Magical Passes®

Magical Passes are bodily movements and breaths that were apparently taught to Carlos Castaneda and Taisha Abelar by their respective teachers. According to Castaneda (1 p. 10), the Magical Passes were accidentally discovered by the shamans of ancient Mexico, when they probed a sensation of well-being that they experienced while holding certain body positions or when they moved their limbs in specific ways. The intense sensation of well-being drove them to uncover a complex series of movements and breaths that “when practiced, yielded them tremendous results in terms of mental and physical prowess”. Castaneda (1 p. 7) decided to teach the Magical Passes to whoever wanted to learn them and subsequently developed a generic form of the Magical Passes that he named Tensegrity.

 

At first glance, the movements of a Tensegrity sequence might appear to resemble other movement systems such as Karate, Tai Chi, Qigong, Yoga, or even calisthenics. However, upon closer examination, the Tensegrity movements are unique in several ways. The sequences do not appear to be a form of martial arts, like a karate kata that is used to attack or defend against an opponent, even though Tensegrity sequences do incorporate kicks, strikes and blows. Yet, the movements are not simply calisthenic exercises because they do not resemble the usual strength activities such as sit-ups, pushups or jumping jacks. Instead, the choreography involves detailed positioning and motion of the torso, limbs, head, and occasionally the fingers, toes and eyes that are consistent with breaking up energy surrounding the body and redistributing it. Tensegrity also encompasses hundreds of series, where each series is made up of dozens of unique, but specific and detailed sequences of movements and breaths, that offer a seemingly endless array of sequences to learn. In addition, Tensegrity incorporates lateralized movements that are unusual and complex motions that demand a high level of concentration, spatial-awareness, coordination and movement planning. Furthermore, Tensegrity has a recommended practice environment that is conducive to right hemisphere cognition. And finally, the movements, which alternate between tensing and relaxing, are sometimes performed vigorously, while at other times they are performed more slowly and deliberately.

 

Tensegrity is significantly different from other movement systems because the choreography, and its symbolism, are unique. The choreography matches the description given by Castaneda (1 pp. 15-16), since the movements do appear to be enacting a redeployment of energy by striking, dislodging, breaking up and grabbing unseen energy surrounding the body and redistributing it to the body’s centers of vitality. Indeed, the movements distribute energy by: stimulating a diversity of nerves and muscles, increasing blood flow and oxygenation and massaging internal organs – the body’s centers of vitality. In support of redistributing energy, the choreography embodies the intent of the Magical Passes – to redeploy energy – which is different from the intent of martial arts – to attack or defend. The embodiment of the gestures to strike, dislodge, break up and redistribute energy engages the left body (right hemisphere cognition) and reinforces the desire and intent to reallocate physical and cognitive energy.

 

RESOURCES 

Magical Passes by Carlos Castaneda

Tensegrity® Home

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1. Castaneda, Carlos. Magical Passes: The Practical Wisdom of the Shamans of Ancient Mexico. New York, NY, USA : HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 1998.

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