Most of the Truths of Awareness are based upon the act of perception and the way in which this takes place. The New Seers found that the whole mystery of perception can be summarized quite adequately in the following nine precepts:

In order to see, the Old Seers had to use hallucinogens to move their assemblage points, but the New Seers realised that this was as impractical as the rituals of the Old Seers. More than anything else, practical ways of moving the assemblage point were now needed, and in order to find these the New Seers began by studying the assemblage point through seeing, even though at the outset they still had to make use of drugs. This research turned out to be most worthwhile, for not only did they find the necessary techniques to enable them to move the assemblage point, but they also uncovered the mystery of will-power.

The Old Seers had known about the mysterious force which their Atlantean predecessors had used with such facility. Through observation, they also knew that this force exists throughout all of nature and the manifested universe. The Old Seers termed this force power, but they never understood it or managed to figure out how to use it.

The New Seers discovered that this mysterious force is in fact the energy of alignment, that is, the force that is released when energy fields inside the cocoon become aligned with energy fields outside the cocoon. The New Seers termed this force will, and defined it as 'a continuous flow of energy which can be guided by the intent of the seer'.

The New Seers also discovered that will is the force that makes us behave in the ways we do when we perceive. It is therefore this force that determines our perception of the world. Thus it is will which fixes the assemblage point at the exact spot where it is located. Here it is important to realise that although there is a definite area within which the assemblage point can always be found, the exact position is brought about by habitual action and repetition. Habits obviously vary between one individual and the next, and consequently no two people will have their assemblage points fixed in exactly the same spot.

Will and power are synonymous terms for the product of perception.

These three areas of activity have been defined traditionally as the three riddles which warriors must face and answer as they walk the Path of Power. The Art of Stalking is termed the riddle of the heart. It is described as the bafflement warriors experience when they become aware, firstly, that the world appears to be what it is only because of our perception and, secondly, that if a different perception is brought to bear upon the world, then our view of the world, which seems to be so inviolable, changes dramatically. The Mastery of Awareness is termed the riddle of the mind. This is the awesome infinity warriors perceive when they realise the incomprehensible mystery and extent of man's awareness. The Mastery of Intent is the riddle of the spirit of man. It is the ultimate paradox in that it is the ability of man to project his actions, physical, emotional and mental, beyond normal human comprehension.

In this respect the reader would do well to remember that power is not God, or any other such-like being, but the product of perception. In other words, A is perceiving B, and the result or product of this perception is knowledge gained from own experience; that is, personal power. However, B is perceiving A in a like manner, with the identical effect. Then, because of the interaction, even if only momentarily, A radiates his personal power at B, and B does the same to A, and the result or product of these two forces mingling is a secondary force which is termed emotion. Now this emotional response between A and B will in its turn spark off more perception, which produces more personal power for either A or B or both. Realise that the interaction described above is taking place at all levels of existence between every thing and every being within the known and the unknown universe simultaneously. The individuals concerned experience only their own personal power, but because all of life is interrelated, any personal power gained or lost has an effect upon the greater whole. It is therefore this overall effect that is termed universal power or simply power, as opposed to the personal power of the individual. It is important to understand that the levels of personal power thus generated may be relatively minute, as in an ant, or huge, as in a solar being, but the overall power generated universally every second of every day is vast beyond imagination, and its outcome is utterly unpredictable.

Words have become more important than knowledge itself, and theory has won a privileged position in the life of man. In man's present view of the world it is astonishing to see the power of words and the influence of man's speech upon his world. It has been said that the universe is never ever the same again after every word spoken, and true as this is, it is even more true to say that man's view of the world becomes ever more concretized after every word spoken.

First of all realise that words in themselves have no real power as such, but we can allow the words of others to guide us into all sorts of feelings, and those feelings are the expression of irrational knowledge which is indeed power. But in order to do so we must abandon our thinking in that moment so as to listen to what our hearts are telling us, and at the same time resist the temptation to immediately want to interpret the feelings that arise as a result. This is what is known as the stalker's approach towards stalking perception, an act that requires a great deal of careful thought.

