The old nagual explained that the position of silent knowledge was called the third point because in order to get to it one had to pass the second point, the place of no pity.
He said that don Juan’s assemblage point had acquired sufficient fluidity for him to be double, which had allowed him to be in both the place of reason and in the place of silent knowledge, either alternately or at the same time.
The nagual told don Juan that his accomplishment was magnificent. He even hugged don Juan as if he were a child. And he could not stop talking about how don Juan, in spite of not knowing anything – or maybe because of not knowing anything – had transferred his total energy from one place to the other. Which meant to the nagual that don Juan’s assemblage point had a most propitious, natural fluidity.
He said to don Juan that every human being had a capacity for that fluidity. For most of us, however, it was stored away and we never used it, except on rare occasions which were brought about by sorcerers, such as the experience he had just had, or by dramatic natural circumstances, such as a life-or-death struggle.
Don Juan listened, mesmerized by the sound of the old nagual’s voice. When he paid attention, he could follow anything the man said, which was something he had never been able to do with the nagual Julian.
The old nagual went on to explain that humanity was on the first point, reason, but that not every human being’s assemblage point was squarely on the position of reason. Those who were on the spot itself were the true leaders of mankind. Most of the time they were unknown people whose genius was the exercising of their reason.
The nagual said there had been another time, when mankind had been on the third point, which, of course, had been the first point then. But after that, mankind moved to the place of reason.
When silent knowledge was the first point the same condition prevailed. Not every human being’s assemblage point was squarely on that position either. This meant that the true leaders of mankind had always been the few human beings whose assemblage points happened to be either on the exact point of reason or of silent knowledge. The rest of humanity, the old nagual told don Juan, was merely the audience. In our day, they were the lovers of reason. In the past, they had been the lovers of silent knowledge. They were the ones who had admired and sung odes to the heroes of either position.
The nagual stated that mankind had spent the longer part of its history in the position of silent knowledge, and that this explained our great longing for it.
Don Juan asked the old nagual what exactly the nagual Julian was doing to him. His question sounded more mature and intelligent than what he really meant. The nagual Elías answered it in terms totally unintelligible to don Juan at that time. He said that the nagual Julian was coaching don Juan, enticing his assemblage point to the position of reason, so he could be a thinker rather than merely part of an unsophisticated but emotionally charged audience that loved the orderly works of reason. At the same time, the nagual was coaching don Juan to be a true abstract sorcerer instead of merely part of a morbid and ignorant audience of lovers of the unknown.
The nagual Elías assured don Juan that only a human being who was a paragon of reasoncould move his assemblage point easily and be a paragon of silent knowledge. He said that only those who were squarely in either position could see the other position clearly, and that that had been the way the age of reason came to being. The position of reason was clearly seen from the position of silent knowledge.
The old nagual told don Juan that the one-way bridge from silent knowledge to reason was called “concern.” That is, the concern that true men of silent knowledge had about the source of what they knew. And the other one-way bridge, from reason to silent knowledge, was called “pure understanding.” That is, the recognition that told the man of reason that reason was only one island in an endless sea of islands.
The nagual added that a human being who had both one-way bridges working was a sorcerer in direct contact with the spirit, the vital force that made both positions possible. He pointed out to don Juan that everything the nagual Julian had done that day at the river had been a show, not for a human audience, but for the spirit, the force that was watching him. He pranced and frolicked with abandon and entertained everybody, especially the power he was addressing.
Don Juan said that the nagual Elías assured him that the spirit only listened when the speaker speaks in gestures. And gestures do not mean signs or body movements, but acts of true abandon, acts of largesse, of humor. As a gesture for the spirit, sorcerers bring out the best of themselves and silently offer it to the abstract.
However, he patiently went on to explain that the position of silent knowledge was called the third point, because to reach it you had to pass through the second point: the place where there is no mercy.
He said that Don Juan’s assembpoint of attachment had become fluid enough to make him a double. Being double meant, for the witches, that one could manage one’s intent; to be in the place of reason and silent knowledge, alternatively or at the same time.
The nagual told Don Juan what a magnificent achievement it had been. He even hugged him as if he were a child. And he couldn’t stop pondering the fact that despite not knowing anything, or perhaps precisely because of this, he had managed to transfer all his energy from one place to another; which meant, for the nagual, that Don Juan’s point of fit had a very favorable natural fluidity.
He told Don Juan that all human beings were capable of achieving this fluidity. However, most of us just kept it without ever using it, except on the rare occasions when it was awakened, either by witches or by certain naturally dramatic circumstances, such as a life-or-death struggle.
Don Juan listened to him as if he were hypnotized by the old nagual’s voice. When he paid attention, he could understand everything the nagual said, something he had never been able to do with the nagual Julián.
The old Nagual went on to explain that humanity was at the first point, the point of reason, but that not all human beings had the fitting point located exactly at the place of reason. Those who had it exactly there were the true leaders of humanity. They were almost always unknown people whose genius was the exercise of reason.
He then said that in other times humanity was at the third point, which, of course, was then the first. Later, however, all of humanity moved to the place of reason. And that in the times when the first point was silent knowledge, not all human beings had the fitting point located directly in that position. This meant that the true leaders of humanity had always been the few human beings whose fitting points were located in the exact place of reason or silent knowledge. The rest of humanity, the old nagual told Don Juan, were simply spectators. In our day, they were the lovers of reason. In the past, they were lovers of silent knowledge. It was they who admired and sang odes to the heroes of each of these positions.
The old nagual said that humanity had spent most of its history in the position of silent knowledge, which explained our great longing for it.
Don Juan asked what exactly the nagual Julian was doing with him. His question sounded more mature and intelligent than it really was. The nagual Elías answered in terms that were totally obscure to Don Juan. He said that the nagual Julián was inviting his point of attachment to move directly to the position of reason, so that Don Juan could be an active thinker, and not just part of a passive, unsophisticated and highly emotional audience that loved the orderly workings of reason. At the same time, the nagual Julián trained him to be a true abstract sorcerer, and not just part of a morbid and ignorant public who loved the unknown.
He also assured Don Juan that only the human being who was a model of reason could move his point of attachment with ease, to be a model of silent knowledge. He said that only those who were precisely in one of the two positions could clearly see the other position; and that’s how the age of reason began. The position of reason was clearly seen from the position of silent knowledge.
The old nagual told Don Juan that the link between silent knowledge and reason was, for witches, like a one-way bridge, called “interest”. In other words, the interest that authentic men of silent knowledge had in the source of what they knew. And the other one-way bridge, which connects reason with silent knowledge, is called “pure understanding”. That is, what tells the man of reason that reason is just one star in an infinite number of stars.
The nagual Elías added that any human being who has both bridges in operation is a sorcerer in direct contact with the spirit, the life force that makes both positions possible. He pointed out to Don Juan that everything the nagual Julian had done that day on the river had been a spectacle, not for a human audience, but for the force watching him. He strutted around and made announcements with total abandon and coolness, and with the greatest audacity he amused everyone, especially the power he was addressing.
Don Juan said that, as the nagual Elías assured him, the spirit only listens when the person speaking to it speaks with gestures. And gestures don’t mean making signs or moving the body, but acts of true abandonment, generosity and humor. As a gesture to the spirit, sorcerers reveal the best they have: their abandonment, their coldness, their audacity, and silently offer it to the spirit.
(The Power of Silence, Carlos Castaneda)