Normally, teachings that involve drugs bother me to no end. It's a concept that just doesn't sit well with me. However, somehow this book is proving to be an exception to that general rule. Drugs, in my opinion, have a tendency to complicate spirituality. They often orient seekers towards intense spiritual experiences, but in a way that I find rather concerning. To me, they seem like a great form of laziness. It would be fine if they were actually more effective than they are in achieving true spiritual growth. But all too often, it just boils down to rich white kids who have watched "The Matrix" one too many times and think that taking drugs will give them some sort of instant enlightenment.

Again, in the case of Don Juan, the drugs occupy a very secondary position. Foremost, most of the drug experiences described are actually quite terrible. They are used for specific teaching purposes, usually related to some form of power. Second, Don Juan is a trickster and appears to be tripping up Casteneda in every way possible. The drugs seem more like very intuitive beatings than cool experiences. I can't help but think that it's a strange and rather unorthodox way of teaching. I would only hope that I might one day have someone to guide me and challenge me like Don Juan did with Carlos, but perhaps without the need for drugs.

I came to these pages from Doğan Cüceloğlu's book titled Savaşçı. Generally speaking, the teachings of Don Juan resulted in a book that mainly focuses on the use of hallucinogenic plants, and its actual pretentiousness was even too much for me. Nevertheless, there were many valuable evaluations in it regarding being a learning person. It is readable, but I don't think about reading the next 10 books.

This book seems to have some interesting aspects, but the excessive emphasis on certain elements made it a bit off-putting for me. However, I still managed to find some useful insights within its pages.

Maybe for some readers, the content about hallucinogenic plants and Don Juan's teachings might be fascinating, but for me, it was a bit of a mixed bag.

Overall, while I can appreciate the effort put into writing this book, it didn't quite resonate with me on a deeper level.

When I was a child and read the third book in this series, of course, I didn't understand a thing. Now I've finally decided to figure it out. Well, now I basically understand everything, including how and why it was all composed and written. But the feeling is similar to the initial one: there is little in literature more boring than descriptions of other people's dreams and trips. Maybe only sports, but fortunately there is little of that here. Only rare hikes in the crossed terrain, which, as it turns out, is completely uninteresting to me, and the author is by no means Paustovsky.

So I'm not sure if it's worth continuing. At least, as far as I remember, the old trickster will continue to rather clumsily evade answers to the stupid questions of the young (actually, forty-year-old) debater. And I personally don't see much benefit from the recipes for rubbing from "some yellow flowers", although I know that many will not agree with me.

I need to think about it more before making a decision. Maybe there are some hidden gems in the book that I haven't discovered yet. Or maybe it's just not my cup of tea.

Carlos Castaneda's series regarding Yaqui religion presents a blend of fact and fiction.

As per the Wikipedia article about him, the initial three out of the dozen or so volumes he created form the academic work that led to his doctorate in anthropology.

Nevertheless, only the first volume among these has an academic tone. The subsequent volumes lean more towards the literary side.

Even though Castaneda is justifiably criticized for mispresenting his work to the UCLA faculty of anthropology, the first three books are still worthy of reading due to his captivating descriptions of altered states of consciousness.

His detailed accounts offer a unique perspective into these mysterious states, which can be both fascinating and thought-provoking.

Despite the controversy surrounding his work, Castaneda's series has had a significant impact on the field of anthropology and beyond.

It has inspired countless others to explore the boundaries of human consciousness and the relationship between different cultures and belief systems.

Whether one views his work as a legitimate academic contribution or a work of fiction, there is no denying the power and influence of Carlos Castaneda's writings.

This is my favorite book of all time. Period.

It is not a book that will appeal to everyone. However, if you are open-minded and free-spirited, you will discover that it is truly inspiring and absolutely stunning.

The story within its pages takes you on a journey like no other. It challenges your perspectives and makes you think deeply about life, love, and the meaning of it all.

The characters are vividly drawn, and you can't help but become emotionally invested in their lives. Their experiences and struggles will touch your heart and leave you with a sense of wonder and awe.

Every word in this book is carefully chosen, and the writing style is captivating. It flows smoothly, pulling you in from the very first page and keeping you hooked until the very end.

