Carlos Castaneda's Tensegrity

[Lao Sun Tao]

I don't know how many of you here know about Tensegrity, a system allegedly created by Native Americans and preserved by Carlos Castaneda, but I was wondering if is has a connection to some form of QiGong. Has anyone seen some of its moves and care to comment about it? I would really like to hear the view of a long term QiGong practitioner on this system. Some say it's nonsense, others disagree.

What do you think? 

[dwai]

I don't know how many of you here know about Tensegrity, a system allegedly created by Native Americans and preserved by Carlos Castaneda, but I was wondering if is has a connection to some form of QiGong. Has anyone seen some of its moves and care to comment about it? I would really like to hear the view of a long term QiGong practitioner on this system. Some say it's nonsense, others disagree.

 

What do you think?

Carlos made it up iinm. Do taiji or Bagua or zinyi instead. Much more tried and tested...find a good teacher although.

[vonkrankenhaus]

I just looked at some videos showing this.

 

To me, looking like a few native "dance moves" (which could have their own substance and explanations) mixed with a karate person's impression of some basic qigong, and demonstrated by western "fitness" or modern dancer type people.

 

Maybe not "total" nonsense, but relatively, this is a world that runs almost entirely on nonsense.

 

 

 

 

 

VonKrankenhaus

[Andrei]

There is a link to Qigong he learned from a Chinese guy in the 70' but he invented the "tensegrity".

 

http://www.salon.com/2007/04/12/castaneda/

 

Castaneda was a hoax and if you dig deep you'll se it was all about drugs, sex and money.

Which is not bad but it's not what people believe about him.

And this is true for 99% of gurus outhere.

Edited July 24, 2016 by Andrei

[vonkrankenhaus]

From that article:

 

"Tensegrity is a movement technique that seems to combine elements of a rigid version of tai chi and modern dance. In all likelihood the inspiration came from karate devotees Donner-Grau and Abelar, and from his years of lessons with martial arts instructor Howard Lee."

 

Which is just what it looks like in the video I saw.

 

 

 

 

-VonKrankenhaus

[Jox]

Castaneda was a hoax and if you dig deep you'll se it was all about drugs, sex and money.

 

I read a lot of times when people quotes Carlos and say that they do not care, if his story was real or hoax ...

 

Qute from YT:

big dawg

It does not matter whether one believes Castaneda's works are fiction or non-fiction.  The true values lies in the power of his words, which have guided and changed my life.  See my Facebook page dedicated to him @ http://www.facebook.com/groups/6555392372

 

 

Interesting video I came across lately:

 

 

 

[Jox]

Havent dig in yet ... but I think it may be very useful site about CC materials:

 

Following the Eagles Flight: understanding the books of CC.

 

And one more ... Carlos Castaneda's Don Juan's Teachings.

Edited July 27, 2016 by Jox

[Bearded Dragon]

The books are really good. Especially the first one and the Ixtlan one.

 

If you can see what Don Juan was doing it really makes a lot of sense. Whether the hallucinations and "weird stuff" was real or not is not the point. There really is no difference for all practical purposes. The whole journey was a very direct and intense way of breaking Carlos down, destroying who he was, and laying the foundations for an opening into awake being. This is the real benefit of the teachings. It's a testimony for the "throw yourself in the fire" method of purification of the self.

 

The extent that they went to was indeed pretty dangerous though. I wouldn't advocate going that far without a really good teacher.

[Jox]

I agree with Jox about his words being more important than being genuine or hoax. Sifu Terry Dunn on this site requires students to read Castaneda alongside Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines by Evans-Wentz. I enjoy the Castaneda books because I still find value and parallels in other books and actual experiences.

 

I find Tensegrity worth exploring, but I don't see myself practicing it when I already find what I need in my practices.

 

Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines

[Jox]

Worth to take a look ...