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 | | The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge by Carlos Castaneda ISBN-10: 9780520256385 ISBN-10: 0-520-25638-7 ISBN-13: 9780520256385 ISBN-13: 978-0-520-25638-5 Paperback 2008-05-09 University of California Press Find Lowest Price |
Editorials | ||
Product Description Forty years ago the University of California Press published an unusual manuscript by an anthropology student named Carlos Castaneda. The Teachings of Don Juan initiated a generation of seekers dissatisfied with the limitations of the Western worldview. Castaneda's now classic book remains controversial for the alternative way of seeing that it presents and the revolution in cognition it demands. Whether read as ethnographic fact or creative fiction, it is the story of a remarkable journey that has left an indelible impression on the life of more than a million readers around the world. | ||
Reviews | ||
Don Juan revisited: Adventures in Paradise Without knowing why and after nearly 30 years of first reading this book I suddenly discovered an urge to visit with Don Juan again. Carlos takes us on an entertaining journey to become a man of knowledge. As Don Juan advises you have no need to visit with Mescalito, Humito or other allies if you have the experience, or can imagine the experience. Carlos' clear narration makes it so that one has no need to visit the allies personally. I suspect if your imagination remains challenged or your adventurous side gets the best of you..... yet you won't have a guide for the journey! Here again you experience Don Juan through Carlos' descriptive narration. Don Juan teaches that to become a true man of knowledge one must overcome: 1. Fear, then 2. Clarity, that then gives them 3. Power, and finally 4. age If you wonder about Mescalito or Humito and other allies, the narrative of Carlos' journey should suffice without having to find your own man of knowledge and guide. As you read Carlos' narratives you may find yourself wondering about the veracity of what you read. As you discover the more you dive into his books he explains a reality distinct from our own. The arguments used to disprove his narratives seem unconvincing. If he were merely to have made these up then I can only stand back and marvel at his unique imagination. Yet it all seems very plausible for those that have undertaken deep spiritual meditative journeys or from talking with others who has experimented with mescaline and 'shrooms. Discussing this book with Gen X and Y folks leaves them staring at you slack-jawed as insects fly in their mouth to nibble on lunch remnants. Carlos' narrative, so widely read by Baby Boomers a long time ago and far away, has no resonation among the younger folks. So far, it seems that this partially explains their conviction that by just showing up they are ideally qualified to lead and decide. There is little questioning or wondering about the meaning of, or their perception of, reality. I bet you can't read just one of these books. Happy Travels! [...] | ||
The First But Not the Best - Start with Journey to Ixtlan Instead There are more than enough reviews here of this book and all the Castaneda books, so I'll try to make this short. I've read all of Castaneda's books, and although this is the first, the one that 'started it all', I would advise skipping it. That's because by Carlos' own admission, when he wrote this one he was still under the impression that the hallucinogenic peyote/mescaline given to him was the focal point for the 'sorcerer' training he was receiving. By the third book, Journey to Ixtlan: The Lessons of Don Juan, he knew better, was also a better writer, and was better able to lay out spiritual teachings that would be of value to almost any reader. For what it's worth, I think the three best books to read overall, the three with the most value for almost any reader are Journey to Ixtlan: The Lessons of Don Juan, Tales of Power, and The Power of Silence: Further Lessons of don Juan. These really cover the true teachings the best, interspersed with Carlos' signature dramatic stories. I think the themes of these books have the most spiritual value, and steer clear of some of the darker, occult themes and battles, as well as drug-use, that characterize some of the other books. As for the debate about what's 'real' and what's 'fiction' in these books, my own view is, 'what does it matter?' Try one and see if it resonates. Our perception of reality, including our ideas about 'truth' and 'fiction', are the central theme these books explore. Allow yourself to be taken in, and then make of it what you will. | ||
Looking for Truth If tomorrow historians discover that the Galilee did not exist, and from that you take that Jesus' message is worthless, do not read Castaneda. If you are looking for spiritual power, do not read Castaneda. But if as Pilate you have once asked: "What is Truth?" and you -unlike Pilate- are ready to put your life on the search, you will discover a world of beauty in Castaneda's books. And you will be grateful. Sorry for my poor English I was born in Spain. The land of the conquerors (or should I say tyrants?) | ||
Reality checked In our times when darwinism and so-called science is pushed down the throats of toddlers who never have a chance to acquaint themselves with different ways of looking at the world than the PC version, this book, along with many others, should be compulsory reading - or rather, is compulsory reading, morally, for any thinking individual who wants to make up his own world-view instead of adapting to one served to him so as to make him a servant for the system. i won't argue whether or not Castaneda was a conman or not, that is entirely beside the point of whether or not the philosophy and worldview of don Juan are true and realizable. This book is of course only an introduction to don Juan's path, and the teachings of almost pure shamanism have little to do with the direxion it is shown to take later on. However, this serves as a plaform upon which one must step before venturing further, introducing a way of life more in connexion and in tune with nature and natural surroundings. What sets this, and Castaneda in general, apart from the plethora of New Age is the obvious lack of pandering to the audience, by way of talking about "love" and "we are all one." Neither are there any religious aspects to the Yaqui Way of Knowledge. This is not for middle-aged women craving for something exciting in want of a love affair. This does not offer a social pastime to replace cocktail parties with. This book, just like Castaneda in general, offers nothing easy to occupy oneself with, but forces a ruthless and relentless re-evaluation of the self and one's relationship with his/her axions and surroundings alike, if one at all wants to follow the spirit of the teachings. To put it succinctly, many many years ago this book changed the way i looked at the world - or rather, offered me for the first time a way to look at it that made any intuitive sense to me, as the "concrete reality status quo" never ever satisfied me. | ||
TEACHINGS OF DON JUAN "The Teachings of Don Juan A Yaqui Way of Knowledge" by Carlos Castaneda was a real pioneering anthropological study of shamanism, and a door-opener into the prevailing 1960's and early 1970's sub- drug culture. Carlos Castaneda gave us a new look into the possibilities of various realities and perceptions not really understood, and only discussed at late evening dinner parties, or in the dorm rooms of various colleges or, perhaps a sociology classroom here and there. For some reason, the fact that Castaneda was using drugs for research and personal understanding made the book easily more acceptable to a variety of his readers. I first read the book about 40 years ago. At the time I thought it was superb. However, upon re-reading it (at age 62), it simply didn't have the same powerful grasp it once held. The initial meeting between Castaneda and the alleged "Don Juan" is interesting reading as is the recruitment process into the shadow-world of the shaman. Naturally, there are psychotropic drugs involved, but it seemed to me that page after page, after page was nothing more of recounting his "trip" experience from the three major sources of Yaqui wisdom; Peyote, Jimson Weed, and Mushroom. The use of such drugs obviously enhances the ideas of what we today would call; "Shape shifting," Astral Projection, and various other rather well known terms in today's "witchy" terminology. Although, Mr. Castaneda followed this publication with numerous other related stories, I think he probably spent too much time and focus on the drugs for surely...there was much more knowledge passed on other than the collection, preparation, and usage of various hallucinogens. None the less, the book remains a major pioneering feat, and is interesting especially, if you are reading it for the first time. It is a contemporary real life story of "The Sourcer's Apprentice" with Carlos Castaneda playing the role of Walt Disney's "Mickey Mouse." Regardless of my somewhat prejudicial summary, there are some very good points of wisdom handed down by Don Juan that should be remembered by any generation who has an interest in anthropology, sociology, and or, just plain...entertaining reading. | ||