The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge

The Teachings of Don Juan is the groundbreaking debut of Carlos Castaneda, chronicling his apprenticeship under Don Juan Matus, a Yaqui Indian shaman from Sonora, Mexico. Originally presented as his master's thesis in anthropology at UCLA, the book offers a compelling narrative of Castaneda's transformative experiences between 1960 and 1965.

Structured in two parts, the first section recounts Castaneda's direct encounters with Don Juan, exploring the use of psychotropic plants like peyote (Mescalito), Jimson weed, and Psilocybe mushrooms to achieve altered states of consciousness. The second section provides a structural analysis, aiming to uncover the internal coherence of Don Juan's teachings.

Blending anthropology, mysticism, and personal transformation, this seminal work invites readers into a world where reality is fluid, perception is a powerful tool, and the human experience is deeply interconnected with nature and the spirit realm.