It is not easy to define power without getting tied up in words. It will be remembered from the Truths of Awareness, that power is defined as being the energy of alignment, meaning that it is the force which is released when energy fields inside the cocoon become aligned with the corresponding energy fields outside the cocoon. The result of this alignment is perception. So we can also say that power is the product of perception. These are the two traditional definitions of power, but in themselves they tell us very little about how we should interpret power in practice. We can no more see power than we can see perception, but we can witness the effects of both. The effect of power is perhaps best described as being what we understand as vitality, or alternatively, energy. If you feel inspired by watching the sunrise, that enthusiasm you experience is the effect of power, or the effect of having perceived. The enthusiasm or vitality is not power per se, but rather the effect of power, or more accurately, personal power.

Obviously, if the assemblage point is fixed and our view of the world is likewise fixed, then the amount of personal power we have is proportional to our level of perception, by virtue of the fact that personal power is the product of perception. Perception, however, is in turn proportional to the level of awareness. If, therefore, we are half asleep as a result of being 'bored out of our minds', we do not register perception very well. The lack of registered perception does not mean that personal power is not being generated, but rather that all the personal power generated is being consumed by those habitual and repetitious acts, physical, emotional and mental, which keep the assemblage point fixed.

The only reason for hunting power is to enable us to have sufficient personal power to claim our freedom. But in order to claim that freedom we must also be able to claim our personal power, for the Eagle does not impart the gift of freedom to those who are not strong enough to fight for their personal power. The only way in which to become strong is to fight, and the more difficult the battle the stronger we become. It is for this reason that the hunter, unlike the average man, does not complain about the challenges in his life. The hunter knows that the greater the challenge, the greater will be his gift of power.

This is how the hunter approaches his battle for power: he is wide awake, fearful, respectful and fully assured. This is his shield. In the face of the impossible odds he will be facing it is perhaps not very much, but it is all he has, and it is for this reason that he has trained long and hard to use it impeccably. This is the nature of a hunter's fate, but his mood is not one of melancholy or pessimism. Nor does the hunter feel any cause for regret or, for that matter, resentment or bitterness. On the contrary, he feels privileged and optimistic. Privileged, because he wonders why he of all people should be so lucky as to have been singled out by power for combat; optimistic, because he now knows that the worst that can possibly happen to him is that his destiny will unfold, and this, after all, is what he has been seeking all along.

This is not so difficult to grasp if we remember that power is the energy of alignment. When we gain knowledge through experience, it means that we have perceived something through that experience of which we were not aware before. Such perception is of course the result of an alignment which, in turn, has generated power. Needless to say, this applies only to knowledge, and not to information. We should always remember that information is mere theory, whilst knowledge is something gained from experience. Unless they are put into practice, information and theory have no power, but knowledge is power.

Therefore if we are to have power we must make the best possible use of all our experiences. This in effect means that we must strive to perceive as much as possible. It is this striving for perception which constitutes the hunt for power, but since power is an intangible and unpredictable opponent, life for the warrior becomes an endless challenge.

Obviously one cannot be successful in hunting power if one is living an undisciplined life in a semiconscious state. To hunt power, as we have already seen, demands of us the disciplined ways and constant vigilance of the hunter.

Only a warrior can survive the battle for power.

In an unknown universe pervaded by the unpredictable quirks of power, understanding is of very little significance.

Our problems are challenges, gifts of power, which present us with the most marvellous opportunity to fight our way to freedom.

The knowledge which the warrior seeks is the product of perception, namely power; but perception can only take place within the occurrences of daily life. Such perception will obviously be unique to every individual, and therefore the knowledge gained from an experience will naturally also be unique. After only a little practice the individual quickly realises that the greater portion of this knowledge cannot be properly verbalized, even though it may have been understood. It is for this reason that Toltecs have always maintained that the true teachings have never been, and can never be, written down or notated in any form whatsoever.

Contrary to popular belief, all knowledge arises on the left side and, as such, is irrational. The only activity which takes place on the right side is the computation and structuring of knowledge gained on the left side, and the arrangement of information gathered from theory. It should always be remembered that the left side is irrational and therefore does not conform to the linear and sequential thought patterns experienced in normal awareness, that is, the right side. Consequently, it is impossible to verbalize the left side accurately - we can at best verbalize our experiences of the left side; or in other words, we can express and describe what we have witnessed on the left side, but this expression will only be a logical interpretation of knowledge which is beyond the scope of words, since words by their very nature demand a linear and sequential mode in order to be coherent.

Needless to say, the first task facing every apprentice is to harness enough personal power with which to move his assemblage point. First the apprentice must move his assemblage point within the confines of normal awareness so as to achieve clarity of vision, then he must learn to shift his assemblage point into heightened awareness in order to achieve altered states of perception.

