The Art of Dreaming

By the age of 70, the average person will have spent 6 years dreaming. And the scientific community still really has no idea why. I completed my thesis on the function of REM sleep, so I have read a lot on the subject, from J. Allan Hobson to Edgar Cayce to Freud and Jung. This book is thoughtful and very entertaining. Regardless of whether Don Juan's teachings are true or not, it made me very desperately want to experience lucid dreaming. The ideas presented are captivating and make you think. Plus, it's trippy!

If the human being wouldn't have developed ears, would you believe in music?If black and white view would be natural for human beings, would you believe, or could you imagine colours?... no doubts?

For anyone who has experienced what it is like to dream lucidly, this book is invaluable. I think the problem with this book is that the only way you can truly appreciate just how important this book is, is if you are a lucid dreamer. My advice is as follows, if you are interested in dreaming lucidly but have no experience, read the book but suspend judgement. Just hold on to it until you begin to have the actual experience and then re-read the book. In the meantime, I would suggest some of the more basic texts like those written by Robert Monroe (Journeys Out of the Body, Far Journeys, Ultimate Journey) or Esmeralda Arana (The Path). It is important to understand that the practice of lucid dreaming is what gives Warriors their extraordinary perceptual abilities. This is the key feature of the Warrior's Way that results in the development of abilities such as clairvoyance. While it is certainly not the only way to tap into our "magic" it is nevertheless a very powerful tool.

This book disappoints some, I guess, because it is a bit of a departure from the previous books in the series. However, I thought it was very insightful, and continues the narrative of Carlos's growth into the world of don Juan's knowledge. I actually found it much more coherent and down to earth than Castaneda's previous two books, and seemed to reach some kind of culmination of his years with don Juan. The Art of Dreaming brings to fruition the technique of "dreaming" that began in the second book, A Seperate Reality, and continues in Journey to Ixtlan and Tales of Power. With Carlos's advancement in the "dreaming" technique, this book shows where it finally leads him, and the astonishing end results. For those who are really interested in the deeper aspects of the teachings of don Juan, this is a great book. Those who simply consider Castaneda's work to be entertaining fiction may not find this book to their liking.

Es necesdario cambiar nuestro systema social que en realidad no aporta nada a lo que realmente somos,criaturas con la capacidad de percibir cosas que ni siquiera imaginamos, el arte de ensonar opino que es una herramienta para alcanzar a conocer un poco mas de lo que somos capaces, y en realidad toda la informacion que este hombre y sus companeros de su grupo han aportado son en verdad maravillas de conocimiento y algo que no se deve de ignorar.................