Bleh. This book is truly awful.

The first Don Juan book was marginally better, yet to be honest, I really don't understand the allure of Castenada (if we are to judge him based on these two books).

I had high hopes for something truly insightful, but alas, a great deal of this is just plain cringe-worthy.

I reached a point where I simply couldn't take it anymore and stopped reading this one at page 70. I refused to fall victim to the sunk cost fallacy.

I believe that life is too short to waste on books that don't offer any real value or interest.

Maybe others find something profound in Castenada's works, but for me, it's been a rather disappointing experience.

I'll be on the lookout for other books that can truly engage my mind and expand my perspective.

Until then, I'll leave these particular books on the shelf and move on to greener pastures.

Fact or fiction aside, this particular work was far more captivating and significantly more action-packed than The Teachings of Don Juan. It was read as part of the LOST Book Club, specifically from the episode "He's Our You." In this episode, a young Benjamin Linus brought this very book to an imprisoned Sayid, along with a meal. Ben described the book as truly excellent, going so far as to state that he had read it not once, but twice. This simple act of bringing the book and sharing his thoughts about it added an interesting layer to the story. It made one wonder what it was about this book that had such an appeal to Ben. Was it the exciting plot, the well-developed characters, or perhaps something deeper that only Ben could understand? Whatever the reason, it was clear that this book held a special place in his heart, and its presence in the episode added to the overall intrigue and mystery of the LOST series.

After waiting for 1.5 years, finally, I found a suitable opportunity to read this book. Acquaintance with the wise man is a precious experience that cannot be measured by price. All the things that philosophers can bring to the mind through great efforts of thinking, the wise man can do them easily in life and even go further. The most important difference is that the behavior of the wise man is practical. Instead of making efforts of thinking to imagine the truth, he directly faces the truth with his practical behavior.

Therefore, without any efforts of thinking and reasoning, he describes and lives the truth.

The difference between the wise man and the philosopher lies here. The philosopher makes great efforts to materialize in his mind something that he has not seen through reasoning, but the wise man reaches it with his own actions and sees it without any effort and lives with it.

The philosopher is someone who is trapped in a vast jungle with tall trees. To understand the greatness of the jungle, he can only reason based on the small area where he is located and obtain a very mental image of the greatness of the jungle. However, the wise man, with his practical behavior, rises from the ground level, looks at the jungle with a wider field of vision, and sees the greatness of the jungle with his own eyes.

The philosopher has a negligible imagination of one billion because his field of vision is limited, but the wise man has greatly expanded his field of vision through great efforts and can truly understand one billion.

Wow. Tubular. Totally. These are the kind of words that might make you think of a laid-back, new agey attitude. But let's face it, a lot of what passes for new age thinking is just a load of claptrap.

It seems to suggest that we should discard reason and instead embrace animism and experience. But is this really a tenable or livable worldview?

I don't think so. Spirituality is often seen as a way for those who are commitment-phobics to have a sense of something greater without actually having to commit to anything.

It's a nice idea in theory, but in practice, it can lead to a lot of confusion and false beliefs. We need to be able to think critically and use our reason to evaluate different ideas and beliefs.

Otherwise, we might find ourselves believing things that are not true or that don't serve us well. So, while there may be some value in exploring our spiritual side, we should do so with a healthy dose of skepticism and a commitment to truth and reason.

One of those books that truly changed my world view.

At the time, I wholeheartedly believed it was real. The details and the descriptions were so vivid that it felt as if I was experiencing it all myself.

However, later it was admitted to be fictional. But strangely enough, it still seems pretty friggin real.

It is definitely a life changer for sure. I have a strong urge to read it again.

Shamanic healing, as presented in this book, seems so real. And this was my very first reading encounter with this fascinating culture.

The book opened my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities and beliefs. It made me question what I thought I knew about reality and the spiritual realm.

I am eager to explore this culture further and see if there is any truth to the shamanic practices described in the book.

Overall, this book has had a profound impact on me and I will always cherish the experience of reading it.

A Separate Reality is the second installment penned by Carlos Castaneda. Although it remains firmly rooted in the domain of hallucinogenic mixtures, several novel topics are introduced, namely seeing, living like a warrior, and shutting off the internal dialogue.

These three concepts bring about a rather significant alteration in the narrative presentation. Some individuals contend that since the book deviates from the initial examinations of the first one, it must all be fabricated. Well, that's a distinct possibility. It is also feasible, as Castaneda later asserts, that his collection of notes was largely disregarded because he believed the teachings were based on intense hallucinations.

So, it's not that the story or characters have undergone a transformation; rather, Castaneda incorporates previously unused notes into his narrative.

I wish to pause here and firmly state that I am not attempting to persuade anyone that we can become sorcerers. It's simply that these stories have had a profound impact on my life, and I observe how stagnant everyone around me is, yet I perceive the world as something new and refreshing every day.

Anyway, if nothing else, the story, when utilized as an allegory, can still reveal to us what numerous books, TV programs, movies, and so on, disclose - means to enrich our lives. The actual events need not be true or accurate. The Bible may very well not be real, but the teachings are still valid, aren't they? Once again, I'm not suggesting that the Bible is false, but it is written by fallible humans. The only thing God ever wrote was the 10 commandments, and if you delve into the genuine commandments, not the ones modified in the 19th century, they are extremely powerful and actually align quite well with Don Juan's concept of living as a warrior.

Here's a brief exchange from A Separate Reality that I truly relish:

Juan regarded me with an air of incredulity and then burst into laughter.

"What would you do?" I pressed him.

"If someone is waiting for me with a rifle equipped with a telescopic sight?" he said, clearly taunting me.

