41 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Everyone should read this book!, June 23, 2005
This review is from: The Art of Stalking Parallel Perception: The Living Tapestry of Lujan Matus (Paperback)
'The Art of Stalking Parallel Perception; The Living Tapestry of Lujan Matus' is a stunningly original work, the first, and hopefully not the last, novel from this mystic pioneer.
Upon reading the book I became transfixed by the language, drawn into its dream-like web and held there. The novel describes the authors travels and encounters in parallel states of awareness and dreams, and the lessons presented to him by a group of seers, who reveal themselves one by one, cloaked in mystery and to be possessing great power. From the very start, the reader becomes aware that this is no ordinary book, the authors energy literally springs off the page, commanding your attention. Anyone seriously interested in self development, personal empowerment, the nature and navigation of dream states or any other kind of existential enquiry seriously owes it to themselves to read this book. In the fascinating genre of shamanism/sorcery, 'The Art of Stalking Parallel Perception' is an extraordinarily exciting book, going beyond, in terms of depth and directness, the works of Carlos Castaneda and his contemporaries Florinda Donner and Taisha Abelar.
The first chapter, 'Shamanic Dreaming', describes the author's initiation into the dream maker's realm, where he is cast through a whirlwind of scenes and dream states. We are introduced to Somai and Lucien, seers possessing great power and knowledge. The author is then given his name, as a gift of power; "Your inner child has absorbed the old nagual Lujan's luminosity and has been qualified, and through this qualification you have also inherited his name."
The second chapter, 'Threads of Intention', deals with the trappings of mankind, both internally and socially. Lujan's seer companions attempt to help him to extricate himself from the encumbering forces of socialization through understanding. The dialogue covers rarely dealt with subjects that we are all subliminally aware of, such as the inter-connective corruption that exists within us and the power of words.
In the next chapter, 'The Hidden Fabric', we are introduced to Malaiyan, a gentle and poetic warrior. His lessons are interlaced with provocative images and stunning metaphors; "Can you sit and be silent, Lujan? Silence as a concept seems to be as elusive as picking up water with your bare hands".
The fourth chapter, 'Fear Not, Be Free', features dialogues between the author and Barak, a man of courage who instructs on the nature of fear and how man can extricate himself from its clutches.
The tone of the book shifts in chapter 5, 'Haunted Awareness', with a truly chilling account of darker forces at play within mechanisms of the mind of man, followed by a series of symbolic alien hieroglyphs, 'The hieroglyph of haunted awareness' and 'The hieroglyph of inner light'. All aspects of the symbols are explained and comparisons drawn between them. The effect that viewing these strange images and reading their accompanying explanations had on me was cathartic. The chapter ends with an absolutely terrifying tale where Lujan is led, by his cohorts to confront a nightmarish essence, lurking in the shadows. In this chapter we are also introduced to a crucial character, Zakai, as well as the four hypnotically powerful female seers Dyani, Ela, Shashani and Mion.
Mysterious Encounters describes fascinating experiences with alien life forms on more than one occasion.
The seventh and eighth chapters, 'Emptying the Imprint' and 'Hunting the Haunted', offer practical solutions to the problems outlined in previous chapters whilst simultaneously introducing new concepts. One can't shake the feeling that the information and ideas contained here are of crucial and direct importance to us all.
At the ninth chapter, 'The Shadow's Mind', the narrative is interrupted and a story from the point of view of one of the author's students is interjected. It is the tale of Nicholas, and offers a certain respite from the intensity of the previous chapters. The story centers around the character's inability to sustain himself within truth, and serves as a means to examine deception and betrayal on the everyday stage.
'Dreaming the Dreamed' sees a return to the dream makers realm, where a final hieroglyph is revealed and also dream scenes containing astounding biblical revelations with extraordinary depth are outlined.
The eleventh chapter, 'Sexual Attention', is a colourful and intensely fascinating body of work. It begins in a question and answer format, and moves on to sub-headings containing practices, knowledge, and tales of beauty. The chapter covers subjects such as celibacy, male and female sexual retention, sexual practices, power and energetic assassination.
Chapter 12, 'The Heart of Dreaming', is powerful section that begins to cap off the lessons presented previously, whilst shedding light on new subjects. It begins with a fascinating description of the old Nagual Lujan and his connection to oriental practices, and then moves on to discuss the subtleties of time and power; "Our power lies on personal containment, not in the acquisition of personal principles". Questions are answered with sage-like wisdom and clarity. The author makes continual reference to poignant childhood dream states to illustrate concepts and raise questions. The chapter is full of information that bursts with relevance and impact. The dream scenes described are riveting.
The book's last chapter, 'The Power of Silent Cognition', begins with an encounter with the narrator's benefactor. Final lessons are received and the mood is silent and powerful; "Your responsibility is as mine, to transmit, and through this transmission set those who listen free from that encompassing entrapment that enthralls us all." Following this chapter is an epilogue, and it is perhaps the sweetest section of the entire novel, leaving the reader suspended in a living tapestry that defies description.
Reading this novel I experienced a vast array of feelings and sensations. There were times when the subjects brought about emotional upheaval. These were always followed by intense revelations and moments of personal clarity. As I was pulled deeper in to the narrative, an underlying thread became apparent, yet hard to define. Suffice to say that it felt like the origin and inspiration for this work was alien, yet thoroughly exciting.
I can honestly say that this book has had an incredibly positive affect on my life, in terms of understanding. It has also helped to create a unique sense of well being and elation, that feels as if something has been reclaimed inside of myself.
'The Art of Stalking Parallel Perception' is a milestone in the literary world in general, and an absolute gem in the genre of sorcery, in particular. It achieves the almost impossible task of capturing the reader's heart and mind, whilst at the same time filling them with an endless sense of enchantment, curiosity and wonder.
Thai Jing-
Musician/Composer
Sydney Australia
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