Hey there

[Vernakula]

Nice to meet you. I'm French, 30 years old, originally someone very materialistic until I had a very powerful psychedelic experience at my 25th birthday.

It was very much an enlightenment, my first moment of eternity. I kept eating increasingly stronger tabs of acid during a few years, in combination with the use of elaborated music and ritualization, did 3 NDE which I think I've all fucked up since I've never came to the point of an out of body experience -although what I experienced was very, very, very overwhelming.

I have turned the page: my journey with hallucinogens is over, at least for now. If I want to walk on the Left Hand Path I need a clear, sharp mind, and a healthy body cannot do harm.

Cannot say I'm full LHP though. My first spiritual interests included Hinduism, Hassidic Judaism, Gnostic Christianism... even some Kardec Spiritism. But that was never satisfying. Then I learnt about Magick, whether it be Chaos or Ceremonial. Chaos Magick still seems very seductive to me today.

And last year, around September/October, I learn about Setianism, and suddenly I'm very charmed because He always was my favorite deity and I appreciate texts written by free thinkers. I was also appealed by Thelema but I don't like how they perceive Set, and well it's a religion and I'm not a religious person -neither do I despise religious people, Left or Right all paths lead to the same place.

I know nothing about operative magick, but I hope to learn. Please excuse my clumsy English.

[Liu]

Welcome!

Not sure I ever heard of someone pursuing intentional NDEs, but guess that's a thing ^^

Regarding RHP/LHP, we had some discussions about the definitions of those here, and to a large degree it's just social constructs anyway. Recently also heard a definition by a (self-proclaimed) RHP pagan, which differs a lot from our parlance here (theirs is closer to the definition by Blavatsky), whereas what we call RHP tends to be almost unpracticeable. And I encountered a follower of Loki who said he often gets defamed as an LHPer for his trickster-approach to spirituality and hadn't ever heard it being used positively - whereas in our circles, "RHPer" is what's used as the insult.

[Km Anu]

It is good to have you!

[Vernakula]

Thanks ! Well yes I agree with you Liu, binary thinking seems always sterile. I think I seek for balance in every aspects of life, so I guess I'm waiting for the Ambidextrous Path ! 

[Onyx]

Balance is essential, as embodied within the symbolism of the Pentagram. There has been some debate about the term "Left-Hand Path", but I personally equate it with "Self-Directed Self-Evolution" as mentioned in the official O.S. Statement.

[Km Anu]

I've escaped dad duty long enough to actually read your introduction! It's good to have you.

My experiences started in horrible ways when I was younger, and I had a very...Jung-esk episode of vivid, focused, and occult dreams around 18. At that time I started reading various research on parasomnia as well as "zen mind: beginners mind." Dropped my Christian-esk wiccan practice for two years of heavy eastern study and practice.

It was after that that I began to experiment with psychedelics at 22, first with mushrooms. At 25 I broke through on DMT and returned to a more serious study of ceremonial magic and alchemy,  then satanism. I've studied a lot of different works now,  and what I've figured is that there are no lines. You can be full LHP and only study eastern mysticism, as long as you don't hold moral convictions about identifying as such. The left hand path is freedom, RHP is following strict guidelines to keep what works working. The big difference is that most folks identifying as LHP study both schools without losing about sleep over being evil.

I had tried acid at like.....14? I had a horrible time. Returning to it at 26 was incredible. Dion Fortune defined magic as, "The science and art of causing changes in consciousness to occur in conformity with Will," and I can tell you, nowadays psychedelics make me become magic. Taking this time to categorize and control your thinking pays big,  unbelievable, and exhilarating merits if you return to the psychedelics much later. I read a couple of shamanistic books while researching the lesser work that helped a lot too. If I was to isolate what helped it was meditation, plant alchemy, and a little odinism found in setianism. The confidence and understanding,  the mindfulness,  it eliminates fear. Dmt was like a complete OBE, I felt myself accept death and my soul like squeezed through my nose. It felt like being crushed to the size of a point. I'm not sure if I'd call the sensations on acid that after studying for a few years vs before, it was like a ritual trance state that lasted 13 hours.  Clear,  in control,  perceptive, intuitive,  imaginative, and full of wonder. I'm glad I gave it another go.

Sorry if I rambled, I just find it so interesting that we're on similar paths but in a mixed up order!  It really was good to meet you!