Toltecs Have Their Way....
At first glance Toltecism may seem like a religion. It is not. It demands neither worship nor reverence. It is a philosophy, a way to obtain knowledge. It is also metaphysics, which in its classical sense means it is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of reality. For you to get anywhere with it, it must be applied and lived, not simply discussed.
A feature of the Toltec way is that the lineages within it provide views, methods, and techniques which work together, enabling you to perceive more than ordinary reality. These elements are verifiable. all you need do is earnestly and persistently practice. As a result, you automatically cultivate the awareness that our physical world is but one of numerous worlds, and that our relation to these worlds continually changes and evolves. Regardless of the specific path, then, the Toltec way is a tool. While it may help you perceive that which is considered sacred, it is, itself, not sacred.
The Toltec Way embraces different personal attitudes and approaches. Accordingly, it encourages - no, it demands - that people groom and harness their individuality. But the fight not to harden the terms of what a sense of self means is what gave rise to don Juan's words:"War, for a warrior, is the total struggle against that individual self that has deprived man of his power" (Silence, 170)
For this reason, we find don Juan incessantly teaching his apprentices the value of losing self-importance. At the core of self-importance is self-reflection, or continually reflecting to ourselves about what the world consists of. Hence, a Toltec tradition continually pushes past the limits of any view of the world. As don Juan teaches, what matters is not adhering to a system, but arriving at the totality of yourself, arriving at your complete nature (Tales, 240)
It is when one forgets that systems and lineages are techniques that dogma enters, and the hard-won gains are lost. To deal with this problem, don Juan requires that we recognize our behavior as stemming from his participation in another reality. He didn't want us to think that he offered a new and greater, and therefore "the true," reality. He wants us to regard ordinary and non ordinary realities on equal footing, balance them in relation to each other, and then slip between them in the hope we can free ourselves.
Through don Juan's instructions, there will come a time when we can achive partnership in the Toltec world. It will occur when we command a sufficient number of elements of that world. Doing so generates a force which organizes our perception into a nonordinary framework. We will then have at our disposal the means to slip between the two realities; the ordinary reality we grew up with, and the Toltec world. By going between them, we will take our first step toward freedom.
(a Toltec path- Ken Eagle Feather)
Heightened Awareness..
Simply put, heightened awareness is perception elevated beyond the ordinary. the rules of what is "normal" change. Accessing nonordinary realities occurs more easily. the supernatural becomes natural. Heightened awareness occurs through balancing the first and second energy fields. This balance is a keystone of Toltec endeavors.
Florina Donner refers to this state as "dreaming-awake". This term is fitting, as heightened awreness brings dreamlike qualities to life. Inanimate objects possess vitality. Messages on billboards abruptly and magically change. Paintings hanging on walls spring to alife as the features in them move about. Trees gesture, often showing which way to proceed. and rocks glow, illuminating narrow paths at night. this may seem as though reality has slipped beyond repair, instead of having grown. but in practical application, heightened awareness makes physical senses keener and intuition more accurate. It enhances the ability to deal with people and magnifies your sense of adventure and fun. You possess more vitality.
As with most states of consciousness, heightened awareness comes and goes. the slightest thing may trigger it. Or it may be the result of long, hard work. You may enter it for five seconds, five hours, or for the rest of your life. A Toltec goal is to reach and sustain it.
Don Juan often slapped Castaneda between the shoulder blades to produce such a shift. Much of don Juan's teachings occurred while Castaneda was in it. Don Juan later explained that only his presence was needed to shift Castaneda's awareness. The slap was a trick, a ploy to divert Castaneda's attention (Silence 139), permitting don Juan's unbending intent - laser focused energy - to produce a shift.
You can also enter heightened awareness through artificial means, such as by using the sound technologies pioneered by The Monroe Institute. Located near Faber, Virginia, the Institute was founded by Robert Monroe, author of the classic Journeys Out of the Body and the more recent Ultimate Journey. In essence, the Institute's technology uses sound to assist in balancing the electrical activity of the right and left hemispheres of the brain, which correspond to the left and right sides of the body. This balance produces heightened awareness.
THE GATEWAY AFFIRMATION FROM "GATEWAY VOYAGE", as taught by the Monroe Institute:
*** I am more than my physical body. Because I am more than physical matter, I can perceive that which is greater than the physical world. Therefore, I deeply desire to Expand, to Experience; to Know, to Understand, to Control, to Use such greater energies and energy systems as may be beneficial and constructive to me and to thosw who follow me. Also, i deeply desire the help and cooperation, the assistance, the understanding of those individuals whose wisdom, development and experience are equal or greater than my own. I ask their guidance and protection from any influence or any source that might provide me with less than my stated desires.***.The Monroe Institute
