The Coolest Hat

"The Coolest Hat"

[EDITOR'S NOTE: This hat story is taken from an e-mail conversation between members of Allan Hardman's online community "TACO" who participated in his October journey to the pyramids at Teotihuacán, Mexico, and the extension to Tepoztlán. The group jokes that nobody is allowed to have a cooler hat than Allan.]

"Can someone tell us the complete story of the coolest hat?"

Allan: "Hello all....

I guess if no one else will tell the story, it must be up to me. We were hiking down from the pyramid of Tepozteco in Tepoztlán, and at one of the rest stops I left my hat behind. I didn't miss it until we stopped at a little stall near the bottom of the trail where they were making the quesadillas we had fallen in love with at the market place the day before. Four of us sat down and ordered and enjoyed our treats immensely (corn fungus, grasshoppers, farmer's cheese, and squash blossoms, cactus leaf, and more -- yummmm.) Perhaps someone has photos to share of the adventure. Ah yes, here they are!

Allan wearing "The Coolest Hat"

The bottom of the trail to the Pyramid of Tepozteco

Our Favorite Quesadillas

Corn Fungus, Grasshoppers, Farmer's Cheese, Squash Blossoms, Cactus Leaf & more!

I surrendered my hat to the Angel of Death (scroll down to watch a video about the Angel of Death if you are unfamiliar with the Angel in Toltec mythology) shortly after I realized it was missing, because I've heard that part of the lecture many times (from myself, of course), and have come to believe it. The Angel had taken back the hat she loaned me many years ago -- the Coolest Hat in Teotihuacán and Peru. It was okay.

However, while we were sitting eating, I was casually watching to see if anyone coming down the trail past us was wearing it, just in case the Angel was just testing or kidding me, or wanted to return it for some reason. I was more concerned with the eagle feather on the hat that a shaman in Peru had given me. There was a minor attachment there, partly, as I write this I realize, because I believed it was a sacred duty to use and protect that feather.

About the time we were finishing up our quesadillas I glanced over at a family that had been stopped by a vendor on the other side of the trail and were looking at her wares. As I looked again, I saw my eagle feather dangling below the arm of one of the women. 

I went over and bowed in gratitude to her, and told her it was "my" hat and thanked her for finding it (Creative Assumption). She said her son had actually found it -- so I offered it to him. He smiled and declined, and so once again the Coolest Hat was mine, along with the eagle feather and Peruvian hat band. 

We finished our meal and returned to the hotel.

And that's my story of The Coolest Hat and The Angel of Death."

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To learn more about the Toltec concept of The Angel of Death, watch this video of Allan teaching about the Angel of Death in Teotihuacán, Mexico:

http://youtu.be/8ZEUDnpfcDI

The Angel of Death/ The Angel of Life

"The Angel of Death/

The Angel of Life"

Three times a week, I meet in a chat room with members of my Toltec Apprentice Community Online ("TACO") to teach, share, play, grow, and ponder. Recently a member asked a question that led to a discussion of "The Angel of Death," a powerful guide on the Toltec path to personal freedom.

Here is a brief excerpt edited from that chat (names changed, etc.):

TACOMember1: Allan I have a question. I am not sure, but I would like to live like my death is near. I would like to keep that view, or vision in me. What to do?

TACOAllan: It's a powerful idea. Surrender your attachments to being alive. Surrender your attachments to all of your material possessions--they belong to the Angel of Death, not you. She will take them when she wants them back, including your body and life.

TACOAllan: When you surrender your attachments you release your fear. When you release your fear, your mind isn't zooming off into the past or future, and can be in the present. The only place Life really exists is in the present. When you surrender to the Angel of Death and enter each present moment with gratitude, she becomes the Angel of Life, the best guide to a life well-lived on the Toltec Path and beyond.

TACOMember2: How do you release the fear?

TACOAllan: The fear comes from attachments, which come from the illusion you can control the outcome. The need to control gives rise to the fear you will fail. So you have to try harder, and get more attached to the outcome -- which creates more fear you will fail.

TACOMember3: In other words we are releasing control that we never had in the first place...

TACOAllan: You've got it, TACOMember3.

TACOMember4: How do you let go of attachments?

TACOAllan: You let go of attachments by realizing that you cannot control much of anything in your life. Look back at your life, study it, and you will find that when you got into relationships and then they ended, when you bought a car and it broke down and you replaced it, when your lovely young skin gets wrinkled -- you weren't really orchestrating any of it. The Angel of Death owns all those things. She is in charge, she takes them back when she wants to.

