Nagual or Nahual (both pronounced [LINK: na'wal] [1]) is a word used in the study of the religion, mythology, folklore and anthropology of Mesoamerican peoples. The word is used with different intended meanings. It usually refers to one of two common concepts in Mesoamerican cultures: · that certain persons are able to take on animal forms, or · that all persons have an animal companion to whom they are spiritually linked throughout their lives. Within Mesoamerican anthropology, Nagual is most commonly used negatively to refer to a person who has a particularly strong animal companion and who uses this companion to cause harm to others, or who himself changes shape into animals in order to cause harm to others. The normal practice is to refer to the animal companion itself as a Tonal, following the Aztec practice. History The word comes from the Nahuatl wor

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