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The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge, The Original Teachings in a Deluxe 30th Anniversary Edition

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Manufacturer: University of California Press
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Thirty years ago the University of California Press published an unusual manuscript by an anthropology student named Carlos Castaneda. The Teachings of Don Juan initiated a generation of seekers dissatisfied with the limitations of the Western worldview. Castaneda's now classic book remains controversial for the alternative way of seeing that it presents and the revolution in cognition it demands.
In a series of fascinating dialogues, Castaneda sets forth his partial initiation with don Juan Matus, a Yaqui Indian shaman from the state of Sonora, Mexico. He describes don Juan's perception and mastery of the "non-ordinary reality" and how peyote along with other plants sacred to the Mexican Indians were used as gateways to the mysteries of "dread," "clarity," and "power." The Teachings of Don Juan is the story of a remarkable journey that has left an indelible impression on the life of more than a million readers around the world.
"For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel, looking, looking breathlessly."--Don Juan
"Carlos Castaneda, under the tutelage of don Juan, takes us through the moment of twilight, through the crack in the universe between daylight and dark into a world not merely other than our own, but of an entirely different order of reality."--Walter Goldschmidt, from the Foreword


DESCRIPTION:

Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 299.7
EAN: 9780520217577
ISBN: 0520217578
Label: University of California Press
Manufacturer: University of California Press
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 215
Publication Date: 1998-09-08
Publisher: University of California Press
Studio: University of California Press


SIMILAR ITEMS:

• Separate Reality
• Journey To Ixtlan
• The Art of Dreaming
• Power of Silence
• Tales of Power


CUSTOMER REVIEWS:

Customer Rating:
Summary: Enjoy With Care
Comment: The difficulty in reviewing Carlos Castaneda's book lies in how to place it; neither in the quality of its language, nor in its contents does it come across as an academic tome - yet, it is introduced as a book of serious anthropology, a field with its own patois, little of which is found in Castaneda's book. The 30th anniversary edition (published by UC Press) categorizes the title under "Religion / Native American Studies / Mysticism," subject categories that seem correct because the integrity of the majority of popular works in them is held to a different scrutiny than those in the academic world proper. The Teachings of Don Juan has no bibliography, for example, despite the fact that there has surely been much anthropological work done about the spiritual practices and mythology of Mexican natives.

If we look at The Teachings of Don Juan as a parable encouraging readers to become more spiritual and outlining a way how, while not relying on the truthfulness of the narrative, it absolutely works. It would be similar if we considered Tuesdays with Morrie a fiction, the inspirational elements of the story would be no less potent. Likewise, had James Frey been forthright in revealing the truthfulness of A Million Little Pieces, the work would have been able to live on the merits of its work as quality fiction. With this, I do not mean to - with any kind of authority - say that Carlos Castaneda's book is a fiction, though my reading raises strong suspicions, which have been furthered by others more qualified both in their knowledge of Castaneda's canon, and his subject matter. What I put forth is that if his book is not taken as an anthropological tract, it doesn't reduce its status as inspirational spiritual work.

In tune with many books of the same sort - whether they fit into the category of spiritual volumes(The Four Agreements), business guides(The Go-Getter, Death by Meeting), or self-help(The Richest Man in Babylon) - the quality of the writing in The Teachings of Don Juan is mediocre; this is okay since these books are not meant to be read for their literary value, but their didactic potential. The writing is simplistic, and even the Structural Analysis, which I'm sure many readers forego, though denser, does not actually become overly complex.

Mirroring the lack of simplicity in the writing style, I found no lessons in The Teachings of Don Juan that struck me as particularly noteworthy. As a person who has read his fair share of self-help, and the occasional book about spirituality, I found many of the teachings Castaneda imparts to be rather ordinary; that is not to say they are wrong, just that the concept of "nonordinary reality" is not revolutionary in any sense. Perhaps in the forty years since it's publication, the cultural milieu surrounding hallucinogenics has lessened the intensity with which Castaneda's experiences are seen. Despite this fact, the most absorbing parts of the book where the descriptions of Castaneda's "trips". For the most part, the searches for unnamed plants and their subsequent mixing was too general to be instructive and too repetitive to be interesting. Some attention should be paid to Castaneda's conversations with Don Juan, but for a run-down of the lessons, it is much more useful to read the structural analysis. This way, the reader can avoid their maze of non-sequiturs, non-answers, and Castaneda's constant digging, most of which is unsuccessful since Don Juan dismisses and ignores question after question.

