back to Joe Cordoba and his wife, Castaneda told us that one day the lady came Tolteca and said they were not working hard enough.
- "We sent to a business organizásemos fairly large landscaping, something like design and arrangement of gardens. This new task of the Toltec Woman was nothing small. We had to hire a group of people to help us to do the work during the week while we were in the cafeteria. Over the weekend we were devoted exclusively to the gardens. We were very successful! La Gorda is a very enterprising person. This year we worked a lot during the week ... were in the cafeteria and during the weekends pure drive the truck and pruning trees. The Toltec demands of women are great! I remember, "continued Castaneda some chance that we were at a friend's house when reporters came looking for Carlos Castaneda. They were journalists from the "New York Times ." Thing overlooked the Gorda and I got to plant trees in the garden of my friend. In the distance we saw them enter and leave the house. That was when my friend screamed and abused us a lot in front of journalists. It seems that Mrs. Joe Cordova and his identity could scream without consequences. No one who was present there came to our defense. Who were we? There, only the poor and working dogs in the sun! So it was between my friend and we deceive journalists. My body, however, I could not deceive. Three years we were involved in the task of giving the body experiences that made him realize that, indeed, we are nothing. The truth is that the body is not the only one suffering. The mind is also used to constant stimuli. The warrior, however, has no environmental stimuli, he does not need them. What better place, then, that one where we were! Nobody thinks there! "
Continuing the story of his adventures, Castaneda said more than once to him and kicked out Gorda the street. "Other times, going by truck down the road, we pushed the edges of the road. What choice do we have? Better to let them go!" For all that Castaneda was saying, it seems that the task of those years had to do with "how to survive in adverse circumstances, and with" the experience of discrimination. " This last, "something very hard to bear but very informative," he concluded calmly.
The purpose of homework is to learn to avoid the emotional impact that discrimination causes. The important thing is not to react, not angry. If you react, you are lost .
The story of Joe Cordoba and his wife had impressed us very much. It was a very different experience to those of their books. We were interested in knowing if he had written or was writing something about Joe Cordova.
- "I knew Joe Cordoba was one of us said," had to exist. Why do not you write about it? From everything we've been saying you, Joe Cordova and Mrs.'s what struck me most. "
-" has just submitted a new manuscript to my agent. In this manuscript, Mrs. Tolteca is taught. Could not be otherwise ... Its title might be " Stalking and the art of being in the world ( " "The Art of Dreaming"? ). There is all his teaching. She is responsible for this manuscript. A woman had to be that teach about the art of stalking. Women know it well because they have lived with the enemy, that is, have always walked on tiptoe! in a male world. Precisely, because women have long experience in this art, Mrs. Tolteca is you have to give the principles of stalking. In the latter manuscript, however, there is nothing concrete about the life of Joe Cordoba and his wife I can not write in detail about that experience because nobody would understand or believe it. I can speak of them with very few ... If the essence of the experience of the last three years is in the book. "Turning to Mrs.
Toltec and modality, Castaneda said she was very different from Don Juan." She I do not want, "insisted the Gorda. however, it does want it! A Toltec women can not ask anything. Before you talk to him, her and know what to say. In addition, we must fear, when angry, hitting "concluded by many gestures indicating their fear. We were silent for a while. The sun had gone down and its rays reaching us between the trunks of trees. I felt a little cool. I figure that would be about seven o'clock in the afternoon.
Castaneda also seemed aware of the time. "It's too late. How about if we eat something? Do I call? "
We got up and started walking. On one of those ironies Castaneda charged by a stretch with my notes and books. The best thing was to leave everything in the car. So we did. Free packages, walk a few blocks in animated conversation. All they have achieved requires years of preparation and practice. An example is the practice of sleep. "That which seems silly, it is very difficult to achieve."
The exercise is to learn to dream at will and systematically. You start dreaming of a hand (the dreamer ) that enters the visual field of the dreamer. Then he sees the whole arm. Continues progressively until you can see yourself in the dream. The next stage is to learn to use dreams. That is, once control has been achieved, we must learn to act on them. "Thus, for example, dreams of self comes out the body and opens the door and out into the street. The street is then, something unheard of! Something in one out of one, something that will be achieved.
