Update:

This book truly grew on me over time. Now, I carry Don Juan's profound lessons with me wherever I venture. I believe my initial state of ambivalence stemmed from the fact that I didn't establish a strong connection with the author, Castaneda. However, Don Juan himself is indeed a remarkable teacher. Once I managed to detect Don Juan's voice beneath and behind Castaneda's academic analysis and skepticism, I found myself frequently quoting him to my friends. Moreover, as I progress along my inner path towards self-awareness, I constantly reflect on his four traps: fear, clarity, power, and old age. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to all those who are seekers of truth and psychonauts.

This is the third book in the series, yet it was the first one that I had the opportunity to read. I thoroughly enjoyed Don Juan's teachings, but it's undeniable that there were certain gaps in the plot line. I assume these were left intentionally as those particular stories are likely told in the first two volumes. I have a firm plan to go back and read the preceding works, which reportedly center more around mescalito, the Southwestern psychedelic plant. Although this book does hold its own quite well, be prepared to experience a sense of letdown at the end when you don't encounter the conclusion that the book seems to be hinting at.

Journey to Ixtlan (The Teachings of Don Juan #3) by Carlos Castaneda is a captivating work that delves into the author's alleged apprenticeship with the Yaqui "shaman," Don Juan.

Published in 1972 as a non-fiction book by Simon & Schuster, it takes its title from an allegory recounted to Castaneda by his "benefactor," Don Genaro.

Ixtlan serves as a metaphorical hometown to which the "sorcerer," warrior, or man of knowledge is drawn, yet after the process of "stopping," their perspective changes, leaving them with little in common with ordinary people, who now seem like "phantoms."

The central theme is that a man of knowledge or sorcerer is a transformed being, closer to their true state of being, and thus can never truly return to their old lifestyle.

This book is part of a series of twelve, each offering unique insights into the teachings of Don Juan and the world of Yaqui shamanism.

The translations in Persian also provide access to a wider audience, allowing them to explore the神秘 and thought-provoking ideas presented in Castaneda's works.

Overall, Journey to Ixtlan is a significant contribution to the literature on shamanism and personal transformation.

Carlos was not merely confined to the realm of chemical transformation.

This aspect is just one branch of his extensive Sonoran shamanic tradition that he has painstakingly rescued for all of us and incorporated into all of these works, preventing them from being forever lost to modernity.

There is a great deal of love for him and all of his books.

Incidentally, he was friends with western 4th Way groups and Jim Morrison, which reveals something very interesting about him.

It's wonderful when Tom Hanks says in Cloud Atlas that the only thing of value he learned from all the books he was reading was the discovery of Carlos Castaneda.

He also had a significant influence on The Cult and Syd Barrett.

May his works continue to journey on and have a lasting impact.

You were together every day, until there was no emotional connection left for each other. Isn't that the case?

You used to share every moment, every thought, and every feeling. But as time passed, something changed. Maybe it was the daily routine, or maybe it was the lack of communication.

Whatever it was, the result was the same. The once-strong bond between you began to weaken, and the love and affection that you once had for each other slowly faded away.

Now, when you look at each other, you see only strangers. The person who was once so dear to you has become a distant memory.

It's a sad reality, but it's the truth. And sometimes, the only way to move forward is to accept it and try to find a new path in life.

People must take responsibility for living in an extraordinary world. Do you know how extraordinary this world is? We're not talking about the same thing. For you, the world is extraordinary because if you don't relax, you're burdened by it. For me, the world is extraordinary because it's amazing, terrifying, mysterious, and unfathomable. I'm interested in convincing you to take responsibility for living here, in this wonderful world, in this fabled emptiness, in this fabled time. I wanted to convince you that you must learn to do everything consciously because you will stay here for a short time, in fact, far too short a time, to be a witness to all its wonders.

The world we live in is full of surprises and mysteries. It's a place where we can experience both joy and pain, love and hate. We have the power to shape our own lives and make a difference in the world around us. But in order to do that, we must first take responsibility for our actions and decisions.

