The Advantageous Left Hand Path
By: Jason M. Perdue (a.k.a. Frater Omega)
THE Left Hand Path, properly understood, isn’t a path taken for the mere excitement or the illusion of simply “being” sinister or evil. Most who partake of this notion are missing the enlightening aspects of the Left Hand Path. The Left Hand Path, believe it or not, is a path to enlightenment. Remember, even when one brings Lucifer into the equation, it is well known that Lucifer translates literally to “bringer of enlightenment.” The adversarial nature of “Satan,” who is the “accuser,” is a strange and different strand of the Luciferian thread. Lucifer, in the Left Hand Path, stands alone and separate from Satan. The two names have entirely different meanings. However, while both names and archetypes have a different place in the Left Hand Path, both also have merit to those who choose one of the other or both to assist them in guiding them down the Black Flame lit path of the LHP. Remember, first, that the Left Hand Path has roots in the lesser known religions and traditions such as Paganism, Tantra, Gnosticism, and others. In these traditions, the noble seeker of enlightenment and truth doesn’t necessarily hide from their sexual and carnal nature. They rather seek to embrace this aspect of themselves without repressing it. In fact, the aspirant of the LHP is unrepentant and takes pleasure in the pleasures of the flesh. No apologies will be made.
It is well known that I, the author, do not claim to be a Satanist. Satanism is a relatively new phenomenon (in name). It’s always been there, but it was there under a different name and a different venue. Many new aspirants who call themselves Satanists are often disillusioned by the vast number of people who proclaim themselves Satanists, yet have no real grasp on the intricacies of the path itself. Some who are Satanists in name aren’t seeking enlightenment. They want people to ooh and ahh at their shocking attitudes and opinions. They want to bring about fear in others just for the sake of stirring shit up. (There’s nothing inherently wrong with causing fear in others, so long as it serves a purpose.) The real Satanist knows that with enlightenment comes the enjoyment of life. He or she is enlightened. But because of the adversarial nature of Satan, the name intrigues and attracts many who are disturbed, pseudo-rebellious, or even asinine. It would be fair to say that the true Satanists of our time can spot this form of forgery. Many of the frauds proclaim the “one and only true path to enlightenment.” Sound familiar? Yes, perhaps they should go back to the mainstream Church from which they came.
Bearing in mind that Satanism brings about seekers of truth who participate in fraud, so do other Left Hand Path traditions. Try finding a serious practitioner of Tantra. Someone who truly understands the path, someone who isn’t merely trying to get laid. But here again, just trying to get laid is no sin to the aspirant of the Left Hand Path. However, the serious aspirant calls it just that—trying to get laid—instead of doing it under the pretense of something else. The true Left Hand Path Magician has no need to hide under false pretenses. He or she makes no apologies for their views or actions. Often times, people who travel the Left Hand Path are more honest with themselves AND others than those who embrace the mainstream religions claiming to detest the liar. And even those who are so honest, if the need should arise for them to utilize the element of deceit in their lives, they’ll do that as well and (of course) make NO apologies for that either.
Many don’t understand how the Left Hand Path meets with the occult. It’s really simple though. Occult means “hidden” or “veiled.” We need not hide under secrets sold to us by some organization that we pay hundreds of dollars to in order to sell us their secrets. The truth is that we hide which is Divine within ourselves from the swine in everyday life that would desecrate or pervert our pearls of wisdom and knowledge. We keep ourselves hidden from the vulgar who would defecate on the altar of our enlightenment. Perhaps you’ve caught on, dear reader? Many and most in the Left Hand Path are elitists, indeed. But our form of elitism has NOTHING to do with money, race, creed, or any other asinine/mundane aspect of life. We are spiritual elitists; we are elitists of undefiled knowledge.
I’ll confess my wandering down the Left Hand Path began in a futile pursuit to understand and practice the teachings of Anton Lavey. I found that I didn’t belong there. Some do; some don’t. That’s one aspect of the Left Hand Path that’s a very dominant theme: FIND YOURSELF, KNOW YOURSELF, and HONOR YOURSELF. As I began to study Aleister Crowley’s religion, Thelema, I began to realize that there was a whole new dimension to the true path I was seeking. After a decade of diligent study into several paths, most of which were considered Left Hand Path, I realized that even Thelema was derived from many different traditions and paths. But the beauty of the Left Hand Path lies in its diversity and its roots. One doesn’t have to buy into dogmas (man-made or otherwise), one doesn’t have to limit themselves this religion or that religion, one doesn’t have to be part of this organization or that organization (or ANY organization for that matter), and one doesn’t have to rely on a Priest to absolve them or offer them Salvation. We are our Priests. We are the creators of our own Salvation.
Luckily, Aleister Crowley made a huge impact on a world that was rooting for the acceptance of only mainstream religion and a marginalization of all alternative religions. Face it. This world didn’t want to offer us any spiritual alternatives. In some ways, it still doesn’t. But we no longer care, and we’re no longer forced to care. Many people know that before Thelema as prescribed by Crowley, there existed a fictional Thelema written about by Francis Rabelais. Even though Rabelais had written FAY CE QUE VOUDRAS (“Do what thou wilt”) as a work of fiction, a REAL religion of merit had to eventually come based on that very principle. It’s not a matter of turning fiction into fact. If that were the case, we could invite the same argument toward ALL religions, especially mainstream religions. It had to come to be because this world had not only foretold such an “abomination,” it was begging for it. It just wasn’t ready for it. Thelema, properly understood, isn’t confined to a Left Hand Path label. But it certainly isn’t confined to a Right Hand Path label either. It’s more about balance. However, since the inception of Thelema, there had arisen a Luciferian current, a Neo-Pagan tradition, a realization of Tantra in the Western world, and an attitude about sex once condemned as “deviant” and “blasphemous.”
An element of difference came about in the world. Admittedly, Crowley wasn’t the only pioneer. There was Nietzsche, there was Parsons, there were many (too many to name) who impacted our Western culture for the better. The pioneers of choice put us in a position to reject religious guilt, fear, and self-depreciation. Enlightenment, truth, and the enjoyment of life took precedence over fear of consequence. The rejection of dogma, “love under will,” and the embrace of love took precedence over the admission of guilt to mere men. Then they told us that we were traveling the Left Hand Path.
ASAR-UN-NEFER!