According to Castaneda, the dream does not take time. In other words, the dream does not occur in the time of our clocks. The sleep time is very compact.
"The woman continued Tolteca-Castaneda says that dreaming occurs at the time of P. Why? I do not know. As such, she says. "
several times, touching the subject of sleep, Castaneda would say that what they do in dreams has pragmatic value. In" Tales of Power, "reads the experiences of the dreams and the waking "acquire the same valence pragmatic", and for sorcerers "criteria to differentiate between sleep and wakefulness were ineffective.
That outputs or travel outside the physical body sharply awakened our interest, and wanted to know more about those experiences . He replied explaining that each has been different experiences. "La Gorda and I, for example, we go together. She takes me by the arm y. .. we're going. " We also explained that the group must travel community. All are in constant training would aim to become witnesses!
"Becoming a witness means that you can not judge anything: I mean, this is an eternal view equivalent to no more prejudice." Josefina
seems to have great skills for these trips in the body's sleep. She wants to carry and tempts him by telling him wonders. La Gorda is the one that always saves him. "Josephine is very easy to break the arc of reflectivity. She is crazy, crazy," he exclaimed. Josefina flies very far. But do not want to go alone and always come back. Go back and search me ... I get reports that are great! · "According to Castaneda, Josephine is a being that in this world can not work." Here, "said inmate would have ended up in an institution."
Josefina is a being "without ties" to the concrete, it is ethereal. "Anytime you can definitely go." La Gorda and he are, however, much more cautious in their flights. La Gorda, in particular, represents the stability and balance to some extent he missing.
After a pause, I remembered that vision of immense dome in "The Second Ring of Power" is presented as the meeting place and where Don Juan and Don Genaro would be waiting.
- "La Gorda also has that vision," he said thoughtfully. What you see is not an earthly horizon. It's very flat and arid in the horizon of which we stand as a huge arch that covers everything and you go up to the zenith. In that point of peak brightness is great. I would say something like a dome that glows amber. "
sought to apply pressure with questions to give us more info on that dome.
- "What is it?" Where is he? " -Inquire. Castaneda told us that the size of what they see, may be a planet. At its zenith, he added, is like a big wind. "
For the brevity of his answer, we Castaneda realized that would not talk much about that topic. It is also possible that it could not find the right words to express what they saw.
any case, it is clear that these visions, these flights in the body of sleep, are a constant training for the final journey, that escape through the left side of the eagle, that final leap that is called death, that to end the wrap, that can say "we are ready" in which we get all we are, but nothing more than what we are.
Don Juan and don Genaro were big dreamers. They had absolute control of art." Scares me exclaimed Castaneda soon, putting his hand to his forehead that nobody notices that Don Juan is a dreamer unprecedented. The same is true of Don Genaro. Don Genaro, for example, is capable of carrying his body from dream to life every day. "The grand control of Don Juan and Don Genaro is evidence that not being noticed or unnoticed.
(In all the books, Castaneda referred to that of "not being noticed" and "go unnoticed". In "The Second Ring of Power" Castaneda recalls the time that Don Juan had told him to concentrate "in not being obvious. "Nestor, also says" Don Juan and Don Genaro learned not to be noticed amid all this. "Both are masters at the art of" stalking. "Don Genero, la Gorda said he was" in your body's sleep most of the time. ")
-" Everything they do, "he continued with enthusiasm is commendable. In Don Juan, deeply admire his great control, composure and serenity. Don John will never be able to say that is a senile old man. "It goes well with other people. There is here on campus, for example, an old teacher when I was a young man had become famous. At that time, he was at the peak of his physical strength and intellectual creativity. Now ... There is chewing his tongue cork! Now I can see him as he is, as a senile old man. In Don Juan, however, I can never say that. Its advantage over me is always abysmal. "
In the interview with Sam Keen, who once said Castaneda Don Juan asked if he thought the two were equal. Although he really did not think they were, in a condescending tone told him yes. Don Juan listened but did not accept their verdict. "No I think we are, "he said, because I am a hunter and a warrior and you're no more than a pimp . I am ready at any moment to offer a summary of my life. Your little world full of sadness and indecision not, can never be the same as mine. "
In all that Castaneda had told us you can find parallels with other movements and traditions of mystical thought.
