What is the left hand path, and what "Following the left hand path"?
Five answers:
anonymous
2007-10-27 14:19:11 UTC
The terms Left-Hand Path and Right-Hand Path refer to a postulated dichotomy between two distinct types of religion. The most modern usage regards religions which focus upon the elevation of the spiritual over the carnal, faith-based worship of one or more deities and the observance of strict moral codes which are supposed to bring humans closer to the Divine as belonging to the Right-Hand Path, while religions which value the advancement and preservation of the self, glorification of the earthly, and personal power over spiritualized goals are considered to belong to the Left-Hand Path.
The term Left-Hand Path originated within Hindu Tantra. Throughout history, many cultures have regarded being left handed and left-handedness as evil. This tendency can be seen in the dual meaning of the word left, in the etymology of words such as sinister, which in Latin means both left and unlucky. Consequently, the left hand has often been used as a symbol for the rejection of traditional religion. The word right as used with hand in the Old Testament is generally the Hebrew word yamin meaning stronger, more dextrous. The word for left is smowl meaning dark. Much of this has been contributed by the practice in many cultures of using the left hand to clean oneself, thus making the hand unclean.
thenwhen
2007-10-27 12:56:08 UTC
Hinduism speaks of many paths all leading to the same spiritual destination. Tantra, an esoteric form of Hinduism, describes a left and a right hand path. The right hand path reaches enlightenment through asceticism and meditation while the left hand path uses seeking pleasure in "the things of this world" such as sex, alcohol and other forms of self indulgence.
The thinking is along these lines -
Sit and empty the mind and you will eventually grasp what is beyond the illusion
or
Run around filling all your holes with everything that illusion has to offer and eventually you will see the illusion for what it is.
The left hand path is considered to be a quicker (more painful) and more dangerous route to enlightment.
Westerners have taken this idea and used it to describe satinism, hedonism and other earth/sensual driven spiritual paths.
Something to ponder: Is western consumerism a left hand path?
Tyrian
2007-10-27 15:40:58 UTC
The Left Hand Path is known as Satanism. If you follow it, you're a Satanist.
anonymous
2007-10-27 12:47:50 UTC
the left hand path refers to satanism. more specifically, it's the faiths that value the self and personal power over the well-being of others, etc. it's a general term for faiths such as satanism, luciferianism, dark paganism, etc. hope this helps.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-Hand_Path
anonymous
2007-10-27 12:53:25 UTC
Generally Satanism, or religions that are similar...