When

Left is Right
Hofman A. Turing
Eliphas Levi’s famous depiction of Baphomet appeared in the 1850s [1]. Numerous pairs of
opposites are represented in this image that are alchemically integrated into a balanced whole.
Among these opposites, famously, we see the Hermetic axiom “as above, so below” represented by
the position of the hands - right pointing up, left pointing down. On the right hand is the word
“solve.” On the left hand we see the word “coagula.” Right and left hand symbolism is used in
tandem with the alchemical maxim “solve et coagula” - which translates roughly into
“dissolve/separate/break down” and “coagulate/concentrate/join together.” The right hand,
pointing up to the heavens, symbolizes catabolic, breaking down processes; the left hand, pointing
down to the earth, symbolizing anabolic building up processes. This symbolism instantiates in the
real world as more than alchemical esotericism. Even today, right handedness is considered good
and normal, while left handedness is considered bad or even “evil.” Not surprisingly, “left” is found
in the etymology of the word “sinister,” alongside other pejorative terms: underhanded, false,
harmful, unlucky, misleading, or malice. [2]

Yet, it was not until the 1870s that the terms Left-hand path (LHP) and Right-hand path (RHP)
appeared in the Western lexicon. Theosophy co-founder Helena Petrovna Blavatsky coined these
terms after exposure to Vedic Tantric traditions in Asia. At the time, “Oriental” religion was either
completely unknown or a total mystery to Westerners (most of whom considered it heretical,
heathen, pagan, and of the devil if they were aware of it). After all, Vivekananda didn’t make his
historic and unprecedented visit to America until the very first World Parliament of Religions in
1893 Chicago. Another few decades would pass before Carl Jung published his seminal writings on
Eastern thought and “mysticism.” So, even given the long, rich tradition of Western esotericism, our
current phraseology stems from a period in history when cross-cultural understanding was quite
primitive.

In the modern era, we have fairly solid definitions of the LHP and the RHP.

The RHP is characterized by a transcendental goal of merging with a universal collective. Customs,
practices, rituals, rules, dogma, and traditions vary across cultures, but they all share a similar
underlying soteriology based on asceticism and escaping from the suffering and carnality of the
worldly domain - nirvana, extinguishing the flame, entering heaven, etc. This is the conservative
and safer path (though not without risk). Generally speaking, conformity to social norms and mores
is the practical organizing guiding force, and is often described as “a herd mentality.”

The LHP is a spiritual path best described as focus on individual evolution and development that
eschews conformity and dogma. The goal is to feed the inner flame, not to extinguish it. It is the
more rebellious and risky path. The immanence of the mundane and carnal are welcomed and
revered, and furthermore, put to use in spiritual practice as tools for evolution. For many of us, the
LHP is well characterized by Jung’s concept of Individuation, an alchemy of the Psyche defined “as
the achievement of self-actualization through a process of integrating the conscious and the
unconscious. [3]” Though, Jungian Individuation remains a partial description of the LHP. For a
more complete picture we must return to Blavatsky.

Blavatsky based her LHP terminology on the Sanskrit word “vāmācāra.” According the The Concise
Oxford Dictionary of World Religions, vāmācāra translates to “left-handed conduct.” They tell us it
is a “spiritual path, especially in Tantrism , which is counter to established social ways. Since the
present age ( Kali-yuga ) is the most decadent, ascetic spiritual practices are no longer effective. In
this age a Tantric must ‘rise with the aid of those things which make most men fall’. For many this
includes deriving power from meat, liquor, sex, and other normally restricted things. An underlying
tenet of the left-handed path is that the world is itself a manifestation of Śiva-Śakti. [4]”

Here’s the catch. Our modern Western LHP veers significantly from the Vedic LHP, and this is rarely
discussed. The Tantric traditions’ breaking of taboos and utilization of extreme heterodox practices
is LHP in the East and West. The soteriology, on the other hand, is not the same. Sufficiently teasing
apart these differences would require a book due to the complexities and nuances involved. That
being said, we can make the following generalizations about the Vedic LHP heterodox traditions, as
they relate to our modern Western definition of the LHP:

1) They are a great example of the power of effective, guided, non-conformity in spiritual practice.

2) They have the same soteriology as the RHP orthodox Vedic traditions - nirvana.

While Blavastsky unintentionally created a bit of a mess for us, given that era’s state of collective
knowledge we should not fault her. It’s up to the modern community of practitioners to sort out
these historical, intellectual, and esoteric issues. Regardless, ultimately the Western Left-hand path
is about individual evolution and integration of conscious and unconscious. Everyone is different,
an individual. There is no “right” way to do the LHP. Conformity to dogma and orthodoxy obstruct
this process, so it’s necessary to separate from the metaphorical herd. Once the fundamentals of
your soteriology are known, and how they differ from other traditions, it’s not necessarily
problematic to mix and match from East and West. Any method, technique, or practice is potentially
available to those on the Left-hand path, with the only limitations being: don’t harm other animals
and humans, and respect the freedoms of others.

[1]

[2] http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=sinister

[3] http://journalpsyche.org/jung-and-his-individuation-process/

[4]
http://www.oxfordreference.com/search?q=Vāmācāra&searchBtn=Search&isQuickSearch=trueWh
en Left is Right.

