Authors: Carlos Castaneda
right hand stops an inch away from the left (fig. 420). Then it moves four or five inches in front of the fist, in a sharp, cutting movement, as if cutting with the edge of the hand (fig. 421). The left arm is retrieved all the way back by making the elbow protrude backward as far as it can, while the right hand is also retrieved, following the left hand and keeping the same distance (fig. 422). Then, maintaining the same distance between the hands, both the left and the right arm shoot forward to a point a foot and a half or two feet away from the waist.
The same movements are repeated with the fist of the right arm.
10. Striking Energy with a Spike of Energy
The left arm is raised to the level of the shoulders with the elbow bent at a ninety-degree angle. The hand is held as if it had the hilt of a dagger in its grip; the palm faces down. The elbow strikes backward in an arc to a point at the height of the left shoulder, at a forty-five-degree angle behind it (fig. 423). Then the arm returns with a strike along the same arc to its initial position.
The same movement is repeated with the other arm.
The Second Group: The Magical Passes for Focusing Tendon Energy
11. Clasping Hands
Both forearms are brought forward in front of the navel. The bent elbows almost touch the rib cage. The hands are made to clasp, the left hand on top. The fingers of each hand grab the other hand forcefully (fig. 424). All the muscles of the arms and the back are contracted. Then the tense muscles are relaxed and the hands change positions so that the right hand is on top of the left, without letting go of each other, using the hard part of the palm at the base of the fingers as a pivoting surface; the muscles of the arms and back are contracted again.
The same movements are repeated, beginning with the right hand on top
12. Left and Right Body Clasp
The forearms are brought in front of the body, again at the level of the navel. This time, however, the right forearm is held extended out in a straight line with the hip. It is held close to the rib cage while the left forearm, with the elbow away from the body, puts the left hand over the right one in a clasping position. Great pressure is applied to the palms and the fingers of each hand by the tension of the muscles of the arms, the back, and the abdomen. The tension is relaxed, and the hands are made to pivot on each other's palms, as they move across the body from right to left. There, they are forcefully clasped again, using the same muscles, this time with the right hand on top (fig. 425).
The same movements are repeated from this position.
13. The Sharp Turn of the Two Bodies
The hands are clasped at the level of the waist, to the right. The left hand is on top of the right. In this magical pass, (In- squeeze- of the hands is not as pronounced as the one in the two preceding ones, because what is sought is a sharp turn of the two bodies, rather than the sharp strikes of the two preceding passes.
The clasped hands are made to draw a small circle to the right that goes from the front to the back, and ends in the same position where it started. Since the leading hand is the left hand, by the fact that it is on top, the circle is drawn following the impulse of the left arm, which pushes the hands out first to the right, and around in a circle to the right of the body (fig. 426).
Then the clasped hands move across the front of the body to the left side. Another circle is drawn there, again following the impulse of the left hand. Being on top, it pulls the other hand to make a circle that goes to the back first, out to the left, and back to the place where it started (fig. 427).
The same sequence of movements is performed with the right hand in the lead, starting at the left by the waist. This time, the impulse of the right arm is followed in order to draw the circle, which goes to the left first, and then back to the same place where it started (fig. 428). The clasped hands move across the front of the body to the right side by the waist. There, following the impulse of the leading hand, they are
pulled back, then to the right, and back where they started, making a circle (fig. 429). It is important that as the circles are drawn, the trunk of the body is turned sharply to the side. The legs remain in the same position, without compensating for the turn by letting the knees sag.
14. Pushing Clasped Energy with the Elbow and Forearm
The hands are clasped by the right side at the level of the shoulder. The upper part of the right arm is held fight against the chest, and the elbow is sharply bent with the forearm held in a vertical position. With the palm of the right hand facing up, the back of the hand is held in a ninety-degree angle with the forearm (fig. 430).