In their own books cited authors and works of antiquity and the present. I reminded him that, among others, refers to " The Egyptian Book of the Dead ", the "Tractatus " of Wittgenstein, English poets as San Juan de la Cruz and Juan Ramón Jiménez, and Latin American writers as the Peruvian Cesar Vallejo. - "Yes, I always order books, many books. Things I send each other. I used to read chunks of the books of Don Juan ... He likes poetry. It is clear that only likes the first four lines! According to him, what follows is an idiot. He says that after the first verse is lost strength, that is pure repetition. "
One of us asked if he had read or knew the yoga techniques and descriptions of the different planes of reality offered by the sacred books of India.
few years later had a similar experience with one of the followers of Gurdjieff. There was with him in Los Angeles at the behest of a friend. It seems that this man had imitated throughout Gurdjieff.
- "It had been stripped and had a huge mustache," he said indicating with his hands the size of them. As soon as we entered, it took me strongly of the neck and gave me a tremendous shock. Immediately after I said that I should let the teacher who had because I was wasting time. According to him, in eight or nine classes would teach me everything I needed to know. Can you imagine? In a few classes teach you everything. " Castaneda
also told us that the disciple of Gurdjieff had mentioned the use of drugs to speed up the process learning. The interview did not last long. It appears that Castaneda's friend soon realized the ridiculousness of the situation and the magnitude of his error. That friend had insisted that he saw the disciple of Gurdjieff because he was convinced that Castaneda needed a more serious teacher Don Juan. When the interview ended, Castaneda told us that her friend felt ashamed.
(It is curious that reference to Gurdjieff by parallelism that can be perceived between the tasks that women send Tolteca experience and discipline of the job in "The Fourth Way" ) Nd EQCCL.
We were walking and some six or seven blocks. For a while we talk about things circumstantial. I remember commenting that I had read in "La Gaceta Economic Culture Fund " Juan Tovar an article which mentioned the possibility of filming the books. "
" Yes. At one time they talked about that possibility. "We did after the story of his encounter with the producer Joseph E. Levine, who would have intimidated from his huge desk. The size of the desktop and the words of producer, only understood by the huge cigar between his lips holding ( "Did the tribe mind? "Said ), were the things that had impressed Castaneda. "He was behind a desk as on a stage, and I very little down there. Powerful! With hands covered with rings of very large stones."
During that time he was invited to participate in shows like Johnny Carson and Dick Cavett.
- "In the end I could not accept things like that. What I say to Johnny Carson, for example, if you ask me if I spoke or not the coyote? What would you say? I say yes, that ..." And then ? Undoubtedly, the situation had rendered to the ridiculous. Don Juan was the one who asked me to give testimony to a tradition. insisted that it accept interviews and give lectures to promote the books. Then I had it cut yet because this type of task takes a lot of energy. If you are in these things is to give them strength. " Castaneda
clearly explained that the proceeds of his books he is responsible to cover the costs of the whole group. Castaneda feeds them all.
- "Don Juan" he insisted gave me the task of putting in writing what the witches say. My task is not to write it until one day I say, "Enough, this is over." The impact or not in my books, I really do not know because I am not related to what happens here. In Don Juan before and the woman now belongs Tolteca all required books. They are responsible for everything that is said there. "
The tone of his voice and his manner impressed us deeply. It was obvious that here the task of Castaneda is to obey. Its purpose is merely to be flawless as a receiver and transmitter tradition and teaching.
- "Personally, I'm working on a type of journal , is something like a manual. In this work, yes, I am responsible. I wish a publisher would publish them and take care of distribution to interested persons and institutions of study. " We
said she had made about 18 units in which believed summed up the whole teaching of the Toltec nation. To organize the work, has used the phenomenology of E. Husserl as a theoretical framework to understand what he was taught.