If you're looking for a book that will change your life and open your eyes to new possibilities, then this is the one for you. Give it a chance, and you won't be disappointed.

No, no improvement. Go ahead, colleagues. Maybe since I've never done drugs and don't have an overly open mind to tribal spiritualities, it wasn't for me, but what a mess. Fortunately, it's brief.

A university professor meets a shaman/lord/guide/Jedi who initiates him into the world of peyote, hallucinogenic pipes, and more. And that's it. One has to live life well, be brave, have a right purpose, not trust women (!), and little else.

This description seems rather odd and perhaps a bit one-sided. While it may be someone's personal experience or opinion, it simplifies and perhaps misrepresents certain aspects of tribal spiritualities and the ideas associated with them. The mention of not trusting women also stands out as an unjust and perhaps outdated view. It would be interesting to explore these topics in more depth and with a more open and objective perspective to gain a better understanding of their true nature and significance.

I read this as a promise to read at least one of Carlos Castaneda's philosophical books.

The book, "The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge" is the first of his seminal trilogy. Castaneda wrote this and his subsequent books based on his research log describing his apprenticeship with Don Juan Matus, a Yaqui Indian sorcerer from northern Mexico.

This "Man of Knowledge" guided and taught Castaneda in the positive value of pharmacological drug use. Castaneda's book idealizes hallucinogenic drugs use, animism, and spell-casting.

The author advocates the new age belief and lifestyle of a trance-like state induced by drugs during which one can communicate with earth spirits. Amazingly, Carlos Castaneda was awarded his bachelor's and doctoral degrees based on the research for these books.

I read this book and must say that I found it flawed and offensive at times. I do believe that only humans possess souls. Other living things only have spirits.

However, it's important to note that Castaneda's work has also been the subject of much controversy. Some have questioned the authenticity of his experiences and the validity of his research methods.

Despite this, his books have had a significant impact on popular culture and have inspired many people to explore alternative spiritual paths.

Overall, while I may not agree with everything Castaneda wrote, I do think his work is worth considering and discussing.

In the learning path to become a "man of knowledge", the learner will face four enemies: fear, clarity, power, and old age.

Carlos Castaneda succumbed to the first one.

Carlos Castaneda was little more than an enigmatic character, and we must assume that the little known about his private life is what he himself has revealed as true. Supposedly, he was born on December 25, 1925, in Juqueri, São Paulo, Brazil, although his immigration record places him 10 years earlier in Cajamarca, Peru. He had a brief stint in Argentina and then went to the United States, where he became a national, completed his secondary studies, and later entered the University of California to study anthropology. He also took other courses in psychology, journalism, and literature.

These data may vary or be questioned since he himself took care to hide much of his private life, and he was evasive in front of cameras or interviews.

According to Castaneda, in 1960, while still a student of anthropology at the University of California, he had made several trips to the southwest of the region with the intention of gathering information about certain medicinal plants used by the Indians in the area. One day, while waiting with a friend at a bus station, his friend pointed out an old Mexican Indian who was nearby and told him that that old man knew a lot about plants, especially peyote. Castaneda asked his friend to introduce him, and after a short moment, that man presented himself to Carlos Castaneda as Juan (Matus, as is known).

From that crucial moment in the life of the anthropology student, what is now known as "The Teachings of Don Juan" began.

This book is divided into two parts: a very good first part, with a lot of things to analyze, and a second part that throws the first one in the trash. How is this? Well, according to Castaneda, his learning with Don Juan would serve for his thesis at the university, and he even claims to have graduated thanks to this work. Therefore, after an excellent first part with the presentation of a completely new mystical universe for our senses, during the second part, he takes care to refute everything he has lived as a learner.

Of course, it is understood that this would be a kind of anthropological fieldwork as far as I understand, and that all these "magic" experiences (and the term falls short) were products of elaborate and complicated rituals with plants and hallucinogenic mushrooms. But perhaps, just perhaps; this time it would have been good to leave a few questions and come to some kind of conclusion ourselves.

