Glossary - exWitch Australia (formerly 'Born Again Pagan')

LEFT HAND PATH (LHP)

The Left Hand Path is a solitary, individualistic and deeply personal area of Neo-Pagan and Occult practice that is based on self development, self analysis, self empowerment. Altruism is generally materialistically equated as long term selfishness.

All forms of Satanism are considered Left Hand Path, although they are frequently considered deluded by non-Satanists who follow this philosophy.

Many view the Left Hand Path as one in line with Christian Satanism or Diabolism, and it is frequently called "evil" and "dark" even by religions such as Wicca that are without a concept of 'absolute evil'. However, this is a somewhat inaccurate or rather an 'insufficient' view of the Left Hand Path and those who follow it.

Followers of the Left Hand Path tend to consider themselves a 'persecuted minority' and often have had to remain in the darkness or face severe persecution from the religions that (they claim) ironically call themselves "good". In fact, those on the Left Hand Path see it as providing freedom from such "restrictive" thoughts as Good or Evil, or the moral right of the day.

Features of LHP philosophies frequently include:

Emphasis on freethought, not dogma or strict systems.
Highly individualistic
A distinct rejection of absolutes and moralism
Personal, not universal.
Freethought, Individualism and moral relativism

Left Hand Path philosophies all have an emphasis on freethought; not dogma or strict systems. The "rules" in LHP religions are frequently seen as merely "guidelines". The same attitude it applied to all knowledge, including that of the knowledge of reality and morals. Subjectivism and relativism are almost universally assumed amongst followers of the Left Hand Path.

The term 'Left-Hand Path' has become an umbrella term of self-designation used by certain contemporary ritual magicians and is usually taken to incorporate practitioners of Thelemic Magick (beginning with Aleister Crowley), Tantrik magick, and Chaos Magick (inspired by both Crowley and the magickal techniques devised by the occult artist Austin O. Spare, 1886-1956).

The notion of the Left-Hand Path is derived from the Tantric term vama-marga ('left-path'), i.e., the Left-Hand Path in Tantrism Its usage represents a deliberate attempt by Left-Hand Path magicians to transcend the value-laden dichotomy of 'black' versus 'white' magic because it is held to reflect the Judeo-Christian distinction between good and evil.

see also BLACK MAGIC and BROTHERS OF THE SHADOW

PLEASE NOTE:
One of the major problems with 'defining' Paganism and/or its beliefs and practices is that it is an 'organic' movement, in that it is undergoing constant change and re-evaluation from within, and as such any 'one-size-fits-all' approach to understanding Paganism will be found wanting.

Due to the very 'organic' nature of Paganism, and the many differing Paths and Traditions within it, in many cases no one definition may be universally accepted by all Pagans. Therefore, where such cases of possible conflicting and/or contradictory meanings of certain terms occur I have endevoured to give not only the generally accepted meaning, but also any major 'variations' in belief and/or practice.

Christians who believe this difference in meaning of certain key terms, beliefs and practices to be unique to Paganism need to remember that such conflicts also arise within the Body of Christ - the Church. Take for instance the differing practices amongst Christians concerning Baptism and the different attitudes towards women in the clergy.

- Jean-Luc