We need to be aware of the impact we have on the environment, on other people, and on ourselves. We need to make choices that are sustainable and ethical, and we need to be willing to stand up for what we believe in. Only then can we truly appreciate the beauty and wonder of this extraordinary world and make the most of the time we have here.

Journey to Ixtlan truly gave me strong Karate Kid vibes.

Don Juan is like Mr. Miyagi, and Carlos Castaneda is like Daniel LaRusso. The lessons initially seem to only make sense to the teacher. But in the end, the apprentice finally realizes how the lessons apply. However, this story of Don Juan and Carlos is far more touching than the Hollywood film. And I only believe I retained about half of what this book has to offer.

I saw myself in both Don Juan and Carlos. I could relate when Don Juan talked about gaining personal power. Maybe I'm way off here, but to me, the 'power' Don Juan mentions is gained through psychedelic trips or certain wholesome, honest experiences. Those events breathe life, or power, into you, and you're on your way to becoming a warrior. Don Juan says certain things can't be done if one doesn't have enough stored personal power. How could I genuinely stand on a slab and proclaim my thanks to the fog for the favors it brings (which Don Juan made Carlos do) without ever experiencing a psychedelic shift in my brain? I'm not sure I could. But the more tripping I do, the more my brain and heart may be open to any beneath the surface wonders this world may have to offer.

Like the twilights. Don Juan explains how the time between dark and light and light and dark is its own world. A non-sorcerer may dismiss this as hippie talk. But Don Juan proclaims it as truth. He has the ability to see these worldly intricacies because he has stored enough personal power to do so. He's taken enough psychedelic trips or meditated under enough sunrises to the point he can see and feel things others can't.

But others can reach Don Juan's level if they store enough personal power. Don Juan appeared to be willing to show Carlos a path to possessing power. Mostly, seemingly by wholesome experiences like witnessing omens. But although it wasn't said, I think there may have been some psychedelic consumption unbeknownst to Carlos. What was in that dried meat in the gourds the two would carry on their journeys through the Arizona desert?

I saw myself in Carlos when the cryptic messages of Don Juan would move him in ways he couldn't understand and he'd become anxious. Carlos relays the mood of their conversations so vividly and I could feel his apprehension towards embracing the warrior ways described by Don Juan. I get it. As curious as I am to view the world as Don Juan sees it, it's still a wild undertaking to seek out this other world of power and warriors or accept the idea we're living in a world of infinite descriptions. Carlos says this path may be too arduous for him and I think I understand why. When you live your whole life under a certain assumption of how the world works and then you find out there's much more to this world than ever imagined, it can be scary and sad.

“Only as a warrior can one survive the path of knowledge. Because the art of a warrior is to balance the terror of being a man with the wonder of being a man.” - Don Juan

The experience was long and arduous to endure.

It failed to truly capture my attention, making the process rather tiresome.

Nevertheless, it did offer valuable lessons on life and the perspective of seeing oneself as a warrior.

Although it was a challenging journey, I am relieved that it has finally come to an end.

I can now look back and reflect on the lessons learned, and perhaps apply them to future endeavors.

Despite the initial lack of engagement, I have gained something from this experience, which I hope will serve me well in the long run.

Overall, it was a mixed bag, but I am glad to have come out the other side.

June 2011

Another box of books has been reopened for cleaning, sorting, and reevaluation. And lo and behold, many of the collected works of Carlos Castaneda are part of the contents.

Many years have passed, but I remember this author and his works vividly. [Now don't get any ideas as to an allusion I may or may not be making] At some point, I stopped purchasing more in the series and put them away. There's a 'blur' factor as I recall that occurs with these stories of the metaphysical and magical (or'majic' as you may choose to spell it) journeys of learning. Thus, I finally put them down after a while. There's a new series of works by authors/students in the same genre. These are a continuation of the anthropological journey that Castaneda undertook to learn about his heritage and a way of life that existed, if only in a shadow of the original form.

This generic commentary is going to be applied to all the writings of CC as a review until a rereading decision is made. I don't own all the books by Castaneda, though I've read all his books through the mid-1980s. A couple more I have copies of in this collection, but I bet I never read them.

