Puppet Master or Warrior of Freedom?

A poorly conducted preparation for accessing sorcerer’s knowledge, one which encourages self-importance instead of increasing wonder and a desire to learn, becomes a near total obstacle for the apprentice. One who comes to the nagual saturated with beliefs on almost everything won’t get the chance to continue. Intent determines an ordinary man’s access to sorcerer’s knowledge. ~ CC

Intent. Nothing more, nothing less.

The sorcerer’s way is not a dogmatic religion that some would have you believe it is. It is not founded on protocol or structure. As Carlos points out, “Sorcerers make a clear distinction between the concepts of ‘spiritual guide’ and ‘nagual teacher’. The first is an individual who specializes in directing flocks, and the other is an impeccable warrior who knows that his role is limited to serving as a connection with the spirit. The first one will tell you what you want to hear and he will give you the miracles that you want to see, because you interest him as an acolyte; while the second will be guided by commands of an impersonal power.”

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The Predator

The sorcerers of ancient Mexico saw the predator. They called it the flyer because it leaps through the air. It is not a pretty sight. It is a big shadow, impenetrably dark, a black shadow that jumps through the air. Then, it lands flat on the ground. The sorcerers of ancient Mexico reasoned that man must have been a complete being at one point, with stupendous insights, feats of awareness that are mythological legends nowadays. And then everything seems to disappear, and we have now a sedated man. ~ Don Juan, The Active Side of Infinity

Carlos and don Juan discuss a predator that exists in the depths of the cosmos and rules the lives of humans, holding them as their prisoners. Though the word predator would not necessarily be my word of choice to describe this particular energy, we’ll use it for the time being to remain consistent with the label keeping in mind that it energetically infuses humans with the foreign installation.

This predator not only feeds off of human awareness; it also manipulates humans. Don Juan said that there are a lot of outside forces controlling people in every moment and that this control is something that exists outside of the domain of language because these experiences lie so far beyond syntax.

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