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Don Juan and the Art of Sexual Energy: The Rainbow Serpent of the Toltecs
The secret sexual energy practices of Toltec-Mayan shamans revealed at last. The author studied with don Juan Matus and the same circle of Nagual sorcerers who taught Carlos Castenada. Offers specific step-by-step instructions for mastering the ancient sexual techniques that lead to spiritual transformation.
Readers of Carlos Casteneda have often complained that his work in ancient Meso-american shamanism never covered sexual practices beyond celibacy. With his death in 1998 it seemed that these practices might never be revealed, but fortunately Merilyn Tunneshende has stepped in. Set against the backdrop of the golden deserts of Sonora, Mexico, Don Juan and the Art of Sexual Energy recounts Tunneshende's initiation into the ancient sexual energy practices of the Toltec-Mayan tradition. Under the tutelage of don Juan Matus, Chon Yakil (whom Castenada referred to as Don Genaro), and dona Celestina de la Soledad, she learns to reclaim her feminine power and balance the masculine and feminine forces within herself.
At the heart of the book is the mythical Rainbow Serpent: the phallic energy within women, the creative power within men. Each chapter focuses on a particular technique for awakening the serpent and connecting with its energy. Twenty-two sequential practices are covered, providing a powerful program for serious spiritual transformation.
Readers of Carlos Casteneda have often complained that his work in ancient Meso-american shamanism never covered sexual practices beyond celibacy. With his death in 1998 it seemed that these practices might never be revealed, but fortunately Merilyn Tunneshende has stepped in. Set against the backdrop of the golden deserts of Sonora, Mexico, Don Juan and the Art of Sexual Energy recounts Tunneshende's initiation into the ancient sexual energy practices of the Toltec-Mayan tradition. Under the tutelage of don Juan Matus, Chon Yakil (whom Castenada referred to as Don Genaro), and dona Celestina de la Soledad, she learns to reclaim her feminine power and balance the masculine and feminine forces within herself.
At the heart of the book is the mythical Rainbow Serpent: the phallic energy within women, the creative power within men. Each chapter focuses on a particular technique for awakening the serpent and connecting with its energy. Twenty-two sequential practices are covered, providing a powerful program for serious spiritual transformation.
- GenresAnthropology
240 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2001
26 people are currently reading
296 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 3, 2010
Tunneshende has a way of making her incredible journey to Knowing an Everywoman experience. It is evident in her voice that she embodies the balanced, grounded sense of self required to undertake such a challenge in self-mastery and to pass it on to others for them to create their own. More impressive is that she accomplishes this feat in a beautifully feminine way without alienating her masculine aspects, or those of her readers. She also makes the Toltec shamanic tradition available to an audience that would otherwise miss out on such valuable teachings. The healing process described for sexual, thus spiritual, wellbeing delivers an intense lesson in dreamwalking, becoming aware of one's place in All, and in co-creating reality.
February 1, 2016
HERE IS THE EDITION FROM INNER TRADITIONS RELEASED IN 2001. ISRAEL REQUESTED AN EDITION AND BOTH BEGAN RIGHT BEFORE 911. THIS IS THE FAVORITE OF BOOK BUYERS...BECAUSE IT REVEALS THE EROS WITHOUT INDULGING IN SEX. HERE ALSO THERE IS MUCH HEALING.
May 28, 2023
OK read, not the sexual energy practices I’m searching for.
January 19, 2026
Don Juan and the Art of Sexual Energy by Merilyn Tunneshende is a fascinating blend of shamanic storytelling and spiritual instruction, rooted in Toltec–Mayan tradition and centered around the symbol of the Rainbow Serpent. Even from the table of contents, you can tell this isn’t just a book that talks about energy in an abstract way. It’s organized like a path. Chapters like Dream Bridging, Recapitulation, Exploring Celibacy, Retrieving Our Lost Energy, and Drawing and Releasing Energy in Nature make it clear that this book is meant to guide the reader through practical transformation, not just present ideas.
The introduction pages set the tone immediately. Tunneshende writes from lived experience, describing her initiation into shamanism and her training under powerful teachers connected to the Nagual tradition, including don Juan Matus and others tied to the spiritual lineage Carlos Castaneda wrote about. What stands out early is how direct she is about the link between dreaming, healing, and sexual energy. Sexual energy is not something separate from spirituality. It is the fuel behind it, and no spiritual path can ever be complete without learning how to preserve it and direct it.
