Bibliography
List of works by Castaneda, Florinda Donner, Taisha Abelar,
and also by Armando Torres.
The Teachings of Don Juan – 1968
(Las Enseñanzas de Don Juan / The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge). First book in the series, and Carlos Castaneda’s undergraduate thesis in Anthropology at the University of California. The book recounts his repeated visits to the mysterious Yaqui sorcerer Don Juan Matus, and his first experiences with power plants. Highlights include Don Juan’s teachings on the four enemies of the man of knowledge.
A Separate Reality – 1971
(Una realidad aparte / A Separate Reality) Follows Castaneda’s apprenticeship, with new insights into consciousness from power plants, the Art of Stalking, and don Juan’s attempts to “teach” him to See. Highlights include don Genaro Flores’ appearance in the story, and don Juan’s teachings on Controlled Folly and Seeing.
Journey to Ixtlan – 1973
(Viaje a Ixtlán / Journey to Ixtlan) This work earned Castaneda his doctorate. In it, among new extraordinary and astonishing experiences with his teacher don Juan and his benefactor don Genaro, Castaneda discovers a new facet of learning, with practical guidance from don Juan on the Path of the Warrior: how to detach oneself from self-importance and personal history, how to use death as a counselor, how to take responsibility for one’s actions, and more. Highlights include don Genaro’s memorable passage on Ixtlan.
Tales of Power – 1975
(Relatos de poder / Tales Of Power) Reaching a climax of the teachings, don Juan begins to present the final pieces of the puzzle of sorcerer knowledge to Castaneda. He and don Genaro’s apprentices prepare for the challenge of jumping off a cliff and being forced to move their perceptions. Highlights include teachings on the Tonal and the Nagual, the centers of the body, and the Sorcerer’s Explanation.
The Second Ring of Power – 1977
(El segundo anillo de poder / The Second Ring Of Power) After don Juan and don Genaro leave, Castaneda searches for answers in the world of his apprentices and comes across facts and revelations that shake his reason. The book features the Hermanitas Rosa, Josefina, Lidia, the formless warrior La Gorda, the witch Soledad, and the “Genaros” Pablito, Nestor and Benigno, and the challenge that Castaneda faces as the new nagual of this group of apprentices.
The Eagle’s Gift – 1981
(El don del águila / The Eagle’s Gift) Following the events narrated in the Second Ring of Power, fragments of experiences that occurred in heightened states of consciousness begin to return to Castaneda, La Gorda and the group of apprentices, who grope for a direction in uncertainty and amazement. The book presents the Eagle’s Rule for groups of four-pointed naguals and introduces the Third Attention and the stories of the warrior group of the nagual Juan Matus with their benefactor, the nagual Julian. It’s also the first appearanceof the naguala Carol Tiggs.
The Fire from Within – 1984
(El fuego interno / The Fire From Within) In one of the most powerful books of the work, Castaneda recalls a series of conversations and events with don Juan that elucidate, expand and deepen knowledge to new levels. Among other things, he addresses the ancient seers, the lineage to which don Juan belongs, the truths about the consciousness of being, the luminous cocoon, the assemblage point, inorganic beings, total freedom and the emanations of the Eagle, as well as moving stories of don Juan’s learning from his benefactor, the nagual Julian.
The Power of Silence – 1987
(The Silent Knowledge / The Power Of Silence) In this book of rare beauty, the Spirit / Abstract is the main character in the deeply moving stories of the abstract centers of witchcraft. It tells of the amusing presence of the naguals Julian and Talia, in their own apprenticeships and in those of don Juan and his group companions, the enormous sobriety of the nagual Elias, Castaneda’s memorable discovery of the state of no-pity, his encounter with the jaguar, and some of the most powerful passages in the entire work.
The Art of Dreaming – 1993
(El arte de ensoñar / The Art of Dreaming) In this book, especially dedicated to the practice of the ancient Art of Dreaming, don Juan presents the Toltec exercises for practicing lucid attention in dreams, and the different challenges or portals that dreamers encounter. Castaneda makes surprising advances that place him in a dangerous relationship with inorganic beings. In this book we meet one of the most mysterious characters in the entire work, the ancient sorcerer called Tenant, and his influence on Don Juan’s lineage.
The Warriors Way: Readers of Infinity – A Journal of Applied Hermeneutics – 1996
(Readers of Infinity – A Journal of Applied Hermeneutics) is a collection of emails sent by Castaneda in 1996 to his list of subscribers.
The Purple Book (Inner Silence) – 1996
(El silencio interno / Inner Silence) Also known as the ‘Purple Book’, it was sold exclusively at Tensegrity workshops.
The Active Side of Infinity – 1998
(El lado activo del infinito / The Active Side of Infinity) The last book published by Carlos Castaneda before his departure from this world. In it, Castaneda recalls his “album” of memorable events, and don Juan’s revelations about the Flyers, the predators of human consciousness, the Recapitulation, and the Dark Sea of Consciousness
Magical Passes – 1999
(Pases mágicos / Magical Passes) A compendium of the ancient movements practiced by the seers of the Toltec tradition, called Magical Passes for their ability to attune the practitioner to the intent of the subtle body, and brought to life in a modernized format that Castaneda called ‘Tensegrity’. Contains illustrations and valuable information about the energy centers of the human body.
The Witch Books
Works written by Florinda Donner and Taisha Abelar
Being in Dreaming – 1991
(Ser en el Ensueño / Being in Dreaming) An engaging story by Florinda Donner Grau about her initiation into the world of the Toltec seers from the perspective of a dreamy warrior. The book narrates her encounters with the nagual Juan Matus and his group companions, and with Carlos Castaneda himself, in a scenario where the boundaries between the reality of the dream world and ordinary reality become blurred. It sheds light on the differences in the way women and men approach knowledge. It is among the best books in the series.
The Sorcerer’s Crossing – 1992
(Donde cruzan los brujos / The sorcerer’s crossing) In yet another fascinating book, from the perspective of a stalker, Taisha recounts her encounter with Clara, a southern warrior from the group of the nagual Juan Matus, and her learning in the practices of recapitulation and discoveries of her subtle body. The book is also among the best of the entire work.
Stalking with the Double – 1996
(Acechar con el Doble / Stalking with the Double) Formatted version of an unpublished manuscript by Taisha Abelar, which was given to participants in the Cleargreen Women’s Workshop in March 1996.
Armando Torres
Works written by Carlos Castaneda’s informal apprentice and friend
Encounters with the Nagual – 2004
(Encuentros con el Nagual / Encounters with the Nagual) In an excellent and enlightening synthesis of many of the concepts presented in the work, the author narrates his encounters with Castaneda, in seminars and private conversations. Castaneda emerges as an experienced nagual, and brings valuable revelations about the new cycle of nagualism and the rule for three-pronged naguals.
The Secret of the Plumed Serpent – 2010
(El secreto de la serpente emplumada / The Secret of the Plumed Serpent) The book is divided into two parts, the first presents new conversations between Castaneda and Armando Torres, and the second recounts the author’s initiation into a lineage of Mexican clairvoyant healers, bringing many parallels with the knowledge brought in Castaneda’s books.
The Universal Spiderweb – 2020
(La Telaraña Universal / The Universal Spiderweb) Third book by Armando Torres bringing more of the perspective of the Toltec healers (Ticis).