A lot of people seem to think that Castanada's teacher wasn't real. Because his writings are so vivid, I tend to think that it is based on someone real. I know from my own experience in writing that you can't just make up that kinda stuff.
Castaneda's concept of "stopping the world" was, I found, quite influential on my own paths of seeking. I now know that such an action is often successful in that it alters, or resets, your personal and ambient energy.....
Castaneda took alot of heat from fellow anthropologists, but Don Juans teachings are something very unique and special to me. Check out The Teachings of Duan Juan Journey To Ixtaln (Sp?) Magical Passes
I just recently read all of castanedas books, except for a couple, power of silence i had a hard time reading because i just felt it was kind of redundant and the eagles gift i didnt read, Out of the books, i just wish i was castaneda so that i could take action in my own way, instead of all the action filtered through castaneda's perception, which i found to be very prone to indulging, and not being impeccable with actions, i think i might be more like don genero, im more action than words.. anyway i suppose ultimatley all of that doesnt matter, for the power is within, and we're all the nagual
Yes, CC's first three books are great reads....after that, things get redundant. But I suppose that's to be expected.
Almost every band I have followed over the years has started out great, and then by the 4th album they have a formula. The music gets predictable, and the originality of the early ones is gone. I liked CC's writing, and the debate over it's 'authenticity', reminds me of the celestine prophecy, da vinci code, and blair witch project. They may be fiction, but folks love to think not. You can't wake a man pretending to be asleep.
Its not about fact or fiction..its something you feel inside...the events which took place in celestine prophecy were fiction but he ideas discussed rang true to me because a lot of it was stuff I already knew becuase of prior feelings and experiences..i was 20 years old when I first read it and it ghave me hope. the teachings of don juan had a similar effect on me. all i know is i believe in everything while believing in nothing...keep in mind everyone:: we are all equal and need to stop thinking of our individual selves as so damn important!!!!
Easier said than done. And I agree that everyone needs to take this advice, but you gotta to look at the reality of it. Everyone has their own unique individualistic view on reality which may or may not be influenced by interaction with other beings, which also may or may not alter ones perceptions. But in the end, the perceptions are still unique and still individualistic. Everyone has their own ideas based on these perceptions or views. Everyone will always communicate their ideas in hopes that others will be able to perceive the way they do. It's those who hold infactically to their own views as being more right than someone elses unique individualistic view where problems begin, where anger begins, where hatred begins, where killing, murder, extinction ends. Rather than "stop thinking our individual selves are so important", we should be looking at how others selves are as important to them as ours is to us and become more kind and friendly and understand how we _all_ have different perspectives, different perceptions, different views, different thoughts. The only way to stop thinking of our own selves as being important is to see the nature of the self as not us, not who we are, but rather a collection of physical formations, sensations, perceptions, mental fabrications and a continual stream of conscious moments. Everyone is our teacher. The good as well as the bad. Fiction or non-fiction, because they all communication their own perceptions to us and we learn from these encounters. CC may very well be one of those teachers, and as such could be considered a stepping-stone to the right path ... who knows, perhaps the Celestine Prophecies are also. Buddha even said not to believe his own teachings until you have been able to experience what he teaches as being the truth. Truth is relative to the one who understands and realizes the truth. To others who believe in their understanding or realized truths, it's only a belief until they can experience the truth for themselves, then the belief stops becoming a belief and becomes a truth. But that truth is only relative to the individual experiencing it. HTML: HTML: HTML: HTML:
I liked the books. They were a great read, and had some beautiful points. I really loved the Journey to Ixtlan. People say that the books are fiction, but how can one really know? I mean the books were based on something beyond physical reality. Even if Don Jaun was all in his mind, the message is still valuable...I guess that is the nature of Shamanism, it transcends ordinary reality.
I haven't read all of the books, but I have read Teachings of Don Juan, Tales of Power, The Fire from Within, and Journey to Ixtlan,(My dad had the first three and I found the fourth online). I found them very helpful in my spiritual path. I wish I had been around when he was still alive and had the privilage (sp?) to study under him. The books say in the beginning that Carlos used "Don Juan" as a pen name for the man who taught him. I don't know if he was real or not, but the teachings are beautiful and very, VERY deep. I loved them all.
carlos castenada was mostly full of shit, but dam, it was really cool shit! (and there WAS suuuume, trueth and good lessons in it too) =^^= .../\...