The paradox which emerges at this point, and which always causes confusion, is that it is only through intent that it is possible to harness sufficient personal power with which to move or shift the assemblage point. It must be kept in mind that it is intent which causes us to perceive, and that personal power is the product of perception. Intent is defined as the one and only force present throughout the universe - it is quite simply the unwavering will or purpose of the Eagle. Intent is present within all forms of life, organic as well as inorganic, and therefore obviously manifests in a kaleidoscopic display of variations and differentiations.

Anyone who wishes to have true knowledge and power can have it, but we all have to be prepared to invest the necessary time and effort in order to achieve the desired goal.

The only way in which apprentices can become warriors is for them to live the life of a warrior all day, every day. No amount of theorising or philosophising, talking or reading, will bring them one step closer to power.

Only when the Warrior's Path is seen to be an act of survival does it have the meaning it should have, and only then will the apprentice be able to harness sufficient personal power in order to conquer his challenges.

A warrior does not deny himself anything at all, for he sees in everything an opportunity to test himself and to enhance his personal power by overcoming every challenge with which he is confronted.

Inner confidence, which is arrived at through sobriety, radiates an air of command which cannot be ignored, for the simple reason that such a person's command is the force of justice in action. This is not the vanity of self-importance, but the very fabric of power. When anyone bases their decisions and actions upon the universal principles surrounding the interrelationship of all life, they are not only acting in accordance with universal law, but in effect also using universal law to support and augment their actions. In this respect only fools will bring down upon their heads the consequences of challenging the command of the one who wields universal law, for any who do so, quite literally challenge the universe itself.

Both brute force and manipulation are loathsome acts of violence which are terribly destructive, and in complete opposition to the universal laws governing harmony and balance. The strength of the warrior comes from acting in accordance with universal law, and as such his acts are also supported and upheld by these very same laws. Therefore when warriors command they do not have to resort to brute force, or manipulation, or petty threats - all they have to do, is voice the command of the Eagle, and through that process termed the interaction of life, quite literally summon forth the power of the universe.

Obviously there is no power greater than this, but such awesome power can only be used for the mutual benefit of all of life - never should it be used for selfish gain.

In order to have power you must claim it. To do so entails having to face and defeat the four natural enemies.

To repeat, power cannot be bestowed upon us, for the simple reason that power is knowledge gained through own experience. Therefore, in order to have power, we must be able to sustain ourselves in a battle for power, and it is to this end that power itself challenges the warrior at every turn.

People like to believe that they have several options open to them, but this is only a justification for attempting to avoid their battles. A warrior understands the folly of seeking escapisms, for he knows the world is pervaded by power, which comes at him like the waves of the sea. He either mounts the crest of those waves and surfs them, or he goes down under.

A battle for power is a battle for survival, and in such a battle there are no rules of conduct. Power will use whatever means are available to it with which to challenge the warrior.

Power is truly a mystery, the intricacies of which defy even the abilities of the most accomplished seers. This is especially true of the astounding manner in which power transforms all who seek it. One day an apprentice is still just an ordinary man, and then suddenly, the very next day, he has been transformed into a formidable warrior who has power at his command. In retrospect, no warrior can ever quite work out how exactly this happened, or what triggered the magical transformation. All we do know is that intent is the key, but it is precisely this that is so baffling, because when intent is brought into focus it becomes invisible, having the peculiarity of appearing to be nothing whenever scrutinised.

Power quite literally encompasses an infinity which defies all speculation - its scope being staggeringly awesome. Yet, the greatest marvel of all is that we human beings are an integral part of this magnificent mystery, this ineffable infinity. Human beings are therefore not merely physical creatures fighting for scraps of mundane existence upon earth, but magical beings of the universe who have a glorious and unlimited potential, the implications of which are quite daunting.

From the moment an apprentice has discovered his power he is an apprentice no more, but has become a master in his own right worthy of being called a warrior. No longer just an ordinary man at the mercy of the world around him, the warrior steps forward lightly with the full authority and power of a leader. His command is instinctively recognised and obeyed. His vitality engenders in those around him a sense of hope and excitement, whilst his daring moves foster in them an inspiration and a respect which quickly makes of his word the law. At this point the warrior's power is such that it enables him to do whatever he sees fit, but it is also in this moment that he is brought face to face with the challenges of the third natural enemy - power.

