occult

This is an interesting and useful book describing growth and unfolding of a self-taught "sorceress". Arana, armed with books by Castaneda, Monroe and Gurdjieff embarks on a path of discovering the energy body and the rules that govern the many worlds accessible by the conscious mind. To get there, she has learnt to free her mind of the grips of perceptual certainty, to follow her Intent and to practice relentlessly. For me, Arana's descriptions of her experiences form the most useful part of the book. I actually find the book to be more helpful (and trustworthy) than those written by Castaneda. At the very least, A's book may turn out to be an indispensable companion to C's opus.

Arana brings us remarkably lucid analyses of working with Intent, with the Elemental Force (God) and brings forth an excellent case for the "sorcerer's" need to establish a working meditation practice. She also provides good descriptions of how to work with the assemblage point ... for intrepid afficionados of the netherworld of different states/dimensions of consciousness and those interested in meetings its colorful denizens she provides useful pointers on lucid dreaming (for better or worse).

The most unfortunate part of this book is probably its title. There is little, if anything, of real "sorcery" in the book. On the contrary, Esmeralda is interested in attaining that ultimate goal - freedom. Her book provides an honest, valiant and useful tool for anyone who shares her goals. I recommend it.

Esmeralda Arana's educational and entertaining book, THE PATH, is packed with amazing revelations about the similarities between the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Twelve Step Program, Carlos Castaneda's Warrior's Way, Robert Monroe's Out of Body Experiences (OBEs), and Gurdjieff's concept of hypnotic sleep.

What do recovering alcoholics have in common with sorcerers? According to Arana, quite a lot. The key to transforming your life is in transforming your perception of reality -- and it is essential to request assistance from both the elemental force (also known as God, or Spirit) as well as a human support group -- and then to start acting in accordance with the behavior appropriate to your new place of perception. You can change channels in your life from one reality to another just like changing channels on TV, by tuning in to a different perceptual station with sufficient energy and intent.

Arana clearly elucidates the striking similarities between AA's 12 step program and Toltec sorcery techniques taught by Carlos Castaneda by sharing intimate revelations about her own experiences with overcoming alcoholism. Arana also describes her fascinating experiences with lucid dreaming as she describes how difficult it could be at times to detach her energetic "double" from her physical body, and some of the side-effects of lucid dreaming (such as hearing voices, and knowing intimate and seemingly unknowable details about others).

I highly recommend this book for its excellent down-to-Earth writing, original ideas, and fascinating insights into how you can make small shifts in perception in order to make big changes in your life. THE PATH is an intensely practical and transformative book which I'm sure I will still be thinking about months and years later, telling all my friends about at every opportunity!

Castaneda and his compaions left us with a legacy that allows those willing to learn, to have a personal experience of the sublime. The Path presents this knowledge in a practical and down-to-earth format, teaching us how to invite the sublime into our everyday lives. Deceptively simple, this book contains wisdom and vital teachings about our true nature as magical beings. It will change you and empower you. A must read for those on a quest for higher knowlege!!