Classics Corner Bonus: The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge by Carlos Castaneda; A Strange But Spiritual Journey Between A Mentor and Student

Classics Corner Bonus: The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge by Carlos Castaneda; A Strange But Spiritual Journey Between A Mentor and Student

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews




Spoilers: When Carlos Castaneda first met Don Juan Matus in 1960, he probably didn't think that either he or his mentor would become counterculture icons. But through the various books that he and other authors have collected recounting Don Juan's teachings, sayings, and journies, their readers learned about this strange, eccentric, visionary, and wise man.




Like many spiritual books, there is debate how much of the story is true. While they are listed as non-fiction, people have argued whether Don Juan Matus existed or whether he was an amalgam of several teachers, but also like many books of a spiritual bent, facts and truth aren't as important as the journey. Castaneda's first book about Don Juan, The Teachings of Don Juan: The Yaqui Way of Knowledge show the education of a confused skeptical anthropology student into a deeper thinking person of knowledge.




Upon Castaneda's first meeting with Don Juan, through an acquaintance, he was curious and confused. He only knew that the elderly man was an expert on peyote, something that Castaneda had been curious about and studying but not yet experienced. Not only does Don Juan want to teach Castaneda about peyote (which he called “Mescalito”), he also wanted to teach Castaneda about the way of the shaman.




While many Readers might be confused about why Don Juan would want to teach such a long, strenuous, magical path to a total stranger, an earlier passage gives an explanation. Don Juan mentions the existence of diableros, sorcerers who could take animal form. (Don Juan's mentor was one.) Castaneda then heard reports of a strange animal in the area. He interviewed various locals about the diableros and the possibility the strange creature was one. None of the witnesses believed such a creature existed. Some never saw one. Others believed they were tales told by the elders. This dialogue explains Don Juan's desire to pass his knowledge to Castaneda. In a world grown more scientific and technicological, he wanted to make sure that those ways would be written down and remembered, so they could not be forgotten.




That doesn't mean that his lessons were easy. His first lesson was for Castaneda to find a specific spot outside Don Juan's home that he could learn and meditate. Castaneda crawled and rolled on the ground during the day and night before he found the right spot, by the way the sunlight shone on it. He learned to trust more than his own sensations and body to find an answer.




Sometimes, Don Juan and Castaneda butted heads because of their different views. When Castaneda first sampled Mescalito, he saw a spirit take the form of a dog that played with him. He later asked Don Juan about the figure calling it a dog. Don Juan kept correcting him once hilariously shouting “Dammit, it wasn't a dog!”




Sometimes, Castaneda's desire for factual literal proof clashed with Don Juan's metaphoric esoteric training. During a meditation/peyote-influenced journey, Castaneda felt himself transform into a crow and fly. While he saw the world below him and felt the rush of being in the air, he asked Don Juan if he really flew. Don Juan asked if he felt that he did. Castaneda replied of course, but he wanted to know if anyone would have seen him fly. Don Juan said that what other people saw didn't matter. Castaneda flew and believed he did.




Some of Castaneda's lessons get incredibly dark. None were darker than Castaneda's encounter with a diableros. Don Juan ordered Castaneda to remain in his spot all night into the next day no matter what. While Castaneda waited, he saw Don Juan appear. At first, Castaneda thought his lesson was over early, but there were certain things that made Castaneda suspicious. He called Castaneda names he never used and he walked and stood in ways that Don Juan did not. Castaneda stood his ground against the diableros who disappeared.




Though Castaneda voluntarily ended his studies under Don Juan in 1965, subsequent books suggested that he had a lot more to learn and Don Juan had a lot more to teach

suggested that he had a lot more to learn and Don Juan had a lot more to teach.