Everything in this universe is the sole property of life, of the Spirit, and all of us are loaned that with which we have work in any one particular lifetime. This is true of everything in our lives, whether it be relationships, talent, physical, emotional and mental characteristics, wealth, or most important of all, power. Warriors who walk the Path of Freedom know that just like everything else in their lives, the power which they wield is in reality never theirs. Power, if we have it, is loaned to us merely so that we may learn how to handle it impeccably. Consequently, we may use our power in whatever way we see fit, but we do not have the right to abuse it by transgressing universal law.

What precludes most people from having power at their command is that they do not yet have enough personal power with which to sustain themselves in the battle against power. Similarly, the only reason why any warrior will lose the battle against power, is that although he has saved enough personal power to have initiated the battle, he nevertheless does not have enough to help him overcome his feelings of inferiority and unworthiness. Such a warrior will gladly surrender to his enemy, thinking thereby that he will make of power his ally, and that together they will annihilate all opposition, and achieve freedom from victimisation.

Sadly this is so very, very far from the truth, for warriors who surrender to power are, in truth, wretched creatures who cannot accept their own innate value and worth. These warriors soon discover that for all of their power, there are always those whom they feel are still challenging them in some way, or whose power is even greater than their own. Consequently, they have to strive either to increase their own power, or else to annihilate their opposition. For such warriors, power is not an ally but, on the contrary, a most terrible liability. In their battle for supremacy, true freedom remains vague and elusive, and in time the warriors begin to lose all sense of balance and perspective as doubt and suspicion increase.

Power is a formidable enemy, and a man or woman must be a very fine warrior indeed to overcome it. Many a good warrior has lost in the battle against power, but to lose this battle is also to lose one's freedom. A warrior who has lost the battle against power never learns how to wield his power impeccably, and consequently becomes an implacable dictator who will lash out with brutal cruelty merely to satisfy a whim. For such a man power is no longer an ally, but a forceful manipulator that destroys him little by little, until finally he has lost all sense of humanness. Having lost his sense of humanness, the man now rapidly loses also his sense of justice, and therefore can no longer distinguish between right and wrong.

From this point on power begins to erase the man's awareness until only a bitterly twisted caricature remains - a foul burnt-out husk of vile corruption spewing forth the deadly poisons of doubt and suspicion.

To have power at one's command, and yet to stand free from it, is a concept which perhaps goes far beyond the scope of this book; but this chapter would not be complete without mentioning it here. The truly great warrior walks the Path of Freedom, keeping his or her power in check, and in so doing, rises above it to become harmless and humble, but nevertheless completely invincible in every respect. Such warriors can and do meet their fellow men in the midst of their folly and, through standing free from all, can embrace everyone and everything without fear and without expectation. Having power at their command, and detached from all whilst embracing all, warriors who tread the Path of Freedom can allow their spirit to flow free, to partake in all of life's many richnesses.

To conquer power and then to choose the Path of Freedom is very difficult in one sense and, paradoxically, very simple in another. The key lies in humility, a natural quality in every human being, but a potential which has to be brought forth and nurtured, just like any talent has to be uncovered and developed. True humility is not a sense of subservience, but a spontaneous act of the heart, born of the intelligent appreciation of the interrelationship of life.

Only by listening attentively to every command issuing from his heart can the warrior hope to gain the advantage over power. There is no other way in which to survive the unrelenting attacks staged by power against the warrior striving to gain command over it. The warrior must never, not even for one instant, lose sight of the fact that power is not the sole property of any individual to be used for selfish gain - power may only be used for the benefit of all life, since the individual unit is but a fragment of the greater whole. If the warrior holds his intent unwaveringly upon this knowledge throughout his battle, then there comes a moment when he slips into a second state of serenity and, in that new quietness of life, grasps the purpose of the Eagle. It is then that the warrior's command becomes the command of the Eagle, and from this moment on the warrior is free of the horrendous temptations posed by power. Finally the battle is over, and the power which the warrior has been struggling to control now quietly submits to his will. This is that true command of power which makes the warrior who walks the path of freedom an utterly invincible being.

A warrior cuts out all unnecessary acts; in this way he saves his personal power.

In the presence of death everything becomes power, and ordinary acts become imbued with magic.