The structure of the book builds on that foundation and expands into deeper territory. Some sections focus on inner energetic recovery and spiritual healing, while other chapters explore masculine and feminine polarity, energy cultivation, and eventually gender-based practices. Importantly, the book doesn’t treat male and female energy as separate worlds. It treats them as two expressions of the same force. Even though one chapter is specifically titled The Female Orgasmic Practices, there is also a dedicated chapter on The Male Sexual Energy, which helps balance the material and keeps the book from feeling one-sided.
Now, speaking personally, when I first started this book, I wasn’t sure it was for me. The opening chapters read more like a story of spiritual initiation than a direct teaching manual, and early on it felt like it leaned more toward the female experience. As a male reader, I initially felt a disconnect, almost like I was reading something meant for a different audience. At first, it didn’t grab me in the way I expected. But by the time I finished the book, I saw it completely differently. It turned out to be surprisingly moving and emotional, honestly, I almost shed a few tears. What I originally thought was “not for me” became something much deeper, a genuine spiritual work that teaches sexual energy within a shamanic path. It felt real, like the author wasn’t writing theories, but sharing something she actually lived through, suffered through, and earned.
And by the end, one thing became clear, this book is not only useful for women.
Even though the author is a female initiate, the teachings apply to both men and women. The chapter layout proves that. The author gives feminine practices their place, but she also addresses masculine energy directly, and that balance matters. It allows the reader to approach the work through their own nature rather than feeling excluded from the tradition.
As someone who has practiced chastity and semen preservation for the last four years, I can confidently say this book carries real power. There were lessons in this book that hit hard, not in a dramatic way, but in the way spiritual truth hits when you already know what discipline costs. The deeper message, whether the reader realizes it or not, is that spiritual practice without sexual mastery eventually becomes hollow. Shamanism is no exception. Every tradition that speaks of transformation, inner fire, awakening, and higher consciousness is ultimately speaking about the same force. Without preserving and directing sexual energy, the path collapses into words instead of results.
Overall, Don Juan and the Art of Sexual Energy ended up being far better than I expected when I first began it. It’s powerful, emotional, and full of usable wisdom. I highly recommend it, not only for those practicing chastity, celibacy, or retention, but for anyone who considers themselves serious about spiritual growth, energetic healing, or the shamanic path.
The introduction pages set the tone immediately. Tunneshende writes from lived experience, describing her initiation into shamanism and her training under powerful teachers connected to the Nagual tradition, including don Juan Matus and others tied to the spiritual lineage Carlos Castaneda wrote about. What stands out early is how direct she is about the link between dreaming, healing, and sexual energy. Sexual energy is not something separate from spirituality. It is the fuel behind it, and no spiritual path can ever be complete without learning how to preserve it and direct it.
The structure of the book builds on that foundation and expands into deeper territory. Some sections focus on inner energetic recovery and spiritual healing, while other chapters explore masculine and feminine polarity, energy cultivation, and eventually gender-based practices. Importantly, the book doesn’t treat male and female energy as separate worlds. It treats them as two expressions of the same force. Even though one chapter is specifically titled The Female Orgasmic Practices, there is also a dedicated chapter on The Male Sexual Energy, which helps balance the material and keeps the book from feeling one-sided.
Now, speaking personally, when I first started this book, I wasn’t sure it was for me. The opening chapters read more like a story of spiritual initiation than a direct teaching manual, and early on it felt like it leaned more toward the female experience. As a male reader, I initially felt a disconnect, almost like I was reading something meant for a different audience. At first, it didn’t grab me in the way I expected. But by the time I finished the book, I saw it completely differently. It turned out to be surprisingly moving and emotional, honestly, I almost shed a few tears. What I originally thought was “not for me” became something much deeper, a genuine spiritual work that teaches sexual energy within a shamanic path. It felt real, like the author wasn’t writing theories, but sharing something she actually lived through, suffered through, and earned.
And by the end, one thing became clear, this book is not only useful for women.
Even though the author is a female initiate, the teachings apply to both men and women. The chapter layout proves that. The author gives feminine practices their place, but she also addresses masculine energy directly, and that balance matters. It allows the reader to approach the work through their own nature rather than feeling excluded from the tradition.
As someone who has practiced chastity and semen preservation for the last four years, I can confidently say this book carries real power. There were lessons in this book that hit hard, not in a dramatic way, but in the way spiritual truth hits when you already know what discipline costs. The deeper message, whether the reader realizes it or not, is that spiritual practice without sexual mastery eventually becomes hollow. Shamanism is no exception. Every tradition that speaks of transformation, inner fire, awakening, and higher consciousness is ultimately speaking about the same force. Without preserving and directing sexual energy, the path collapses into words instead of results.
