Photo Series "Stopping the World"

Веретенников Сергей · Feb 21, 2026

I gave ChatGPT all of Castaneda’s books and asked it to extract all the passages related to the description of Don Juan.
And here’s what came out:

ChatGPT Image 21 февр. 2026 г., 22_08_59.jpg

Photo series
"Stopping the World"

Based on the books by Carlos Castaneda.
Idea: Sergey Veretennikov.

SCENE 1. THE MEETING

“I was waiting for a bus at a station in a small border town, chatting with a friend who was accompanying me as a guide and assistant. Suddenly, he leaned toward me and whispered that that old gray-haired Indian sitting by the window knew a great deal about plants, especially peyote.
I asked him to introduce us. My friend called out to the old man, then walked over and shook his hand. After talking for a minute, he beckoned me over and disappeared, leaving me to get myself out of the situation.
The old man remained unperturbed. I introduced myself; he said his name was Juan and that he was at my service. At my initiative, we shook hands and then both fell silent. The silence, however, could not be called awkward; it was calm and natural.”

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“He said that knowledge could not simply be passed on. A person had to be ready for it themselves.”

“He looked at me as though he saw something I could not understand.”

“He said I was too certain of what I knew, and that this prevented me from learning.”

“He said I had to learn to listen, rather than simply ask questions.”

“He remained silent for a long time before answering, and that silence was part of his answer.”

“He said that a person does not seek knowledge—knowledge comes to the person on its own.”

190519 · Feb 21, 2026

Веретенников Сергей , what a wonderful idea—this turned out beautifully and is very interesting! I’ll eagerly await the continuation

Веретенников Сергей · Feb 21, 2026

SCENE 2. THE RETURN

“I returned to him a few weeks later. I couldn’t explain why I was coming back. It hadn’t been part of my original plan.
He was sitting in front of his house, as if he had been waiting for me. I approached and greeted him. He looked at me calmly and nodded.
There was neither surprise nor joy in his behavior, nor any expression at all. He simply accepted the fact of my return, as if it were inevitable.”

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“He looked at me calmly, without any expression, as if he were seeing me for the first time and, at the same time, had known me for a long time already.”

“There was something about him that could not be explained in words. He was simply there, and that was enough.”

“He did not hurry to answer. It seemed that time had no significance for him.”

“His silence was not emptiness, but presence.”

“I felt that he was watching me, but not as one person watches another.”

“He did not try to convince me of anything. He simply allowed me to be there.”

“Beside him, everything became strangely simple and, at the same time, inexplicable.”

“I felt that he knew more about me than I knew myself.”

“He sat calmly, and there was strength in that stillness.”

“I could not understand why his presence affected me so strongly.”

190519 · Feb 21, 2026

Веретенников Сергей , this is so interesting! Maybe because I love these kinds of games on my phone—stories with pictures

.
In any case, the chat handled its teacher’s task very admirably. Each phrase subtly plays with its depth, creating a kind of meditative reading

4257 · Feb 21, 2026

Every phrase has a deep meaning... it’s all true. When the student is ready, the Teacher arrives. More likely, the student’s desires lead them to where they can receive what they are seeking.
I also want a continuation; it’s interesting and makes you think...

142427 · Feb 22, 2026

Thank you, Teacher, for briefly presenting the essence of the meaning behind the urge/desire to learn and explaining the external environment/surroundings/state/conditions for this path!

And, of course, for the idea itself—your idea!

Веретенников Сергей · Feb 22, 2026

SCENE 3. ALLY

— “Maiz-pinto,” crystals, feathers... — all of these are toys compared with an “ally,” he said. — They are needed only when there is no “ally.” Searching for them is a waste of time, especially for you. What you really need is to try to obtain an “ally.” And when you succeed, you will understand what I am saying now. Objects of power are child’s play.

— Don Juan, understand me correctly, — I protested. — Of course I would not mind obtaining an “ally,” but I would like to know more in general. You yourself said that knowledge is power.

— No, — he cut me off. — Power depends on the knowledge you possess. What is the point of knowing something useless?

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“There are certain objects endowed with power,” he said. “There are many such objects that sorcerers use with the help of friendly spirits.”

“These objects are tools—not merely tools, but instruments of death. And yet they are only tools. One cannot learn anything from them.”

“The power of an object depends on its owner, on who he really is.”

“An object of power used by a weak brujo is almost a joke; conversely, the tools of a powerful brujo derive their power from him.”

“Anything can be an object of power.”

“There are limitations to these varieties of power,” he continued. “But my clarification, I am sure, will mean nothing to you.”

