Carlos Castaneda

Intending and Function

The universe in general is predatorial to the maximum, but not predatorial in the sense in which we understand the term: the act of plundering or stealing, or injuring or exploiting others for one's own gain. For the shamans of ancient Mexico, the predatory condition of the universe meant that the INTENDING of the universe is to be continually testing awareness. They SAW that the universe creates zillions of ORGANIC BEINGS and zillions of INORGANIC BEINGS. By exerting pressure on all of them, the universe forces them to enhance their awareness, and in this fashion, the universe attempts to become aware of itself. In the COGNITIVE WORLD of shamans, therefore, awareness is the final issue. Don Juan Matus and the shamans of his lineage regarded AWARENESS as the act of being deliberately conscious of all the perceptual possibilities of man, not merely the perceptual possibilities dictated by any given culture whose role seems to be that of restricting the perceptual capacity of its members.

Don Juan maintained that to release, or set free, the total perceiving capacity of human beings would not in any way interfere with their functional behavior. In fact, functional behavior would become an extraordinary issue, for it would acquire a new value. Function in these circumstances becomes a most demanding necessity. Free from idealities and pseudo-goals, man has only function as his guiding force. Shamans call this IMPECCABILITY. For them, to be impeccable means to do one's utmost best, and a bit more. They derived function from SEEING energy directly as it flows in the universe. If energy flows in a certain way, to follow the flow of energy is, for them, being functional. Function is, therefore, the common denominator by means of which shamans face the ENERGETIC FACTS of their COGNITIVE WORLD.

--CARLOS CASTANEDA Commentaries on the Occasion of the Thirtieth Year of Publication of The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge

======================================================

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. -- Edward Abbey