Page:Para leer a Carlos Castaneda.djvu/147

 Men has four natural enemies: fear, clarity, power, and old age. The fear, clarity and power can be overcome, but not old age. Its effect may be postponed, but never defeated. (109, 110, 111, 112)

COMMENTARY

In this part Castaneda mentions that Don Juan at the teachings beginning, always spoke of allies, plants of power, of Mezcalito, of humito, the wind, of the river spirits, etcetera. He tells Castaneda that he used that "pseudo-indian talk" to trap him. He told Castaneda what he wanted to hear.

Somehow some of the work readers, also are caught in this trap and look while reading, to confirm their personal reality perceptions, which in general are fairly derailed. Towards the late sixties, the Castaneda books were for occidentals a passport to enter the world of drugs, with very sad results. This problem somehow remains for some of his regular readers.

Don Juan tells Castaneda that knowledge men and women, Toltecáyotl heirs, are not interested in "teaching" their millennial and intricate knowledge. In any case the power indicates to them who should be their heirs. They will never look for people vaguely interested in this ancient wisdom for intellectual reasons. In addition, in general, as Don Juan said, this people are "cracked as a huaje" people, and are not capable of being disciplined, responsible, restrained and maintaining an unyielding intent.

''"All my lineage shamans have been deceived this way from immemorial time. The shamans of my lineage are not teachers or gurus. They do not care to teach their knowledge. They want heirs for their knowledge, not people vaguely interested in their knowledge for intellectual reasons..." C.C.''

A SEPARATE REALITY

Feeling important makes one heavy, clumsy and banal. To be warrior needs to be light and fluid. (14)

Only someone crazy would undertake on his own the task of becoming a man of knowledge. A sane man needs to be deceived. There are lots of people who would gladly take the task, but those do not count. They are almost always cracked. They are like pitchers that from the outside look in good condition, but as soon as filled with water and pressure ensues they would begin to drip. (35)

A warrior thinks of his death when things lose clarity. The idea of death is the only thing that tempers our spirit. (56, 57)

A warrior must first know that his acts are useless and, in spite of this, proceed as if he did not know. This is the shaman controlled folly. (91)

COMMENTARY

It can be appreciated in this text, how the nahual Castaneda, "after the fact", reviews Don Juan teachings with a deeper perspective. Finds in his