A rare in-depth look at the inner workings of Huichol shamanism
- Describes the five sacred sites of the Huichol and their peyote
ceremonies
- Explains how the Huichol teachings of awareness, centered on the five
points of attention, connect you to your true essence
- Reveals the deep relationship between Huichol cosmology, Gnosticism,
and Christianity, especially Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary
Taking place in the heart of the Huichol homeland in western Mexico,
this book offers a rare in-depth look at the inner workings of Huichol
shamanism, which is permeated with the use of the sacred peyote cactus.
Outsiders are almost never allowed access to Huichol sacred sites and
ceremonies; however, James Endredy, after years of friendship with
Huichol families, earned the privilege nearly by accident. Swayed by
persistent pleading, he agreed to take another gringo into the mountains
to one of the Huichols' ceremonial centers, and they were both caught.
After trial and punishment, Endredy was invited to stay within the
sacred lands for the festivities he had illegally intruded upon and
found his initiation into the Huichol shamanic tradition had begun.
Sharing his intimate conversations and journeys with the shaman he calls
"Peyote Jesus," the author explains how Huichol belief revolves around
the five sacred directions, the five sacred sites, and the five points
of attention. As Peyote Jesus explains, the five points of attention
refer to dividing your awareness yet staying focused on your inner self.
This is not a normal state of consciousness for most people, yet when we
maintain these points of attention, we discover our true essence and
move closer to God.
Endredy undergoes dozens of spiritual journeys with peyote as he makes
the pilgrimages to the five sacred Huichol sites with Peyote Jesus. He
is shocked by his vision of the Virgin Mary while under peyote's
guidance and learns of the deep relationship--strictly on Huichol
terms--between their cosmology, Gnosticism, and Christianity, especially
Jesus Christ. Providing an inside look at the major ceremonies and
peyote rituals of the Huichol, this unexpectedly powerful book reveals
the key tenants of the Huichol worldview, their beliefs in the
afterlife, and their spiritual work on behalf of all of humanity.
