second attention

The Eagle’s Gift – The Not-Doings of Silvio Manuel

Ancient Cycle, Authors, Carlos Castaneda, The Eagle's gift / By / 27 minutes of reading

In this chapter, several anomalies challenge don Juan’s party, revealing that the established rule does not fully apply to Carlos Castaneda, who is identified as a rare “three-pronged Nagual.” To address this, Silvio Manuel takes charge of Castaneda’s training, implementing a series of esoteric exercises called “not-doings” designed to strengthen his and la Gorda’s second attention. These exercises culminate in a dangerous crossing into the “other world” at a power spot, a trial that drains Castaneda of his energy. He is subsequently revived by the life force of the entire party, a process that dislodges him from their group and sets him on a new, unique path, with his training divided between don Juan for the right side and Zuleica for the left.

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The Eagle’s Gift – The Intricacies of Dreaming

Ancient Cycle, Authors, Carlos Castaneda, The Eagle's gift / By / 32 minutes of reading

In this chapter, Carlos Castaneda is placed under the guidance of Zuleica to learn the esoteric intricacies of dreaming and the second attention. Through a series of ritualistic exercises conducted in total darkness, Zuleica teaches him the physical and energetic maneuvers required to enter the dreaming state, such as creating a “dent” in his luminous shell and merging his two sides of awareness. Castaneda learns to control his dreaming body and move by pure intent. The training progresses to group journeys where Zuleica leads him, la Gorda, and Josefina to otherworldly realms, directly exposing them to the perceptual realities of the second attention so they can develop their own “tales of eternity.”

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The Eagle’s Gift – Prologue

Ancient Cycle, Authors, Carlos Castaneda, The Eagle's gift / By / 7 minutes of reading

In the prologue to his work, Carlos Castaneda recounts the shift of his academic focus from anthropology to a personal journey into the world of sorcery under the tutelage of Don Juan Matus and Don Genaro Flores. After his teachers depart, Castaneda discovers nine other apprentices who now expect him to assume the role of their leader, the Nagual. This new responsibility, marked by intense clashes with the other apprentices, forces him into a state of profound self-discovery and obliges him to thoroughly review everything he has learned about the arts of dreaming and stalking in order to guide the group.

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The Eagle’s Gift – The Other Self – The Fixation of The Second Attention

Ancient Cycle, Authors, Carlos Castaneda, The Eagle's gift / By / 31 minutes of reading

In this chapter, Carlos Castaneda discusses his visit to the Atlantean figures in Tula with the other apprentices. This prompts la Gorda to recount a terrifying experience with a power rock from other ruins, which resulted in Don Juan burying her for nine days to shield her from the “fixation of the second attention” of its deceased owner. The conversation reveals the dangers of ancient sites, which can act as traps for the second attention, and the two faces of its fixation: the evil one focused on worldly power, and the other focused on the journey into the unknown. The chapter explores the concepts of the three attentions, the luminous body, and not-doing, while highlighting the growing tension within the group and their expectation for Castaneda to act as the Nagual.

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The Eagle’s Gift – Dreaming Together

Ancient Cycle, Authors, Carlos Castaneda, The Eagle's gift / By / 38 minutes of reading

In this chapter, to overcome their shared distress, Castaneda and la Gorda decide to attempt “dreaming together.” Castaneda outlines his four stages of dreaming before they successfully enter a shared dream, which is a vivid memory of Don Juan assigning la Gorda to him as a task to harness his selfishness. This experience also triggers the memory of another forgotten member of their party, Vicente. The breakthrough forces them into a detailed analysis of the art of dreaming, exploring concepts like the second attention, not-doing, the dreaming body, and will. The discussion culminates in la Gorda’s revelation that will is the control of the “other self,” and that Silvio Manuel was the ultimate master of it, a being permanently existing in his other self and commanding intent itself.

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The Eagle’s Gift – The Nagual’s Party of Warriors

Ancient Cycle, Authors, Carlos Castaneda, The Eagle's gift / By / 40 minutes of reading

In this chapter, Carlos Castaneda recounts his first formal encounters with the warriors of don Juan’s party, which are structured as a series of introductions corresponding to the four cardinal directions. Each meeting is a bizarre and often jarring experience, designed as a lesson in stalking and controlled folly, forcing him to confront his own self-importance and preconceived notions. Castaneda is introduced to a host of unique and powerful individuals, including the dreamers and stalkers who guard the gates to the Nagual’s world, the enigmatic leader Silvio Manuel, and Florinda, who is designated as his future guide into the art of stalking.

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Author’s Note – The Art of Dreaming

Ancient Cycle, Authors, Carlos Castaneda, The Art of Dreaming / By / 8 minutes of reading

In this introductory note, Carlos Castaneda clarifies his use of the term “sorcery” to describe the teachings of his mentor, don Juan Matus, distinguishing it from conventional definitions. He explains that for don Juan, sorcery is about manipulating perception to access other real worlds, a practice called “the art of dreaming.” Castaneda recounts his own experiences learning this art, his interactions with two distinct groups of apprentices, and the challenges of reconciling his experiences in the “second attention” with everyday reality. He states that the purpose of this book is to rearrange and present don Juan’s lessons on dreaming in a linear fashion, made possible by years of dedicated practice, and to ultimately explain the legacy don Juan left to his final students as an act of gratitude.

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Sorcerers of antiquity: an introduction – The Art of Dreaming

Ancient Cycle, Authors, Carlos Castaneda, The Art of Dreaming / By / 28 minutes of reading

In this chapter, Carlos Castaneda recounts don Juan’s explanation of the foundational principles of sorcery, established by brilliant but obsessive “sorcerers of antiquity.” Don Juan contrasts their focus on concrete power with modern sorcerers’ search for abstract freedom. The core discovery of the ancients was the ability to perceive energy directly, which they called “seeing.” This led to the identification of the human energy form as a “luminous egg” and its crucial feature: the “assemblage point,” a spot of brilliance that assembles filaments of universal energy into our perception of the world. Castaneda learns that displacing this point—either as a “shift” within the luminous egg or a “movement” outside of it—is the key to perceiving other worlds and is the basis for the “second attention” and the art of “dreaming,” which is defined as the willful displacement of the assemblage point during sleep.

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