http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6sUkGuU5WI
Carlos Castaneda wrote of Toltec knowledge in the late 1960s and ‘ 70s. A central theme in Castaneda’s books is his apprenticeship with the nagual (master) don Juan Matus, a Yaqui Indian. Nagual is the unstructured aspect of Self. His writing speaks to the pragmatic view of taking nothing at face value. I think this speaks of being present and not allowing Ego to begin making value judgments and labeling of things. Although much of his work was later questioned, the writing and the truths are still important for us that grew up with his stories. He offers knowledge and tools hidden in the veils of his writing that can help us increase our automatic awareness of things, without moving into Egoic-lensed awareness.
In 1973, the Time cover article March 5, 1973 (Vol. 101 No. 10). The article described him as “an enigma wrapped in a mystery wrapped in a tortilla.” He chose not to speak much about his writing and never spoke publically about his writing again until after 1990. He died in 1998.
In his first two books he writes of the Yaqui way of knowledge accessed through the use of powerful indigenous plants, such as peyote that he believed heightened awareness. I lost interest in Castaneda when he got involved with the women he called “”The Brujas”. That became too much for me. Although, now and again, I run into his writings and know him to be one of the neoshamans of the 60’s whose writings began to waken the hunger of the 60’s youth culture. As the years went on, society became afraid of the power of these kinds of writers, and they set about to defame and find discrepancies rather than look at the body of work they did and take what is true for themselves.
Castaneda had seven main themes that speak of becoming awakened (”Man of knowledge”):
1. Learning - I take this to mean that we need to be open to the kind of learning that the spirit needs. It speaks to me of being aware in the moment - to know the spirit of things. It is not a giftedness, nor repayment for something we do good or right, nor is it a bestowing of power. It is a responsibility that is required to be fulfilled and holds no high regard to anyone but the Self that is open and learning what it must.
2. having unbending intent - I believe this speaks to volition - to discipline oneself so that teaching and learning can occur. The Ego must be silenced and a personal commitment to being open must take place. The student must not be caught up in worldly things and, instead, be quietened by the humble grace of being such a student.
3. having clarity of mind - To me, this speaks to shedding the unnecessary chaotic thoughts that go with being worldly. It takes real attunement to know when you are on the correct path, and gain a sense of one’s purpose. It means being fluid enough to accept that paths are seldom a straight line. We have decisions along the way and our choices define the next part of the path. I know this to be true. I have chosen a few harder detours and it took a great deal of work to reach the original path again. When we make decisions, we must access what may come next and weight he choices with a clear mind. It is not weakness to ask for and accept counseling from those you know to be your teachers.
4. is a matter of strenuous labor- To me, this expresses that no true path is a simple walk. Nothing good comes easily. I am ever conscious of the balance. If Easy comes, Difficulty must come to balance that. Challenges are good for us. We need to be healthy; physically, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually, in order to meet all the challenges that come on our authentic paths. Castaneda speaks of”dramatic exertion” that comes from convictions of our need to fulfill our authentic purpose for being here one earth. He also states that exertion has to be effective, channeled and suitable. To this, going to elders, or our teachers, is a way to make sure our efforts go in the right places at the right time. I am often in such a hurry. I want things to happen quickly once I ‘get it’. But, as it is with my sweat, I am being asked to wait for some reason, whether my reason or reason of something else, I do not know, but must accept, patiently.
5. is a warrior - What does it mean to be a warrior of peace? I would be no good at being any other kind. I constantly search for ways to make peace in my own heart. The world, my world, does not always encourage this. I think the video presentation at the beginning is the absolute truth. Whether I die before I get this figured out, or whether I figure it out now, I do have hope that I will eventually ‘get it’. Until then, I must work on respect for self and others and all things. I need to fear my own frailties. I need to continue to awaken and learn better how to remain awakened. I have to believe in myself and stay confident at each juncture along the way. This is not MY path, this is a path taken by many others. I am obliged to finish what I have begun, or at least continue along that way for I cannot erase what I know. I cannot deny what has been taught and shown to me and I must respect those things. Although I am taught, I know little, and must accept that I am on a journey that is foreign to me and I have to remain brave and bent on doing what I know to be right. I face my fears, openly, and willingly for to know fear is to have it fade.
6. is an unceasing process - Just when I think I now something, there is more to come my way that might perplex me, might try to deflect my optimism and conviction. I need to gather with others on the Path in their own ways. I need to honor that which comes so that I renew my reason for being on the path. Perhaps this path goes on long after I shed the bindings of this body. I cannot say other than I believe it might. What I do not ‘get’ here, I may need to ‘get’ in that other time and place. I can not be perfect, but I can stay engaged in the process. Change will come and just when I think I have something, change happens and I have to stay true to those changes that come. Castaneda says: “The rationale of my whole knowledge is synthesized in the metaphor that the important thing for me is to find a path with heart and then travel its length, meaning that the identification with the amenable alternative is enough for me. The journey by itself is sufficient; any hope of arriving at a permanent position is outside the boundaries of my knowledge.”
7. has an ally - Of course, as I said, I need at least one ally. I need to know I am being led, to seek out teachers, to allow teaching by those I had no idea were teachers. Some call them angels, some call them spirits, some call them mysteries and miracles, some call them challenges. When I think I can not continue, there is always something or someone that comes. When they come, I must be open to them.
There has always been the invitation to become “a man of knowledge”. (Remember “The Invitation”?) I believe that life down here on earth is part of the initiation of knowing something we have need to know to fulfill our purpose. We have to learn how to kill off our ego and worldly selves in order to have spiritual depth. Once we begin that path of shedding our earthly selves, we can then gain the energy to spiritual enlightenment. We are invited, not chosen. We must remain humbly insecure in that knowledge or our Ego will latch on and make us feel special. We are not special, we are unique spirits on unique walks on an old path.
Reading and researching some of the themes in Castaneda’s writings cause one to sift through and discard that which does not fit our souls. This is not uncommon. We are doing that every moment of thought, of activity. I am grateful to have gone back and given thought to one of the teachers of my youth.
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