you to the Sinister Path eventually. It means to be full of Magic and Spirit, while accepting no hope beyond the Self's actual capabilities whatsoever.

 

[Anziel_Merkaba]

LHP is internally focused while RHP is externally focused. Real LHP practitioners put the self above all else as their ultimate form of self-actualization, while real RHP practitioners follow the idea that their ultimate form of self-actualization is unity with the world.

Personally I think both sides have their merits but to deny one for the other is the sort of absurd idealism that can never be fully realized in reality. Locking yourself into the LHP/RHP dichotomy because you imagine yourself to be this or that isn't really conducive to high-level practice when you realistically need a mix of both sides to self-actualize your path. A King in a vacuum is worthless, and a symbol to the world is weak.

Before someone goes all "muh demons and hate angels and God stoopid", Satanism only exists to be an anti-Christian church, and it's not really any more LHP than what it's trying to invert, even if it's core ideals do align well with the LHP. Don't be a larping edgelord, it's embarrassing to watch and you'll feel really stupid about it in 5 years.

 

[lumineth Realm Lord]

To me the LHP is the ideology that you are not required to worship anything but yourself. Sure, you can work with deities. But never bow to them. I suppose that's the gist of it for me.

Short answer: A path towards agency and self empowerment through embracing dark spirituality.

 

[Accipeveldare]

Short answer: A path towards agency and self empowerment through embracing dark spirituality.

"Dark" is replaced by "free" for me. The LHP is about embracing freedom in general but also with spirituality

 

[heavysm]

I view the left hand path, as exertion and practice of full free will. It is a lot simpler than most might make it seem, but it is exertion of full fluidity of thought and knowing that whatever karmic or consequence there might be, for any given situation...is fully taken into consideration, and I am still doing my best to exact my full will over my world and life. It is a lot safer than most might imagine. I had to say no to the purest view of the right hand path, because I work with prosperity and baneful magick quite deeply...but that should not have been an issue or problem anyway. I take on my enemies as I see fit, and I also work my business and baneful magick when I need.

This is not much of an issue when you consider that magick can deal with pretty much anything, but since this view makes me left hand path by default, and because...there is no such thing as staying completely safe, and only taking a view of goodness and light...on everything, then hey, I suppose going qliphoth and left hand path is certainly fine for anyone who wants more control out of life.

 

[Malignus]

The Left Hand Path is less a path and more a process of confronting and dismantling societal constructs to uncover personal truth. To say that standing up for the marginalized is historically LHP, isn’t entirely accurate. More, being marginalized or living on the margins is— and coping through that, often happens through the LHP.

If the climate of the times is puritanical Christianity, imagery of red horned demons, devils, and sexual liberation are appropriate, since these are transgressive. If the norms revolve around patriarchy, symbols of female empowerment and acts of liberation are transgressive. However, what if what’s trending is diversity, equality, and inclusion at the barrel of a gun?

Threats such as cancellation, loom ever greater in the lives of those who either don’t agree or question. The idea that the LHP now stands for the oppressed and heroes of social justice, is repulsive and antithetical to the spirit of the LHP, including its historical roots. Filling spaces, meant for LHP practice with people who only seek validation and virtue points, is a sign the term has becoming meaningless. Seeing LHP spaces include blacklists, full of rightfully banned authors, persons, and groups, proves most lost the point if ever they understood it to begin with.

 

[Sabbatius]

The Left Hand Path is less a path and more a process of confronting and dismantling societal constructs to uncover personal truth. To say that standing up for the marginalized is historically LHP, isn’t entirely accurate. More, being marginalized or living on the margins is— and coping through that, often happens through the LHP.

Wintruz:
At the core of adversarial practices is the accentuation of the psyche by casting it against the programs installed by society. By participating in a Black Mass or similar manifestation of Satanism, I affirm that I exist as an individual being, I go "against the grain" of socialisation. Although working through all of this deprogramming can take a while, these are only the very, very early stages of the Left Hand Path. A lot of people seem to get stuck at this level, perhaps because there's pleasure and excitement in LHP deprogramming (though this lessens with time) or perhaps because they like the idea of being a Satanist as a social role (though this really is more about LARPing within the confines of socialisation than any kind of initiation). Perhaps it's as far as they can go: I have seen, with my own eyes, forces halt dabblers from going any further, trapping them in endless chasing their own tails. The Left Hand Path has a very Darwinian aspect: it will destroy or distract those that it can and this is a good thing. It means only those with real character and insight will make it through.

Both Malignus' and Wintruz's replies are the most accurate to the core of Left-Hand Path philosophy and most geared towards the practice.

In the end, Right-Hand Path Practitioners seek Theosis. Left-Hand Path Practitoners seek Apotheosis. Thomas Karlsson once stated:

"The RHP leads to a conclusive and final, eternal goal, while the goal of the LHP is to arrive at a new beginning. The two roads have been compared to the two ways that one can follow a river. The RHP follows the river into the sea, while the LHP goes against the flow back to the spring. The LHP goes backwards and against the stream. When the magician reaches the spring he has the possibility to alter the direction of the river and create a new river if he wishes to."

 

[Viktor]

LHP is internally focused while RHP is externally focused.

Both LHP and RHP can be internally and externally focused, internal or external focus does not define LHP or RHP.

Confusion arises when somebody says that LHP is used for malevolent purposes (external focus), which makes no sense for self empowerment (internal focus).
Therefore for me LHP is two fold, it is used for malevolent purposes for external focus and empowerment for internal purposes.

For RHP, same doesn't apply, which is exclusively for benevolent purposes regardless of focus, but anyway focus is part of both.

 

[Anziel_Merkaba]

Both LHP and RHP can be internally and externally focused, internal or external focus does not define LHP or RHP.

Confusion arises when somebody says that LHP is used for malevolent purposes (external focus), which makes no sense for self empowerment (internal focus).
Therefore for me LHP is two fold, it is used for malevolent purposes for external focus and empowerment for internal purposes.

For RHP, same doesn't apply, which is exclusively for benevolent purposes regardless of focus, but anyway focus is part of both.

When I said the LHP was internally focused, I meant that it was about self-empowerment through the idolation of the self. The RHP is externally focused in the sense that it about unification with the All/world/ect.

I wasn't talking about the specific practices of each path, just the overall focus that serves as the root of each path. Both the LHP and RHP do external workings as well as internal workings, but I wasn't talking about that.

 

[therootbeersprite]

formatting error, apologies!

Post automatically merged: Aug 17, 2025

When I said the LHP was internally focused, I meant that it was about self-empowerment through the idolation of the self. The RHP is externally focused in the sense that it about unification with the All/world/ect.

I wasn't talking about the specific practices of each path, just the overall focus that serves as the root of each path. Both the LHP and RHP do external workings as well as internal workings, but I wasn't talking about that.

Yes, this exactly. I think that the best way for me to describe what LHP is to me, is to talk about Grounding versus Centering. Grounding is about connecting yourself into the energies of the Earth and greater cosmos. Centering is about maintaining and supporting your Self in the midst of all those other energies. Grounding is RHP, Centering is LHP. Both are important. Tall trees need large root networks to support them, and large root networks function because of the input from tall trees. As with all things, balance is important. Neither path is inherently "good" or "evil" and both can be harmful when taken to extremes.