06-04-2008, 12:00 AM
To me the important thing about Nagual is the concept of the unknown side of our existence. The "bubble of perception", the items placed on the
table in the cafe in Castanedas earlier books. Spirit vs. lower realms, etc.
These are concepts I can put to use in understanding my nature and the hidden side of life.
I take from the teachings of Don Juan what works for me.
I could care less about the other, second definition,... the compartmental thing. I really don't care how many departments or compartments I or anyone else
has. I don't need a leader and I need not that anyone teach me, (though I learn from everyone). Teachers are just men and we lose sight of this when we put
them on a pedestal.
The third definition, that of a person who can change into an animal at will is interesting to me. It may be true in a physical sense or just an awareness
sense like when Carlos turned into a crow. Like I said it is interesting but not all that important to me.
The 3 or 4 compartment leader of a group of apprentices is of no use unless you intend to become part of that subculture that Carlos and his associates were
caught up in. The Southwestern sorcerer subculture.
In my opinion the real teachings of Don Juan were in the first 4-5 books that Carlos wrote. After that, who knows? He may have made it up or did research on
that particular belief system and put it into biographical story form.
I really think that Don Juan introduced Carlos to that sorcerer's culture to shock him into the place where he could stop the world and then move on to
become a man of knowledge. To introduce him to anther world view or "description" of the world in order for him to move past "descriptions"
into experiences of the true Nagual.
As he said, the sorcerer's description of the world is just as much illusion as the normal man's description. The trick of a man of knowledge is to
slip between the two. Not to get caught up in either.
table in the cafe in Castanedas earlier books. Spirit vs. lower realms, etc.
These are concepts I can put to use in understanding my nature and the hidden side of life.
I take from the teachings of Don Juan what works for me.
I could care less about the other, second definition,... the compartmental thing. I really don't care how many departments or compartments I or anyone else
has. I don't need a leader and I need not that anyone teach me, (though I learn from everyone). Teachers are just men and we lose sight of this when we put
them on a pedestal.
The third definition, that of a person who can change into an animal at will is interesting to me. It may be true in a physical sense or just an awareness
sense like when Carlos turned into a crow. Like I said it is interesting but not all that important to me.
The 3 or 4 compartment leader of a group of apprentices is of no use unless you intend to become part of that subculture that Carlos and his associates were
caught up in. The Southwestern sorcerer subculture.
In my opinion the real teachings of Don Juan were in the first 4-5 books that Carlos wrote. After that, who knows? He may have made it up or did research on
that particular belief system and put it into biographical story form.
I really think that Don Juan introduced Carlos to that sorcerer's culture to shock him into the place where he could stop the world and then move on to
become a man of knowledge. To introduce him to anther world view or "description" of the world in order for him to move past "descriptions"
into experiences of the true Nagual.
As he said, the sorcerer's description of the world is just as much illusion as the normal man's description. The trick of a man of knowledge is to
slip between the two. Not to get caught up in either.