The Dream of the Third Attention
The Toltec path has a beginning, a central point, and an end — more or less. It begins in the waking sleep of the dream of the first attention, symbolized by the serpent focused on its immediate needs, and not seeing beyond its limited environment. The serpent person follows the dream programmed into his mind; his parasite is in control of his emotions, so he does not question the nature of reality or his actions. He is very often outwardly content with his life, but does not want to be challenged about his masks or convictions.
Try using one or more of the wake-up tools described in Chapter 11. How often can you wake yourself up into the warrior's dream, and how long does it take to go back to sleep? Remember, do not judge yourself if you have not mastered these skills; it takes time and practice to become a master.
There is no way to understand why some people in the serpent life stir into awakeness and begin to ask questions, and others don't. Some are put back to sleep by the power of their domestication and the potions they are given, while others continue to awaken. If the process continues, the jaguar emerges and begins to ask questions. He learns to stalk his mind's mitote, and transform his beliefs and agreements in the dream of the second attention. This is the work of the mastery of transformation, when the seeker becomes the warrior, and uses the tools of the Toltecs to explore and heal his wounded mind.
Flying Like an Eagle
Many seekers of spiritual understanding and a better life are content to rest in the second attention, and live their human lives with increased awareness, acceptance, and satisfaction. The eagle invites those warriors who are beckoned by the prospect of absolute freedom to fly into the dream of the third attention.
There are many obstacles to the warrior's journey. By now he has triumphed over his personal importance. He has released his attachments to people, places, and things in his life, as well as attachment to his own suffering. He has faced and conquered the fear of letting go of his identity, and surrendered to the angel of death. Now, the flight of the eagle requires that the warrior release even his new loving, open, compassionate, and spiritually comfortable beliefs, and fly beyond them.
It is time to soar above all separation, all categories, and all beliefs. The eagle warrior leaps into the flow of life itself, into intent, and surrenders completely to love.
The Dream of Heaven on Earth
The eagle warrior uses his attention for the third time, to unhook himself from the illusion that he is separate from life. This is a major shift of the assemblage point. The warrior is no longer the jaguar, asking questions about the nature of reality, how to be impeccable with his word, or why he failed or is afraid. In fact, he has no more questions, since the answer is always “Because it is as it is.”
The goal of the Toltec warrior is complete freedom from believing his own personal dream, as well as from the dream of the planet. The eagle warrior faces his fear of the death of his parasite, and ultimately, the death of his ally. When there is nothing left, the warrior becomes everything.
In the love that is life, in the flow that is intent, in the acceptance of the perfection of all that is, the warrior enters the dream of heaven on Earth. He dreams only peace. He does not need death to enter the kingdom of heaven; he is dreaming heaven on Earth every moment. Remember that the Toltecs call the force of life “the light.” Now the eagle warrior lives in the light; he is one with the creative force of the universe. It is not surprising that he does not have to ask “why” anymore.
