It is Within All of Us…
by Ravemore
Many occult teachers pontificate on the dangers of the “Left Hand Path” and “Black Magic.” They caution and warn, planting seeds of fear and contempt. They teach that to step onto the shadowy network of trails that constitute the Left Hand Path will lead to corruption of the individual, a fall from grace, or an abandonment of The Light. Many believe the truth of their words with the strongest of convictions, but I speculate that many of them have a nagging suspicion in the back of their minds, one they are afraid to face and admit… there is a Darkness within all of us already that hungers for a release, for feeding, and for growth. – All of us. Stepping onto The Path does not lead to Darkness. The Darkness from within is what leads one to The Path. Do not fear those first steps. Embrace them and allow the Black Flame to kindle and metamorphosis into True Passion. Rejection of our Darkness is an unforgivable suppression of the Self.
Ravemore's Notes 
I agree that we all have dark traits, and that we shouldn’t suppress them. I don’t really like the way people differentiate so-called “white” from “black” magic. Because what determines whether magic is “white” or “black” is intent, rather than the practices traditionally associated with the two paths.
For example, Necromancy is always associated with “black” magic, but there are necromancers out there who have good intentions. Healing magic is considering “white” magic, but there are healers out there with bad intentions.
Nothing is black and white in life, let alone magic. *Especially* not magic.
That being said, I don’t think it’s wrong for occult teachers to caution students about the dangers of magic itself. Because magic can be dangerous–that’s an undeniable fact. If you approach the practice of it lightly, you *can* end up doing some serious damage to yourself or to someone else–intended or not. So I think it’s a good idea to make people aware of the risks.
But to say that using “black” magic is equivalent to stepping off the “path” (as you stated), those teachers are completely missing the mark. It isn’t possible for anyone to “fall from grace,” or “abandon the Light.” No matter what choices a person makes in life, the truth is that all paths lead to the same place. Some routes are just longer than others.