“As for me, one might say that it took my whole life to understand that a single ‘ally’ is worth all the objects of power with their childish secrets.”

Веретенников Сергей · Feb 22, 2026

SCENE 4. THE SPOT

First of all, he drew attention to the fact that I was getting very tired sitting on the floor, and that, to begin with, I should find a “spot,” as he put it, where I could sit without getting tired for as long as I wished.

Until then, I had been sitting with my arms around my ankles and my knees pressed against my chin. As soon as he said this, I felt completely exhausted, and my back was aching from fatigue.

I expected him to explain what this “spot” was, but he did not even think of explaining anything. I decided that perhaps he meant I should move, so I got up and sat down closer to him. He was indignant and began explaining emphatically, stressing every word, that a “spot” was a place where you feel like yourself—strong and happy. He patted the place on the veranda where he was sitting and said: “Here, for example, is my own spot.” Then he added that I had to solve this problem myself, and without delay.

To me, this task was simply a riddle. I had no idea where to begin, or even what exactly to do. Several times I asked him to give me some kind of key, or at least a hint about how to begin searching for this very place where I would feel strong and happy. I stood my ground and insisted that I had absolutely no idea what he meant or how to approach solving the problem. He suggested that I walk around the veranda—perhaps I would find the “spot.”

I stood up and began pacing back and forth; finally, I realized how foolish it was and sat down in front of him.

He became angry and declared that I did not want to listen to anything and, apparently, was not going to learn at all. Then he calmed down and began explaining again that you cannot sit or even simply remain in just any place, and that somewhere within the veranda there was one special place, a “spot,” where I would feel best. My task was to find it among all the others. If you like, this could be understood as meaning that I had to “feel out” every spot here until I could determine, without any doubt, which one was right for me.

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“Because you do not know your own heart.”

“What truly matters is that you know exactly why you want this so desperately.”

“He remained silent for a long time, while I kept waiting for an answer, since it seemed that he was weighing something in his mind.”

“The undertaking seemed hopeless, and I resigned myself in advance to being refused.”

“He made it clear that he might grant my requests—provided that I gained clarity of thought.”

1472 · Feb 22, 2026

Thank you

!
I’ll be waiting for the continuation.

Веретенников Сергей · Feb 22, 2026

A little mysticism.

Yesterday I was thinking about what to call the series.

I considered various titles.

And yet, with the help of the very same ChatGPT, I chose “Stopping the World.” After all, it is one of the key themes in the books.

But today I looked at this title and saw OM.

Веретенников Сергей · Feb 22, 2026

SCENE 5. THE BOUNDARIES OF LEARNING

Then don Juan said that anyone who embarks on the path of learning has to give it everything, just as I had given everything in my search for my “spot,” and that the boundaries of learning are determined by the very nature of the student. That is precisely why conversations about learning are utterly pointless. Some kinds of knowledge are simply beyond my abilities and could destroy me. He got up, clearly indicating that the subject was exhausted, and headed for the door. I said that all of this was simply terrifying and nothing like what I had imagined.

In response, he said that fears were commonplace; we were all subject to them, and there was nothing to be done about it. However frightening the learning might be, it was even more frightening to imagine a person who had neither an ally nor knowledge.

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“He emphasized that he knew perfectly well where my spot was, so I would not be able to deceive him.”

“‘This is the only way,’ don Juan said, ‘to regard my mere desire to learn about knowledge as sufficient reason.’”

“‘In his world,’ he added in conclusion, ‘nothing comes for free, and knowledge least of all.’”

“‘I honestly tried to “feel” the difference between the places, but his criterion was beyond my reach.’”

“‘All I felt was how hopeless it was, yet I did not leave.’”

“‘After all, I had not traveled all the way here only to leave with nothing.’”

“‘He laughed and said there was nothing surprising about it, since I had not been using my eyes.’”

“‘The eyes can feel too, if one does not stare directly at things.’”

“‘Since I had taken this on, perhaps I should try what I had left—my eyes.’”

“‘A little later, the darkness around me changed.’”

“‘Suddenly, at a point roughly in the middle of the veranda, I noticed a change in shade.’”

1965 · Feb 22, 2026

Веретенников Сергей , quoted message

Namaste! Om Shanti! It feels like I’m watching a movie. I really love it when there are pictures. I read all of Castaneda’s books, but it was a long time ago, and now the pictures really bring it back to me—just as I remember the descriptions from the book. I’m eagerly awaiting the continuation. Many thanks for such joy.

1366601 · Feb 22, 2026

Teacher, is this Prav')
I have been practicing the first gate and so on for a long time.

330 · Feb 22, 2026

I liked this format too, thank you very much! A clear summary with pictures.