Seeing The Teachings of Don Juan correctly as a spiritual guide, I would place it in a notable place among its peers, but neither as a must-read nor a classic. While the beginning of Castaneda's journey is a good step if you are interested in continuing to read his books, likewise if you enjoy reading spiritual guides, The Teachings of Don Juan is well-regarded in those circles. However, if you desire an empirical study of Mexican shamanic culture or drug culture, I'm sure there are anthropological studies that have not raised the same controversy over their credibility as Castaneda's works have. Read those. To conclude, I would reiterate that spirituality is a topic which elicits many voices, the voice of Carlos Castaneda is one of them - it carries useful life lessons and can be inspiring, but does not exist in a vacuum.
Customer Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Half-book
Comment: I first discovered Castaneda by reading quoted excerpts of his works in other books, so decided to start at the beginning of his series with "The Teachings of Don Juan". The first half of the book was fascinating and absorbing, until I reached the second half where the analysis begins. Castaneda's capable intellect makes itself apparent in the way he analyses the teachings he received from Don Juan, but frankly, it's extremely tedious. Fortunately this does not detract from his ability to write a good narrative, and first-time readers will be pleased to know this over-analysis does not continue in his subsequent books.

Whether or not Castaneda reported his experiences truthfully in his series of books or whether he "embellished" them, is a matter of some debate. There are books that examine the topic in more detail. My personal opinion is that Don Juan may have been an alias for another person (possibly a Yaqui shaman), and after the success of his first book he began to embellish upon the character as a sort of archetypal spiritual teacher. Anyone with more than a passing familiarity with "Fourth Way" literature (Gurdjieff, Ouspensky etc) may get the impression that Castaneda borrowed quite a few concepts. Don Juan's irreverent sense of humour and severe rebukes certainly made me think of Gurdjieff on more than one occasion.

Apparently this book was/is held in some circles as an "encouragement" for the use of entheogens (drugs taken to produce spiritual experiences). I didn't read that in the book at all. Castaneda seems to describe his altered states fairly matter-of-factly, and nowhere does he explicitly recommend or encourage them, or come off like he's "enjoying" the bizarre experiences he describes, or sensation-seeking. If anything, he seems quite flustered and shocked that he can't explain all his experiences in a rational, reductionist way. This is one of the reasons I think that his first three books are less metaphorical. By the third book, the psychedelic plant component of the narrative fades from the overall picture completely (which is a good thing, in my opinion).

The information given by Don Juan to Castaneda is interesting and thought-provoking. Concepts such as "a path with heart", the warrior and the man of knowledge, the relationship between anger and self-importance, the four natural enemies etc are excellent to reflect upon. I feel it is these parts that make up the bulk of the book's worth. There are also a number of humorous moments that make the journal part of the book quite enjoyable.

Overall, definitely worth a read, but I also think that a person could probably start the series at the second book and not miss much.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Comment: This book is so amazing and fascinating to learn about the fact that different reality exist in our univese. Carlos Castandea was able to accomplish to write vidid and extra-ordinarly thoughts in this book. The Teaching of Don Juan is an excellent books that tells about the art of shamanism and other eastern religion. The book explains on the uses of halluginic drugs to reach a different realm and different reality beyond our understanding. Don Juan teaches Carlos on the fact that to reach a state of reality is to experience with different substances and plants that grow throughout the desert. I recommend this book to anybody whom is curious about the state of reality.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Beginners excellence!
Comment: An excellent beginners entry into the world of American Indian sorcery. Relating some pinnacle moments and experiences in the book with my own gave me extra insight into the world of dreams and sorcery. A must read for those that seek more than the boring real world.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Either Way You Win
Comment:
The basics of this book are simple and by now legendary: In the 1960s, a UCLA anthropologist with a rather plodding intellect and disposition meets a mercurial Yaqui Indian sorcerer who astounds him, baffles him, terrifies him, and ultimately -- over the course of many books -- transforms him. The whole story is presented as the unvarnished truth. But is it a true tale or is it a tall tale? There's the rub.

