Was he a failure??
I've never felt that CC was a failure on any level. In fact, I think he was perhaps the most masterful stalker of this era. The reason I say that is that I have every reason to believe that CC himself was/is Don Juan. I could say that Don Juan was Carlos's double, and as those who have known me for awhile already know... that is pretty much what I have concluded. What I DON'T know is whether CC was aware of this from the beginning, or whether it became apparent to him at some point, or if he ever figured it out at all.
The only reason this matters at this level of discussion is because I've always felt that CC was able to bring forth (manifest) that aspect of himself without any fear or concern for how "foolish" it made his humanform self (Castaneda) appear. That's losing self-importance in a huge way! And stalking oneself in the ultimate manifestation.
Carlos himself said he feared he would "fail" in his task to lead his party to freedom, and maybe it could be argued from THAT aspect that he "failed"... but I actually don't see it that way. Any nagual is only capable of providing the tools and the guidance to his or her "party" - but it is always up to each individual as to how they will use those tools and whether they are willing or able to accept the guidance *from* a nagual or teacher or whatever word one chooses. I feel that Carlos gave his party those tools - what they did with them was their own affair.
It's also been argued that CC didn't have enough "personal power" to lead his party to freedom, but again I'm not so sure that's the case. When I really look at the man's life (what little is really known of it), what I *see* is someone who was genuinely a *seer*. And as the quote goes:
Once a man learns to see he finds himself alone in the world with nothing but folly. Your acts, as well as the acts of your fellow men in general, appear to be important to you because you have learned to think they are important.
I have more or less concluded that CC found himself "alone in the world with nothing but folly" - up to and perhaps including those closest to him. I have even wondered if perhaps he realized that his closest "apprentices" were largely only there out of infatuation with HIM, perhaps moreso than to further their own path. Even in my own tiny, minor way, I have found that to be the case on occasion, and it is perhaps the most devastating blow of all - to realize that someone who has been pretending to be on the path is really only parroting your words out of some bizarre attempt to impress you. Weird - damn weird!
But in the big picture...? I don't think he was a failure at all. Far from it. If it weren't for CC, chances are we wouldn't be having this conversation. So, like you, I'm glad he shared his Knowledge.
D