It is also true that this is the first book of a series of nine more volumes. But it is essentially in this one where, after Don Juan has accepted Carlos as his learner, the latter begins a learning path to become a "man of knowledge" that, after five years and a not at all good experience, Castaneda believes he has succumbed to the first natural enemy of a learner: fear. For this reason, he decides to refrain from continuing to seek his lessons.

SUMMARY: "Like Lazarus returned from the tomb" (said a critic), an anthropologist narrates the first stage of the learning that will turn him into a "man of knowledge" under the guidance of a Yaqui sorcerer. With various means, Don Juan immerses his disciple in a "non-ordinary reality", as objective as the daily one but completely different, inexplicable for our thinking schemes but not for the ancient wisdom that the master transmits with impeccable logical and poetic coherence. Thus, while undermining the "description of the world" in which Castaneda has believed, Don Juan proposes another - vast, wonderful, terrible - and, with practical lessons, teaches to inhabit it from the most immediate level. As he loses defenses, the learner experiences the state of being that the teachings lead him to, the "life of the warrior", and succumbs to the first enemy of a man of knowledge: fear. However, it was not a definitive defeat: Castaneda resumed his learning and has published two other books about it, considered, like The Teachings of Don Juan, contemporary classics.

Are you seeking a captivating read that will truly astonish you and shatter your conventional perception of everyday reality? If that's the case, then Carlos Castaneda's first novel is certain to be a delight for you. It was a pioneering work written by an anthropologist, far ahead of its time.

I first read this book back in the 1980s. However, after meeting and conversing with several Shamans during my research for my next book, I felt an urge to revisit it. If this topic piques your interest, do let me know.

From the very beginning, Castaneda had me completely enthralled, gradually drawing me into his world. I could vividly envision the arid and dusty desert landscapes of Arizona and Mexico. As he reads through his diary, he reveals his own inner thoughts, doubts, and fears of letting go, and shares his conversations with his mentor, the Shaman Don Juan. He is introduced to various medicines that assist him in altering his perception, enabling him to peer through the fissures of everyday reality and experience and acquire power by glimpsing into "non-ordinary states of reality." He discloses that the natives believe all plants to be sacred, each possessing unique spirits that will communicate with you for your benefit and learning. Castaneda emphasizes that we must shed our ego in order to truly perceive this world, as the plants do not respond favorably to attempts at control or manipulation.

Don Juan and real Shamans employ stories, crystals, feathers, strange musical instruments, sweat lodges, ceremonial rituals, and animal hides to invoke or open up these alternate states. Much of what they do is centered around making you realize your place in relation to nature, which is a humbling experience. If you're like me, you might initially scoff at this concept. However, when you explore the latest scientific discoveries, scientists are informing us that beneath all matter, vibrating energy is the only thing that exists, that there are multiverses, and that in the double slit experiment, electrons behave as if they are conscious and can even go back in time and change their behavior when observed.

Castaneda takes you beyond the dualistic material world and allows you to catch a glimpse of what it's like to have "God" unzip her cloak and reveal the inner workings of the universe. My personal experience of speaking with shamans and witnessing people's accounts suggests that the "non-ordinary states of reality" are indeed real, even more vivid and filled with magical impacts. However, it's important to maintain a healthy dose of skepticism. Just do your research and keep an open mind. There must be a reason why shamans around the world have such remarkably similar rituals, and why this knowledge has endured for millennia.

So, in the end, perhaps, just perhaps, the truth is stranger than science fiction.

This obscure writer has a huge cult following. They firmly believe that Castaneda's semi-fictitious body of work about Don Juan and the indigenous peoples of Mexico holds the keys to power and enlightenment. However, Ninja is a skeptic. She doesn't believe in any of that nonsense. But, as she admits, they are the best books being peddled as non-fiction that she has ever read.

Years ago, Ninja caught an episode of Imprint on their local public television station TVO. The host, Daniel Richler, was leading a panel discussion about native spirituality and its literature. At one point, Richler held up a copy of Carlos Castaneda’s first book, The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge. He stated with great confidence and certainty that Castaneda’s works about the Yaqui Indians of Mexico represented the greatest hoax since the Piltdown Man. With that, he seemed to dismiss the book immediately. Ninja, who had already dismissed Castaneda as a new age phony long ago, also moved on to the next item of discussion. But she was surprised when one of the panel members, Medicine Grizzly Bear Adams, brought the discussion back to Castaneda. Adams said that Castaneda must have really been trained under a traditional man of knowledge, as Castaneda referred to don Juan. Otherwise, he insisted, Castaneda must be “one of the greatest philosophers or geniuses of your time” to be able to synthesize the information he presents in his books from his sources, whatever they may be.

