I just started reading the first book by Mr Castaneda. He was a sociology student intrigued by Peyote and how certain Indian tribes use it, so he started talking to a Don Juan, who saw in Castaneda a shaman for his tribe and started to slowly, via Peyote, introduce him to this world.

Castaneda's books are the story of what he saw, felt, heard during that time of introduction. He doesn't claim it as 'truth', but wants to share what he ecperienced. Many scientists have told the world his books are useless for sociology, but for people who want to read about shamanism and the indian tribes: perfect.

Anyone else tried them? I'm just a few pages into the first book.

No, I have never read any books by him--actually--I have never even heard of him--peyote and the use of it is a subject that is pretty much swept under the rug in the USA, only Native Americans know anything about it, because its use by the rest of us is not only discouraged, but illegal. The USA is so closed-minded about certain things.

that's probably why Castaneda went to such lengths to find out more about it. I'm just about to read some more about his first experience with it. a friend of my dad's pointed these books out to me, told me Castaneda does spirit journeys and such.

i read a couple of his books, i think the teachings of don juan / a seperate reality are very good. Seems to me a lot of stuff there can be found here in elfpath as well. He wrote stuff about threads coming out of your belly, assembly points (basicly the energy system) about guides and critters, about energy manipulation, suggestion, about 'seeing' about 'a genuine act', about auras- basicly magic.

Im not so sure castaneda (the writer) used it on the lightside path though. And sometimes reading his books creeped me out (fear of what?)