Castaneda's Journey to Ixtlan, Review by Alan Gullette

Hum, this is really a good write-up of the story and gives me a better context. I really can't count how many times people have asked if I read any of Castaneda's books and I can see why now . . . just finished "Tales of Power." I mean I still never read a book that was new, all old news. . . I recognize that the motorcycle accident "stopped the world" for me and I simply got off! Course I couldn't stay away, Being a Warrior means that the fight or challenge is never really over. Thou as we laugh and play with each new challenge I wonder more than ever. . . . Hum, am I getting lost in myself again? Developing some new perception about who I am or what I "must do?"

I guess my biggest challenge these days is just being totally free and spontaneous. It's really kinda fun and I rarely know what to do or expect any moment. Yea, gave up on expectations years ago! But anyway, as I do and create more, this gives me some clear conception of "SELF" . . . Oh it's about the Ego again. Am I finally starting to get an ego again?

Thank You Jesus Christ for Creating The Way of Your Word . . . please continue to lead and guide me in this search!

What you are feeling is very good. Ego is not bad, it's really necessary for connection to others there on Earth. You started to write more about this and missed it... Go on with your walk in the Park.

Oh it's like the Omens and chats with the birds are as common as my next walk in the park. I guess that's why I love biking so much since the first mile is through the woods along the River. They are always happy to see me, often saying how long it's been since anyone noticed them. I guess I've not visited the big Oaks in a while, last time they were just thrilled that I played with Bear as I leaned on them. . . . hum, or did they feel a kiss last? I can't seem to remember?

What about the self, what's wrong with being and wanting and all?

I guess I'm really not sure? I gave up on that after the accident because Being and Wanting in the world of Lies or the world of man is dangerous, it always leads to greed and deceptions. Hum, so I guess now I need to BE and Want again since I'm not interested in man's world of greed and lies. Hum, that's right, maybe now that I'm spontaneous in the Light, being the "Luminous Being" between the Nagual and Tonal there is a proper place for being and wanting again . . . um?

What is it about Being and Wanting that is disturbing to you?

I'm not good at deciding for others. If I give the opportunity for them to decide and simply leave it alone it's more meaningful for me, and for them.

You are avoiding your responsibility. What about the world of lies and deceptions? Do you think those lost in man's world have any clue what real choice is? Do you think they are playing some stupid role that they adopted and act out like a TV show? Do they really have any conception of truth or life at all.?Remember the power of Death, facing Death is a major tool for the sorcerers, what is your feeling about Death?

I don't care, it's been meaningless for years. Like I said bye to my mom a year before she left. Or we said good-bye, so the following year was nearly meaningless. Sure she struggled and fought; but she already made her choice and it was all done already in her heart, it was just the mind and body that had to catch up. As for me . . . lol. . . I guess losing the body wasn't enough, I had to come back and lose the mind too! LOL . . . . OR lose all the connections and relationships of the mind and heart. Hum, so I kinda died twice I guess?

You've died hundreds of times, you've remembered so many lives. That connection to Source gives you another perspective on death and all that. But what the sorcerers did was use the power and position that people are locked into as a tool to break them out. . .

So am I supposed to decide things for others, or fool them with death to get them clear of something? I mean, is this something about what I need to learn, or something that I need to teach?

What you are teaching already is the Temple of God. This is beyond Death. You are connecting people to Heaven and Earth in Ways that have simply NOT been on Earth for hundreds and thousands of years. . . No one has any concept of what you are doing. They feel the power and get connected to something they barely understand. This creates greater power and control for you. You are latching people's souls to their source again. They are all connecting to you. All these lost little creatures running around on your planet are starting to come to you. It will get more and more. It's not going to get easier for a while. Especially if you continue to wait and stay alone.

I'm really never alone.

What we are talking about is your power and focus on EARTH! Not anything else you connect to anywhere else. All this magic and ether stuff is fine for your heart and such but the Earth is ALIVE too. And it's not got much help with all the energy and chaos that man's world continues to pollute it with. . . You are a living part of this Earth and as such have a very clear and specific way to share your love and joy on this Earth. The Earth NEEDS your power and truth . . . Like the Oak Tree. Your "Wanting and Being" are a direct result of this connection to the Earth. . . Like the Chant, it's YOUR actions that make all the feelings and energies real. Without the PHYSICAL ACTION, the dreams are as useless as another TV show. . . lost energy, lost minds, no real CREATION. Actions Create, not dreams about actions!

I know . . . yea so I'm the Dream Machine remember. . .

actions are what makes that real. You create things and inspire others. You press the limits. You are not here to play silly games with people, and you don't need to wait for anything. You need to simply do it. You know you can do it and you know nothing will ever stop you. This BS about waiting for someone is only hurting you, and everyone else. . . . how much clean water and old growth forest do you think is left there. I mean if people only could live with clean water and old growth there might be only enough there for one nation left, one population, one city . . .

I Love You Christ Jesus, I know it's time to get really busy again. Read and work all the time, spontaneous to the second and focused on nothing but the DREAMS AT HAND! . . . wow, so I need to get totally spontaneous without any concerns or fears or anything.