Adams' comments made Ninja revisit the body of work Castaneda wrote. Since then, she has read all the books about his so-called tutelage under the nagual, Don Juan. She found them to be most entertaining and thought-provoking. Many quotes from the books have been woven into popular culture. The most well-known of these is something in the form of following a path with heart. As Castaneda wrote, “…a warrior must always keep in mind that a path is only a path; if he feels that he should not follow it, he must not stay with it under any conditions. His decision to keep on that path or to leave it must be free of fear or ambition. He must look at every path closely and deliberately. There is a question that a warrior has to ask: ‘Does this path have a heart?’” There are many more gems like this in the books. Ninja believes that Castaneda was a spiritual genius. Whether or not he made it up, he wove the work into a self-contained reality in its own right.

I don't know how I ended up reading it. It wasn't marked as "must" on BookBub, nor on Goodreads, nor on the "must-buy" list on my phone. It was rather an accident. I would like to thank Chance for allowing me to get acquainted with an extraordinary and fascinating book. The skeptic in me remained silent and didn't even think of commenting along the way. It was a very important reading for me in terms of the message. Several questions found their answers. Since I finished the part with the actual reading, because the work is divided into two parts (the experimental part and the analysis), I reread it to make sure I didn't miss anything.

This unexpected encounter with the book has truly been a pleasant surprise. It has opened my eyes to new perspectives and ideas. The way the story was presented and the depth of the analysis made it a captivating read from start to finish. I'm glad that this accidental discovery has become such an important part of my reading experience.

I would highly recommend this book to others, especially those who are open to new and thought-provoking literature. It has the power to make you think, question, and gain a deeper understanding of various aspects of life. Whether you're a regular reader or just starting out, this book is definitely worth checking out.

Overall, I'm extremely grateful to Chance for leading me to this amazing book. It has left a lasting impression on me and I'm sure it will do the same for others.

A young and curious anthropologist embarks on a journey into the vast and unforgiving desert. There, he encounters an old and wise shaman. Together, they engage in the consumption of various substances such as peyote, DMT/salvia, and shrooms. This book serves as the anthropologist's account of his experiences, from one trip to another, with snippets of hippy-wisdom interspersed throughout. One such often-quoted passage is "ask yourself if this path has a heart."

However, beyond the act of tripping, it becomes evident that the author fails to truly understand the spiritual essence of what Don Juan is attempting to convey. For instance, when he smokes the "little smoke" and believes himself to have transformed into a bird, he later asks Don Juan, "did I really become a bird?" He persists in seeking an objective answer, which, in my view, undermines the entire purpose of the experience.

At the conclusion of the book, Carlos Casteneda dissects Don Juan's belief system in a manner that is both scientific and strangely dogmatic. It is as if he is a pastor of a newly discovered, yet no longer sacred, religion. By explaining it all away, he extinguishes the mystical allure of his time in the desert and reduces it to neatly classified names and compartments. This further diminishes his narrative to a simple hallucinogenic-induced party with an old Yaqui Indian man in New Mexico, all under the pretense of his "Warrior's Way." His evaluation of his time with Don Juan only scratches the surface of literal understanding, rather than delving into any meaningful, metaphorical reflection of his "teaching." I find myself unable to determine whether he is truly dense or simply too westernized to perceive anything beyond the boundaries of his daily comprehension.

It is a pity that the author seems to have missed the deeper spiritual significance that could have been gained from his encounters with Don Juan. The potential for profound personal growth and enlightenment appears to have been overlooked in favor of a more superficial and scientific analysis.

Perhaps if the author had been more open-minded and receptive to the spiritual aspects of the experience, he would have been able to offer a more insightful and engaging account of his time in the desert with Don Juan. As it stands, the book leaves much to be desired in terms of its exploration of the spiritual and metaphorical dimensions of the shaman's teachings.