Don Juan and the Art of Sexual Energy: The Rainbow Serpent of the Toltecs

Don Juan and the Art of Sexual Energy: The Rainbow Serpent of the Toltecs

• The secret sexual energy practices of Toltec-Mayan shamans revealed at last. • The author studied with don Juan Matus and the same circle of Nagual sorcerers who taught Carlos Castenada. • Offers specific step-by-step instructions for mastering the ancient sexual techniques that lead to spiritual transformation. Readers of Carlos Casteneda have often complained that his work in ancient Meso-american shamanism never covered sexual practices beyond celibacy. With his death in 1998 it seemed that these practices might never be revealed, but fortunately Merilyn Tunneshende has stepped in. Set against the backdrop of the golden deserts of Sonora, Mexico, Don Juan and the Art of Sexual Energy recounts Tunneshende's initiation into the ancient sexual energy practices of the Toltec-Mayan tradition. Under the tutelage of don Juan Matus, Chon Yakil (whom Castenada referred to as Don Genaro), and dona Celestina de la Soledad, she learns to reclaim her feminine power and balance the masculine and feminine forces within herself. At the heart of the book is the mythical Rainbow Serpent: the phallic energy within women, the creative power within men. Each chapter focuses on a particular technique for awakening the serpent and connecting with its energy. Twenty-two sequential practices are covered, providing a powerful program for serious spiritual transformation. A title such as Don Juan and the Art of Sexual Energy can be misleading. Those expecting a smooth manual that reads like a Joy to Toltec Sex will be sorely disappointed. On the other hand, those hoping for an ambitious discussion of the shape shifting, trances, energy scanning, and archetypal imagery that characterize Toltec sexuality will be deeply gratified. Like the famous writer Carlos Castaneda, who introduced Toltec teachings to the greater world, Merilyn Tunneshende often shifts into dream-like narratives. For example, in a passage where she discusses the sensual power of nature, Tunneshende recounts a trance under the guidance of her shaman and teacher. Lying beneath a mesquite tree, she has a vision that she is "moving through the interior of the plant, much like a whole egg moves through the body of a snake when swallowed." When she arrived at the base of the plant, "a trumpeting white flower sprouted from my head and my ovaries turned in on themselves...." Fortunately, the closing of every chapter is grounded with concise, easy-to-follow exercises, such as how to draw upon and release sexual energy in nature or how to perform "fire breath" to raise sexual energy in the body. --Gail Hudson "This is a uniquely powerful and magical book. . . . especially inspiring to women. Refreshing. " ― Sara Ling, Magical Blend, Issue #76 "It is a masterfully written account of numerous initiations in the use of sexual energy for balance and empowerment as facilitated for Tunneshende by Don Juan. . . . This is not only a good read, it's also a useful guide." ― Chiwah, The Light Connection, February 2002 "A splendid work that successfully brings the beauty of practice and the wisdom of consciousness into our very personal lives." ― The Book Reader, Fall/Winter 2001-2002 SHAMANISM / TOLTECS Readers of Carlos Casteneda have often complained that his work in ancient Meso-american shamanism never covered sexual practices beyond celibacy. With his death in 1998 it seemed that these practices might never be revealed, but fortunately Merilyn Tunneshende has stepped in. Set against the backdrop of the golden deserts of Sonora, Mexico, Don Juan and the Art of Sexual Energy recounts Tunneshende's initiation into the ancient sexual energy practices of the Toltec-Mayan tradition. Under the tutelage of don Juan Matus, Chon Yakil (whom Castenada referred to as Don Genaro), and dona Celestina de la Soledad, she learns to reclaim her feminine power and balance the masculine and feminine forces within herself. At the heart of the book is the mythical Rainbow Serpent: the phallic energy within women, the creative power within men. Each chapter focuses on a particular technique for awakening the serpent and connecting with its energy. Twenty-two sequential practices are covered, providing a powerful program for serious spiritual transformation. MERILYN TUNNESHENDE is a Toltec sorceress and a Nagual Dreaming Woman who has been taught Dream Power, energetic healing, and sorcery in the course of a 20-year apprenticeship in the Mexican desert. Since the publication of her first book, Medicine Dream, she has made numerous public appearances as lecturer, panelist, and workshop leader focusing on the healing applications of nagualist shamanism. Merilyn Tunneshende is a Toltec sorceress and a Nagual Dreaming Woman who has been taught Dream Power, energetic healing, and sorcery in the course of a 20-year apprenticeship in the Mexican desert. Since the publication of her first book, Medicine Dream , she has made numerous public appearances as lecturer, panelist, and works