Susan Gregg - Mastering the Toltec Way: A Daily Guide to Happiness, Freedom, and Joy

First published in 2003 by

Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC

York Beach, ME

With offices at:

368 Congress Street

Boston, MA 02210

www.redwheelweiser.com

Copyright 2003 Susan Gregg

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC. Reviewers may quote brief passages.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Gregg, Susan,

Mastering the Toltec way : a daily guide to happiness, freedom, and joy / Susan Gregg.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

ISBN 1-59003-050-8

1. Conduct of life. 2. Toltec philosophyMiscellanea. I. Title.

BJ1595.G76 2003

299'.792dc21

2003013947

Typeset in Truesdell

Printed in Canada

TCP

10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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To the magic of the moment and the love that lives there

The list of people that made this book possible is immense. I am so grateful to everyone who has ever touched my life, especially the difficult ones. Without each of them I wouldn't be who I am. I am very grateful that Sister Sarita so freely offered me her love, that don Miguel Ruiz asked me to be his student, and that I said yes.

I humbly thank all my students, those who were and are part of my life. You have taught me much. I thank Bea for her love, patience, and endless edits. My animals' unconditional love has filled my heart and enriched my life.

This list would be incomplete without my parents; my agent, Sheree Bykofsky; Janet Rosen; Amanda Pisanni; and my editor, Robyn Heisey, who all shared my vision. And of course I thank the universe for rainbows.

The Toltec people, mighty warriors and conquerors, introduced war to Mesoamerica. When they encountered the knowledge of a race I have come to call the ancient ones, they embraced it and made it their own. A secret society dedicated to preserving this ancient wisdom developed within the Toltec civilization. In response to being conquered by the Spanish, the secret society took that knowledge underground, where it was passed on in secret from master to apprentice for hundreds of years.

The knowledge embraced by the Toltecs transcends normal, everyday awareness. It offers a way of life that is expansive, freeing, and joyful. You can learn how to be happy no matter what your life holds and have the complete freedom to be yourself.

I was fortunate enough to meet Sister Sarita when she first began to openly share her knowledge. She and her son, don Miguel Ruiz, became my teachers, and I studied with them for many years until I completed my apprenticeship and was told to go and teach in my own way. I am grateful to be able to share with you the gifts the knowledge of the ancient ones has brought to my life.

The ancient ones knew that life, as we perceive it, is an illusion. They knew that reason's perception of reality was just a point of view, and a limiting one at that. Our minds don't understand that we are part of an expanding, loving, living, and intelligent universe. As we begin to identify our true nature, we can align ourselves with the spirit instead of the mind. Shifting the source of our personal power from the mind to the spirit allows us to release our limited thinking and embrace our limitless nature.

In the Toltec tradition, there are three masteries: the mastery of awareness, the mastery of transformation, and the mastery of intent. They overlap and weave together to form a beautiful tapestry. Awareness allows you to change the way you look at the world. Transformation is rich with tools that will assist you in changing your life in a profound manner. Intent will teach you how to focus your attention on what you do want instead of what you don't want. As you learn to apply these masteries to your life, magic will happen.

The Grandmother is the personification of the feminine aspect of the ancient ones' timeless wisdom. Let her stories speak to your heart and your soul. The stories, meditations, and exercises offered here will help you break free from your old, limiting way of viewing the world. The life of freedom you are creating will require you to leave your mind behind. This book will help you do just that.

The ancient wisdom was an oral tradition. The stories presented here are part of that tradition. Read them and let them work their magic in your life. Perhaps you'll discover one that so speaks to you, you will feel called to read it over and over. Perhaps the stories you like the least will have the most to teach you.

Stories teach us in ways often not clear to us. Let the ancient ones speak to your heart and your mind. Write your own stories, and include yourself in them. What part would you play? Become part of the stories and allow them to become part of you.

The Toltecs realized there were two distinct ways to view the world: first attention and second attention. In first attention we focus on the world our mind sees. And in second attention we become aware of the world our spirit perceives. These stories will speak to you on both levels.

It takes the moon twenty-eight days to complete a cycle, and each year we have thirteen moon cycles. This text follows the moon's pattern. I suggest you start this book on the full or new moon and use it every day.

There is something magical about standing in the light of the moon. When the idea for this book was growing in my heart, my students and I performed a full moon ceremony on the North Shore of Oahu. We were standing on the beach and I had just finished telling a story. When I turned with my hand pointing skyward, there before me was the full arch of the most beautiful rainbow I had ever seen. Before that, I had thought night rainbows were only part of Hawaiian mythology.

The moon causes the tides to rise and fall. It is only natural that our bodies are affected by its cycles as well. Start to observe the moon as it moves through the sky. Pay attention to its cycles. Do you notice any relationship between your energy levels and the moon's phase? Get an appointment book that includes the moon's cycles. Each day write down a few short notes about how you felt that day emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Take note of any major events in your life. You can look back later to trace any patterns.

Scattered throughout the text you will find brief visualization exercises. Allow yourself to enter into these meditations as fully as possible. Set aside ten or fifteen minutes when you won't be disturbed, and get as comfortable as possible. Take a few deep breaths to relax your mind and your body. If any part of your body feels tense, breathe relaxation into that tense area.

Focus your attention on your breathing. Then, starting either at your head or your feet, contract and release each of your muscle groups. After you feel completely relaxed, read the meditation and think about the images it presents. Allow yourself to become part of the meditation. Step into it and fully embrace the experience. It is easier than you think. Use your imagination, play with the images, and enjoy the process.