- "Last week I was in New York. I brought the project to the editors at Simon & Schuster " but failed. It seems to be scared. It is such a thing can not succeed. Of those 18 points I am solely responsible, "he continued in a meditative tone, and as you can see, I was not successful. These 18 units are like the 18 falls that I've beaten severely head. I agree with the editors that work is a heavy reading, but that's me ... Don Juan, Don Genaro, all others are different. They are light! Why call them units? He asked ahead of us. The so called because each of them tries to show one way to break the unity of the family. In many ways this vision can be broken only perceptive. "
Castaneda, again trying to clarify this, we gave the example of the map.
- "Every time we go somewhere, we need a map with clear benchmarks to not lose. We did not find anything without a map. What happens next is that all we see is the map. Instead to see what to do, ended up seeing the map in us. That's why we break the bow of the reflectivity, constantly cutting the ties that lead to known reference points, is the last teaching of Don Juan. "
can not create anything from nothing. Trying to create so absurd. To explain this, he brought up an episode in the life of his father.
- "My father decided it would be a great writer. To that end, decided to arrange his desk. He needed to have a desk that was perfect. Be taken into account in every detail, from the decoration of the walls at the rate of light from his desk. Once the room was ready, he spent much time looking for the right desktop for your business. The desk had to be a certain extent, wood, color, etc. The same happened with the election of the chair on which to sit. He then had to select the appropriate cover to not ruin the wood of his desk. The cover could be plastic, glass, leather, cardboard ... On that cover my father was going to support the paper you write your masterpiece. So, sitting in his chair against the white paper did not know what to write. That's my dad. He wants to start writing the perfect sentence. Sure ... and you can not write. One is always a tool, a broker. I see each page in a dream, and the success of each of these pages depends on the degree of fidelity with which I am able to copy that model of sleep. Precisely, the page or hit more impressive is that I've managed to reproduce the original more accurately. "Castaneda
These comments reveal a whole theory of knowledge and intellectual and artistic creation. (I immediately thought of Plato and St. Augustine with his image of "master interior".)
Conocer es descubrir y crear es copiar. Ni el conocimiento ni la creación pueden ser nunca una empresa de tipo personal.
Mientras cenábamos le mencioné algunas de las entrevistas que había leído. Le dije que me había gustado mucho la que Sam Keen le había hecho y que había publicado en " Psychology Today ". Castaneda también estaba satisfecho con esa entrevista. El le tiene mucho aprecio a Sam Keen. "Durante esos años -dijo- conocí a mucha gente de la cual hubiera querido seguir siendo amigo..., un ejemplo es el teólogo Sam Keen. Don Juan, sin embargo, dijo basta".
Con respecto the interview for "Time ," Castaneda told us that first came to meet him in Los Angeles a man journalist. It seems that the thing went well ( "did not work," said ) and left. Then sent him "one of those girls who can not refuse," he said making everyone smile. Everything went very well, and understood "a wonderland." Castaneda had the impression that she understood what he was saying. In the end, however, she did the article. The notes she had taken gave them to a reporter that "I believe that now is in Australia," he said. It seems that this reporter did what he wanted with the notes given. Whenever
for one reason or another mentioned the interview with "Time " was obviously annoyed. He had warned Don Juan that " Time" was a magazine too powerful and important. Don Juan on the other hand, had insisted that the interview was conducted. "The interview was done, just in case " concluded informally Castaneda again using an expression typically Buenos Aires. We also talked about the critics and what was written about him and his books. I mentioned to Richard de Mille and others who have questioned the veracity of his work and anthropological value them.
- "The work that I have to do is free from what critics may say. My task is to present this knowledge in the best possible way. Nothing I can say I care because I'm not Carlos Castaneda, the writer. "
"I am neither a writer or a thinker or a philosopher ... and consequently, their attacks do not find me. Now I know that I am nothing, nobody can take away anything because Joe Cordova is nothing. "
Not all critics were negative. Octavio Paz, for example, wrote a very good introduction to the English edition of "The Teachings of Don Juan." Seemed to me beautiful. "Yes," said Castaneda. This prologue is excellent. Octavio Paz is a gentleman. It may be one of the last ones that are left. "
The phrase "a gentleman" does not refer to the indisputable merits of Octavio Paz as a thinker and writer. No! The phrase points to the intrinsic qualities of being, the value of the person as a human. The Castaneda pointed out that "one of the last to go being" stressed the fact that it is an endangered species.
