Part 1: Chapter 5 Summary and Analysis

In January of 1963, Matus begins teaching about Datura's "second portion," where real learning begins. It must be taken at least twenty times before one masters soaring through the air, seeing where he wishes, and doing "unimaginable things to gain more power." Matus can show only one step beyond this, because he quit this path when the weed nearly killed him. There are millions of paths and one must follow only the one that has a "heart." All paths lead nowhere, but those with heart are good and joyful, making one strong. Others weaken and should be abandoned.

On Apr. 21, Matus and Castaneda go into the hills where Matus spends three hours alone with his Datura and returns with his "last gift" to Castaneda, who in Matus' room, learns laboriously to grind seeds to powder, add other ingredients, and cook...