The Art of Dreaming by Carlos Castaneda

By Vernon Marshall View Profile
Those who have read Castaneda before will understand that this type of book has a uniqueness not replicated by other works of the genre. It is impossible to categorise this book. It is about adventures into another world, but one should not think that this means an easily acquired method for creating fantasies of the mind. Nor is it about simply recording and interpreting dreams. Castaneda spent six years under the tutelage of his mentor and guide, don Juan Matus, a Mexican Yaqui sorcerer, learning quite complex techniques for accessing other realities. His explorations are fraught with risk, however, as he encounters strange and dangerous inorganic beings. These explorations of the psyche prove to be highly advantageous but not for the faint-hearted.

This book tells us much about the expansiveness of the human consciousness and, as such, is a valuable contribution to the studies of the Self. It is not always an easy read as we have become accustomed to reading only about the joys rather than about the dangers of psychic journeys. On the other hand there is a quality within the 260 pages of the book that impresses upon the reader the truth that here is something profound, something uniquely revelatory about the human capacity for self-understanding.

The book is written in the engaging characteristic style associated with Castaneda, the accounts of discussions with don Juan, the illustrative experiences of Castaneda himself, and the cliff-hanging paragraphs at the end of the chapters. It can be read quickly but, if one seriously wishes to use the material for personal discovery, then there is much that can be used for more detailed work. This book is not for everybody, but, for those who love Castaneda and the extent of "sorcery" then this book is a masterpiece.