Each of these books will have this introduction bracketed and italicized when I add a more specific commentary regarding the individual entry.

An early footnote: Much of the fascination with fantastical dragon imagery is rooted in the first two or three of these works. Just thought you should know.

If I were Carlos Castaneda, I would embark on an extraordinary journey as don Juan’s successor. I would step into the role of the Nagual, leading my party of warriors.

My days would be filled with the practice of not-doing, a concept that challenges the ordinary ways of being. I would diligently practice the magical passes that don Juan taught me, repeating them over and over, recapitulating until I had mastered them.

Both day and night, I would immerse myself in the second attention, a state of heightened perception and awareness. I would dream and stalk, honing my skills and abilities.

With my newfound powers, I would be able to make car engines stop dead at my will, a feat that would amaze and astound those around me. Every second would be filled with joy and awe, as I experienced the wonders of the magical world.

I would strive to become a man with no personal history, free from the burdens and limitations of the past. I would be inaccessible and impeccable, maintaining a sense of mystery and integrity. And above all, I would be silent, listening to the whispers of the universe and following its guidance.

Carlos Castaneda goes to see "Don Juan Matus" in the 1960s to benefit from his teachings and the wisdom of the Yaqui people. Don Juan has Carlos Castaneda consume hallucinogenic plants and spirit guides to lead him to a world of extraordinary realities with the help of their effects on his mind and spirit! In fact, in Don Juan's teachings, one cannot be known without smoke and the breath of the knowledgeable! Castaneda says that the main part of Don Juan's ideas emerged as a result of ingesting hallucinogenic plants.

The assumptions on which Don Juan bases his arguments and proves them are incorrect. Based on his conclusions, there will be nothing but intellectual confusion. Inconsistency and duplicity are observed in Don Juan's actions and ideas. He says in one place that to understand the truth, one must eat visionary plants, spirit guides, and mind expanders, and in another place, he says that by referring to the heart, one can become the happiest and most successful person on earth. This contradiction calls into question the belief in his ideas and the forces he champions in life.

Learning about something and knowing it means that we must have complete awareness of what we do and be able to repeat it whenever we want. But Castaneda's collection of writings and his explanation and interpretation of Don Juan's teachings are nothing but a personal experience and feeling, and there is no way to transfer them to others. Therefore, his knowledge has no credibility or authority for us.

I have read every single one of Casteneda's books, and without a doubt, this is the one that you should commence with.

The initial three books essentially convey the same narrative, yet Ixtlan manages to get it just right, and you won't miss out on anything of great significance from the first two volumes.

Starting from Tales of Power onwards, I would rate these books with a full five stars.

To those individuals who assert that it's all fictional, I would respond by asking, so what?

The wisdom and knowledge imparted by Don Juan are truly a priceless gift to all of us who are warriors treading the path of knowledge.

Moreover, these books are absolute page-turners of the highest order, captivating the reader from the very first page and keeping them engrossed until the very end.

They offer not only entertainment but also profound insights and teachings that can have a lasting impact on one's life and spiritual journey.

So, if you're looking for a thought-provoking and engaging read, I highly recommend giving Casteneda's books a try, starting with this one.

You won't be disappointed.

Blinky may seem like a simple concept, but there are actually plenty of lessons to be learnt from it, just like from Don Juan, the Blinkmaster.

Don Juan was known for his ability to make quick decisions and take action without hesitation. This is similar to the idea of blinky, which emphasizes the importance of being able to quickly assess a situation and make a choice.

By studying Don Juan's approach, we can learn how to trust our instincts and make decisions with confidence. We can also learn to be more aware of our surroundings and the signals that are being sent to us.

In addition, the concept of blinky can teach us about the importance of being adaptable and flexible. Just as Don Juan was able to change his plans and strategies depending on the situation, we too need to be able to adjust our thinking and actions as circumstances change.

Overall, while blinky may seem like a small and insignificant thing, it can actually hold a wealth of lessons for us if we are willing to look closely and learn from it.