The Descent of the Spirit – The Somersault of Thought
This chapter, “The Somersault of Thought,” explains how sorcerers maintain their clarity and deepen their understanding of intent by stalking themselves, which involves delivering a “jolt” to break fixations and complacency. Don Juan emphasizes the crucial role of the idea of death not as an enemy, but as a “worthy opponent” that inspires courage and sobriety. He reveals that a “somersault of thought into the inconceivable” is synonymous with the descent of the spirit and the breaking of perceptual barriers, a state that can be induced through practices like using poems as “advance runners.” The chapter culminates with the concept of sorcerer storytellers who, by manipulating their connection to intent “under the auspices of the spirit,” can alter “factual” outcomes in their narratives, demonstrating that profound understanding allows the direct manifestation of an intended reality beyond conventional perception.