“Journey to Ixtlan” by Carlos Castaneda – Stopping the World

The world as we have come to perceive it on a daily basis is something we refer to as reality, something that we take for granted and established.

We cannot even fathom the idea that things are not as they appear to seemingly all of us, and yet that is the underlying philosophy of a warrior that hunts for knowledge: what they perceive is referred to as a description of the world, rather than being a reality.

In his series of books drawn from his field notes accumulated during numerous years under the tutelage of Don Juan, a Yaqui Indian, Carlos Castaneda delves deeper than anyone before or since into the culture of ancient Mexican spirituality, and in the third book, Journey to Ixtlan, things take a bit of a different turn from what was before.

In the first two works of literature, The Teachings of Don Juan and A Separate Reality, Castaneda placed a much greater focus on the notes which revolved around the usage of psychotropic plants, giving very vivid, detailed and awe-inspiring accounts of the many experiences he lived with them.

In this book, however, the focus shifts further away from the plants themselves (his original subject of interest as an anthropologist) and towards Don Juan's spiritual world. This book is a review of the many notes Castaneda assembled which were pertinent in one way or another to the concept of “stopping the world”.

Without going into too much detail, it refers to a technique Don Juan is attempting to ultimately teach Carlos, a technique that allows one to see the world in one's own terms.

If you haven't read the previous two books in the series, I'd argue that you can still get a lot out of this one, albeit not nearly as much as you would otherwise. At this point, Castaneda expects the reader to have some form of acquaintance with the world he is presenting as well as the true meaning behind certain terms he uses.

You may find yourself lost or misinterpreting ideas at certain points, at that would really work against your ability to enjoy the book and draw something meaningful out of it.

Though this book was made with the intent of informing before anything else, Castaneda's knack for writing really helps to bring the whole thing to life and make it feel like a story rather than a dry recollection of events.

He often offers input on his thoughts and feelings at certain times, being honest about his own weaknesses and downfalls, of which there are certainly many. He sticks to a very simple language, but one that is still manipulated skillfully enough to convey more complex ideas, the kind that can send you on a philosophical journey for days on end.

Speaking of the meat of this work, the information conveyed, I personally found that the ideas presented here were even more relatable and applicable than the ones in the previous books.

In this one, Don Juan goes into specifics about various types of mindsets and behaviors that hold people back, explaining why it is necessary to do away with them.

I will have to reiterate once again: regardless of whether you believe these books to be one hundred percent real or pure and utter fiction, the ideas themselves are still very much applicable to our regular lives.

All in all, if you've read the previous two books and haven't been turned away from this fantastic voyage, then I most certainly recommend you have a look at Journey to Ixtlan.

It is very down-to-Earth, and those who are open to new ideas will greatly benefit from the wealth of knowledge to be found within.

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Carlos Castaneda  (December 25, 1925 – April 27, 1998) Personal site Carlos Castaneda was a Peruvian-American anthropologist and author who achieved a cult icon status upon releasing the series of books starting with The Teachings of Don Juan. Though much criticism has been thrown his way in regards to the authenticity of his accounts, the ideas he presented this world with hold spiritual and intellectual weight, regardless of their nature.