Every single mystical system contains alot of cosmetica; ideas and views which are not absolute truths but rather some kind of conventions. Some religions contain little else but cosmetica, while most mystical systems contain a little less. Often these layers of cosmetica are taken for truths, and it is these layers the novice has to dig through before he/ she can gain any theoretical knowledge. (It is of course appropriate, in this context, to mention those for whom theoretical knowledge is worthless, who attains real [practical] insights without having to bother with theoretical stuff... lucky fellas...)

When a practitioner of some system have managed to see through the thick layers of dogma, she/ he can finally see the common denominators in the different systems.

What mystical practice one chooses to 'join' is to a large extent dependant of ones liking of the traditions cosmetica, which in turn may be dependant of ones culture and ones upbringing. In order to make eastern mysticism (taoism, buddhism, yoga etc) more suitable for the western mind, much of the cosmetica have been removed.

Even in systems which are said to be without dogmas we find a huge layer of tradition; this is true for both Taoism and Zen. What is pure Zen, one may ask; the Zen we see in the west is not really Buddhism, since most of the Buddhism is washed away, but in Japan Zen is very much Buddhism.

Cosmetica in castanedianism

What we have is the stories told to us by Carlos Castaneda, Carol Tiggs, Florinda Donner Grau and Taisha Abelar. Although the castanedian tradition contains less bullshit than many other systems, alot of the stuff we are presented with may be considered cosmetica until it is possible to verify it by practical experience. We have for instance the Eagles Emanations, the idea of the Eagle, and the ancient Toltec tradition as it is described in the books, none of these may ever be possible to verify.

Perhaps when the practitioner have looked through the castanedian cosmetics, it will be interesting to examine other traditions. One must not forget, however, to maintain practice.