I finally understood what the spot means in the book.

I like sitting and sleeping by the western wall in the northern part of the room. I should observe it—perhaps I will feel less tired in that spot; it would be interesting to experiment.

2298298 · Feb 22, 2026

Веретенников Сергей said:
“Because you do not know your heart.”
To find your place of power, you have to hear it with your heart. That is how I understand Don Juan’s words.

In this series, which clearly describes Don Juan, it is easier to focus on Don Juan’s main lessons.
Then, in Scene 5, Don Juan points out the need to find your spot in order to establish yourself in further study.
The conclusion can be drawn that everything is learned only through effort and comparative experience; there is no other way.
Very valuable conclusions can be drawn from the scenes that have been created. Thank you, OM Shanti, for the scenes from “Stopping the World—OM.”
We are looking forward to the continuation of the series.

Веретенников Сергей · Feb 23, 2026

SCENE 6. KNOWLEDGE AND ALLY

Sunday, August 20, 1961

We sat in the darkness on the veranda. He said he was going to give me a certain piece of instruction—in exactly the same form in which he himself had received it from his benefactor on the first day of his apprenticeship. Don Juan had apparently memorized the formula, since he repeated it several times to make absolutely sure that I would not miss a single word.

—A man approaches knowledge in the same way he goes to war—fully awake, filled with fear, awe, and unconditional resolve. Any deviation from this rule is a fatal mistake, and whoever makes it will inevitably live to see the day when he bitterly regrets it.

When I asked why this was so, he replied that only a person who fulfills these conditions is protected from mistakes that must be paid for; only under these conditions will he not act blindly. If such a person suffers defeat, he loses only one battle, and that is not something to regret too deeply.

Then he said that he would teach me about the “ally” in exactly the same way his own benefactor had taught him. He particularly emphasized the words “exactly the same way,” repeating them several times.

An ally, he said, is a force that a person can bring into his life as an adviser, as a source of the help and strength needed to carry out various acts—great or small, right or wrong. An ally is necessary to improve and strengthen a person’s life, to guide his actions, and to increase his knowledge. An ally is, in essence, an invaluable aid in gaining knowledge. Don Juan said all this with the force of absolute conviction. It was clear that he was weighing his words carefully. He repeated the next sentence four times:

—With the help of an ally, you will see and understand things that you are unlikely to learn from anyone else.

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“—It is neither a guardian nor a spirit. It is help.”

“—An ally can be tamed and used. Mescalito cannot. He is beyond anyone and depends on no one.”

“—There are many ways. It can show this to you in the palm of its hand, or on rocks, or on trees, or simply right in front of you.”

“—This teaching is before you.”

“—It speaks. But not in words.”

“—An ally is a force capable of taking a person beyond his boundaries. That is precisely how an ally reveals what is unknown to anyone.”

“—An ally is there to give you strength.”

“If I had acted that way, he said, you would never have learned anything.”

“That is what it means: knowledge is power.”

Веретенников Сергей · Feb 24, 2026

SCENE 7. “DEVIL’S WEED”

This afternoon, Don Juan brought home two freshly dug-up datura plants.

It all began when he unexpectedly shifted the conversation to the “devil’s weed” and announced that we were going into the mountains to look for it.

We drove to the nearby mountains. There I took a shovel from the trunk and followed Don Juan into one of the canyons. For quite a long time we made our way through dense brush growing on soft, sandy soil. Don Juan stopped beside a small plant with dark green leaves and flowers shaped like large whitish bells.

“There,” Don Juan said.

He immediately began to dig. I wanted to help, but he angrily shook his head to stop me from interfering and continued digging around the plant in a circle, forming a cone-shaped pit, vertical along the outer edge and rising in a mound toward the center.

After digging the pit, he knelt before the stem and brushed away the soft soil around its base with his fingers, exposing about four inches of a large, forked root tuber, compared with which the stem was considerably thinner.

Then he got up and went to look for something.

Soon he returned with a long, dry branch and, using it as a stick, carefully cleared the soil around the forked root, exposing it to a depth of about two feet. As he dug, the soil became increasingly compact, until finally it would not yield at all.

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“—Fear is the first inevitable enemy that a man must conquer on the road to knowledge.”

“—You are not thinking about the right things, and in general you are not thinking as you should.”

“—You must look for and see the wonders that surround you.”

“—You will die of exhaustion, interested in nothing but yourself; it is this very exhaustion that makes you deaf and blind to everything else.”

“—Think at least about what a wonder it is that Mescalito played with you. What else is there to think about? The rest will come by itself.”

