Comments on: Nagual Art by William S. Burroughs http://sensitivitytothings.com/2007/03/11/nagual-art-by-william-burroughs/ sensitivitytothings.com Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:07:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: John Gillespie http://sensitivitytothings.com/2007/03/11/nagual-art-by-william-burroughs/#comment-297 John Gillespie Sun, 01 Apr 2007 00:19:30 +0000 http://sensitivitytothings.com/2007/03/11/nagual-art-by-william-burroughs/#comment-297 Thanks for that Larry. In all honesty I only once started a book by Burroughs, and didn't make it very far into the film of Naked Lunch either. I am however very much interested in him as a person—his ideas, the era he was a part of and to some extent the life he lived, and the fact he did so much despite a major addition suggests at the very least an incredible strength of personality, and reminds me somewhat of anecdotal stories of Indian meditation masters in the 60s who took drugs at their student’s insistence, but to absolutely no effect, just to show that drugs are a very poor imitation of the depth and heights of human consciousness. I had a friend once with a similar lifestyle—I myself instinctively drew back from his particular excesses, but at the same time watched fascinated from the sidelines, marveling at his sheer will and also capacity, despite the fact both seemed to be slowly, and by his own hand, going up in flames... Thanks for that Larry. In all honesty I only once started a book by Burroughs, and didn’t make it very far into the film of Naked Lunch either. I am however very much interested in him as a person—his ideas, the era he was a part of and to some extent the life he lived, and the fact he did so much despite a major addition suggests at the very least an incredible strength of personality, and reminds me somewhat of anecdotal stories of Indian meditation masters in the 60s who took drugs at their student’s insistence, but to absolutely no effect, just to show that drugs are a very poor imitation of the depth and heights of human consciousness.

I had a friend once with a similar lifestyle—I myself instinctively drew back from his particular excesses, but at the same time watched fascinated from the sidelines, marveling at his sheer will and also capacity, despite the fact both seemed to be slowly, and by his own hand, going up in flames…

]]> By: Larry Keiler http://sensitivitytothings.com/2007/03/11/nagual-art-by-william-burroughs/#comment-205 Larry Keiler Thu, 29 Mar 2007 03:04:11 +0000 http://sensitivitytothings.com/2007/03/11/nagual-art-by-william-burroughs/#comment-205 The only book by Burroughs I've ever been able to finish is Naked Lunch, and that was many years ago. I do have some recordings he did much later when he had already become a pop icon, and I find those interesting. His long nasal drawl seems to define him precisely. What intrigues me is that Burroughs was able to be as successful as he was despite being plagued by addiction. I forget where I saw it, but I once saw an interview where he discussed so matter-of-factly what sorts of prescription drugs were his favourites. This article about nagual art is intriguing. It makes me think of Erik Satie, somehow, who certainly was "unpredictable, spontaneous, capricious and arbitrary." He plucked finely-cut gems from the universe of sound and gave them silly names. The only book by Burroughs I’ve ever been able to finish is Naked Lunch, and that was many years ago. I do have some recordings he did much later when he had already become a pop icon, and I find those interesting. His long nasal drawl seems to define him precisely.

What intrigues me is that Burroughs was able to be as successful as he was despite being plagued by addiction. I forget where I saw it, but I once saw an interview where he discussed so matter-of-factly what sorts of prescription drugs were his favourites.

This article about nagual art is intriguing. It makes me think of Erik Satie, somehow, who certainly was “unpredictable, spontaneous, capricious and arbitrary.” He plucked finely-cut gems from the universe of sound and gave them silly names.

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