Uncle Setnakt's Essential Guide to the Left Hand Path

Rating:
Summary: Worth its weight in gold - and then some
Review: A concise, reader-friendly treatise on the virtues, vices and practical application of Left Hand Path philosophy, one which encourages constructive antinomianism as a path to positive Self transformation.

Uncle Setnakt talks candidly about the very hard work involved for those taking up the path of the Left, effortlessly weaving a sublime sense of humor and the sobriety of experiential wisdom to underscore key elements of his lessons.

The author also offers numerous suggestions for *practical* application of Left Hand Path principles in the "real world" (including a rather extensive solitary magical rite entitled "The Grand Initiation"), but ultimately leaves the burden of success and fulfilment entirely upon the reader - as it should be. Aside from _Lords of the Left Hand Path_ by Stephen Flowers, I would indeed list this as the ideal starting point for those unfamiliar with Left Hand Path philosophy and practice. Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: good intro to left hand path, despite some minor flaws
Review: good book. i highly suggest this book to anyone interested in the left hand path. it has many essays on pride, magic(k),and mastery for the mind, body, spirit, and the world. it classifies and explains the different types of magick and how they are applied and explains how chaos, order, and life work together. although this book does show some disrespect for the church of satan by saying that anton lavey picked the term satan for only a symbol of rebellion (which he didnt, he did it because of our geographical location is primarily christan based and is most familliar with the term "satan", as opposed to set, baphomit, siva, etc. also anton said what satan represents in the begining of the satanic bible in "the nine satanic statements" and even devoted a chapter to explaning to why he called it satanism.)hower besides this point this book is a pretty true interpritation of the left hand path and how the world works in general, most of which is undeniably true, and well worth reading to help benafet yourself. there is some spots that are left almost incomplete and appears as if it was written in a hurry or without long analagy on some topics, or some sentences could be more specific but are put sort of bluntly and less elaborate than they could be. none the less if you need somethiing extra in life, want to hear what don webb has to say, or just want to read this book for yourself to know what is really in it, i highly suggest it.

Rating:
Summary: good intro to left hand path, despite some minor flaws
Review: good book. i highly suggest this book to anyone interested in the left hand path. it has many essays on pride, magic(k),and mastery for the mind, body, spirit, and the world. it classifies and explains the different types of magick and how they are applied and explains how chaos, order, and life work together. although this book does show some disrespect for the church of satan by saying that anton lavey picked the term satan for only a symbol of rebellion (which he didnt, he did it because of our geographical location is primarily christan based and is most familliar with the term "satan", as opposed to set, baphomit, siva, etc. also anton said what satan represents in the begining of the satanic bible in "the nine satanic statements" and even devoted a chapter to explaning to why he called it satanism.)hower besides this point this book is a pretty true interpritation of the left hand path and how the world works in general, most of which is undeniably true, and well worth reading to help benafet yourself. there is some spots that are left almost incomplete and appears as if it was written in a hurry or without long analagy on some topics, or some sentences could be more specific but are put sort of bluntly and less elaborate than they could be. none the less if you need somethiing extra in life, want to hear what don webb has to say, or just want to read this book for yourself to know what is really in it, i highly suggest it.

Rating:
Summary: Common Sensism ? Satanism with Manners ?
Review: I never thought I would be reviewing a book about a subject that is generally lumped-in with "Satanism," but after many long email conversations with rational individuals, and reading a lot of "Uncle Setnakt's" views and columns online, I decided to give this book a chance. I am actually very impressed with this "Guide to The Left Hand Path." As I read the book, I remember thinking.... "What, Satanism with Manners ?" Apparently, the Setians figured-out some things that a lot of Satanists would be better-off to practice. I am starting to think of Setian philosophy as "Common Sensism."

Rating:
Summary: Practical initiatory examples of Setianism
Review: I would recommend this book to everyone who is taking his first steps on slippery "occult" ground, and wondering how true initiation looks like. The book offers some very down-to-earth examples of how to achieve individual sovereignty without getting lost along the way. Despite its valuable lessons, the book has some flaws: oversimplification of things like left-hand path. In fact I think it would be far better if the book was entitled "Uncle Setnakt's Essential Guide to the Setianism, since it contains very few things that are directly connected to the real left-hand path. However it offers an intelligible image of some aspects of "modern Setianism". For those who are looking for a good book on _left-hand path_ I'd recommend "Demons of the Flesh" by Nikolas & Zeena Schreck.

