Toltec Dreaming: Don Juan's Teachings on the Energy Body

A must for fellow Toltecs, not for others. For us, however, having Ken Eagle Feather's description of his own 'dreaming' experiences is helpful to the guiding of our own.

Ken Eagle Feather's TOLTEC DREAMING: DON JUAN'S TEACHINGS ON THE ENERGY BODY explores different levels of the dream state, contrasting ordinary dreaming with 'dreaming awake' in which an active dreamer ascends to the Dream of Transcendence. All this is placed in context of the Toltec tradition and provides a fine, purposeful blend of history and new age 'how to' insights.

An Excellent Book On Shamanism By Jim PathFinder Ewing (Nvnehi Awatisgi) From the newsletter "Keeping In Touch ..." Vol. 7, No. 13 August, 2007 I've been reading a wonderful book just out by Ken Eagle Feather titled "Toltec Dreaming: Don Juan's Teachings on the Energy Body" (Bear & Co., 272 pages, June 22, 2007; $16). He was kind enough to send me an advance copy, which I endorsed: "In Dreaming, Ken Eagle Feather masterfully outlines the appearance of Power in our lives as a shamanic principle that he shows can be easily recognized, and explores the power of dreaming as an active force that can define our lives in profound ways. As with his other books, Eagle Feather explains complex shamanic principles of the Toltec tradition as taught to him personally by don Juan Matus, the shaman many have come to know through the books of Carlos Castaneda. For the discerning Castaneda student, Eagle Feather provides painstakingly researched references including page numbers for ideas covered in Castaneda's books for easy reference. But Eagle Feather demonstrates his proficiency of the subject matter by expanding on the ideas and principles with examples from his own life, as well as offering new avenues of thought -- and exercises -- for readers. For novices to shamanism to the well-read, Dreaming offers new insights into the nature of the energy body that complement Eastern concepts, while also refining that which is known of Toltec ideas. In Dreaming, Ken Eagle Father demonstrates he is a man of knowledge in his own right, sharing a rare gift of inestimable value." But, I'd go a bit further to say that all of Ken's books are worth reading, especially if you are "into" shamanism. For those who follow Castaneda's work, he has references to his books with the concepts; but, more importantly, in my mind, Ken offers a way of seeing the world that takes don Juan's and applies it to the world. I read all the Castaneda books when they came out nearly 40 years ago, and have practiced shamanism all my life. Some of the teachings of don Juan, I believe, were horribly distorted, and later books bear me out, especially regarding the use of psychotropic drugs. That's because, I believe, Castaneda was a literalist, or too left-brained, to understand the concepts and so don Juan and his fellow shamans dramatized and even traumatized Castaneda so that they could "get through" to him. Anyone who actually practices shamanic journey (which my next book, "Healing Plants and Animals from a Distance: Curative Principles and Applications" will introduce to the trilogy) knows in Castaneda's books where don Juan was speaking, and were left-brained suppositions entered in. What I like about Ken's books are that anyone, repeat anyone, can get a clear idea of the shaman's path from reading him - whether one practices or not - and be sure that they are getting "the straight skinny." I don't agree with much of the Toltec way, as I believe it is too foreign for most average Amer