Our only duty in life is to learn to accept ourselves for what we are. Once we have acknowledged our shortcomings for the challenges they pose, we must use our natural talents in order to transmute those shortcomings into gifts of power. If we do this, then power flows to us, and in the end we find that it is indeed always our shortcomings which ultimately lead us to freedom. However, it is the bane of man's existence always to believe that he should be something other than what he is, and that he cannot be happy until his life is different.

Challenges are unique to every individual. What makes a challenge difficult or easy is the level of power inherent within it. Easy challenges do not require a great deal of effort, and therefore their yields are poor. Difficult challenges, on the other hand, require a great deal of effort, and in exercising the will in order to conquer them, they yield magnificent gifts of power.

Personal power is the key to everything a warrior does. Without sufficient personal power a warrior would be as feeble as any other man, and it is therefore absolutely vital that an apprentice starts to save and to store personal power from day one. In this respect it must also be born in mind that personal power is not some mythical thing 'out there', but the product of perception. Therefore every single thing in the apprentice's training, whether it be aphorisms grasped, concepts implemented, or techniques practised, yields personal power. Apprentices often do not realise that qualities such as sobriety and strength are actually only different aspects of personal power.

Power flows to us whenever we need it. It is only the fixation of your assemblage point and your subsequent doings which preclude you from using the power that surrounds us all.

To stop the world is a superb act of magic. Once a warrior has accomplished this feat he is a free being with power at his command, and thus his destiny begins to unfold in the most marvellous and miraculous way.

If you are going to stop the world you must claim your power, but no man can claim his power if he feels unworthy of it.

The warrior, on the other hand, is a man or woman who has learned through experience that there is only one life expressing itself through myriads of different forms. By doing this, life can and does experience an untold number of variations in awareness, and it is the sum total of all interactions between these different levels of awareness that is termed power.

It is the destiny of all of life to seek out knowledge and to have power, but there is absolutely no way any of us can have power other than to claim it. The only way in which we can claim our power is for us to be presented with challenges which we have to face and overcome. Obviously the amount of power which a challenge will yield is proportionate to the intensity of the challenge. Easy challenges yield only a little power, but difficult challenges, especially those which threaten our survival in one way or another, yield the greatest amount of power. Therefore, for the warrior, death and its allies are not a curse, but simply forces which guide him to ever greater heights of personal power. It is for this reason that the warrior looks upon death as his best advisor.

However, the primary impulse generated in any act of perception is personal power, which of course is knowledge, and that particular knowledge will be registered either as a rational thought, or as an irrational feeling. In other words, any act of perception has the potential of being registered either on the right or the left side, but in both instances a secondary impulse (emotion), will be generated.

Power is the product of perception, and therefore if we want to increase our level of personal power, then the only way in which we can do this is to dream it into existence. What in effect this means is that we must avail ourselves of all possible alignments of energy fields, right across the full spectrum of those positions of the assemblage point of which we are capable. By doing this we not only enhance our perception by a great deal, but we also increase the product of that perception, namely, personal power. In this respect remember that dreaming is an altered state of perception.

Although most people look upon the act of perception as a very mundane act, Toltecs have always been fascinated by this stupendous phenomenon, knowing that it is the ultimate key to all acts of true power. Why different people should perceive the same event differently, and why some people are capable of perceiving something others are oblivious to, are only two of the great many questions that have kept highly skilled Toltec seers occupied for generations upon generations. And yet, in spite of all their dedicated research, Toltecs today are still not much closer to deciphering the mystery of perception than at the outset of their work.

This is quite the most difficult point to get across to any apprentice, because apprentices are very rarely willing to believe that all the knowledge and power they could ever possibly hope for is to be found in their own daily life. Somehow or other apprentices always come to a nagal expecting that he has a magic wand somewhere, and that when he feels the apprentice is ready, he will suddenly take out that wand and wave it around dramatically so as to transform the apprentice into a formidable warrior. But alas, although there are some unscrupulous characters who do perpetuate this superstition in order to get apprentices to hand over their wallets, Toltecs themselves, in spite of all of their knowledge and power, have not yet managed either to find or make such a clever little stick.

At the end of the day, though, it is not the ability to pull a rabbit out of a hat, or the ability to materialise a pair of ear rings out of thin air, that constitutes true conjuring, but the magical ability to create and to destroy - the ability to transmute our shortcomings into power, the ability to transform ourselves into impeccable warriors of the spirit of man, and the ability to transfigure ourselves into true man, the microcosm of the macrocosm. Herein lies man's greatest power as a magical creature of the universe.

