"Can you
copyright tradition ?",
by Victor Sanchez
Magical Blend, Issue #49, January, 1996
"Keep on
fighting!", by
Victor Sanchez
Letter sent to Nagualist Newsletter Editors because of its
early disappearance
See also: Castaneda Controversies
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I have been reading about the
Castaneda controversies in Magical Blend. Since I live in Mexico, this
was my first contact with your magazine. Since then, it has been very strange
for me to see the great new age writer Carlos Castaneda and his associates
defending "their" knowledge (or should I say the don Juan knowledge?)
from other people. Where is the unnoticeable and inaccessible warrior with no
self importance that we read about in the Castaneda books?. What is more amazing
is for me to find myself involved with one of the Castaneda controversies!. I am
starting to feel persecuted, and I think this is the moment to answer.
In my Los Angeles lecture of 8/28/95, Castaneda's lawyers pressured The
Learning Annex to present a disclaimer letter signed by Carlos Castaneda to the
audience. In that letter, Castaneda helps to clear up something that is very
important to me, something I want people to know about my work. He states that I
am not his disciple, and he does not endorse my work. Right!. I made my work by
myself. I must thank Castaneda for using his time to
write letters corroborating what I already emphasize in my lectures, workshops
and books. That is the good part.
The bad part of the story is I have found untrue comments about my work,
supposedly made by the Chacmools, on the Internet. They say I have been
presenting myself like a disciple of Carlos Castaneda and claim to have been
working under Castaneda's direction for several years. That is not true.
Everyone who reads my book can see clearly that I state my work has always been
independent. I don't need a master. I have my own connection with Spirit. My
relationship with Toltequity is through my experience living among surviving
Toltec Indians. My book, Toltecs of the
New Millenium (soon to be released in the USA), isn't an imaginary
affair, but factual. The surviving Toltecs are real people, living their
tradition at this very moment. Fortunately, they are still in the world, so
their existence can be proved.
My bookThe Teachings of Don Carlos does not
present the Carlos Castaneda views or beliefs. It presents mine. I am not a "follower"
of anybody but Spirit.
The Teachings of Don Carlos is only the
testimony of my experience applying selected principles also related by
Castaneda. I chose only principles that I have found useful for improving the
life of average people. I have chosen to work and develop those techniques that
do not lead people to get lost in fantasies or psychotic states. I did not write
the book to please Carlos Castaneda, but for readers who were interested in his
books but didn't know how to use the techniques he talked about in their
everyday lives. And the book is useful. At least that's what my readers from
many countries in the world say to me again and again in their letters.
So I think Carlos Castaneda and Toltec Artists have nothing to worry about
from me. I do not present my work as directed by Castaneda. I present my work
completely independently. This is congruent with one of my main proposals of my
work: We do not need masters or guides, cults or new gurus in order to make our
own way and return to Spirit. We can and we should look for freedom, knowledge
and Spirit by ourselves. For me, that is the real work.
Finally, I want to declare I will always be grateful to Mr. Castaneda,
because most of his books have been very useful and inspiring for many other
people and me.
- Victor Sanchez, Mexico
Mexico City, July 8, 1995
Dear Nagualist editor,
I am the author of The Teachings of Don
Carlos, Practical Applications of the Works of Carlos Castaneda. I have
found comments about me in your newsletter, the comments seems to me honest,
although not much informed. If the matter is interesting for you or your letters
I can give you some information about my work:
I do not use to present myself like Nagual. I work with groups interested
in personal and spiritual growth. My main sources of apprenticeship are my
experiences among Indians from Mexico that call themselves Wirrarika; they are
the living descendants from the ancient Toltecs, preserving at this very moment,
their spiritual tradition (which means a body of practices, not a body of
beliefs). They are real people as I can prove it with photos, video, my
writings, and many witnesses (see Toltecs of the New Millenium).
I have 15 years of experience using and developing the techniques
mentioned in Castaneda´s Books, especially those that give better results
in the every day life. My effort has been to present efficient ways to use the
Castaneda´s Books in the normal life without getting lost in fantasies or
psychosis. This way has been very useful for me and for many other people, which
I have been working with.
I do not usually write or speak about what I think, but rather about what
I do or did. That is the reason for not including in my book all the items
Castaneda has written about, but only those which I have proved on my own.
Castaneda introduced himself to me in the house of a friend of him (Carlos
Ortiz). It was a meeting with ten or twelve other people, perhaps ten years ago.
I used to attend to the Castaneda's public presentations in Mexico City when
those presentations were not massive. I only received from Castaneda verbal
suggestions for my work, like many other people. I have never worked under his
direction and I have never tried to, because I was not looking for a master.
Before I met Castaneda I had my own connection with survival Toltec Indians, and
my own connection to Spirit.
In order to apply the books of Castaneda I have used the clues I had
learned among the indians who I am connected to, and also a real and continued
practice with the techniques (fifteen years) which I have talking and writing
about in my books and seminars.
My book is a testimony of my personal and group experience, and many
people have shared, lived and profited this experience.
Obviously, I do not pretend to have "the best interpretation" of
Castaneda's Books but, what I can state is: my way to apply the Castaneda's
proposals, supplies personal growth and recuperating of amazing sources hidden
in "the other self" all of us. Anyone can try it by him or herself
using the techniques of my book or in a workshop.
Anyway this comments are not the main reason for writing you. The main
reason is to express my opinion about the utility of to continue publishing
Nagualist. I think there are many different results in the people that has
practiced with the Castaneda's books. Good results and bad results. To know what
other people with similar interest is doing is very good especially when we are
talking about we did, and not just about we thought. Good ways to use the
techniques can be very useful for other people. For me, the good way of using
the techniques can be checked by the results in our every day life, and not in
Castaneda's approval, specially when almost anybody knows what Castaneda is
really looking for. Because the Castaneda´s books are a public matter,
there must not be reasons for hesitate in working, talking or writing about
them.
Nagualist it seems the rare kind of effort were the altruistic intention
and usefulness is obvious. Besides, for the kind of people that use to read it,
Nagualist is a important opportunity to know they are not alone and some times
to know they are not crazy for not to conform with just to buy books, talk about
them or take a weekend seminary. They want to live the knowledge and to find
their own connection to Spirit. Many people have been working really hard. Think
on them also, and not only in the Toltec Artist's opinion.
Stay fighting!
Víctor Sánchez
P. S. You can publish this letter if you want.
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