shadows

Part One: Stopping the World – The Ring of Power

Castaneda’s journey with Don Juan continues as they explore “not-doing” in the lava mountains, where Castaneda practices altering his perception of light and darkness and acquires a power object. They encounter four young men, who are sorcerer’s apprentices, and Don Juan teaches them about power objects like quartz crystals and the methods for attracting a spirit or ally to imbue these objects with power. A dramatic demonstration by Don Juan, where each observer saw him in a different “disguise,” leads to a discussion of the “ring of power” and the “ring of not-doing,” illustrating how “doing” shapes our shared reality and how not-doing allows for different perceptions. Castaneda grapples with the strenuous nature of the sorcerer’s path, while Don Juan emphasizes that a warrior transforms their ordinary world into a “hunting ground” by skillfully navigating between “doing” and “not-doing.”

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Part One: Stopping the World – Not-Doing

After confronting “entities” in the wilderness, Castaneda accompanies Don Juan to a “place of predilection” for cleansing and to learn the profound concept of “not-doing.” Don Juan explains that “doing” defines our everyday perception of the world, while “not-doing” allows a warrior to manipulate reality, access hidden truths, and even enhance dreaming. Castaneda experiments with not-doing by observing shadows and a pebble, leading to extraordinary perceptual shifts and a deeper understanding of the lines of the world and personal power. Don Juan also advises Castaneda to challenge his negative self-perception by consciously “lying” to himself, viewing it as a new “doing” to ultimately achieve the “not-doing of the self.”

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