Page:Para leer a Carlos Castaneda.djvu/153

 The Castaneda readings, about Toltec wisdom can lead us to two paths. The easy and common, which is to fall in fantasy, consciousness alternate states induced by entheogens and disconnection from reality. Or on the other hand, can give us a life pattern through discipline, inflexible intent, moderation, and humility in our daily actions. Truly becoming human beings. Not as "reader-warrior", but as human beings aware of their limitations and knowing they are going to die, but with subtle nostalgia for the infinity.

SILENT KNOWLEDGE

It is not that a warrior learns shamanism with the passage of time; what he learns with the passage of time, rather, is to save energy. This energy will allow him to manage some of the energy fields that normally are inaccessible. Shamanism is a consciousness state, the ability to use energy fields which are not used to perceive the everyday world as we know it.

The art of stalking consists of learning all the peculiarities of your disguise, and learn them so well that no one knows you are in disguise. To achieve this, you need to be ruthless, shrewd, patient and sweet.

Being ruthless does not mean roughness, cunning does not mean cruelty, being patient does not mean neglect and being sweet does not mean stupid.

Warriors act with an ulterior purpose that has nothing to do with personal advantage. The common man only acts if there is a gain possibility gain. Warriors do not act for profit, but the spirit.

The men problem is that he senses his hidden resources but does not dare using them. This is why warriors say men problem is the counterpoint created by their stupidity and ignorance. Men needs now, more than ever, to be taught new ideas that have to do exclusively with their inner world; shaman ideas, not social ideas; ideas relating to men confrontation with the unknown, with his personal death. Now, more than ever, needs to be taught the lace point secrets.

COMMENTARY

There is an endless number of parallels between the terms used by Don Juan, and according to him, are the Toltequity or Toltecáyotl legacy, as called by experts. But there is one that powerfully calls the attention. In fact when Castaneda says: "Infinity will swallow me and I want to be prepared for it. I do not want infinity to dissolve me into nothing...", the texts speak of the four year trip to Mictlán, the dead who had lived an empty and irrelevant life had to do. After much punishment they came before the death Lord, Mictlantecuhtli and told him they had completed the trip. Then Mictlantecuhtli told them, "So well, your punishment is completed, go, then sleep you deadly sleep." After four years of Mictlán travel, nothingness will be your final destination!

Florinda sentences Castaneda, tells him that perhaps, when he becomes an immaculate nagual, you may outwit the Toltecs and their wisdom. Or you may even renege Don Juan and Don Genaro.

This is very interesting, as it totally breaks the probable dogmatic frame that might be contained in the "don Juan Teachings".