h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A reader of the works of Carlos Castaneda, taking a balanced view, with a "pinch of salt", would probably have already asked themself whether or not the writings of CC were fiction or reality. If one feels the events depicted in the books are real, one may very much want them to be so. That does not make any difference to whether they are so or not.

One may prefer to believe them to be fiction. That also does not make any difference to whether they are so or not, in fact.

I have deliberately never read any books about CC, I prefer to take them on their own merit. I felt them to be real, because of the quality of the writing and the power of the ideas expressed in them. I asked a very wise friend of mine if they were "real". He said that he had read them, and that he had not found any ideas in them that he had not already come across elsewhere.

To me, it does not matter if CC's books are "true" in an autobiographical sense, or not. I feel that the concepts are true and worth studying, and selectively putting into practice in a balanced way. For example, however bad I am feeling, if I remind myself not to feel self-pity, I feel instantly a lot better.

I feel that it is a weakness in myself that I enjoy reading the books so much, and get immersed in them, rather than studying and practising more widely, with books that are less "entertaining".

Nevertheless, I believe that there is great worth in the concepts in the books, which make my life better, regardless of any "fictional" aspect to them.

I am very sorry about any persons who believe in them and try to follow them and end up in difficulties, but this may have happened to them anyway. It is human nature. One needs that "pinch of salt".

Thought: CC's books are not about drugs, they are about perception/consciousness.

(I have read one or two books which jump on the CC bandwaggon. They have no feeling of reality, or useful concepts.)