Overall, Don Juan and the Art of Sexual Energy ended up being far better than I expected when I first began it. It’s powerful, emotional, and full of usable wisdom. I highly recommend it, not only for those practicing chastity, celibacy, or retention, but for anyone who considers themselves serious about spiritual growth, energetic healing, or the shamanic path.
April 1, 2025
Merilyn Tunneshende, a Toltec sorceress and Nagual Dreamer recounts her initiation into the ancient sexual energy practices of the Toltec-Mayan tradition under the guidance of don Juan Matus, Chon Yakil (Don Genaro), and doña Celestina de la Soledad.
Central to the book is the concept of the Rainbow Serpent, representing the phallic energy within women and the creative power within men. Tunneshende presents twenty-two sequential practices aimed at awakening this energy and achieving spiritual transformation. Each chapter focuses on a specific technique—such as breathwork, meditation, or visualization—to connect with the Rainbow Serpent's energy.
PRACTICE SIX 🪷 DRAWING AND RELEASING ENERGY IN NATURE
1. At a sunny spot, a smooth boulder or a grassy area near flowing water. Lie upon the spot face down and completely relax. Breathe out all the toxic energy by exhaling with a soft moan, pushing
the abdomen in on the exhale. Feel all the heavy, tired, diseased energy drain into the Earth to be recycled. If flowing water is nearby, allow the sensation of its flowing to wash through you, positioning yourself so the flow moves from your feet, through your body, to your head and
beyond. Release the toxic energy with the same moaning exhale and abdominal push.
2. Fall asleep for a moment and allow the process to continue in Dreaming, releasing the energy even more fully.
3. Roll over onto your back and allow the sunlight to renew every aspect of your being. Take sunlight into the eyes through barely parted lids, using your lashes to soften the light. Allow the Earth to recharge your spinal column with sturdy fire energy.
Fall asleep again and continue the renewal process in Dreaming,
drinking the sunlight energy into your Dream and your luminous
awareness.
5. Awaken and thank the spot. Revive, stand, and stretch, breathing
deeply.
Central to the book is the concept of the Rainbow Serpent, representing the phallic energy within women and the creative power within men. Tunneshende presents twenty-two sequential practices aimed at awakening this energy and achieving spiritual transformation. Each chapter focuses on a specific technique—such as breathwork, meditation, or visualization—to connect with the Rainbow Serpent's energy.
PRACTICE SIX 🪷 DRAWING AND RELEASING ENERGY IN NATURE
1. At a sunny spot, a smooth boulder or a grassy area near flowing water. Lie upon the spot face down and completely relax. Breathe out all the toxic energy by exhaling with a soft moan, pushing
the abdomen in on the exhale. Feel all the heavy, tired, diseased energy drain into the Earth to be recycled. If flowing water is nearby, allow the sensation of its flowing to wash through you, positioning yourself so the flow moves from your feet, through your body, to your head and
beyond. Release the toxic energy with the same moaning exhale and abdominal push.
2. Fall asleep for a moment and allow the process to continue in Dreaming, releasing the energy even more fully.
3. Roll over onto your back and allow the sunlight to renew every aspect of your being. Take sunlight into the eyes through barely parted lids, using your lashes to soften the light. Allow the Earth to recharge your spinal column with sturdy fire energy.
Fall asleep again and continue the renewal process in Dreaming,
drinking the sunlight energy into your Dream and your luminous
awareness.
5. Awaken and thank the spot. Revive, stand, and stretch, breathing
deeply.
November 18, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. It is a bit advanced in the practices it dives into. But the story and journey of the people in the book, in my opinion are amazing. The experiences and practices that are shared and not discussed in Western Cultures. To have access to this experience of learning is amazing. To gaze into the way of life for Native Shamans, their journey, how they alchemize energy, and bridge the gap between human life and the Spirit World is an honor.
September 24, 2020
Interesting combination of practices through storytelling. This work preserves the traditional method of teaching, a step by step process along side the author.
September 22, 2024
I absolutely love this book. There are practical guides that are doable. Some parts of the book sounds like something out of a horror movie but I love it still. Its ths best book I've read this year
September 28, 2010
Love this book. Very affirming. It contains some good exercises for helping to elevate the sexual energy, so it can be used for healing purposes. Tunneshende is a good storyteller, so it's enjoyable to learn more through her accounts of her education in conscious dreaming & the awakening of the Serpent energy (Divine Feminine).
Shamanism.
Shamanism.
Want to read
March 22, 2011Sounds interesting, although I doubt if it is true.
April 17, 2022
Tripando em Datura com texto. Me gusta
Currently reading
October 14, 2008Great format...one could spend forever working with dream and breathing exercises outlined.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews