"Any path is only a path, and there is no affront, to oneself or to others, in dropping it if that is what your heart tells you ... Look at every path closely and deliberately. Try it as many times as you think necessary. Then ask yourself, and yourself alone, one question ... Does this parh have a heart? If it does, the path is good; if it doesn't it is of no use." Carlos Castaneda, The Teachings of Don Juan
What do you think?
2007-01-04 14:22:29 · 19 answers · asked by Deirdre H 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I like it! To me it encourages critical thinking about one's choices as well as self-examination of what inspires one.
2007-01-04 14:26:37 · answer #1 · answered by RPCV Pacific 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Depending on context, no matter what path is taken it comes down to the person. The person makes the path or changes an existing path reflecting more so on one's self.
Speaking of taking a path that is bad, as above there is no use but who says we can not change this path to have heart?
2007-01-04 22:33:13 · answer #2 · answered by Labatt113 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think a path that is evaluated and followed based soley on one's heart lacks historical and popular shaping. It suggests that one's religion is entirely subjective w/o room for the objective. It indicates that said path is only good so long as the heart survives and thus is not transcental. Castaneda writes in a lyrical style that is most seductive, but not self-reflective.
2007-01-04 22:43:58 · answer #3 · answered by Joe Cool 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
A path cannot have a heart, it is just a path. Now the one less traveled.............that's the path I'd like to take. Literally, spiritually and effectionately.
2007-01-04 22:30:43 · answer #4 · answered by Lily P 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Carlos was interesting, dumb, but interesting.
I'm reminded of the Holy Man Ram Das came to see who asked for the medicine Ram Das had (LSD) and asked for all of it and took a hand full of it and after a fews hours pronounced "It's good, but meditation is better."
Carlos was like Ram Das only dumber at the time. He's a lot smarter today.
Both of them are. Ram Das dropped the Ba ba before his name.
2007-01-04 23:35:22 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Castanada ate to many mushrooms and his brain melted. I like your choice of quote and source though. It illustrates how fictional woeks might be presented as serious and accepted.
Carlos Castanada pesented his book about the teachings of his Mexican sorceror as an anthropological study and himself as an anthropologist. It was totally a fabrication. A very popular fabrication but still a fabrication. However an awful lot of people in the 1970's-80's took it as a serious work. oh well.
2007-01-04 22:32:03 · answer #6 · answered by Barabas 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's easy for him to say don't live a life of desperation.
My heart has been telling me to drop out for a long time now but so far and in the foreseable future it is impossible for me to pack up and go.
2007-01-04 22:29:09 · answer #7 · answered by Imogen Sue 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How can a path have a heart? I agree you should seriously consider WHICH path you're on, but that's as far as I can concede.
2007-01-04 22:30:46 · answer #8 · answered by lookn2cjc 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
paths don't have hearts they are made of dirt and stone, can you imagine driving behind this gut on the freeway, he'd be going 2 MPH working out if the path had a heart.
2007-01-04 22:25:01 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Most paths leading into the unknown are ones trodden upon with fear and anticipation, and paths that are known are trodden upon with gladness and security.
2007-01-04 22:27:27 · answer #10 · answered by Shinigami 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Assuming that the heart of the path is not hardened, dead, or wicked (etc.), then it is a good writing.
2007-01-04 23:03:57 · answer #11 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