Think of the first ring of power as being like atomic fission, and the second ring of power as being like atomic fusion. The first form of magic is subtractive in quality, in that it separates, divides, removes something and, in short, destroys. The second form, on the other hand, is additive in quality, in that it unites, heals, adds something that was not present before and, in short, upholds, uplifts, and creates. The first form of magic is the power of the tonal, or the matter aspect, whereas the second form of magic is the power of the nagal, or the spirit aspect. When these two forms of magic are united they bring to birth a third form of magic - Dragon Lore - the true power of man.

Therefore, what is termed the first ring of power is that aspect of the dreamer's awareness termed mind, whereas the second ring of power is that aspect termed intent, and inherent within the first ring of power is the reflection of intent in the form of the urge to separate or to discriminate. It is because of this fact that the first ring of power is subtractive in quality, and why it is stated that true intent only becomes operative when using the second ring of power. However, because intent unites, it is additive in quality, and this means that in order to manipulate true intent it is necessary to practise the interrelationship of life.

To begin with, all of us are caught in the common dream, the common illusion, and as a result all our actions amount to nothing more than folly. This is the way power has set it up. It is a set-up which is really quite weird, in the true sense of the word, for on the one hand we are powerless to change it, but on the other hand we do have the power and the freedom to change it all. This is perhaps the ultimate paradox - a paradox which is so complex that it is completely bewildering, but concealing a truth that is stunning in its simplicity.

The truth concealed by this paradox forms the innermost core of the Toltec tradition - a core that is the ultimate source of power - a core that can be the key to freedom, or the key to sorcery, the key to creation, or the key to destruction. This core is Azoth, the great secret of Hermes Trismegistus. It is also the mythical elixir of life, and the much sought-after Lapis Philosophorum, the Philosopher's Stone. It is the miracle staff of Moses, and Excalibur, the unearthly sword of Arthur. It is Miölnir, the hammer of Thor, and then again the Plumed Serpent, the magic wand of the great Toltec votan, Quetzo-Cohuatl.

Such are the legends and myths which have grown up around the truth concealed by this strangest of strange paradoxes, but considering its nature, it is hardly surprising that so many legends and myths should have evolved around this one truth. The reason why Toltecs look upon this truth as being the core of their tradition is that once it has been grasped in its entirety and put into practice, this truth yields a dual force, metaphorically termed the ancient Spear of Destiny when touched by the left hand, and the invincible Sword of Power when touched by the right hand.

Since it is the key to both creation and destruction, a great many people throughout the ages have made it their sole purpose in life to find this core. However, not all of these seekers can be said to have had motives that were pure. In fact, the vast majority of these seekers had motives that were very far from pure. Of these, the lucky ones died without ever finding the hidden core. The unlucky ones were those few who did find it, but because of their greed and ambition could touch it only ever so briefly. Yet, even for that brief touch, for those few moments of bliss, these unfortunate wretches paid grotesque prices with their sanity.

Such is the nature of this core. It is truly the source of all power - a raw power which is ancient beyond belief, and yet which is also constantly being renewed by having to turn in upon itself under the unimaginable force of inherent awareness and the truly staggering momentum of evolving awareness. To touch that core is to journey to the "centre of the world"; a state of awareness which is termed the pivot of the three rings, that is, the three rings of power. Existing as that unity which is termed the spirit of man, the nagal, this is a level of awareness which demands the totality of the self, and to survive the journey to this centre requires a level of impeccability of which very few have ever been capable. It is primarily for this reason that the Warriors of Freedom were forced to break away from their inherited tradition, and to seek out that knowledge which enhances impeccability above anything else. From our perspective there is absolutely no point in acquiring power, if that power is going to destroy you.

All perceptions are interactive, in that the personal power generated by each ultimately gives rise to universal power. Furthermore, remember that the secondary impulse in the act of perception is emotion, and that these emotions are also interactive. Needless to say, all of these interactions give rise to even more perception, so that we get ripple upon ripple of perception, each ripple giving rise to new power and, in addition, also becoming charged with emotion.

Trying to force the hand of power is a fool's game based upon the illusion that we control the currents in the ocean of life. To entertain any such belief is to be utterly demented. We cannot control power, which, it must be remembered is universal power, but because power is the product of perception we can control our own level of perception, or the alignment of that perception, which of course determines our own personal power. Consequently, although we cannot control power as such, we nevertheless can choose to perceive the events in our lives in whichever way we want to.

