Don Juan Matus
Encyclopedia
Don
Juan Matus is a major figure in the series of books on Nagual
'Sorcery' by Carlos Castaneda
.
Matus is described as a Yaqui Indian to whom Castaneda was first introduced at a bus depot in Yuma, Arizona
in the early 1960s. He turns out to be a 'Man of Knowledge' who imparts much of his wisdom and clarity through his 'connection' with Castaneda. The Knowledge is passed on to Castaneda by means of actual experiences, simple exercises and much patience on the part of both which ends in further transforming both characters' view of the world.
In Journey to Ixtlan, Juan Matus is quoted as saying "No one knows where I am really from or who I am for certain".
); a sort of healer, sorcerer or shaman, who had inherited (presumably through a lineage of teachers) an ancient Mesoamerica
n practice for vastly enhancing one's awareness of, and interaction with, the energies of the Earth and its assorted beings.
In the books don Juan was an expert in the cultivation and use of various psychotropic plants (specifically, psychedelic mushrooms, datura
and peyote
) found in the Mexican deserts. These were used as aids to reach states of non-ordinary reality in the teachings he conveyed to Carlos.
In the books the character of don Juan is presented as an unmarried old man, of Yaqui indigenous ancestry, with great strength and agility, who spoke excellent Spanish but had never been to college, and who apparently had lived his entire life in poor conditions. Don Juan's philosophy might be summed up in a passage from Castaneda's first book, The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge:
, Florinda Donner
and Lujan Matus also included the character of don Juan Matus, although he went by different pseudonyms such as Mariano Aureliano. In all of these books don Juan Matus was a nagual
who was the leader of a group of practitioners in the tradition of mystical self-actualization.
Don (honorific)
Don, from Latin dominus, is an honorific in Spanish , Portuguese , and Italian . The female equivalent is Doña , Dona , and Donna , abbreviated "Dª" or simply "D."-Usage:...
Juan Matus is a major figure in the series of books on Nagual
Nagual
In Mesoamerican folk religion, a Nagual or Nahual is a human being who has the power to magically turn him- or herself into an animal form: most commonly a donkey, turkey, or dog, but also other and more powerful animals such as the jaguar and puma.Such a Nagual is believed to use his powers for...
'Sorcery' by Carlos Castaneda
Carlos Castaneda
Carlos Castaneda was a Peruvian-born American anthropologist and author....
.
Matus is described as a Yaqui Indian to whom Castaneda was first introduced at a bus depot in Yuma, Arizona
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
in the early 1960s. He turns out to be a 'Man of Knowledge' who imparts much of his wisdom and clarity through his 'connection' with Castaneda. The Knowledge is passed on to Castaneda by means of actual experiences, simple exercises and much patience on the part of both which ends in further transforming both characters' view of the world.
In Journey to Ixtlan, Juan Matus is quoted as saying "No one knows where I am really from or who I am for certain".
In Castaneda
Juan tells Carlos Castaneda that he is a brujo (Spanish for sorcerer or medicine manMedicine man
"Medicine man" or "Medicine woman" are English terms used to describe traditional healers and spiritual leaders among Native American and other indigenous or aboriginal peoples...
); a sort of healer, sorcerer or shaman, who had inherited (presumably through a lineage of teachers) an ancient Mesoamerica
Mesoamerica
Mesoamerica is a region and culture area in the Americas, extending approximately from central Mexico to Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, within which a number of pre-Columbian societies flourished before the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the 15th and...
n practice for vastly enhancing one's awareness of, and interaction with, the energies of the Earth and its assorted beings.
In the books don Juan was an expert in the cultivation and use of various psychotropic plants (specifically, psychedelic mushrooms, datura
Datura
Datura is a genus of nine species of vespertine flowering plants belonging to the family Solanaceae. Its precise and natural distribution is uncertain, owing to its extensive cultivation and naturalization throughout the temperate and tropical regions of the globe...
and peyote
Peyote
Lophophora williamsii , better known by its common name Peyote , is a small, spineless cactus with psychoactive alkaloids, particularly mescaline.It is native to southwestern Texas and Mexico...
) found in the Mexican deserts. These were used as aids to reach states of non-ordinary reality in the teachings he conveyed to Carlos.
In the books the character of don Juan is presented as an unmarried old man, of Yaqui indigenous ancestry, with great strength and agility, who spoke excellent Spanish but had never been to college, and who apparently had lived his entire life in poor conditions. Don Juan's philosophy might be summed up in a passage from Castaneda's first book, The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge:
For me there is only the traveling on the paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge for me is to traverse its full length. And there I travel—looking, looking, breathlessly.
Castaneda's books featuring Don Juan Matus
- The Teachings of Don JuanThe Teachings of Don JuanThe Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge was published by the University of California Press in 1968 as a work of anthropology. It was written by Carlos Castaneda and submitted as his master’s thesis in the school of anthropology...
: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge (1968) ISBN 0-520-21757-8 - A Separate RealityA Separate Realityis an allegedly non-fictional book written by anthropologist/author Carlos Castaneda in 1971 concerning the events that took place during an apprenticeship he claimed to have served with a self-proclaimed Yaqui Indian Sorcerer, Don Juan Matus, between 1968 and 1971...
: Further Conversations with Don Juan (1971) ISBN 0-671-73249-8 - Journey to IxtlanJourney to Ixtlanis the third book by Carlos Castaneda. It was published as a work of non-fiction by Simon & Schuster in 1972.The title of this book is taken from an allegory that is recounted to Castaneda by his "benefactor" who is known to Carlos as Don Genaro , a close friend of his teacher don Juan Matus...
: The Lessons of Don Juan (1972) ISBN 0-671-73246-3 - Tales of Power (1974) ISBN 0-671-73252-8
- The Second Ring of Power (1977) ISBN 0-671-73247-1
- The Eagle's Gift (1981) ISBN 0-671-73251-X
- The Fire from Within (1984) ISBN 0-671-73250-1
- The Power of Silence: Further Lessons of Don Juan (1987) ISBN 0-671-73248-X
- The Art of DreamingThe Art of DreamingThe Art of Dreaming is an allegedly non-fictional book written by author/anthropologist Carlos Castaneda and published in 1993. The book reportedly describes the events that took place during an apprenticeship he claimed to have served with a self-proclaimed Yaqui Indian Sorcerer, don Juan Matus,...
(1993) ISBN 0-06-092554-X - The Active side of Infinity
- The Wheel of Time
In subsequent works
In their writings, Taisha AbelarTaisha Abelar
Taisha Abelar, born Maryann Simko, is an American author and anthropologist who was a close associate of Carlos Castaneda. She disappeared shortly after Castaneda's death in 1998...
, Florinda Donner
Florinda Donner
Florinda Donner is an American author and anthropologist. She disappeared in 1998....
and Lujan Matus also included the character of don Juan Matus, although he went by different pseudonyms such as Mariano Aureliano. In all of these books don Juan Matus was a nagual
Nagual
In Mesoamerican folk religion, a Nagual or Nahual is a human being who has the power to magically turn him- or herself into an animal form: most commonly a donkey, turkey, or dog, but also other and more powerful animals such as the jaguar and puma.Such a Nagual is believed to use his powers for...
who was the leader of a group of practitioners in the tradition of mystical self-actualization.