anyone ever read this book?... ive been reading it off and on for the past few days...last night i was over at my cousins for dinner and this aqquantence of his rolled this hogs leg of kind bud...well we passed it around...and as per usual with the diggity dank, i started panicing...so i stepped outside to get some air and a minute or so later this aquaintence stepped out too...he said "this weed freaking you out?" i said..."yeah...but i always have to remember...its truely nothing and that im fine"...he said "yeah, it happens to me alot too...like now...i just had to get out of there"...we started talking about literature and the teaching of don juan came up...and we started talking about the four enemies "fear" "clarity" "power" and "old age"...snapped me right out of it...we started talking about "fear" and how when we read about this enemy in the book we realized that without knowing we were already doing these things... freaky...hehehe....
I remember connecting Tales Of Power with my opiate fueled wonder dreams, self discovery, power of controling dreams, hallucination linked with sleep paralysis both auditory and visual, etc. Definitley a beautiful time in my life, though at times very nerve racking and sometimes frightening. Exploring the mind is definitley a job for the brave, the pscyhonaut never knows just how deep the hole of Self really runs. Don Jaun, though make believe, came from a source overflowing with wisdom. Carlos writing is something else really.
the really wierd thing is his(carlos castaneda's) ex-wife lives 10 miles from me and she knows my dad...LOL...
What?!?!?! Now that is very cool Jerry!! Have you ever spoken with her? God I wonder what she would have to say...
no i havent, i was just talking about the book in the presence of my father one day and he said "oh yeah, i know his ex-wife...she lives in north river...really cool lady..."
Oh man Oh well, at least you have some kind of connection, for whatever that's worth, it's still pretty cool. What do you think of don Juan, was he real or fictional? I cant really make up my mind but I've always leaned on the fictional side. But then again...
There's a really good Russian movie about the book, and it supposedly follows the book really well... I've never read the book though, it's not really on my reading list. Movie is truly great though.
i hope Don Juan is real, other people wrote about him but i wonder if there just using the fake name to sell books. Like this one i noticed on my shelf about the rainbow serpent of the Toltecs called Don Juan and the Art of Sexual Energy by Merilyn Tunneshende. Castaneda's best books have to be Fire From Within and Power of Silence. i read em all except Eagles Gift im saving it for someday. i read them a few times.
Thanks for posting this Jerry, the talk about the four enemies has me very interested. Question. Does the teachings/book open doors of wisdom to the reader/student? Like do you get a since of enlightenment when you read it?
Well said Jerry, I like that it doesnt even matter to you wether he is real or not, you seem to get the same sense of connection with the teaching either way. Good man! namaste
fascinating... i really dont know how to answer that question...i would have to say maybe...i wouldnt call it enlightment....i would call it...augmentation...
I love Carlos Castaneda's works. They have opened my eyes to many possibilities. He also worked with Sorcerer's movements. Although he is best known for his writing. Can say enough good about his writing. Intense stuff! I have found it very useful.