This was the first book in the series, and in many ways, the best. Castaneda was to Don Juan what Boswell was to Johnson, which leaves Don Juan free to do things that absolutely defy physics and rational thought. In the end, the old Yaqui Indian must be either one of the most remarkable people who ever lived, or one of the most vivid characters ever to appear in a work of fiction. But can you trust the author? Unfortunately, Castaneda is dead, so he can no longer be consulted, but this reviewer had a chance once to hear him speak.

Shortly after the publication of The Teachings of Don Juan, Castaneda went on a brief promotional tour. I happened to be attending one of the campuses where he made an appearance. It was around 11 AM and I was drinking a cup of coffee over the student newspaper when I read the notice that Carlos Castaneda would be appearing at noon. I dropped what I was doing and ran over to the auditorium. Though I was a half an hour early, the seats were already almost gone.

Like everyone else, I had read The Teachings of Don Juan, and was hoping for some further mind-bending tales, as well as a chance to "feel the vibe" of this sorcerer's apprentice. Unfortunately, Castaneda turned out to be a far better writer than he was a speaker. As a sorcerer's apprentice, he was most unlikely and unconvincing. Pudgy, soft-spoken, looking stiff and sweaty in a suit and tie, he droned on and on about the "structure" of Don Juan's teachings. In essence, he confined his lecture to the latter third of the book, the part that was most like an academic thesis. From the beginning he gave us precious little that was new or even interesting about Don Juan. There was no chink in the academic armor through which to glimpse the lurking truth.

Since he was still defining himself as an anthropologist at the time, Castaneda might have felt obliged to talk like a professor, or, if you're a skeptic, perhaps he had other motivations, such as pressing the hoax further. It's impossible to say. Most of the audience had met the hookah-smoking caterpillar in person, and were eager to hear something, anything that would enlighten them about Don Juan. A half an hour into the lecture, I was unable to suppress a yawn.

The hall continued to fill during the talk, overflowing into the aisles, and Castaneda called upon everyone to migrate to the lawn behind the University Center. Much to my regret, I took advantage of the opportunity to bow out. If I had known that this was to be one of the only public appearances that Castaneda would ever make, I would have followed the Pied Piper, and perhaps I would be able to recall one word that would help me to settle the question that has gone on nagging me and millions of other people ever since.

In the intervening years I have read all the discussion of Castaneda, pro and con, and now, as I reread The Teachings, I find that I am no closer to an answer. However, I have come to a decision: Since it is impossible to do more than speculate, I have decided to abandon the quest. My enjoyment of the book has expanded as a result. Whether it is a work of imagination or a journal of real-life events, it is a success. To quote one of my professors, "Books are not life, but then what is?" If Don Juan is fictional, he is still real enough. Throughout this book and the others, his persona and behavior are remarkably consistent, and consistently wise and startling. It seems to me that this argues for his reality, though it doesn't rise to the level of a proof.

If you have ever been out in the Southwestern desert at twilight -- what Don Juan called the crack between the worlds -- and felt the awesome silence, then you know that while implausible, the fantastic glimpses of an alternate reality that Castaneda describes can't be dismissed out of hand. The droll manner in which he narrates the incredible encounters with Don Juan and various transcendental, terrifying beings only amplifies their intensity. The effect is enough to pull a grown-up, habitually skeptical Westerner right through the Looking Glass. That is the worth of the Teachings of Don Juan: it reawakens a sense of wonder at the mystery of creation. It breathes new life into Shakespeare's often-quoted, but timeless line that there are things in heaven and earth undreamt of in our philosophy. If Castaneda was telling the truth, then the strangeness is even stranger, but either way, Teachings of Don Juan succeeds. That is why I say that true or false, this book is a five-star experience.

The drama of The Teachings is the confrontation between scientific rationality and the unfathomable mystery of Creation. Perhaps the two are irreconcilable, or perhaps scientific inquiry begins with a sense of wonder, and therein lies synthesis and reconciliation. This is a book that can take you to the brink of the ultimate mystery in an armchair -- without datura, without psilocybin, without peyote. It's mind-altering, and it's safe.

That's a unique achievement, and well worth the trip, if you'll excuse the expression.

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