The Active Side of Infinity

The Active Side of Infinity is the last book Carlos Castaneda wrote before his death in 1998. He described it as "a collection of the memorable events in my life," which he gathered at the recommendation of don Juan Matus, the Yaqui Indian shaman who was his teacher. An anthropologist and shaman, Castaneda wrote ten other books, including The Teachings of Don Juan. Collecting the memorable events in one's life is a way of stirring "caches of energy that exist within the self," and making that energy available. The process requires "the genuine and all-consuming act of putting together the sum total of one's emotions and realizations, without sparing anything." It's not a process that one undertakes lightly. Castaneda says that, for a shaman, the act of collecting memorable events is preparation for a "definitive journey" into the "active side of infinity." Non-shamans call the definitive journey "death," and the active side of infinity "the afterlife." Shamans believe that human energy exists in a very real place after death, and they prepare themselves for continued existence in that place. The collection of memorable events is not a personal memoir, or a rehashing of life's experiences, but instead is stories and events that touch something universal in all humans. They often change the life path of those to whom they occurred. Castaneda describes how he first met don Juan, and his difficulties in finding him after they lost contact just after their meeting. He also includes several stories from his life as a child and a young man--events he had totally forgotten, but that had irrevocably changed his life. Whether or not one agrees with Castaneda and don Juan about the afterlife, those who read The Active Side of Infinity will find themselves thinking about their lives, and journeys they must take after death, in a different way.

Carlos amazes again. I have read all his books and this one is my favourite along with The Power of Silence. This is his most personal writing. He lets us see the hidden beauty and deeper meanings that lie within what may appear as mundane event. I loved it. Many people ask me if I believe Carlos writes fact or fiction. His books are great either way. This book can also be read by people who haven't read Castaneda before. When you have read it you find yourself inevitably wondering what it would be like to live that way.

For many years now I have been following Carlos Castaneda in his literary journey into the supernatural world of sorcery. Taking a comprehensive look at all of his books, Castaneda's narrative "feels" like a cleverly-crafted tales of ambiguous meanings that captivate the imagination; the creative artistic work of a masterful surrealist author. What Castaneda does for his readers is the same as what a Van Gogh or a Dali does for their admirers but on a different level. Castaneda is the protagonist of his subjectivism, making of himself a mysterious and legendary character. He ventures forth from the world of commonsense into the regions of the supernatural. There, with the aid of don Juan, he encounters tremendous forces. After a fierce battle he comes out triumphant, returning from his subjective adventure with the knowledge which he bestows to his readers. With every new book, Castaneda introduces a new concept that supersede others. For example, if the use of psychotropic hallucinogens was so important in don Juan's method of teaching, why did he stop writing about them in later books? On the other hand, if "Dreaming" was also such an important practice, why he did not talk about it from the very beginning? Why he did not mention the assemblage point in any of his first five books? Why did he wait until the end to introduce us to the practice of the "Magical Passes"? The reason is because over the years Castaneda appears to have borrowed from other sources, reformulating old concepts into new ones and accommodating his narratives to the spiritual undercurrents of the times. In the '60s it was spirituality through hallucinogenic substances, in the '70s and '80s there was a renewed interest in the esoteric (Seeing) and altered states of consciousness (Dreaming), and now in the '90s the spiritual awareness is being redefined in terms of bioenergy and its manipulations (Tensegrity). All these ideas have been built upon the preceding ones in a very intelligent manner. Don't get me wrong, I am a Castaneda "aficionado" and always will be . The essential meaning of his journey is that he united spiritual adventure with the modern-day search for meaning. Castaneda's merit lies in that he was able to link the ordinary waking consciousness with knowledge of the vast mystery and wonder that is our existence.

I am at a loss to explain the review given to this book by Kirkus Reviews. The reviewer completely misses the point, and seems to be almost angry, for some unknown reason.On the other hand, I found this to be one of Castaneda's best books, if not his best. It is touching, clear, and packs a punch. It is brutally honest about the human condition, and comes direct from the heart. I had a difficult time putting this book down!