Topic: Heartless

[Josh]

“I am happy that you finally asked me about my controlled folly after so many years, and yet it wouldn’t have mattered to me in the least if you had never asked. Yet I have chosen to feel happy, as if I cared, that you asked, as if it would matter that I care. That is controlled folly!”

We both laughed very loudly. I hugged him. I found his explanation delightful although I did not quite understand it...

"With whom do you exercise controlled folly, don Juan?” I asked after a long silence.

He chuckled.

"With everybody!” he exclaimed, smiling.

"When do you choose to exercise it, then?”

“Every single time I act.”

I felt I needed to recapitulate at that point and I asked him if controlled folly meant that his acts were never sincere but were only acts of an actor.

“My acts are sincere,” he said, “but they are only acts of an actor.”

“Then everything you do must be controlled folly!” I said truly surprised.

"Yes, everything,” he said.

“But it can’t be true,” I protested, “that every one of your acts os only a controlled folly.”

“Why not?” he replied with a mysterious look.

“that would mean that nothing matters to you and don’t really care about anything or anybody. Take me, for example. Do you mean that you don’t care whether or not I become a man of knowledge, or whether I live, or die, or do anything?”

“True! I don’t. You are like Lucio, or everybody else in my life, my controlled folly.”

I experienced a peculiar feeling of emptiness…

[Firestarter]

I'm bumping this one for a reason.

Now, DJ was very clear about the Path with Heart. The path has to have it. Now, this was titled "heartless" regarding not caring, and it being a controlled folly.

This is an interesting note which seems on first glance, quite contrary - the quotation - implying apparently what Josh construed as 'Heartless.'

Yet DJ speaks about the path with heart - so what gives?

Now, first, I do not see this as 'the toltec path' or especially a 'religion.' I do see the series offering a set of techniques which can a) open a doorway to the nagual or 'unknown,' and whilst many have already crossed this doorway which is fine - it also offers b) strategies and techniques which can be extremely helpful on the path such as (and not limited to), *recapitulation,  *stalking and *dreaming and c) tools for whatever one decides they are or should be (ie warrior, sorcerer, et al).

But there is a huge misconception say, on DJ and saying he had no compassion - or such as the above, not 'caring.' The masteries and so forth can be used as basic seasoning (as we were talking about salt - seasoning if you will, salt and pepper), the real journey is our path, and its gotta have heart.

So I read quote above, I see title Heartless - and yes, I see it as a wise quote and understand it, still like anything written, and per warnings, I do not take any wisdom as 'gospel' or literal, I do not shun the obvious which is within me and knows much better.

The main deal I see per unconditional love is that - looking at it, examining it as a 'word' and perhaps creating various unrealistic expectations of implementations (ie we are 'striving for impeccability' not-necessarily there quite yet), on the same token - to shun the obvious and say, use the techniques as lower level excuses to act like assholes and not give a damn about unconditional love is not only folly, not only falling away from controlled folly, but downright stupid. It is ignoring a vital aspect of the path to free one from not only their own suffering but the suffering of others by invoking their own stupidity and thrusting it on them.

Therefore, I caution with the CC masteries, techniques, toltec, et al, dont use them as an excuse to be an idiot, and if conflict is seen or felt, dont worry about resolving it amongst the masses of wisdoms, seek the wisdom within to guide you - and dont ignore the TRUTH which answers back from the voice within.