Neo-Ericksonian Philosophy

In the series of books by Carlos Castaneda regarding the teachings of Don Juan Matus, a Yaqui Indian Medicine Man, the author introduces us to the concept of using Death as an Advisor.

This teaching has been on my mind a lot recently because it seems death has been all around. From the unimaginably horrific fires that killed 200 people in Australia, to the crash of the commuter plane near Buffalo killing 50 people in an instant. There was also a news report of a female suicide bomber in Baghdad who killed 40 people, mostly women and children. How someone could carry out such a terrible act is beyond the ken.

I’ve felt a personal connection with two of these three events.
The Australian fires incinerated the conference center where we were scheduled to hold our “how deep the rabbit hole” seminar in May. I’ve been flying every week so far this year for seminars around the country and I’m originally from Buffalo.

But in all these cases, the people who died were just like you and me. They were simply going about their daily lives, when suddenly, death came.
So what does Don Juan teach?

There is a story from the books when he is training Carlos in the ways of the Warrior - a first step in becoming a Sorcerer. One day he was guiding Carlos on a hike through the desert. Their route required them to walk through the dry bottom of a steep canyon. The Mesa walls were immensely high on both sides. Halfway through the canyon Carlos had to stop to tie his shoe. In the minute that it took him to tie his shoe a huge boulder crashed down to earth right were they likely would have been if the had continued walking un-interrupted.

Carlos was shocked and pointed out that, if they had kept walking at their same pace, they’d be dead now. He said it was a miracle he’d stopped and that must mean it was fate or God or something that made this happen.

Don Juan said, “We don’t know that. After all, if we’d left the cabin one minute earlier we’d have stopped right where the boulder fell and we’d have been killed BECAUSE you stopped to tie your shoe.”

He continued, “You never know what action might be your last action on earth. All a warrior can do is - WHEN you stop to tie you shoe - tie your shoe IMPECCABLY.”