-
P&S Moderators: JackARoe | Cheshire_Kat
Don Juan's Teachings....
- Thread starter bartmania
- Start date
yagecero
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2011
- Messages
- 312
Hi Bartmania,
I love Castaneda, and have read all of his books avidly, but have to agree with the overwhelming consensus that his work was fabricated. He is an excellent writer, and obviously did a lot of study regarding shamanic practice before writing his books, but there are too many inconsistencies both in his texts and biographical history to take "the teachings" seriously (this is not to say that there isn't anything worthwhile in the texts, indeed they contain a beautiful philosophy/spirituality and the first five tell a great story that was responsible for me becoming interested in shamanism all those years ago).
Smoking mushrooms does not work. Many people, including myself, have tried it, and our responses range from nothing to a slight-buzz not-too-dissimilar to the buzz you get from smoking weed (but weaker in effect). So unless the unidentified plant in Don Juan's smoking mixture was a yet-to-be-identified-plant containing large enough amounts of N,N-DMT or Salvinorin A (without the need for extraction and that are somehow still potent after a year in a gourd [poor storage]) to cause Carlos to go through a metamorphosis experience like in the first book, it's highly unlikely that the stories are reputable sources of information.
I also wouldn't recommend taking plants of the datura genus in order to gain an ally - you'll most likely find yourself in big, BIG trouble (I personally know people who made this error after reading said series).
Don't take this as a cue not to read the books, even though it is obvious that they are not anthropological works, they are definitely a good read and the first five are a true pleasure.
I hope you enjoy them.
I love Castaneda, and have read all of his books avidly, but have to agree with the overwhelming consensus that his work was fabricated. He is an excellent writer, and obviously did a lot of study regarding shamanic practice before writing his books, but there are too many inconsistencies both in his texts and biographical history to take "the teachings" seriously (this is not to say that there isn't anything worthwhile in the texts, indeed they contain a beautiful philosophy/spirituality and the first five tell a great story that was responsible for me becoming interested in shamanism all those years ago).
Smoking mushrooms does not work. Many people, including myself, have tried it, and our responses range from nothing to a slight-buzz not-too-dissimilar to the buzz you get from smoking weed (but weaker in effect). So unless the unidentified plant in Don Juan's smoking mixture was a yet-to-be-identified-plant containing large enough amounts of N,N-DMT or Salvinorin A (without the need for extraction and that are somehow still potent after a year in a gourd [poor storage]) to cause Carlos to go through a metamorphosis experience like in the first book, it's highly unlikely that the stories are reputable sources of information.
I also wouldn't recommend taking plants of the datura genus in order to gain an ally - you'll most likely find yourself in big, BIG trouble (I personally know people who made this error after reading said series).
Don't take this as a cue not to read the books, even though it is obvious that they are not anthropological works, they are definitely a good read and the first five are a true pleasure.
I hope you enjoy them.
Last edited:
MyFinalRest
Bluelighter
I enjoyed reading him too, but there is plenty of controversy around the man. Really, do be careful with the drugs and try to gain spiritual insight without them.
agree, i believe this is black magic
MyFinalRest
Bluelighter
black magic? Yeah, if the brujo stuff he is talking about is for real, some of it might be bordering on "blacker" arts, but many think he is just a charlatan who might have made up the character of "Don Juan" just to write a bunch of books.
That's from wikipedia.
Even if it is "fake," his books (especially the first one he wrote) are pretty awesome. There is good philosophy and spiritual information in them.
That's from wikipedia.
Even if it is "fake," his books (especially the first one he wrote) are pretty awesome. There is good philosophy and spiritual information in them.
ProducedRaw
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2006
- Messages
- 79
Using drugs for spirituality is black magic? Tell that to the Rasta's (and Africans, Chinese, Indian's and Europeans) with their weed, new agers with their LSD, Amazonians with their DMT and who the fuck knows who else who's used drugs to find themselves.
Drugs have a long and rich history of aiding spiritual practice. Such spiritual practice is impossible without self-modification - whether through drugs, solitude, meditation, confronting pain, fasting or praying. All of those things change your perception and as such can be useful for exploring the nature of it. Personally, I think that drugs being frowned upon in spiritual circles is dogma.
Having said that, these are knives of the sharpest kind and need to be used pragmatically and with the right intent, or they will end up slicing off something other than ignorance.
Drugs have a long and rich history of aiding spiritual practice. Such spiritual practice is impossible without self-modification - whether through drugs, solitude, meditation, confronting pain, fasting or praying. All of those things change your perception and as such can be useful for exploring the nature of it. Personally, I think that drugs being frowned upon in spiritual circles is dogma.
Having said that, these are knives of the sharpest kind and need to be used pragmatically and with the right intent, or they will end up slicing off something other than ignorance.
Do you think about black magic that its only witchcraft etc..? Using drugs for spirituality is black magic,
yes thats so. If you are Rasta and believe that Selassie is the God then of course you can use them for spirituality and he could guide you to gods like him.
I believe that with using drugs no one can find himself but one can lose himself, or find Lucifer up there.
yes thats so. If you are Rasta and believe that Selassie is the God then of course you can use them for spirituality and he could guide you to gods like him.
I believe that with using drugs no one can find himself but one can lose himself, or find Lucifer up there.
Ugster
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2007
- Messages
- 369
The sorcerer is one who is attaining mastery over illusion and form, and thus by realizing the transient nature of all human experience and attaining a detailed understanding of our reality, he is going beyond his self importance, the qualities of his false mind which are refusing him the limitless capacity of the infinite, and from this he is baring witness to the foundations of consciousness which are manifesting this reality... we are sacred together here, and I am limitless in the expression of the infinite being who is presiding beyond all material form, who is absolutely ancient, and who I am entrusted within the sacred heart of all creation... it is for life that I am dying, and falling through the veils of our sacred Maya.
