"Dark spirituality" can be used as a broad term for left-hand paths. However, the term dark spirituality has become a much more specific description of a newly-found spiritual path.
The Left-Hand Path from Wikipedia is defined as having the following beliefs:
- The conviction that individuals can become akin to gods, usually through spiritual insight.
- The conviction that there is no such thing as a selfless act. Fulfilling one's desire is acknowledged to be selfish, at the least reaping an individual sense of satisfaction. Altruism is considered self-deception, created and fostered by conventional religions.
- An exoteric interpretation of concepts like karma, divine retribution, or the Threefold Law, resulting in flexible rather than rigid codes of morality.
- The conviction that the individual is preeminent, and that all decisions should be made with the goal of cultivating the self (though not necessarily the ego).
- The conviction that each individual is responsible for his or her own happiness, and that no external force will provide salvation or reward actions which do not advance one's own happiness in this life.
- The conviction that the forces of the universe can be harnessed to one's personal will by magical means, and that power gained and wielded in such a manner is an aid to enlightenment, to self-satisfaction, and to self-deification.
- A Platonic view of deities as "first-forms." If deity is perceived as having consciousness, then all relationships with the deity are in the form of a partnership, or an alliance which does not require subservience. Some practitioners of Left-Hand Path belief systems summarize this concept with the statement that "prideful deities like prideful partners."
- The dark spiritualist goal is to survive and achieve "individuation" through spiritual and psychic development, not necessarily become "like a god" although it could be possible. The dark individual's goal is to survive at all cost. Individuation is the process of escaping the reincarnation cycle and furthermore avoiding spiritual death.
- This point is true. A dark spiritualist accepts the fact that they are selfish beings for their main goal is "SURVIVAL".
- There are no set rules of what to do and what not to do for a dark spiritualist. All decisions are made based on self-benefit and necessity.
- A dark spiritualist does not have the conception that he or she is preeminent, but does realize that they are "dark" in essence. They hold the belief that Manifestation is made up of two energies, dark and light, and that their soul is dark meaning they seek to preserve individuality while light seeks unity.
- Dark spiritualist are adament in utilizing the "Cause and Effect" theory. They know that every action has a consequence or reaction and make decisions accordingly, therefore controlling their own destiny.
- A dark spiritualist wants spiritual survival. They do this by developing all skills and aspects of their life. Most are against magickal, ritual, and esoteric means for spiritual and psychic development. Also, it has nothing to do with becoming a god.
- Deities are ackowledged, but not worshipped. Many do enter in a employee/employer relationship with a deity in order to ensure spiritual survival however.
So if you have any specific questions about this brief overview about dark spirituality, or what I understand it to be as many of these things I have not experienced for myself yet, please don't hesitate. I'll try my best to answer them although I'm really not an expert. It is believed that people are born either "light" or "dark". I hope one "dark" may find this of interest and perhaps rethink the path they have walked so far and realize that there is more for them. I, myself, am dark and haven't felt so good since I've started on this path a few years back.
You can visit http://gatheringofshadows.blogspot.com/ and learn more about it. This blog is written by a much more experienced dark spiritualist as you shall find out.
this path doesn't seem so dark to me. why is it called a left-hand path? i believe in balancing darkness and light, because they are both in nature.
i believe that people can advance beyond this. myself, i feel quite comfortable working with both dark and light energies.