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Originally Posted by jsam  I studied the Don Juan series back in the 1970,s, and found them helpful in opening my belief system. I saw each book as a continuation of the previous one, so I would suggest starting with the first one, and reading them in the order they were published. I believe the first in the series was "Tales of Power", then "Journey to Ixtlan", then "A Separate Reality". I could never believe all the happenings Casteneda described really happened, especially in his later books, but I read them with an "as if" attitude; as if they were true.
During the time I was reading them, I had a startling onset of "clarity", which has stayed with me all my life. In my case, it was not from overcoming fear, but guilt, through gestalt therapy.
Namaste... |
Actually, "The Teachings of Don Juan; A Yaqui Way of Knowledge" was Castaneda's first book published in '68.
I found it most useful to go through them in chronological order as it helped me to see the path of realization and awakening he took. However, there are some things he got quicker than I did and others I got quicker than he. So I have to go back and use them almost a reference sometimes.
I've found myself going back through something I read years ago and going, "Ohhh, NOW I get it...."
As for the "drugs" part, he actually discusses that as early as the first book. Towards the end of "Teachings", Don Juan describes to him another of his students who was more advanced than Carlos, but had NEVER taken Mescalito because it wasn't needed.
Jsam-
You may trust me or not; certainly you have no reason to as you don't know me or anything about me. However, I assure you that the things Castaneda wrote about are true and achievable. I've experienced enough myself to not doubt the rest. -- for whatever that's worth --