You have to destroy yourself, you have to discard the false nature of being in a ruthless manner, otherwise the mysteries may not speak so readily... I spent years traveling amongst shamans and sorcerers, I lived that life, now I am here being hollow... which is a path of renunciation for me... my services in humanity call me back to this world from time to time.
The most important lessons taught in these books are the ones which allow you to defy your sense of linear reality, it means you are going beyond the patterns created through the consciousness through-out your life, beyond the solidified idea of humanity, and in this you are transcending the qualities of life which are prohibiting you from the raw experience of power and the mystery, outside of the human drama.... which are congruent with yogic philosophies and other spiritual realizations through-out time....
The mystery is with us always, we are always inside of the force of sacred powers beyond our comprehension... an infinite experience of life is here residing beyond the transitory experience of this dreaming world... and the realization that we are dreaming gives way for the ability for us to shift our consciousness into alternate realities which defy the conception of human form.... We are waking from the slumber of creation and the divine serpent is rising within us, and this is giving us sacred fires to transform our entire world. I am ancient, I am infinite, I am limitless, and our realities have no limitation other than what has been created through the false investments of our awareness, the shadows of our deception... there is no one here, I could not be anyone, and who are you to speak of something? It is unimportant, we meant nothing when we spoke of the dreams which died inside of us.
I am shaman, residing within the heart of the sacred mystery, the sacred warrior, whose heart has bled for creation... life is given to you, this sacred gift which is here.... the divine reality is blossoming from within your core, the sacred power center inside of your being, and from this all being may be changed.... to defy reality... all is possible within the heart of the infinite, and it is inside of you!
You have to destroy yourself, you have to discard the false nature of being in a ruthless manner, otherwise the mysteries may not speak so readily... I spent years traveling amongst shamans and sorcerers, I lived that life, now I am here being hollow... which is a path of renunciation for me... my services in humanity call me back to this world from time to time.
The most important lessons taught in these books are the ones which allow you to defy your sense of linear reality, it means you are going beyond the patterns created through the consciousness through-out your life, beyond the solidified idea of humanity, and in this you are transcending the qualities of life which are prohibiting you from the raw experience of power and the mystery, outside of the human drama.... which are congruent with yogic philosophies and other spiritual realizations through-out time....
The mystery is with us always, we are always inside of the force of sacred powers beyond our comprehension... an infinite experience of life is here residing beyond the transitory experience of this dreaming world... and the realization that we are dreaming gives way for the ability for us to shift our consciousness into alternate realities which defy the conception of human form.... We are waking from the slumber of creation and the divine serpent is rising within us, and this is giving us sacred fires to transform our entire world. I am ancient, I am infinite, I am limitless, and our realities have no limitation other than what has been created through the false investments of our awareness, the shadows of our deception... there is no one here, I could not be anyone, and who are you to speak of something? It is unimportant, we meant nothing when we spoke of the dreams which died inside of us.
I am shaman, residing within the heart of the sacred mystery, the sacred warrior, whose heart has bled for creation... life is given to you, this sacred gift which is here.... the divine reality is blossoming from within your core, the sacred power center inside of your being, and from this all being may be changed.... to defy reality... all is possible within the heart of the infinite, and it is inside of you!
Last edited:
Ugster
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2007
- Messages
- 369
the emptiness is where the silence of being is residing, it is coming from inner control, inner realization.... releasing all patterns of the self, it takes discipline, you have to put yourself in real life situations which are going to break your experience of perceived reality, it means you are going into trance and breaking down the barriers which confine consciousness into limited states of expression.... it is not enough to read a book, it means you have to live life fully and go through tremendous initiation and sacrifice... this is how you attain these spaces fully and live them in your life... This is the realm of the true shaman, which Castaneda understood.... he took it upon himself to liberate beings from the confines of their material prisons, and to give them a fleeting glimpse into eternity, which exists outside of time....
Carlos used the mystery to hide from himself... he was caught in his illusion and fed off of other peoples energy... he charged money for sacred knowledge and started cults... He is still a sacred wisdom-keeper of our elder generation, who was corrupted by greed.
True shamanic initiations take years... It is a positive experience. Take peyote with the Indians, there are still traditional populations practicing these traditions in secluded corners of the earth... you walk in a sacred manner and you find them... Most indigenous shamans train for at least a few years... a great shaman is making it a life path, it is a sacred duty which lasts your whole life. Healing is the most important part of the shamanic path which was excluded from the Castaneda series. He was more invested in taking power from other beings.
All of this is unimportant... it means nothing... these are only words...
I am raising money for existing shamanic collectives...
Carlos used the mystery to hide from himself... he was caught in his illusion and fed off of other peoples energy... he charged money for sacred knowledge and started cults... He is still a sacred wisdom-keeper of our elder generation, who was corrupted by greed.
True shamanic initiations take years... It is a positive experience. Take peyote with the Indians, there are still traditional populations practicing these traditions in secluded corners of the earth... you walk in a sacred manner and you find them... Most indigenous shamans train for at least a few years... a great shaman is making it a life path, it is a sacred duty which lasts your whole life. Healing is the most important part of the shamanic path which was excluded from the Castaneda series. He was more invested in taking power from other beings.
All of this is unimportant... it means nothing... these are only words...
I am raising money for existing shamanic collectives...
Last edited: