If it hadn't been for a traveler with whom I exchanged books, I would never have read a book by Castaneda. He is certainly a popular author with his books on the transcendental, and as such, requires a very open mind to understand and appreciate that world. Therefore, I decided to read the book on the beach with the sound of the waves and nothing else ;-)

The book teaches us that the perception of reality and our consciousness have no limits. Dreaming, we can perceive much more than what we are capable of as humans with an incorporated concept in the mind. Dreaming is an art, I would say it requires talent, but the techniques to enhance the experience of lucid dreams presented in the book should be useful for those who wish to work on it. I haven't tried even one :-)))

Also, many valuable thoughts can be obtained from the book, such as: we should not live under the influence of others, our life consists only of those decisions that we make ourselves, we should put aside doubts and everything will be fine, etc.

It was a quite interesting read, but perhaps it is not the best option of a Castaneda book to start with.

"The dream can only be experienced. Dreaming is not having dreams; nor is it dreaming awake, nor desiring, nor imagining anything. Through the dream, we manage to perceive other worlds, which we can certainly describe, but we cannot describe what makes us perceive them. However, we can feel how the dream opens those other kingdoms. Dreaming seems to be a sensation, a process in our bodies, a consciousness of being in our minds."

"As Don Juan exposed, the path of the sorcerers is, essentially, a chain of alternative conduct that can be used to deal efficiently with the daily world."

"The energetic body is pure energy, it can carry out acts that go beyond the possibilities of the physical body, such as transporting oneself in an instant to the confines of the universe. Dreaming is the art of tempering the energetic body, of making it coherent and flexible, gradually exercising it."

"Through the dream, we condense the energetic body, until we manage to make it a unit capable of perceiving."

I love it.

I absolutely adored it. It is the best book I have read in quite some time. It was my first book by Carlos, and without a doubt, I will be reading his other works. This book was truly an eye-opener for me and has proven to be extremely helpful. It explains many matters in a simple and straightforward manner. It is a humble yet highly beneficial book.

Somehow, he reminded me of Paulo Coelho (in terms of spirituality, not writing). I had the feeling that their teachings had some sort of connection. It was just a thought.

I wished the book didn't come to an end. However, despite its conclusion, my dreaming persists.

I will continue to carry the lessons and inspiration from this book with me as I move forward in my life. It has truly made a lasting impact on me.

I look forward to exploring more of Carlos' books and seeing what other treasures they hold.

The reality in which we live is merely a collective agreement of the same perception.

However, this book enables you to conceive and understand other realities. It opens up a world of possibilities, challenging the limitations of our accustomed view.

By delving into its pages, you can expand your mind and explore different perspectives.

It encourages you to question the status quo and consider alternative ways of seeing and experiencing the world.

This book serves as a gateway to new realms of thought and imagination, allowing you to break free from the constraints of the collective agreement and discover the richness and diversity of other realities.

Whether you are seeking to broaden your intellectual horizons or simply gain a fresh perspective on life, this book is a valuable resource that can transform the way you perceive and interact with the world around you.

The art of divination between us was very strange.

This book and the teachings of the Nawal have a great resemblance to the teachings of the Islamic religion.

Divination has always been a mysterious and fascinating subject. In this case, the connection between the art of divination and the teachings of Islam is quite unexpected.

The Nawal's teachings seem to share some commonalities with the principles and values of Islam.

Perhaps this is an indication that different spiritual and religious traditions can sometimes have overlapping or complementary aspects.

It makes one wonder about the deeper meanings and connections that exist within the realm of the spiritual and the religious.

Exploring these similarities and differences can lead to a greater understanding and appreciation of both the art of divination and the Islamic religion.

It also shows that there is much more to these subjects than meets the eye and that further study and exploration are warranted.

Overall, the discovery of this resemblance between the art of divination and the teachings of Islam is an interesting and thought-provoking phenomenon.

2.5 stars.

This is the first book that I have read by this author. I was not amazed but rather a bit confused. The writing is good, but in itself, the story is quite overwhelming.

The author seems to have a great command of the language, as the sentences are well-structured and the descriptions are vivid. However, the plot is so complex and convoluted that it was difficult for me to follow at times. There were so many characters and subplots that I felt like I was losing track of the main story.

Despite this, I did find some aspects of the book interesting. The author's exploration of certain themes, such as love, loss, and identity, was thought-provoking. And the ending, while not entirely satisfying, did leave me with some food for thought. Overall, I would say that this is an average book that has its strengths and weaknesses.

Books are not only scientific but also spiritual.

When you pass through certain thresholds in energy and in your mind, you can become a shaman.

By focusing on a point in a dream, we can be guided.

I remembered such an event from a film that I watched.

In the book, it is said that one can pass through 4 doors within a dream.

It is truly fascinating to think about the power and mysteries that books and dreams can hold.

They open up a world beyond our ordinary perception, allowing us to explore the depths of our consciousness and perhaps even discover hidden aspects of ourselves.

The idea of becoming a shaman through the power of the mind and energy is both captivating and thought-provoking.

