Nagual

This ability is not merely about shapeshifting but also about guiding spiritual development and fostering personal transformation by bridging the physical and metaphysical realms.

[3] The Nagual serves as a guide, helping individuals access hidden potential and spiritual insight by harmonizing these two aspects.

[4] In Mesoamerican folk religion, a nagual (pronounced [na'wal]) or nahual (both from the Nahuatl word nāhualli [naˈwaːlːi]) is a human being who has the power to shapeshift into their tonal animal counterpart.

While the Tonal encompasses the rational, known aspects of reality, the Nagual represents the unknown and limitless potential of pure energy.

These spiritual guides play a crucial role in the Toltec path, helping others reach higher states of awareness.

Achieving personal mastery means integrating these two forces, realizing the limits of the Tonal, and embracing the vastness of the Nagual.

The ultimate aim of Toltec spiritual practice is to create a balance between the Tonal and Nagual, leading to a state of "totality" where one is fully connected with both the material and energetic aspects of existence.

Nagualism is linked with pre-Columbian shamanistic practices through Pre-classic Olmec and Toltec depictions that are interpreted as human beings transforming themselves into animals.

For instance, instead of discussing nahualism, we can talk about the belief that certain individuals, often in influential social roles, possess specific spiritual abilities.

These abilities allow them to transform into animals or even natural phenomena like lightning, wind, clouds, or fireballs, enabling them to perform remarkable feats while in these "disguises.

In modern rural Mexico, nagual is sometimes synonymous with brujo ("wizard"); one who is able to shapeshift into an animal at night (normally into a dog, owl, bat, wolf or turkey), drink blood from human victims, steal property, cause disease, and the like.

Subsequently, many studies have described nagualism in different Mesoamerican cultures such as the Zoques and the Jakaltek, K'iche', Q'eqchi', and Tzeltal Maya.

[9] In 1955, Gustavo Correa suggested nagualism is not pre-Columbian, arguing that it was wholly imported from Europe, where he compared it to the medieval belief in werewolves.

[citation needed] Kaplan concludes that, in Oaxaca, the belief in naguals as evil, shape shifting witches is common in both indigenous and Mestizo populations.