Actions!!! That's what it's all about. Your action to clear your body was real and powerful. The DNA Changed to clear pollutions, no fear there. Your actions to build patents are real and powerful, no worry there. You actions to start new businesses are REAL! You actions to Create Your PHD, are real and working!

Thank You Christ Jesus for All Your Light.

Actions are only possible Now, on Earth, physically interacting and making things happen as you Dream and Feel Inspired too. That's what is real. Wanting is not real. Wanting is not Being. Being is about Action, Wanting is inaction, unaction, non-action. . . The desire can be real, but without the Action then it is nothing.

I know I can do anything. And I know I don't need to be waiting or wanting for anything. . . since every moment is another now to acted out what I want to BE. I can see anything, so my spontaneous actions will always create, as that's who I am . . . creation is action!

Actions! Spontaneous Actions are free and fearless. . .

I know Dearest Lord Jesus Christ. . . I know I can do anything, and nothing can stop me!

Actions on Earth include BEING all that YOU ARE . . .
FULLY SPONTANEOUS means accepting all the Angels we send you,
not only those that you prefer.

I Love You Jesus Christ, please fill me with Your Spirit and Truth as I BE Your Temple to bring Your Power into all those who share with US, for the Glory of Father Son and Holy Spirit.

Castaneda's Journey to Ixtlan, Review by Alan Gullette: "The key concept is seeing, which is don Juan's version of the living, growing mystical experience of life in which there is true perception of realty and of oneself (in relationship to that reality)(etc.). In don Juan's particular terminology, seeing involves stopping the world – or the interruption of the constant flow of interpretation (internal dialog) that creates our (phenomenal) world through description in accordance with the belief system which we have been taught since childhood. This description/projection of the world as we know it involves particular conceptions of the things of the world, and the self-concept seems to be an important (but often overlooked) part of the picture. People who live in such a closed world in which there is almost no self-awareness (or any attempt to either corroborate or invalidate the belief in a "self" by openly observing the fact) are called "phantoms" by those (such as don Juan and don Genaro) who are not trapped by the world. To be able to untrap oneself, or collapse the world, one first has to question the worldview that has been assumed all along to be reality itself. For don Juan, this is accomplished by learning a different description or away of perceiving the world (the sorcerer's description). When one's conviction in one's very own "reality" (world-construct including self-conception) is shaken, it is hoped that one will catch a glimpse of the fact, the truth, the actually real world that is there beyond our projections. This is what don Juan calls seeing. Don Juan's sole concern is to help Castaneda through this process, and various techniques are taught to aid in stopping the world. There is something of a progression in the experiences Castaneda has when he is with don Juan, and don Juan unfolds the sorcerer's description in the lessons he draws from these experiences (which he takes at least some part in creating). I will discuss these experiences, lessons, and techniques, together with the development of Castaneda's understanding, in terms of seeing.

Insofar as don Juan intends almost all along to initiate Castaneda into "the path of knowledge" (which leads to seeing, not as an end but as a beginning), their entire relationship is pertinent to the study of mysticism. At first, Castaneda does not really have much of a purpose in life – he is an anthropology student interested in the ritual use of psychotropic plants among Indians. In asking don Juan to teach him about these plants and their use, he doesn't know what he's getting himself into! Don Juan's whole approach to Castaneda is very subtly geared toward helping him open up to what is real, and as such the program is tailor-made and, as one can appreciate more in Tales of Power (Castaneda's fourth book), is a work of considerable genius. In the course of mystifying and horrifying experiences, Castaneda becomes dependent on don Juan as a teacher and guide, as well as becoming aware that don Juan is a rare and very real individual.

Don Juan's "lessons" take place in the field. They are not intellectual or academic (despite Castaneda's note-taking), but are geared to awaken a part of the human being that is dormant – namely, the body, which has an innate intelligence (will) apart from the intellect (reason). In the course of these lessons, the sorcerer's worldview is revealed. The basic premise of the view concerns views: "the world of everyday life is not real, or out there, as we believe it is" but is merely a description, a view (viii). Therefore, plants are not "just" plants but are sensitive and might become malevolent if we are ungrateful fro their generosity (6, 25). Likewise, crows become more than "just" crows but are also omens, giving important indications for those to whom they are friendly (19-20, 49). And there are other ways (than crows) that a man can get "agreements from the world" – the wind in the leaves, a falling rock, a jet flying over, the "comments" of a coffee percolator, etc. (6-8). In thinking that the world is only the way we think it is (which is arrogant and involves self-importance), we prevent ourselves from appreciating the vastness and awesomeness of life and of ourselves. IN fact, the self-concept is evidently a very important part of the world-construct. In erasing or dropping personal history, one frees oneself from the encumbering thoughts of others who, purposefully or not, seek to contain one in the conception they have of one (11-16). One is not one's name, national origin, past history; one is the world about oneself at any moment – i.e., one is mysterious, unknowable, unpredictable, always new (14). The new self-concept that don Juan teaches Castaneda is that of the "hunter" or "warrior.""