Rating:
Summary: May Give You A Laugh
Review: Long considered the joke of the international occult world, a couple of TOSsers have gotten together to write a book on their pick-and-choose philosophy.

The Temple of Set - of which Webb and co. are members - are reknowned for such things as harassing ex-members of the cult, publishing names and addresses of ex-members, rumours of paedophilia, spreading lies about other organisations (especially the Church of Satan, Baldur, and the Order of Nine Angles), curses that don't work (including one supposedly sent to me, but they must of sent it to the wrong address as I'm still here), and writing long winded articles on the 'ethics' of Satanism.

Have a read of this book - it'll give you a laugh.

Rating:
Summary: Good advice on becoming more effective in life
Review: Setnakts guide to the LHP provides those few who find that permanent positive change in ones life comes as a result of hard work. This book isn't for everyone. There are no quick fix solutions in its pages but instead a curriculum for becoming more effective in life through increasing awareness of the self and awareness of the world and creating change in both through initiating action . Webb provides the magician/philosopher with a framework for creating change. There are detailed chapters concerning LHP philosophy and others concerning magic. There is even a very useful reading list for the inspired to seek out other effective sources.

Rating:
Summary: JUST SAY "UNCLE"
Review: Uncle Setnakt (aka Don Webb, High Priest of the Temple of Set) has put the "left hand path" into a perspective which is probably contradictory to most people's traditional views on the subject. Such fearsome subjects as black magic, "evil" and Satanism are not defined in terms of malevolence, murder and mahem, but rather as a process by which an individual can attain excellence without the necessity of transcendental obeisance or assistance.

My first impression of this book was that it was kind of a "Chicken Soup" amalgam of disciplines, philosophies and exercises which seemed somewhat anathema to stereotypical Left Hand Path traditions. After the initial cursory perusal, I started over again from the beginning and SLOWLY began to assimilate the ideas presented. I began to realize that nearly every sentence had a potency of its own. I was becoming elucidated by the "darkness" and the psychology of "Coming Into Being" began to cohese with my inner being. My synapses were beginning to fire with excitement!

I am now in the process of reading this book again for the third time...this time with empirical intent rather than simply a vicarious mental acknowledgement of the subject.

The information presented in this book will revolutionize your thinking about magic and the LHP. By putting these ideas into practice, you will discover a cognative evolution being manifested in your life. I highly recommend this book for anyone serious about changing their lives and stepping beyond the occultic dungheap passing for magic these days. Thanks Unc!

Rating:
Summary: JUST SAY "UNCLE"
Review: Uncle Setnakt (aka Don Webb, High Priest of the Temple of Set) has put the "left hand path" into a perspective which is probably contradictory to most people's traditional views on the subject. Such fearsome subjects as black magic, "evil" and Satanism are not defined in terms of malevolence, murder and mahem, but rather as a process by which an individual can attain excellence without the necessity of transcendental obeisance or assistance.

My first impression of this book was that it was kind of a "Chicken Soup" amalgam of disciplines, philosophies and exercises which seemed somewhat anathema to stereotypical Left Hand Path traditions. After the initial cursory perusal, I started over again from the beginning and SLOWLY began to assimilate the ideas presented. I began to realize that nearly every sentence had a potency of its own. I was becoming elucidated by the "darkness" and the psychology of "Coming Into Being" began to cohese with my inner being. My synapses were beginning to fire with excitement!

I am now in the process of reading this book again for the third time...this time with empirical intent rather than simply a vicarious mental acknowledgement of the subject.

The information presented in this book will revolutionize your thinking about magic and the LHP. By putting these ideas into practice, you will discover a cognative evolution being manifested in your life. I highly recommend this book for anyone serious about changing their lives and stepping beyond the occultic dungheap passing for magic these days. Thanks Unc!