"Well," continued Castaneda trying to soften the impact. Maybe two gentlemen are. " The other is an old Mexican historian friend whose name was familiar to us. For he told us some stories that reflected their physical and intellectual vitality.
At this point in the conversation, Castaneda explained how to select the letters he receives. "Do you want to tell you how I found you?" He asked, turning to me.
He said that a boy friend gets them, puts them in a bag and keep them until he arrives in Los Angeles. Once in Los Angeles, Castaneda is always the same routine. First of all correspondence turns into a big box, "like toys", then just draw a card. The letter is what gets read and answered. Certainly never do writing. Castaneda leaves no trace.
- "The letter I got was the first one you wrote. Then I wanted another. Can not imagine how much trouble I had to get your phone! When it seemed he was not going to get lucky, I got through college. I really thought she was not going to talk to you. "
I was very surprised to know all the problems she had to give me. It seems that once had my letter in hand, he should try to exhaust all means.
magical universe in its place great importance on their signals.
- "Here in Los Angeles I have a friend I write a lot. Every time I've read all his letters, one after another as if it were a diary. Once, between those letters I came across one that I inadvertently opened. Although I immediately realized that it was not my friend, I read it. That was in the pile was for me a sign. "That letter brought him into contact with two people who reported a very interesting experience. It was dark and had to enter the" San Bernardino Freeway . " They knew that they must continue to find where they were going until the end of the street. Then they had to turn left and continue until you reach the road. So they did, but after 20 minutes realized they were in a strange place. That was not the "San Bernardino Freeway ." Settled down and ask, but nobody helped. In one of the houses that were hit and threw them loudly.
Castaneda continued telling the two friends retraced the path until you reach a service station where they asked for directions. They were told the same thing they already knew. Again and to repeat the same steps without any problem and reached the road: Castaneda met with them. Of the two, it seems that only one is truly interested in understanding the mystery.
We were still talking animatedly when the waitress approached and curtly asked us if we were going to serve something else. Since no one wanted dessert or coffee, we had no choice but to raise. As soon as the waitress walked away, Castaneda said: "It seems we are throwing ..."
Yes, we were taking, and perhaps rightly so. ... To my surprise was late check the lateness of the hour. We got up and went to the avenue.
was night, the street and people looked like a fair. A mime dressed in tails and top hat clowned behind us. We all looked smiling as our eyes looking for the dish that is usually passed over these representations. To our right, under the eaves of an old theater, someone tried another representation in a miniature stage. I thought I saw a cat ready to function. There really looked around. At other times, a man dressed as a bear tried to compete with man orchestra. "The question is looking more and more extravagant alternatives," someone said.
As we walked back toward the campus , Castaneda spoke of a planned trip to Argentina.
- "There is a cycle closed. Back to Argentina is very important to me. Do not know yet when to do so, but I will. For now I have things to do here. Only in August marked the third anniversary of tasks, and may then you can go. "
That afternoon, Castaneda told us enough of Buenos Aires, its streets, neighborhoods and clubs. He recalled with nostalgia the Florida Street with its elegant shops and the street crowd. Still remembered exactly to the famous movie theaters. "The street Lavalle" said remembering. Castaneda lived in Buenos Aires during his childhood. It seems he was admitted to a central school.
"You know that in Buenos Aires should always be a club, "continued Castaneda. I was Chacarita. River Plate be not funny. Right? Chacarita , however, is always one of the last ". At that time, Chacarita always came last. It was touching to see it identified with the losers, with the" bottom ".
-" Surely the Gorda go with me. She wants to go. It is clear that she wants to go to " Paricio ." The purchase now Gorda Gucci. is elegant and wants to go to Paris. I always say, Gorda, why you want to go to Paris? There's nothing there. She has some idea of \u200b\u200bParis, "City of Light." You know ".