It makes us wonder about the limitless possibilities that exist within us and the potential for us to tap into a higher realm of existence.

Whether it is through the pages of a book or the landscapes of our dreams, there is always something new and exciting to discover.

Suddenly, I came to the realization that Don Juan had become my teacher.

The journey and the worlds that the book led me to were truly fantastic.

It was as if I had been transported to places I had never imagined before.

Dreams, if not a door, are at least a hatch into other worlds.

They allow us to escape the limitations of our daily lives and explore the unknown.

With Don Juan as my guide, I was able to see the world from a different perspective and gain a deeper understanding of myself and the universe.

The lessons I learned from him will stay with me forever and continue to shape my journey through life.

I am grateful for the opportunity to have been introduced to this amazing character and the profound wisdom he has to offer.

This book is an autobiography of Carlos, who was a graduate student in anthropology. He was learning about the teachings of Don Juan and did his thesis on Mexican shamans and their use of medicinal herbs to induce psychotropic effects for curing various illnesses.

In my opinion, this book was a rather difficult read. It introduced new concepts and beliefs that really boggled my mind, especially as a tenth grader. However, despite its difficulty, it was still very interesting. The whole idea of perceiving the world in a completely different way made me long to see things from their perspective.

If I could change anything, it would be the point-of-view. I think it would sound better if it was in the third person. To me, some of the things that were explained were hard to understand, but that's just me being nitpicky because the book is truly hard to explain.

Also, this book has some very interesting quotes. For example, "To perceive the essence of everything will make us understand, classify, and describe the world in entirely new, more exciting, more sophisticated terms" (pg.9). I love this quote because it basically sums up the book in a nutshell. Basically, when you learn to perceive, you can see things that you couldn't even imagine before.

Overall, this book is a challenging but rewarding read that offers a unique perspective on the world.

As you enter the world of Arfán... You must... No no! "Must" is not a good word to start the sentence I wanted... As you unconsciously enter the world of Arfán, you direct your gaze away from the criticism of the text and get lost in the world... The text, translation, cover design... All and all, it is not valuable cuisine in that valley.

It is only necessary to believe the words of Carlos and share in his experiences... At that time, you also give five stars to this book and other Castaneda books.

In "The Art of Dreaming", Castañeda relates his experience with a nagual named Don Juan who taught him the art of dreaming. This is briefly described as the ability to be conscious in our own dreams, whether by controlling them or traveling to other dimensions. It is a state of consciousness beyond lucid dreaming.

The first part of the book, at least for me, is the most interesting. Carlos Castañeda faces a completely unknown world when he meets Don Juan, an ancient nagual expert in the art of dreaming. Don Juan basically gives him some guidelines to achieve that state of consciousness. Castañeda relates in the form of a conversation with Don Juan how he gradually acquires skills and delves into that dream world that he was told about. But once he manages to wake up in the dream, things become more and more intense as he learns about other forms of energy, organic and inorganic beings that inhabit that other world.

The book is presented as a form of chronicle and labeled as non-fiction. And although there is no way to refute what Castañeda lived in one way or another, it remains a reading that should be read with an open mind. Whether what the author relates is true or false, it is fascinating and can open the door to conversations about whether there is or not a state of consciousness that allows controlling dreams and the body in the world of dreaming.

Amazing!

And yes, it is truly astonishing that you can dream with others and even move within those dreams.

Imagine the possibilities that this holds. It opens up a whole new realm of experiences and connections.

When we dream with others, it's as if we enter a shared space where our subconscious minds interact and create something unique.

We can explore new worlds, have adventures, and communicate with those we care about in ways that are not possible in the waking world.

Moving in dreams adds another layer of excitement. It allows us to feel a sense of freedom and fluidity that is often restricted in our daily lives.

We can fly, swim, or run at incredible speeds, experiencing a level of physicality that is beyond our normal capabilities.

This ability to dream with others and move in our dreams is a testament to the power and mystery of the human mind.

It reminds us that there is so much more to our inner lives than we may initially realize.

So, the next time you close your eyes and enter the realm of dreams, embrace the amazing possibilities that await you.

Who knows what kind of wonderful experiences and connections you might have!

A mentally challenging book.

There are moments when the mind submerges into a dream; at a certain point, it reminded me of that movie called "Inception" and I'm even thinking that the general idea of the movie was borrowed from this book.

To not digress, the book has moments of uncontrolled narration and the ending is very crude considering all the mental complexity that the author wanted to give to the work.

I'm left with "The Teachings of Don Juan" and this one lacked passion for me.

Overall, this book had its interesting aspects but also some flaws that prevented it from being a truly outstanding piece of literature.

It made me think deeply about certain concepts but also left me a bit disappointed in the execution.

Perhaps with a different approach or a more refined ending, it could have been a masterpiece.

Nevertheless, it was still a worthwhile read that challenged my mind and made me reflect on various ideas.

I would recommend it to those who are looking for a book that will make them think and stretch their mental boundaries.

However, be prepared for a somewhat uneven reading experience.