The elbow of the left arm is extended in front of the left shoulder, held at a ninety-degree position. The two hands clasp forcefully (fig. 431). The right arm slowly pushes the left one forward by straightening the elbow quite a bit. At the same time that the clasped hands are pushed forward, the left shoulder and shoulder blade are also pushed forward to maintain the ninety-degree angle of the left elbow (fig. 432). The right arm retrieves the left hand to the initial position.
The clasped hands are shifted to the left side by pivoting on the palms, and the same movements are repeated there.
15. The Short Stab with the Hands Clasped
The hands are clasped at the right side, just as in the preceding magical pass. This lime, however, the hands are at the level of the waist, and the
THE MASCULINITY SERIES # 207
right arm, instead of slowly pushing the left one forward, stabs fast (fig. 433). It is a powerful movement that requires the contraction of the muscles of the arms and the back. The clasped hands are brought forcefully to the left, as if to augment the driving force of the left elbow, which is pushed all the way to the back (fig. 434). The clasped hands move around the front of the body to the right, as if to aid again a powerful movement of the right elbow which is thrown all the way to the back.
The same sequence of movements is performed by starting it on the left side with the right hand in the lead.
It is important to note that when the clasped hands are stabbed to the front, the hand at the bottom gives the direction, but the force is supplied by the leading hand, which is on top.
16. Jolting Energy with Clasped Hands
The hands are clasped to the right; the right elbow and upper arm are held against the side of the rib cage. The elbow of the right arm is at a ninety-degree angle with the extended right forearm. The left elbow is also held at a ninety-degree angle, at a straight line away from the left pectoral muscle (fig. 435). The right arm lifts the left one, changing the position of the elbows from a ninety-degree angle to a forty-five. The clasped hands reach the level of the right shoulder (fig. 4M). Then they are made to jolt with a very short movement in which only the wrist is involved. The clasped hands hit down, but without changing the level
at which they are held (fig. 437). From there, the clasped hands are retrieved to the left near the waist, in a forceful movement that makes the left elbow protrude at the back (fig. 438). The wrists are rotated and the hands made to pivot on each other, reversing their position. The same movements are repeated on the left.
17. Jolting Energy by the Knees
The hands are clasped to the right by the thigh. They change positions slightly by the supporting right hand, which is on the bottom, becoming slightly more vertical with a twist of the wrist, held in check by the pressure of the left hand (fig. 439). Both hands swing to the left, following
the contour of the knees, and deliver a strike, the potency of which is enhanced by a downward pull of the wrists (fig. 440).
The hands change position by rotating on each other's palms, and the same movements are repeated from left to right.
18. Driving Down a Spike of Energy
The hands are clasped vertically with the left hand in the lead, at a point about a foot from the navel, right on the division line between the left and right bodies. Both hands are lifted a few inches with a slight jolt made by bending the wrists without moving the forearms. Then they are brought down with the same jolt of the wrists (fig. 441).
This magical pass engages the deep muscles of the abdomen. The same movements are performed with the right hand in the lead.
Figure 441
19. Using the Hands Like a Hatchet
The hands are clasped at the right. Both are lifted to the level of the shoulder (fig. 442). Then they deliver a diagonal strike that takes them to the level of the left hip (fig. 443).
The same movements are done on the left.
20. Hammering a Spike of Energy
The hands are clasped at the right. They swing to the level of the shoulders, aided by a rotation of the trunk to the right. Making a small vertical circle in front of the right shoulder, the hands are brought to the division line between the two bodies and down to the level of the waist as if to hammer a spike of energy there (fig. 444).
The same movements are done on the left side.
21. Cutting Energy in an Arc
The hands are clasped on the right, fight against the crest of the hipbone. The left hand is on top of the right. The right elbow protrudes to the back, and the left forearm is held against the stomach. In a powerful extended strike, the clasped hands slice in a horizontal arc across the area in front of the body as if going through a heavy substance. It's as if the hands were holding a knife, or a sword, or a cutting instrument that rips something solid in front of the body (fig. 445). All the muscles of the arm, the abdomen, the chest, and the back are used. The muscles of the legs are tensed to lend stability to the movement. On the left side, the hands are pivoted. The right hand is on top, in the lead, and another powerful cut takes place.
