Page:Para leer a Carlos Castaneda.djvu/139

 '''XI. MAGICAL PASSES'''

The practical wisdom of the ancient Mexico shamans: TENSEGRITY.

First English edition, 1998

In early 1998 appeared the last Carlos Castaneda book, ''The Magical Passes. The ancient Mexico shamans practical wisdom:'' TENSEGRITY, because he died in April, in California, U.S. According to her legal representative, from liver cancer and notice to the media was given until July, because as stated by his lawyer to the press, Castaneda had lived away from the media, the news of his death would have not need to be provided to newspapers and newscasts. In any case, apparently this is the last book he will write, at least under this name, the renowned nagual.

It has been exactly 40 years since the publication of the first book (The Don Juan Teachings, a Yaqui knowledge way). Castaneda has been during this time, from "Underground" to "Best Seller" reading material —also forced reading for intellectuals, anthropologists, "aZoterics", initiated and people in search of another reality. The truth is that Castaneda works, rather than becoming unfashioned, has remained as a disturbing and menacing reading. To remain 40 years in the market, with incredible editions, in several generations and with the most acidic detractors, we assume that the work has some merit.

Many judgments of his work have been made and many more of his person, that is irrelevant to cite. However no essay known to me, including this one, has managed to "touch" the essence of the "silent knowledge". In part because it has to do with a different world and life perception, but so far it has proved very difficult to assimilate by the occidental culture.

Castaneda hints in "Magical Passes", that in the nine previous books he talked very little of the ancient Mexico shamans knowledge practical essence. Throughout the teachings, Castaneda saw don Juan making strange movements, and also asked him to practice and learn them. Castaneda mentions that, especially in the beginning, he was sure Don Juan was crazy and very "eccentric", hence he relatively paid little attention to these strange movements don Juan taught him.

In the tenth book Castaneda confesses that the most important part of the of the Toltecs knowledge, is deposited in these strange exercises. From this its concluded, as Don Juan had been repeating and Castaneda wrote down in his books several times. "Silent knowledge" is not learned through reason, nor books, but through the body.

It is based on the idea that human beings are energy charges; luminous egg as described by don Juan. These luminous eggs have a certain energy charge that may not increase on the one hand. On the other hand, the "luminous egg" in its life exercise, stop using large energy amounts that are being "deposited