Carlos Castaneda's Magical Passes & Unbending Intent (DVD, 2004)

For readers of Carlos Castaneda and the philosophy of don Juan, this DVD offers a practical and entheogen-free way to unlock alternative realms of perception. While esoteric to some, the philosophy of don Juan is a great way to relieve the tension and stress that defines the modern lifestyle. Similar to traditional Chinese movements that deal with the energy body, such as Tai Chi, Tensegrity is a movement form that will awaken one's senses and heighten one's awareness, oftentimes leaving one feeling mildly euphoric and calm. The goal of these movements is to aid the practitioner in silencing the inner monologue, move energy from the periphery to the center of the energy body, and create an overall sense of well-being. The DVD itself contains some informative material, however brief, that explains the origins of the movements and the purpose of them to the ancient Shamans of mexico. For those that haven't read Carlos Castaneda, the movements and philosophy may come across as somewhat odd, and as I previously mentioned, esoteric. But, for those that have already been exposed to the philosophy and find themselves aligning with it's teachings, this video is a valuable resource and a fantastic set of movements that will provide the practitioner with results after the very first practice. From a physical standpoint, I would say these movements are great for people of all ages, as they are no-impact, and simply require concentration, controlled breathing, and the tensing and relaxation of specific muscle groups. If one hasn't been exposed to the books, I recommend reading the first three before practicing the movements, in order to give oneself the proper perspective and framework of mind with which to learn Tensigrity. These books are,

The Teachings of don Juan, a Yaqui Way of Knowledge
A Separate Reality, Further Conversations with don Juan
Journey to Ixtlan, the Lessons of don Juan

*Note - while the first two books deal with the use of psychoactive entheogens as the primary pathway to knowledge, off-putting to some, Castaneda retracts these directives in the 3rd book and instead promotes the value of the 'tensegrity' movements. This is because the entheogens are simply a means-to-an-end of heightened-awareness, which is to say they can 'force' a person to experience alternative forms of perception that their rational mind would typically resist, but through abuse could ultimately alter one's personal and physical life beyond repair. Therefor, while they could be used to prove to oneself that alternate realities exist, they should be treated with reverence and respect as an aid in learning. Ultimately, through the movements of Tensegrity, the same awareness and knowledge attained through the plants, should be available to the advanced practitioner.

i read 2 of his books and ithink i found a precious treasure. i thought castaneda was in.but instead was a group of dancers. the movements are to fast, they don't teach step by step.i love to have a dvd w castaneda. thanks salete