The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge

Don Juan is a very intelligent guy on topics that most know nothing about.

I loved reading this book. Having heard good reviews from other Gnostic students, I had to read this book. For years my last instructor would mention this book. I can't recall exactly, but this last instructor had gone to either Mexico or South America and found a Shaman who took him through the whole Peyote experience. Having also gotten into a good deal of Terrence McKenna's stuff (ontological foundations of Shamanism and the Ethnopharmacology of spiritual transformation), I had no doubt as to the authenticity of the Ethnopharmacology spiritual experience. Since reading this book I have also finished reading Carlos Castaneda's second book `A separate Reality'; I will be writing a review for this book. I have purchased most of the other Carlos Castaneda books and intend to read them. For those wanting the basic outline of this present work, there are numerous other reviews to help in this matter; other book prints under the same title. My purpose is to not double up on this information, albeit showing a positive light on this present work. While searching for the other Castaneda books to purchase, I discovered some issues of concern regarding the Character and truthfulness of Carlos Castaneda and his books. Quotes on the internet show Carlos saying that he does not lie, while other quotes have Carlos saying that he is a "BSer". I would recommend for people to read the Time magazine review available on the internet. It is obvious that any exposure of truth that Carlos got caused him to go further into reclusion. There are two movies that I have recently watched 1) Carlos Castaneda - Enigma of a Sorcerer 2) Carlos Castaneda and The Shaman. Tales from the Jungle. The first movie shows that most people who have reviewed this DVD do not like it. I'd say that the truth hurts, especially for those who have idolized and potentially wasted a whole lot of time and money. I say this in that I found this movie excellent. I am also aware that there must be many who have benefited immensely from Carlos's books; better a belief in the true reality verses the illusion of Malkuth. The second movie can be downloaded via Google video at this time. This second movie is even more hard hitting. Lets get down to the nitty gritty. There seems to be no existence as to a real Don Juan. The 1st book has a serious Don Juan, the 2nd book a laughing Don Juan, and the 3rd book (which goes back to the first book) having a different Don Juan set at the same time as the 1st book. Once again, from my research, if a spiritual discipline does not address the fundamental energy and concern as Sex, it is bound to fall. Either it is transmuted or it cannot, will not be contained - Schisms. I'm assuming that Carlos's work falls into this category. I say this in that prior to Carlos Castaneda's death he had a small group of women (devout followers called "witches") whom he lived with and had sex with (no secret here). He adopted a young woman as his daughter and even had sex with her.

I cannot recommend this book and those that follow too highly. While this "introduction" may be less engaging than the books that follow, that means only that it is merely very engaging, rather than obsessively engaging. I see from previous reviews that the "fact or fiction" debate still rages. To those who have not yet read any of the books, I would say only this on that matter: If you "get" these books, the "fact or fiction" debate is less than irrelevant. To those about to begin, I wish you well on the journey.

"The Teachings of Don Juan" is the first in a series of about 15 books by Carlos Casaneda describing the author's experiences with Yaqui Indian shamanism in Northern Mexico. As a studier of religion for many years (although not as knowledgeable as some scholars) I find these books to be utterly unique in their scope and subject matter. They are not like other New Age books. The journey that Castaneda takes his readers is mind-boggling, and his experiences are simply beyond what most people have even remotely encountered.Castaneda first met Don Juan in the early 60's, before the hippy movement, before psychodelic drugs became popular. He was studying anthropology in Los Angeles, and Don Juan served as a field source for some fading knowledge of tribal and shamanistic rituals in Northern Mexico. Castaneda was specifically interested in peyote, a plant that gives its users hallicinations and mixes the senses in strange ways, and which LSD was meant to be a chemical reproduction of. Castaneda's first book presents a very detailed scholastic interpretation of his experiences. All books after the first simply focus on Castaneda's experiences with Don Juan.Castaneda's drug experiences are different from other accounts I have read, because they are intimately tied with the Yaqui philosophy and mythology. The drugs only serve as a means to an end, not as the end in themselves. The first 2 books in the series describe Castaneda's drugs experiences with Don Juan, but from the 3rd book on, the drugs disappear forever and Carlos' experiences are actually more fantastic, more amazing, more unbelieveable as he slowly becomes a practicing sorceror, traveling to alternate dimensions and battling other sorcerors. Many of the books seem to reach a definitive conclusion, only to have Castaneda's perceived understanding of Don Juan's teachings completely destroyed in the next volume. Again these experiences do not in any way compare to magic and sorcery you might find in pagan, christian, or celtic mythology, nor does the "world-philosophy" of Don Juan resemble in any way the wholistic ideals of Eastern religions like Hinduism or Buddhism. How can you describe things most people have never seen before? Castaneda does a good job, considering the fantastic nature of some of his journeys. However, while the visions and magical feats are mesmerizing to read, I often found that Don Juan gave his most profound knowledge while simply talking to Castaneda.Do to its subject matter, most Christians will find these books offensive, but I promise you that nothing in any of these volumes will turn you onto the path of Satan :) There is a certain participation required from the reader - Castaneda repeatedly affirms that everything he has ever written is absolutely true, but intelligent readers will be constantly wondering if such fantastic things could possibly exist. By turning off this little nagging "naysayer" in my own head and allowing myself to simply sink into the mood of t

By understanding that the purpose of entering the extraordinary realities is not the extraordinary realities themselves but rather a tool to gaining insight about the reality itself the reader gains valuable inspiration to live the life to its fullest extent.Having visited the extraordinary realities probably makes understanding this book much easier and could reduce or remove the sence of confusion - but the single most important characteristics the reader should posses is open-mindness.If you are ready for it, the book will positively improve you and give you material for further improvements and better understanding of yourself. Otherwise it won't affect you at all.

la presencia permanente de la muerte