Carlos Castaneda

[HeathenPreacher]

I have recently posting some basic philosophy stuff, on my facebook. I'm doing a day-by-day commentary as I read through, Descartes' Discourse; trying to get people interested in philosophy. Anyways, a cousin brought up Carlos Castaneda's as a poignant modern philosopher. I've never heard of him, honestly. From a what I gather from a quick google search and reading through a few articles he was on the mysticism/new-age drug addled side of things.

 

I was just hoping to get some opinions, thoughts, and see if it's worth reading any of his books.

[Dobrodave]

Yes, Castaneda: mysticism/ new-age/ drugs are truth BS = fake philosopher non-sense. Save yourself the trouble. Read/ listen to Stef's UPB book if you haven't already. Real deal philosophy/ ethics, based on universal morality, FTW.

[aviet]

I've read a couple of his books and my conclusion is they are inventions, which has been confirmed by those who have researched his degenerate life and inconsistencies in his book.

He was also a Manson-like figure:

http://www.salon.com/2007/04/12/castaneda/

The Philosophy of corn witchcraft:

"“What power objects did you have?” “Maiz-pinto, crystals and feathers.” “What is maiz-pinto, Don Juan?” “It is a small kernel of corn which has a streak of red colour in its middle.” “It is a single kernel?” “No. A brujo owns forty-eight kernels.” “What do the kernels do, Don Juan?” “Each one of them can kill a man by entering into his body.” “How does a kernel enter into a human body?” “It is a power object and its power consists, among other things, in entering into the body.” “What does it do when it enters into the body?” “It immerses itself in the body; it settles on the chest, or on the intestines. The man becomes ill, and unless the brujo who is tending him is stronger than the bewitcher, he will die within three months from the moment the kernel entered into his body.” “Is there any way of curing him?” “The only way is to suck the kernel out, but very few brujos would dare to do that. A brujo may succeed in sucking the kernel out, but unless he is powerful enough to repel it, it will get inside him and will kill him instead.” “But how does a kernel manage to enter into someone’s body?” “To explain that I must tell you about corn witchcraft, which is one of the most powerful witchcrafts I know. The witchcraft is done by two kernels. One of them is put inside a fresh bud of a yellow flower. The flower is then set on a spot where it will come into contact with the victim: the road on which he walks every day, or any place where he is habitually present. As soon as the victim steps on the kernel, or  touches it in any way, the witchcraft is done. The kernel immerses itself in the body.” 

I know one person who read all these books and the fantasy-junk inside them were a big part of him wasting fourteen years of his life.

[AccuTron]

I read the first book way back when it first came out.  This is way before internet, so information sharing was almost non-existant compared to today.  I remember virtually nothing specific, except two things, one of which is trivial, but was an example of a mental exercise I've sometimes recalled.  The other is not so trivial.  

 

Like with drugs, it was a time to explore.  I liked the book, and indeed any good author will draw a reader in, bonding to the characters.  At the very end...spoiler alert...Don Juan spreads his arms and flies from a cliff, because he really believes.  At that point I knew the book was bogus, but it overall had stirred up my thinking, which I was already starting to do via other sources and people.  

 

Years later I met a person in a wheelchair, almost completely quadriplegic.  She had been a real life example of the scare stories I'd heard long ago:  She was on LSD, thought she could fly from an upper floor window, and attempted to do so.  

 

As a counterpoint, I was fortunate to take a number of drug trips back then, glad for the memories and discoveries, done with superb companions in excellent surroundings of rural old mountains.  Nobody tried to fly.  The most stunning observation was that some of them could still play guitar.  

 

(One fellow did once humorously accuse me of "trying to liberate the sheep."  Honestly, it never crossed my mind; I was just quietly admiring the mountain view.  An example of the weakness of perception.)

 

I think these physical drug trips are metaphor for the mental trips of reading.  Carlos Castaneda wants you to fly out the window.  Many of us won't.  But as previous posters have pointed out, why bother with trash when you are already here where you need to be?

[TAOG]

I read all his books. I now believe he was going for an L. Ron Hubbard type end game: cult. Studing and practicing is mystisim helped me come to accept atheism because I never witnessed anything other than reality.

 

His mystism promised Jedi like powers and immortality. The day to day dogma was a mix of Buddhism, stoicism, and scientology.

 

I would recommend you do not waste your time with is books. Instead study the fundamentals of Buddhism(living in the moment) and stoicism(calming of emotions). Also try shrooms.

[Kikker]

I have recently posting some basic philosophy stuff, on my facebook. I'm doing a day-by-day commentary as I read through, Descartes' Discourse; trying to get people interested in philosophy. Anyways, a cousin brought up Carlos Castaneda's as a poignant modern philosopher. I've never heard of him, honestly. From a what I gather from a quick google search and reading through a few articles he was on the mysticism/new-age drug addled side of things.

 

I was just hoping to get some opinions, thoughts, and see if it's worth reading any of his books.

Which logical language do you use to dissect philosophical arguments? (and maybe arguments in general)