2
Hofman A. Turing

Eliphas Levi’s famous depiction of Baphomet appeared in the 1850s. Numerous pairs of opposites
are represented in this image that are alchemically integrated into a balanced whole. Among these
opposites, famously, we see the Hermetic axiom “as above, so below” represented by the position of
the hands - right pointing up, left pointing down. On the right hand is the word “solve.” On the left
hand we see the word “coagula.” Right and left hand symbolism is used in tandem with the
alchemical maxim “solve et coagula” - which translates roughly into “dissolve/separate/break
down or coagulate/concentrate/join together.” The right hand, pointing up to the heavens,
symbolizes catabolic, breaking down processes; the left hand, pointing down to the earth,
symbolizing anabolic building up processes. This symbolism instantiates in the real world as more
than alchemical esotericism. Even today, right handedness is considered good and normal, while
left handedness is considered bad or even “evil.” Not surprisingly, “left” is found in the etymology of
the word “sinister,” alongside other pejorative terms: underhanded, false, harmful, unlucky,
misleading, or malice. (http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=sinister)

Yet, it was not until the 1870s that the terms Left-hand path (LHP) and Right-hand path (RHP)
appeared in the Western lexicon. Theosophy co-founder Helena Petrovna Blavatsky coined these
terms after exposure to Vedic Tantric traditions in Asia. At the time, “Oriental” religion was either
completely unknown or a total mystery to Westerners (most of whom considered it heretical,
heathen, pagan, and of the devil if they were aware of it). After all, Vivekananda didn’t make his
historic and unprecedented visit to America until the very first World Parliament of Religions in
1893 Chicago. Another few decades would pass before Carl Jung published his seminal writings on
Eastern thought and “mysticism.” So, even given the long, rich tradition of Western esotericism, our
current phraseology stems from a period in history when cross-cultural understanding was quite
primitive.

In the modern era, we have fairly solid definitions of the LHP and the RHP.

The RHP is characterized by a transcendental goal of merging with a universal collective. Customs,
practices, rituals, rules, dogma, and traditions vary across cultures, but they all share a similar
underlying soteriology based on asceticism and escaping from the suffering and carnality of the
worldly domain - nirvana, extinguishing the flame, entering heaven, etc. This is the conservative
and safer path (though not without risk). Generally speaking, conformity to social norms and mores
is the practical organizing guiding force, and is often described as “a herd mentality.”

The LHP is a spiritual path best described as focus on individual evolution and development that
eschews conformity and dogma. The goal is to feed the inner flame, not to extinguish it. It is the
more rebellious and risky path. The immanence of the mundane and carnal are welcomed and
revered, and furthermore, put to use in spiritual practice as tools for evolution. For many of us, the
LHP is well characterized by Jung’s concept of Individuation, an alchemy of the Psyche defined “as
the achievement of self-actualization through a process of integrating the conscious and the
unconscious.” (http://journalpsyche.org/jung-and-his-individuation-process/) Though, Jungian
Individuation remains a partial description of the LHP. For a more complete picture we must return
to Blavatsky.

3
Blavatsky based her LHP terminology on the Sanskrit word “vāmācāra.” According the The Concise
Oxford Dictionary of World Religions, vāmācāra translates to “left-handed conduct.” They tell us it
is a “spiritual path, especially in Tantrism , which is counter to established social ways. Since the
present age ( Kali-yuga ) is the most decadent, ascetic spiritual practices are no longer effective. In
this age a Tantric must ‘rise with the aid of those things which make most men fall’. For many this
includes deriving power from meat, liquor, sex, and other normally restricted things. An underlying
tenet of the left-handed path is that the world is itself a manifestation of Śiva-Śakti.”
(http://www.oxfordreference.com/search?q=Vāmācāra&searchBtn=Search&isQuickSearch=true)

Here’s the catch. Our modern Western LHP veers significantly from the Vedic LHP, and this is rarely
discussed. The Tantric traditions’ breaking of taboos and utilization of extreme heterodox practices
is LHP in the East and West. The soteriology, on the other hand, is not the same. Sufficiently teasing
apart these differences would require a book due to the complexities and nuances involved. That
being said, we can make the following generalizations about the Vedic LHP heterodox traditions, as
they relate to our modern Western definition of the LHP:

1) They are a great example of the power of effective, guided, non-conformity in spiritual practice.

2) They have the same soteriology as the RHP orthodox Vedic traditions - nirvana.

While Blavastsky unintentionally created a bit of a mess for us, given that era’s state of collective
knowledge we should not fault her. It’s up to the modern community of practitioners to sort out
these historical, intellectual, and esoteric issues. Regardless, ultimately the Western Left-hand path
is about individual evolution and integration of conscious and unconscious. Everyone is different,
an individual. There is no “right” way to do the LHP. Conformity to dogma and orthodoxy obstruct
this process, so it’s necessary to separate from the metaphorical herd. Once the fundamentals of
your soteriology are known, and how they differ from other traditions, it’s not necessarily
problematic to mix and match from East and West. Any method, technique, or practice is potentially
available to those on the Left-hand path, with the only limitations being: don’t harm other animals
and humans, and respect the freedoms of others.