TACOAllan: So surrender to reality, let go of the illusion of control, embrace the Angel of Death with deep gratitude for everything she loans you. When you do, you will wake up in the present moment -- in the arms of the Angel of Life! She is your guide to the joy, celebration, and wonder of each evolving moment of Life. And you are Free.

If you would like to be part of this online Toltec Community and participate in these chats ($1 for the first month) go here to learn more. 

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Each year at Teotihuacán, participants face the Angel of Death, and are invited to surrender the illusion of control in their lives. I invite you to join us this year, September 29-October 4, and make this powerful guide your guide to LIFE. Watch the ceremony in this video:

Allan Hardman teaches about "The Angel of Death" in Teotihuacán, Mexico

Life is happening right now.

Make the Angel of Death/ Angel of Life your guide to this present moment!

I enjoy your feedback.

              Allan

allanh@sonic.net -- Or (707) 528-1271

Non-Judgment Day (The Un-Rapture)

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Are you disappointed or relieved that the rapture didn't happen on May 21? Well, it is actually postponed, but here are some more thoughts on how to go to Heaven on Earth (the rapture for the rest of us)... and more.

(If you would like to read any of my previous newsletters, they are archived here.)

Now that May 21 has passed, and the Rapture has been postponed until October 21, life is good. And if you don't know what I'm talking about, I assure you, it really doesn't matter! However, I've been fascinated by the Rapture predictions, and learned so much reading about how people's faith is invested through emotions and not logic. When a major biblical prediction doesn't happen, people don't re-think their logic, they wait for some emotional experience to actually strengthen their faith. Very interesting.

I wonder how many of us have our faith invested in our ability to control the outcome of life, death, love, relationships, religions, parenting, and other things we believe we can control and manage...? If someone (like me) comes along and suggests that we have never controlled the outcome of one single thing in our lives... well, would you open your logic to listen, or let the emotional reaction to the idea close you to it?

Most humans live with a Judging voice in their minds that is always questioning them, criticizing them, second guessing them, and reminding them they aren't good enough the way they are. Being eternally judged sounds like Hell to me! And it is. Hell On Earth. Most humans are living in Hell On Earth, and billions of them are dreaming of going to some heaven, somewhere, some day.

All the gods created in the image of humans constantly judge us. Their rules are always about us being better than we are, doing more, behaving better, meeting some lofty standards, before we can be lifted up to a place of love and acceptance-- IF we meet the standards. It's a lot like bargaining for love in childhood, and a lot like Santa Claus: "Be good, get reward; be bad, get punished."

An apprentice in the chat room of our Online Toltec Community ($1) asked, "What's keeping me out of Heaven?" He was referring to Heaven on Earth offered by teachers throughout the ages. Here is what I answered:

What's keeping you out of heaven is you asking, "What's keeping me out of heaven?" Asking the question affirms your belief you should be different than you are, that you haven't achieved the goal yet. You scoff at the "heaven" of religions, and then invest your faith in some idea of spiritual perfection that will be rewarded when you reach it. So your attention is hooked on the question, which shows your faith is invested in controlling the outcome, and the doors to heaven are closed.


You will only be free when you have de-invested your faith in the illusion you can control the outcomes, and invest it in your trust of life itself. More on the subject in a future newsletter, and in my newsletter archives here.

Want to go to Heaven on Earth? Do your own rapture:

Definition of "RAPTURE:"

1 -- an expression or manifestation of ecstasy or passion
2 -- a state or experience of being carried away by overwhelming emotion
3 -- a mystical experience in which the spirit is exalted to a knowledge of divine things

Let the "overwhelming emotion" be a love of the divine AS YOU. Enter into a blissful romance with YOU. Be carried away by that love. Feel the ecstasy and passion of that romance. Enter a mystical experience with the knowledge of your beautiful perfection as a unique manifestation of the divine, right here and right now, perfect in every way. The divine/consciousness/god/love/life is not asking you to change or improve-- know you are perfect right here, right now. And you will, indeed, be transported to Heaven on Earth-- every moment you remember this truth of who you are!

Make today and every day,

Non-Judgment Day!!

Many blessings on us all this Memorial Day and always. No matter what your beliefs, may you have a wonderful day each and every day, happy in Heaven because you are choosing love over judgment, and celebrating the joy of the divine Life that animates you.

Be a JOYdancer, dancing in Joy with Life!

And so it is.

        Allan 

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Step into the Dream of Heaven on Earth right here in our Online Toltec Community. This is a place to study, learn, let go of the Hell in your Mind, and meet others on the same journey! I look forward to supporting you as you claim your freedom, and answering your questions in the chat room!

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The above article was one of Allan's "Joydancer Weekly Word and News" newsletters. If you would like to receive inspirational newsletters like this, sign up here!