22. Slashing Energy with a Swordlike Cut
The hands are clasped with the left hand on top of the right in front of the right shoulder (fig. 446). A powerful jolt of the wrists and the arms
makes the hands move forward about a foot, delivering a powerful blow. From there, they cut across to a point on the left, at the level of the shoulder. The end result is a movement that resembles cutting something heavy with a sword. From that point on the left, the arms change position by rotating, without losing their clasping position. The right hand takes the lead and gets on top, and again slashes across to a point about two feet away from the right shoulder (fig. 447).
The initial position of the hands are changed, and the movements begin on the left.
23. Slashing Energy with a Diagonal Cut
The clasped hands are raised to the level of the right ear and pushed forward, as if to stab something solid located in front of the body (fig. 448). From there, they slash down to a place about a foot away from the side of the left kneecap (fig. 449). On that point, the hands rotate at the wrists to change positions so that the right hand takes the lead on top. It is as if the cutting instrument that the hands seem to be holding is made to change directions before it slashes from left to right, following the contour of the knees (fig. 450). The hands change place, and the whole sequence is done again, starting from the left.
24. Carrying Energy from the Right Shoulder to the Left Knee
The clasped hands are held at waist level on the right. They change positions slightly by the supporting right hand, which is on the bottom, becoming slightly more vertical with a twist of the wrist, which is held by the pressure of the left hand. The hands are quickly raised to a point by the top of the head, on the right side (fig. 451). Leading with the elbow, they are brought down to shoulder level with great force. From there, they slash down in a diagonal cut to a place about a foot away
from the left side of the kneecap. The strike is aided by a quick downward turn of the wrists (fig. 452).
The hands pivot to change places, and the whole sequence is done again, starting from the left.
25. Slashing Energy by the Knees
The hands are clasped on the right side by the waist (fig. 453). They are brought in a powerful downward strike to the level of the knees, as the trunk stoops forward slightly. Then they cut an arc in front of the knees from right to left, to a point four or five inches away from the left side of the kneecap (fig. 454). Then the clasped hands are brought back forcefully to a point a few inches to the right of the right knee. The performance of both cutting strikes is aided by a very powerful jolt of the wrists.
The same movement is performed starting by the waist on the left. In order to perform this magical pass correctly, practitioners need to engage, rather than the muscles of the arms and the legs, the deep muscles of the abdomen.
26. The Digging Bar of Energy
The clasped hands are held in front of the stomach, with the left hand on top as the leading hand. They are shifted then to a vertical position in front of the stomach on the line that separates the two bodies. In a quick movement, they are brought to a point above the head, as if still following the same line. From there, they are made to strike down in a straight line to the place where the magical pass began (fig. 455). The hands change positions, to have the right hand in the lead, and the movement is repeated. Don Juan called this movement stirring energy with a digging bar.
27. The Big Slash
The clasped hands start on the right, by the waist. They are quickly raised above the head, over the right shoulder (fig. 456). The wrists jolt back to gain strength, and a powerful diagonal strike is delivered that slashes Figure 455 energy in front of the body, as if cutting
through a sheet. The strike ends at a point four or five inches to the left of the left knee (fig. 457).
The same movement is repeated starting from the left.
28. The Sledgehammer
With the left hand in the lead, the hands are clasped together in front of the stomach on the vertical line that divides the left and the right bodies. The palms are held vertical for an instant before the hands are brought to the right of the body and above the head to hang for another instant by the neck, as if holding a heavy sledgehammer. They move over the head in a deliberate and powerful swing (fig. 458) and are brought to bear on the spot from which they began to move, exactly as if the hands themselves were a heavy sledgehammer (fig. 459). The hands change positions, and the same movements are started on the left.