"If someone is lurking out of sight, waiting for you. You won't stand a chance. You can't halt a bullet."

"No. I can't, but I still don't fathom your point."

"My point is that all your strategy would be of no avail in a situation such as that."

"Oh, but it can. If someone is waiting for me with a powerful rifle and a telescopic sight, I simply won't show up."

There you have it. This is also crucial for martial artists. The first line of defense is to avoid being in the path of danger; to not be confined by routines. In essence, this is what it means to live as a warrior.

Overall, the book is近乎完美; at times humorous and lighthearted, at others filled with anticipation, it paints beautiful pictures and will transport you to another world...even if it is only within your mind.

Don Quixote has already passed 10 years since the first encounter. The path of becoming and seeing in March is full of difficulties, and the author tries to overcome them this time with more practical actions. However, the hardest thing is to fully accept the started path, by giving up the usual perception, and it still cannot be achieved. But the journey has already begun, and there is no other way but to move forward. The other one is the journey to Istanbul, which, it is calculated, will be even more interesting.

It is impossible to put down the book. The reality is changing, and the connection with the author is strengthening as it goes. Unforgettable feelings, many topics to think about, useful advice and other options I bring with me after reading the book. I give a lot of advice that the book is full of the potential to revolutionize the perception of the world. <3 <3 <3

When I was an undergraduate in the mid-70's, Castaneda's "Don Juan" trilogy, perhaps with a touch of Hermann Hesse thrown in, was what one had to read to be regarded as deep and interesting.

Thirty years have passed, and Hesse still mostly holds up. However, for Castaneda, one can only wonder "What was I thinking?"

But presumably, that's precisely what undergraduate time should be utilized for - to read widely and without discrimination. After all, not everything you read in college is going to be of high quality.

It's a time of exploration and discovery, where you expose yourself to a diverse range of ideas and perspectives. Some books will resonate deeply, while others may leave you scratching your head. But that's all part of the learning process.

By reading broadly, you expand your intellectual horizons and develop a more nuanced understanding of the world. So, don't be too hard on yourself if you look back on some of the books you read in college and wonder why you were so enamored with them at the time. It's all part of growing and evolving as a thinker.

Carlos, after years of profound self-reflection, finally makes his return. His intention is to glean some additional nuggets of knowledge from Don Juan. This encounter ultimately sparks Carlos' interest in the captivating concept of “seeing”. So much so that he is now willing to venture back and experiment with “The Little Smoke” in his pursuit of achieving this goal.

As Carlos delves deeper into this new world, he is bombarded with a plethora of novel concepts. There is “will”, which seems to hold the key to unlocking hidden potentials. Then there are the “8 points of experience”, which offer a framework for understanding and navigating this strange new reality. And let's not forget “controlled folly”, a concept that challenges Carlos' preconceived notions about rationality and behavior.

By the time the book reaches its conclusion, Carlos' fundamental beliefs about the very nature of reality are truly in tatters. He has been forced to question everything he thought he knew, and in doing so, he has embarked on a journey of self-discovery and transformation that will forever change his perspective.

Hold on to your predetermined and pompous ideals and enjoy the ride. There is a great deal of speculation regarding whether these events actually took place or if it is all fictional.

That being said, I firmly believe that all of the things were occurring as interpreted by the "recorder of events". Personally, I feel that when I have a traumatic nightmare that impacts my waking hours, there is a reason for remembering that. Just as a happy dream that fulfills my soul, my mind, once again, affects my day.

Psychotropic experiences are undeniably real. Whatever a person perceives as real should be accepted as such.

My argument is as follows: Prove that I am actually sitting here as I type this. Who can say that I'm not just a part of YOUR elaborate dream? Who can provide any evidence that there is no alternate realm that we cannot perceive?

Therefore, I believe that Carlos's experience, as he recorded it, actually happened. Who am I to say otherwise? What proof do I have?

It ultimately comes down to the reader's willingness to open their mind to multi-dimensional life or to hold on tightly to the strict ties to the tangible reality in which we find comfortable safety.

Complete hogwash!

This statement implies that something is completely untrue or nonsensical. It is a strong way of expressing disbelief or dismissal.

When we encounter something that we consider to be complete hogwash, it could be a claim, an argument, or a piece of information that lacks credibility or is based on false premises.

It is important to be able to recognize when something is complete hogwash in order to make informed decisions and avoid being misled. We can do this by evaluating the source of the information, looking for evidence to support it, and using our own critical thinking skills.

In conclusion, complete hogwash is a term that we can use to describe something that is clearly not worth our time or attention. By being able to identify it, we can protect ourselves from false information and make better choices in our lives.

I have a great fondness for this more rational and down-to-earth approach to spiritual reality. It is truly an individual odyssey, with both advantages and perils lurking around every corner. In contrast to the rather broad and generalized proclamations of some new age spiritualities that refer to abstractions like the absolute and the interconnectedness of all things, etc. These seem more like attempts to intellectualize something that is inherently beyond intellectual comprehension. They give the impression that ultimate reality is a rather simplistic and passive entity that can be easily understood.

This book only provides a few glimpses into certain aspects of the shamanism approach, such as the concept of controlled folly and the use of specific hallucinatory drugs to enhance one's ability to perceive the higher frequencies of reality where one might encounter entities like one's ally. However, it is quite easy to obtain more of the theory and principles of shamanism from other sources. What this book offers is a narrative of one person's journey of initiation into this way of life. Even if one remains skeptical of the details of some of the claims about what is transpiring, one can still appreciate the human adventure that is being embarked upon.