Don Juan - Erasing Personal History

When Castaneda sought out Don Juan he was hoping to learn about plants such as peyote. But these drugs have to be approached with an elementary level of knowledge of such matters as assuming responsibility for one's actions and acquiring humility by overcoming self importance. Don Juan set out to teach him and the lessons form the first part of Carlos Castaneda's third book: 'Journey to Ixtlan', Bodley Head, 1973.

You can download my book: 'More than a Puff of Smoke' at http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/more-than-a-puff-of-smoke/5581589

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Carlos
• Castaneda
• Don
• Juan
• Ixtlan
• motherly
• love
• personal
• history
• security
• spirit

[kohvna]

But by erasing personal history people erase who they are. There is something very sinister about this teaching in this book and I suspect it was published with destructive intentions.

[MBChB1961]

@kohvna It all depend what you mean by ‘personal history’. Nothing can erase the biography of ones life. Moreover, useful bits can be used to teach others and perhaps make it unnecessary for them to learn the hard way from their own personal experience. But then their are ‘hang-ups’, like being shy, that prevent you from fulfilling your potential, perhaps making you apprensive so that you eat, drink, take drugs or fornicate purely for their sedative effect.

[sleepless4201]

Yes, but by exchanging personal history we can learn the most from one another. It is through the exchange of ideas and personal experiences advances are made, new identities are formed.

[MBChB1961]

@sleepless4201 See reply to kohvna

[daniluchison]

An quite hard concept to grasp, the one to erase a personal history. The Christ told a 'perfect man' that in order for him to make it to heaven he'd have to give away all material possessions but the man rejected such thing. The Buddha talked about the concept of NON-ATTACHMENT. So this is the theory: the mind has a tendency to attach/cling to 1-material things and 2-Non-material things such as hate, violence, greed, control, etc. Erase the attachments and you' ll be on your way 2 freedom. 

[earthlyinfodotcom]

@kohvna You just don't get it. Move along.

[barrywilliamsmb]

We modern apes coined a term for personal history - baggage - and we seem to have more of it as time passes.

Dragging that dead-weight ensures we will be enjoying MOTS (more of the same) tomorrow so I definitely agree with the need to remove or alter such demotivators.

And if a person can't ignore their personal history, the meaning it provides can be altered to better suit today's new reality.

Eg: My father wasn't an ogre, he was simply unaware.

Thanks for this, Ian. Much appreciated.

[tyrone199]

@kohvna

The philosophy is really based around removing bias's and attachment one developes along the way. Therefore, finding clarity and peace in momentary existence.

[theshaggyshow]

listen to what he says after 5:05