Self-importance leads to impatience, and impatience will cause you to fret about having to achieve warriorship sooner rather than later. Fretting impatiently, you will continue to blunder along in ignorance of your daily life, and in that ignorance you will miss your fleeting moments of chance. Only once you have acquired true humility and patience will power come to you unbidden.

The five elements of the One Power. Traditionally, these five elements are known as earth, fire, water, air and spirit, and it is today a well-known fact in both esoteric as well as science fantasy works, that the so-called magician works his or her magic through a manipulation of any one, or a combination, of these five elements. This is typical of how a lack of knowledge leads to old wives' tales, and how old wives' tales lead to superstition. The four basic elements are only a symbolic form of the four attributes of warriorship - a type of shorthand that speaks volumes to the fully trained warrior, and which eliminates the need for hours of lofty verbalisation between a nagal and an apprentice who has been trained in and is therefore familiar with the use of such symbols. Air is the symbol for sobriety; earth is the symbol for strength; water for warmth; fire for feeling; and spirit for pure intent. For most actions one only needs one of the elements, but there are actions that require a combination of elements. For example, if an act of discrimination is called for, then only air is needed. If, however, an athlete needs to compete in a race, then both earth and spirit are called for. Likewise, if the warrior is going to heal a person then, depending upon the nature of the illness, he will require either a combination of air, water and spirit or, in some cases, a combination of all five.

To claim one's gift of power means that one must first of all recognise it as being a gift; and secondly, acknowledge that it is ours for the taking. To have such clarity entails not only living in the moment, but also requires the willingness to be inclusive, rather than being exclusive. In other words, instead of trying to avoid, or to escape what is happening in one's life, by being exclusive, one must be inclusive so as to learn as much as possible from every situation that occurs, for only in this way is it really possible to move beyond the need for such experiences. Apropos this, realise that it stands to reason that once we have gained the necessary knowledge or power inherent within any situation in one's life, then there is no need to keep on experiencing the same old thing.

Without realising it, the apprentice has started to open his heart and to bring into being the force of inclusiveness and, by doing so, unconsciously becomes the myth - becomes the warrior! Yet the apprentice himself is still wholly unaware of the transformation, and it is only as power starts to come to him unbidden that it will suddenly dawn on him that his apprenticeship is over, that he is finally a warrior, and that power is at his command.

Most apprentices simply cannot conceive that they will ever have enough personal power to enable them to perceive alternative worlds, much less to access those worlds. Firmly caught up in the belief that they do not have what it takes to claim their divine heritage, such apprentices will often waste a great deal of precious time in day-dreaming about finding some easy or miraculous way of acquiring power. However, in spite of the fact that it is the divine birthright of man to have power and to wield the magic of that power, there is no easy or miraculous way in which to acquire power. Superstition may have led many to believe in the existence of so-called supernatural power, and the use of ritual and hallucinogenic drugs may at times afford the practitioner a brief glimpse of alternative states of reality, but at the end of the day there is only one true power termed the One Power, which, far from being supernatural, is as natural as anything else in nature. Being completely natural, the One Power does not suddenly materialise like lightning amidst a puff of smoke, but has to be painstakingly cultivated and harnessed like any other product of nature. Although there are Toltecs who have so much power that they can work miracles, that power was not gained through any so-called supernatural process, but is instead the product of a great deal of hard work over an untold number of lifetimes. Anyone who desires it can have power, provided he or she is prepared to work for it, and to pay the price for having it - a price which very few apprentices ever consider carefully in their desire to have power.

The price for true power is one's life, and depending upon how we view our lives, that cost can be seen as terribly high. Yet for those who have come to the conclusion that their present life holds for them no more value, the cost, although it still remains high, is not nearly as high as for those who are unwilling to sacrifice their present life. It is primarily for this reason that it is stated that only those who come to the Warrior's Path prepared to die can hope for success, for to wield the One Power requires a total transformation, a transformation that demands the death of the old in the total restructuring of the island of the tonal.

Yet it is exactly because the Path of Freedom requires the death of the old that most people find the price too high, even if their old way of life is completely miserable and disempowering. It is only when an apprentice is forced to choose freedom as an act of survival that he or she will be willing to relinquish the only life he or she has ever known. Consequently it is hardly surprising that even to this day there should be so few individuals who can wield the One Power effectively, even though thousands upon thousands have tried to acquire power the "quick easy" way.