The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge
£8.50£10.40 (-18%)
Rethink your view of the world with The Teachings of Don Juan, the first book in Carlos Castaneda’s spiritual journey into the world of sorcery…
The Teachings of don Juan is the story of Carlos Castaneda’s extraordinary experiences.
In 1960 Carlos Castaneda was a graduate student when he met Don Juan, a Yaqui Indian feared and shunned by the ordinary folk of the American Southwest because of his unnatural powers. During the next five years don Juan’s arcana knowledge led Castaneda into a world of beauty and terror, ruled by concepts far beyond those of Western civilisation.
Using medicinal herbs Castaneda lived through encounters with disembodied spirits, shamans in the form of huge wolves, and death in the shape of silver crows. Finally, after a night of utter terror in which he knew that his life was threatened by forces which he still cannot fully explain, he gave up his struggle to become a ‘Man Of Knowledge’.
‘It gives a different view of the world and challenges the ideas and beliefs that we have be taught, whilst also providing simple methods to changing the way we interact with the world on a day to day basis.’ – 5* Reader Review
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Additional information
| Publisher | Penguin (22 Feb. 1990) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 256 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 9780140192384 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0140192384 |
| Dimensions | 19.8 x 1.6 x 12.9 cm |
by BuyTheSky
This book is well written and packed with wisdom, an ideal read for those interested in learning how to live. One may reach a crossroads in life when the question comes ‘what is the point of it all?’. How we answer changes everything from then on. Conclusions of ‘there is no point’ or ‘to feel good’ are most common, the first of which can lead to a very dark place indeed.
Don Juan’s approach is to say- no single thing matters, everything is equally important. That feeling good is valid, when your pleasure is gained from ‘walking the path with a heart’; act from love and compassion, gain satisfaction from living the right way.
A central concept of this book is that our perception of life is the root of our actions – we act upon what we see. Therefor, a fitting start to our endeavours is gaining True Sight, learning the influencing factors which negatively affect how we see – the main culprit being Fear. Look around and you will see how fear guides people: fear of being ugly, fear of being uncool, fear of our sexuality, fear of being poor, fear of death, loneliness.
When we liberate ourselves from this we take the first step back to free choice, opening pathways to the Right things we were too scared to do before; with Faith in the light of Love and Truth. These books will enrich your life, showing a new way to see or affirming what you’ve already learned ~ spread the word.
by wezg
For anyone who has the vaguest interest in shamanism, this is an essential text. It is Carlos Casteneda’s seminal work and in my opinion is a work of art. He has a very direct personal way of revealing his story, about an encounter with an ageing Native-American man of knowledge, who takes Carlos under his wing and reveals to him some of the secrets of shamanism. The range of psychedelics encountered are followed up in the book, after consumption, with vivid detail of the accompanying experiences. For me, the most rememberable tale in the book is Casteneda’s transformation into a crow. It seems really strange and bizarre and perhaps fiction but for anyone who has actually had a shamanic experience, the story has a real truth to it and is a perfect example of the mystic powers that true shamen can harness. As the author weaves his tale through the years of his tuition, we get more and more familiar with th very likeable character of Don Juan. This book was written many years ago, perhaps when psychedleic drugs were only truly starting to be explored properly in the West. The eradication of shamen and ancient belief systems by the rapidly advancing modern society, perhaps makes the mere existence of such wise teachers, an absolute rarity today. Carlos Casteneda found himself a genuine opportunity in learning from a great man who had not abandonned the ancient teachings to the modern world. the insights gathered in this book, give the layman a fundamental grasp of exactly what shamanism entails. It is a literary masterpiece and should not be missed out upon. https://wezgbooks.wordpress.com/2013/10/01/the-teachings-of-don-juan-a-yaqui-way-of-knowledge/
by Liam J Madden
Carlos Casteneda was a brave, brave man. He left behind a strange legacy and this book is the first in a series whereby Carlos met up with the enigmatic Don Juan. It’s a remarkable piece of work. Although the book is divided into two sections – the teachings and the appendix, which I avoided as I was only interested in The Teachings section.
This is a beautifully written book and is deeply fascinating. Considering that fifty or so years after it was first published, it manages to be both insightful and massively interesting. Don Juan was a teacher who attempts to guide Carlos through the impressive intake of various hallucigenics made from plant extracts, which the search for is brilliantly detailed.
These days this book is considered to be a work of fiction, but what it is suggesting is more in the realms of Spanish philosophy. It is really decided by the reader whether or not it is true but it is extremely detailed in it’s findings and I found myself being amazed most of the time. It is both cleverly written and beautifully orchestrated and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a book that will expand your mind and give you an incredible sense of wonder.
by mark
Bought this for a young friend. Read it myself years ago along with the other Casteneda books. You either ‘love reading Casteneda or hate him’? I loved reading him. It was an education with regard to understanding the ritualistic and ceremonial nature of shamanism. I did not end up believing everything I read – far from it. But in a sense that was the point. I was embarked on trying to sort illusion from reality, and I believe his writings were instrumental in that regard. They also helped – in a roundabout way, explain some of the phenomena I experienced in altered states.
In that regard I do not and cannot recommend taking drugs, but in a historical context many if not most civilizations have accomodated their use and invented ceremonies and rituals and care provisions to ensure greater safety for users, or should I say ‘seekers’, for in most instances they were used in the pursuit of truth and knowledge rather than taken for pleasure.
I do not believe Casteneda’s writings are the answer, but they are now classic literature and in reading them one will at least become conversant with one perspective, like one language among the many. Hope this helps?