For Europe has traveled several times for issues relating to his books. "In 1973, however, Don Juan sent me to Italy," he said. My job was to go to Rome and get an audience with the Pope. I did not mean that he obtained a private audience but one of those hearings granted to groups of people. All I had to do in the interview was kissing her hand to the Supreme Pontiff. "Castaneda did everything as Don Juan had asked. He went to Italy, came to Rome and asked the audience." It was one of those hearings Wednesday, after the Pope officiates a public Mass in St. Peter's Square. Until the hearing but gave me ... I could not go. I did not get or the door. "
That afternoon, Castaneda referred several times to his family and his education and training typically liberal and frankly anticlerical. In" The second ring of power "Castaneda also refers to the inheritance anticlerical received. Don Juan, which seems to justify all their prejudices and struggles against the Catholic Church, says:
"Overcoming the nonsense of ourselves requires our time and energy. This is all that matters. The rest is of no consequence . Nothing that your grandfather and your father have said about the Church, has made them happy. To be an impeccable warrior, on the other hand, will give you strength, youth and power. Thus it right for you is to choose. " Castaneda
theorized about these issues. With regard to the dilemma "clerical / anticlerical" just wanted to convey a lesson with the example of his experience. That is, gave us to understand it is very difficult to break the patterns that have formed in youth. "Then I asked, thinking of the task he had ordered Don Juan," will you go back to Italy? ".
"Oh No! No longer necessary. From all that has been a long time."
With regard to Europe, printing Castaneda was adamant. "There's nothing .. Europe is finished, everything is dead. One can note that even in the landscape. Alps have nothing to do with Colorado! A Europe lacks the strength that America has plenty."
With respect to Italy was particularly strong. "The miniature landscape. There's all very arregladito civilized. A hill here, a little house there. No force! In Italy, or a communist or Catholic. Nothing else.
His words made us understand that in Europe there are only ideologies old dichotomies of the past. Castaneda, however, moves in a very different level of politics or religion. In his universe, traditional ways of seeing and judging have no place.
Just before entering the campus , Castaneda turned, and pulling my arm and my hands said, "Ma'am, do not know how much I appreciate that you have presented me their friends. "His words were very intense and I was thrilled. It should be noted that I appreciated the fact that I had done well as an intermediary, as a bridge between my friends and himself.
When we reached the parking lot , graciously greeted us and we parted. Castaneda walked to the corner and disappeared behind the tall bushes on the street. It was near eleven o'clock at night. We got in the car and started our return trip. The two hours were short. We are very impressed and we did not have time to tell us all that the meeting that evening had inspired in us.
That afternoon Castaneda took great care to distinguish and clarify what he has been tested and is able to experiment, to what others say and do.
The memory of that afternoon, has been clearly delineated as a picture in which Castaneda's fascinating figure occupies the entire space. All fantasies and wonders "in the words of Octavio Paz, the books that I had so often doubted and some disgust that was considered an unnecessary deployment of the phenomenal, after meeting with Castaneda became perfectly believable and possible.
Beyond the factuality of narrated events, we discover the essential truth of his claims. After all ... What is more difficult than frying burgers all day long as Joe Cordoba with smoky eyes? Today
Carlos Castaneda has been "Ido."
Sources:
Graciela Vico N. Corvalán
Magazine "esoteric" No. 3
Graciela N. Vico Corvalán a degree in philosophy ( National University of Cuyo, Mendoza ) and professor at the same university, earned his doctorate at Washington University in St. Louis (Missouri ) in 1975. Has developed a busy teaching schedule in the United States, teaching our language, American literature, history of religion and philosophy for children. It has also specialized in contemporary mystical thinkers. Alternating with writing dissertations, teaching well Community English courses. Has earned many academic honors and scholarships. Among his works is the translation into English of "To Be the Noad : On the Journey of Spiritual Unfolding " by Dr. Judy Gomez. Prepare a series of conversations with contemporary mystics thinkers of the Americas, and a series of short reviews for a project of the Modern Language Association : "Guide to Research in Women" s Studies ", Vol. In July last year at Montclair State College , spent two weeks in an intensive seminar on Philosophy for Children program Institute of Philosophy for Children . Among his most important speeches are: "Life as a rebellion and mission of Ezequiel Martínez Estrada", a course led by Dr. Ivan A. Schulman.
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