Untitled Essay, Research Paper
A MYTHICAL ANALYSIS OF A YAQUI WAY OF KNOWLEDGEIn the summer of 1960, Carlos Casteneda, a UCLA anthropology student traveled
to the
southwest to do research on medicinal plants. While at a bus station, he
met an extraordinary
man. His name was don Juan Mateus, but I will refer to him as don Juan. Don
Juan, a Yaqui
“brujo” or shaman, decides to teach Carlos the “Yaqui way of knowledge.”
It is not known if
these stories are fiction or non-fiction and many critics still debate over
his writings. I interpret his
books as modern mythological stories for several reasons. The “Heroic Journey
Archetype” and
shamanistic ideologies, and also the general moral, explainative, and
philosophical content of his
writings indicate that these stories can be viewed as “modern myth”.Throughout Casteneda’s stories you can see the “Heroic Journey Archetype”.
Carlos goes
through a restless stage and breaks ties with his studies and professors
at school. He moves
forward with the help of don Juan, whose shamanic wisdom enlightens and guides
Carlos along
his spiritual path. He also faces death many times in his quest to become
a warrior. Finally, after
many years, he “passes through”. This mythological archetype is one of the
main reasons I
believe his stories are mythical in nature.There are also many shamanistic idealogies that run throughout his stories.
Views of the
natural world including plant life, animal life, and elements are all
personified. Everything is
embodied with spirit. Concepts of reality are altered through drug induced
states. Mushrooms
and peyote are mainly used in rituals that don Juan uses to teach Carlos
his way of knowledge:
Mescalito, the “spirit” of the peyote plant, indicated to don Juan that Carlos
was the “chosen” one,
the person to whom don Juan should pass on his knowledge(CLC,87). Don Juan
speaks of many
different spirits and separate realities. His teaching’s gave an explanation
to man’s view of
existence and his ignorance resulting from attachment to the material
world.Mythological proof is also found in don Juan’s teachings, which compare Indian
folklore,
mysticism, and philosophy. Don Juan explains that there are many different
planes of reality and
that a warrior must detach himself with the aid of an ally. Carlos’s ally
is “Mescalito” or the spirit
of the peyote plant. Don Juan’s ally is “the little smoke”; a mixture made
from hallucinogenic
mushrooms. He explains that all life is made up of controlled folly and
attachment to the material
world causes ignorance and blindness. A warrior must learn to “see” and an
ally helps achieve
these states of non-ordinary “seeing.” Don Juan’s teachings are closely related
to Buddhist
philosophy. By achieving these states of non-ordinary reality a warrior learns
how to live
correctly without any material distractions.Carlos Casteneda’s stories contain many mythical elements. “Heroic
Archetype”,
shamanistic ideals, and eastern philosophical ideals are just a few. His
views of reality and the
spiritual journey to true knowledge are remarkable. “For me there is only
the traveling on paths
that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the
only worthwhile
challenge is to transverse its full length. And there I travel, looking,
looking, breathlessly.”-Don
Juan
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Contemporary Literary Criticism, Vol. 12The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way Of Knowledge
Carlos Casteneda
Washington Square Press Copy. 1968The Tall Candle, The Personal Chronicle of a Yaqui Indian
Rosalio Moises, Jane Kelly, William Holden
University of Nebraska Press Copy. 1971
A MYTHICAL ANALYSIS OF A YAQUI WAY OF KNOWLEDGE4-11-95In the summer of 1960, Carlos Casteneda, a UCLA anthropology student traveled
to the
southwest to do research on medicinal plants. While at a bus station, he
met an extraordinary
man. His name was don Juan Mateus, but I will refer to him as don Juan. Don
Juan, a Yaqui
“brujo” or shaman, decides to teach Carlos the “Yaqui way of knowledge.”
It is not known if
these stories are fiction or non-fiction and many critics still debate over
his writings. I interpret his
books as modern mythological stories for several reasons. The “Heroic Journey
Archetype” and
shamanistic ideologies, and also the general moral, explainative, and
philosophical content of his
writings indicate that these stories can be viewed as “modern myth”.Throughout Casteneda’s stories you can see the “Heroic Journey Archetype”.
