From Publishers Weekly
A prot‚g‚ of shaman and bestselling author Don Miguel Ruiz (The Four Agreements), Virgil describes the process by which she found total contentment and inner peace, and became a full-fledged "nagual, a teacher of no limitations." With its own unique language for familiar tenets, her crash course in mastery of awareness comes from the teachings of the Toltecs, an ancient Mexican people who believe that most of us are living in "the Dream of the Planet," meaning "the structures by which we live our lives, set our goals and strive to obtain certain things in life, such as good jobs, families, nice homes, education, status, and so on." True inner happiness or reality, they maintain, exists in a more spiritual realm. Vigil provides a theoretical foundation and a complete set of easy-to-follow exercises for becoming a "spiritual warrior." "Stalking," or detaching from and releasing the "Parasite" within, offers repeated chances to "clean" our old "agreements," or self-defeating beliefs, and to embrace Vigil's 11 new agreements or spiritual guidelines (including awareness, discipline and trust). While Vigil's approach is sincere, readers could use a greater number of more practical examples to better understand the process. In particular, her exposition of the "final battle" with the Parasite, after which "the part of you that is pure angel manifests," is too detached from most readers' experience to be clearly understood. 21 b&w illus. (May)Forecast: Aimed at a New Age readership, this little book features a foreword by Ruiz testifying to Vigil's gifts, which will help attract readers, though Vigil won't approach her mentor's level of sales without a major media break akin to the one Ruiz received from Oprah.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Review
"Doña Bernadette and I have worked together for more than ten years. She was my best apprentice and soon became a master and the Nagual woman of my party. The wisdom and love she has shared as a teacher in workshops and classes is now available in this book."
(
Don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements )
"For those who are ready to actualize dreams, visions, and desires, Bernadette offers you a profound step-by-step journey into ancient Toltec wisdom, personal power, and freedom."
(
Elena Avila, coauthor of Woman Who Glows in the Dark )
"Mastery of Awareness is a very clear, simple, and profound book that guides us to find our true identity. I truly felt as if this book was freeing me of my past as I was reading it. Just reading this book provides great healing."
(
Sandra Ingerman, author of Soul Retrieval and Medicine for the Earth )
"
Mastery of Awareness is a brilliantly developed, clear, concise and heartfelt presentation of the Toltec way to wholeness, freedom and peace."
(
Spirit of Change, September 2001 )
"There is powerful medicine in this sincere and nourishing book."
(
ICS, Bodhi Tree Book Review, Winter 2001 / Spring 2002 )
