Subcultural engagement for the 21st Century...
Barbelith is a new kind of community (find out more)...
You can login or register.

Underground > Temple >

Stalking

16:42 / 06.10.03

Noooo, not the illegal stalking of an obessed-psycho fanboy.

Stalking in true Castenada form. Namely, stalking the self, and stalking power. We have had threads in th Magick here about dreaming, but the techniques of stalking are subtle and not easily described at best. Let's give it a go anyway, I have faith in the barbelith set.

Alright then, I am not sure where to go with this...maybe just an open discussion on stalking techniques, proper attitude to take and maybe a few anecdotes and maybe some quotes from DJ. Myself, I am interested in the phenomenon of super-imposition that stalking has created for me. Anyone else experience this? Everything has added dimensions to it. Also, is "stalking" in this sense, almost or just as dangerous as actual psycho-stalking?

Anyway, any takers?

17:09 / 06.10.03

I'm not really that familiar with Castenada's work - could you maybe elaborate a little more on what you mean by "stalking?" Is it a particular set of techniques, or a mindset for working (or both, or neither, etc.)?

"Super-imposition" rings some bells, though, from my own experience - again, could you maybe say a little more about what you mean when you say it?

I wish I had a little more to offer, myself - this sounds interesting.

~L

18:42 / 06.10.03

I am terrible at giving definitions for things. I will pint as clearly as possible to what "Stalking" is in this context.

Stalking... the art of using behavior in novel ways for specific purposes...any behavior that deviated from routine caused an unusual effect on our total being. That unusual effect was sorcerers sought because it was cumulative... [it was seen] unusual behavior produced a tremor in the assemblage point. practiced systematically and directed wisely, it eventually _ the assemblage point to move. PS 82.

Stalking is a procedure, a very simple one. Stalking is special behavior that follows certain principles. It is secretive, furtive, deceptive behavior designed to deliver a jolt...using your own behavior in a ruthless, cunning way. PS 109.

The very first principle of stalking is that a warrior stalks himself. PS 81.

Within the art of stalking is controlled folly. Sorcerers claim that it is the only way they have of dealing with themselves- in their state of expanded awareness and perception, and with everybody and everything in the world of daily affairs. Controlled folly is the art of controlled deception or the art of pretending to be thoroughly immersed in the action at hand- pretending so well no one could tell it from the real thing. Controlled folly is not an outright deception...but a sophisticated, artistic way of being separate from everything while remaining an integral part of everything. PS 245.

19:14 / 06.10.03

""Super-imposition" rings some bells, though, from my own experience - again, could you maybe say a little more about what you mean when you say it?"~Lepidopteran

Yes, almost forgot...

I do not sleep a whole lot, I think this may be a reason for super-imposition, but not the whole picture. I see things that "normally" one would only see in a dream, here in this realm/world/plane. I can see Kundalini rise, or someone's energy expand and contract. Sometimes strange creatures that scuttle about or gods. I can see sounds, hear disembodied voices, see fine patterns in mid-air (like coding)...ya know, stuff that would most likely mean I was crazy if I actually believed in it!

*watches monitor open up and swallow her essence*

One of my biggest problems with stalking is the deception. I think that sometimes mages use this as an excuse for inappropriate behavior. I am sure it is useful, but maybe the meaning is a little lost. It kinda ties in with "Nothing is true, everything is permitted" and the confusion around "Love is the Law, Love under Will". Where is the line drawn?

19:15 / 06.10.03

May Tricks, thanks.

I'm gonna do some reading and see if I can participate a little more intelligently once the thread gets rolling (even if it just means asking better questions).

~L

20:17 / 06.10.03

I get the impression here that Stalking is Castenada's way of describing the general process of self awareness required of a magician in order to produce self-change. Poetic, but is it any different from keeping journals and monitoring one's self closely to spot patterns of behavior, and then act in order to change them?

The super-imposition bit is interesting, possibly worth a thread of its own. I too do much as May describes. Its a bit like daydreaming on top of normal vision in form, but the effect is more of awareness. I describe it as "additional desktop space", being geeky in paradigm. Or seeing at multiple 'layers' at once. I just figured that's 3rd eye work paying off

01:34 / 07.10.03

OK, let's get the technicalities first.

Castaneda changes the way he defines stalking (as he changes most of his definitions though out his works... blame it on Don Juan...)
One of the ways is to stalk as to analize (sp?) and study the behavior (both of oneself and of another). The suposed objetive is to detect the habits of the personal importance and find a way to negate them,
The second definition is to change the behavior in order to deceive (oneself and/or others, too). The objetive is to generate little shiftings in the punto de encaje*** (that would be state of awareness in normal language)

And yes, the ethical questioning of the "properness" of deceiving other people was one of the reasons I ended up getting out of this way (more like walking at the side of this way.). Castanedans would say that it's my own personal importance manfesting as a tight-assed good guy who believes himself so superior that he does not want to behave badly... I do not give a damn. On the same line, what May calls "improper behavior" in most cases would be advanced not-doings for catanedan sorcerers, a way of deconstructing their personal improtance through behaving the way one would not do. (hope this does not end up in me being chased by fanatical castanedan assassins... wait, that could be fun... )

As for the super-imposition of perceptual modes, sounds like May has saved up a lot of power, and her "perception band" is widenning... it's only a matter of learning to control it, and enjoying it.

Gee, it would be interesting to see what Sebastian and REx can tell about this...

02:09 / 07.10.03

[off-topic]

Quick note; Sorry Ciarcon, I do not think that Rex is posting to 'lith anymore. *frown*

[/ot]

I will post more later, I have no mind for it now as it is nearing my bedtime.