Веретенников Сергей · Feb 26, 2026

SCENE 8. “THE TEACHER’S PIPE”

As usual, we were sitting on the veranda, on the well-packed and carefully swept earthen floor. Suddenly, he stood up and headed into the house. Soon he returned with a narrow bundle and sat down again.

“This is my pipe,” he said. He leaned toward me and showed me the pipe he had taken out of a green canvas case. It was nine or ten inches long. The stem was made of reddish wood, smooth and uncarved. The bowl was also wooden, but compared with the stem it looked considerably more massive—polished to a shine, dark gray, almost like a piece of coal.

He brought the pipe close to my eyes. I thought he was offering it to me, and was about to take it, but he instantly pulled his hand back.

“My benefactor gave me this pipe,” he said. “In turn, I will pass it on to you. But first you must become better acquainted with it. Every time you come here, I will give it to you. You will begin by touching it. At first, you will hold it for only a very short time, until the two of you get used to each other. Then you will put it in your pocket or, say, inside your shirt, and only with time will you be able to bring it to your mouth. All this must be done gradually, very slowly and carefully. Once a stronger bond has formed between you, you will begin smoking it. If you follow my advice and do not hurry, the little smoke may perhaps become your favorite ally as well.”

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“You’re not angry with me, are you, don Juan?” I asked when he returned. He seemed surprised.

“No. I am never angry with anyone. No person can do anything that would deserve it. You become angry with people when you feel that their actions are important. I have not felt anything like that for a long time.”

Веретенников Сергей · Feb 27, 2026

SCENE 9. THE MAN OF KNOWLEDGE

— A man of knowledge is one who conscientiously and faithfully endures the hardships and difficulties of learning, — he said. — One who, neither hurrying nor delaying, sets out on a perilous journey to discover how far he will succeed in unraveling the secrets of knowledge and power.

— Can anyone become a man of knowledge?

— No, far from everyone.

— What, then, is required?

— A person must challenge his four eternal enemies and defeat them.

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Night in the Sonoran Desert.
The sky is dark, the stars bright.

Don Juan and Carlos sit on the ground facing each other. Between them is a fire. The campfire’s light picks out Don Juan’s cheekbones and Carlos’s tense face.

Don Juan speaks calmly, without grandiosity, as though he were talking about something ordinary.

He explains that becoming a man of knowledge is not a matter of curiosity or desire. It is a path along which enemies lie in wait for a person.

The first enemy is fear.
When a person begins to see the world differently, they become frightened. If they retreat, everything ends. If they overcome fear, they take the first step.

The second enemy is clarity.
After defeating fear comes a sense of understanding. A person begins to think they see everything clearly. But this clarity is a trap. It makes them confident and blind at the same time.

The third enemy is power.
When a person truly gains power, it begins to control them. They may start using it for their own benefit. And then power destroys them.

The fourth enemy is old age.
It comes to everyone. It is a weariness that can stop even the strong. It is impossible to defeat it completely, but one can postpone its dominion by refusing to give in.

Carlos listens, barely moving. The fire is reflected in his eyes.
He understands that this is not about theory—it is a map of his own destiny.

Don Juan falls silent.
Only the crackling of the wood...

The night grows deeper.

4257 · Feb 27, 2026

I haven’t been angry with anyone for a long time either; you can only be angry with someone close to you, someone who means something to you.

Post automatically merged: Feb 27, 2026

Well, if a person can fight and defeat all three enemies, then sooner or later they will lose to the fourth. Fate. But they say even old age comes only to the chosen...

Thank you, Om Shanti, for the wisdom we draw from you.

Photo Series "Stopping the World"

Веретенников Сергей

ОМ Шанти
Сергей Васильевич

190519

Веретенников Сергей

ОМ Шанти
Сергей Васильевич

190519

4257

142427

Веретенников Сергей

ОМ Шанти
Сергей Васильевич

Веретенников Сергей

ОМ Шанти
Сергей Васильевич

1472

Веретенников Сергей

ОМ Шанти
Сергей Васильевич

Веретенников Сергей

ОМ Шанти
Сергей Васильевич

1965

1366601

330

2298298

Веретенников Сергей

ОМ Шанти
Сергей Васильевич

Веретенников Сергей

ОМ Шанти
Сергей Васильевич

Веретенников Сергей

ОМ Шанти
Сергей Васильевич

Веретенников Сергей

ОМ Шанти
Сергей Васильевич

4257

Photo Series "Stopping the World"

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Сергей Васильевич

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Сергей Васильевич

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Сергей Васильевич

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Сергей Васильевич

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Сергей Васильевич

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Сергей Васильевич

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