Carlos goes
through a restless stage and breaks ties with his studies and professors
at school. He moves
forward with the help of don Juan, whose shamanic wisdom enlightens and guides
his spiritual path. He also faces death many times in his quest to become
a warrior. Finally, after
many years, he “passes through”. This mythological archetype is one of the
main reasons I
believe his stories are mythical in nature.There are also many shamanistic idealogies that run throughout his stories.
Views of the
natural world including plant life, animal life, and elements are all
personified. Everything is
embodied with spirit. Concepts of reality are altered through drug induced
states. Mushrooms
and peyote are mainly used in rituals that don Juan uses to teach Carlos
his way of knowledge:
Mescalito, the “spirit” of the peyote plant, indicated to don Juan that Carlos
was the “chosen” one,
the person to whom don Juan should pass on his knowledge(CLC,87). Don Juan
speaks of many
different spirits and separate realities. His teaching’s gave an explanation
to man’s view of
existence and his ignorance resulting from attachment to the material
world.Mythological proof is also found in don Juan’s teachings, which compare Indian
folklore,
mysticism, and philosophy. Don Juan explains that there are many different
planes of reality and
that a warrior must detach himself with the aid of an ally. Carlos’s ally
is “Mescalito” or the spirit
of the peyote plant. Don Juan’s ally is “the little smoke”; a mixture made
from hallucinogenic
mushrooms. He explains that all life is made up of controlled folly and
attachment to the material
world causes ignorance and blindness. A warrior must learn to “see” and an
ally helps achieve
these states of non-ordinary “seeing.” Don Juan’s teachings are closely related
to Buddhist
philosophy. By achieving these states of non-ordinary reality a warrior learns
how to live
correctly without any material distractions.Carlos Casteneda’s stories contain many mythical elements. “Heroic
Archetype”,
shamanistic ideals, and eastern philosophical ideals are just a few. His
views of reality and the
spiritual journey to true knowledge are remarkable. “For me there is only
the traveling on paths
that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the
only worthwhile
challenge is to transverse its full length. And there I travel, looking,
looking, breathlessly.”-Don
JuanBIBLIOGRAPHY
Contemporary Literary Criticism, Vol. 12The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way Of Knowledge
Carlos Casteneda
Washington Square Press Copy. 1968The Tall Candle, The Personal Chronicle of a Yaqui Indian
Rosalio Moises, Jane Kelly, William Holden
University of Nebraska Press Copy. 1971
A MYTHICAL ANALYSIS OF A YAQUI WAY OF KNOWLEDGE4-11-95In the summer of 1960, Carlos Casteneda, a UCLA anthropology student traveled
to the
southwest to do research on medicinal plants. While at a bus station, he
met an extraordinary
man. His name was don Juan Mateus, but I will refer to him as don Juan. Don
Juan, a Yaqui
“brujo” or shaman, decides to teach Carlos the “Yaqui way of knowledge.”
It is not known if
these stories are fiction or non-fiction and many critics still debate over
his writings. I interpret his
books as modern mythological stories for several reasons. The “Heroic Journey
Archetype” and
shamanistic ideologies, and also the general moral, explainative, and
philosophical content of his
writings indicate that these stories can be viewed as “modern myth”.Throughout Casteneda’s stories you can see the “Heroic Journey Archetype”.
Carlos goes
through a restless stage and breaks ties with his studies and professors
at school. He moves
forward with the help of don Juan, whose shamanic wisdom enlightens and guides
Carlos along
his spiritual path. He also faces death many times in his quest to become
a warrior. Finally, after
many years, he “passes through”. This mythological archetype is one of the
main reasons I
believe his stories are mythical in nature.There are also many shamanistic idealogies that run throughout his stories.
Views of the
natural world including plant life, animal life, and elements are all
personified. Everything is
embodied with spirit. Concepts of reality are altered through drug induced
states. Mushrooms
and peyote are mainly used in rituals that don Juan uses to teach Carlos
his way of knowledge:
Mescalito, the “spirit” of the peyote plant, indicated to don Juan that Carlos
was the “chosen” one,
the person to whom don Juan should pass on his knowledge(CLC,87). Don Juan
speaks of many
different spirits and separate realities. His teaching’s gave an explanation
to man’s view of
existence and his ignorance resulting from attachment to the material
world.Mythological proof is also found in don Juan’s teachings, which compare Indian
folk