Carlos Castaneda
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
To those of you who are uninitiated in the world of Carlos Castaneda, this man was a graduate student in anthropology at the University of California. Castaneda shot to fame with the release of his first book, 'Teachings of Don Juan - A Yaqui way of Knowledge', a fascinating account of Castaneda's initiation into the world of sorcery, mainly through the use of mind-altering plants. His benefactor and teacher was Don Juan, an infinitely lovable Yaqui sorcerer living in the deserts of Sonora in Mexico, who evidently held within his experience a wealth of incredible knowledge.
Carlos Castaneda continued to write down his amazing story for many years after; 'The Art of Dreaming(1993)' was yet another mind-blowing journey into the world of Don Juan, Sorcery, and specifically, Dreaming; it was essentially Castaneda's last work - he died in 1998.
For all those who were fully immersed in the Castaneda world, fully convinced that within the knowledge presented here lay the key to human survival, and the true structure of reality. We were taught to see the 'Mud Shadows' in their fierce dance in the twilight, we believed in the 'Path of Knowledge' and respected 'The Warriors way' and above all, we bathed in the profound incredible secrets that the unbearably knowledgable Don Juan spoke of.
Unfortunately, Carlos Castaneda is a almost certainly a hoax. Many don't know it yet and continue to try to live their life by the books, and some know it and simply read the books for their understandable enjoyment. Others have been thoroughly wrecked by this revelation.
Carlos Castaneda's works were de-constructed by Richard deMILLE in two books entitled, 'Castaneda's Journey' and 'Don Juan Papers:Further Castaneda Conroversies'. DeMILLE neither sides with Castaneda or condemns him, but cleverly puts his fiction to rest.
The literature of Carlos Castaneda has provided a heart-stopping account of reality for the reader, but in the knowledge that his material is only a work of fiction, none of the original splendour can be experienced. It would be truly wonderful if everyone who wanted to read Castaneda could do so with innocence and untainted curiosity, because no one in that position can fail to want to change their lives by what they read. It is unfortunate then that that will never happen; its hard even to recommend Castaneda for the heartache he may have caused to former 'believers'.
Carlos Castaneda was a fascinating man who once had a following to fear. Since Richard deMILLE's de-construction, the same kind of euphoria experienced reading about the apprentice sorcerer won't be felt again, and perhaps rightly so. Many still argue that the truths of everything are still to be revealed through his work, but perhaps it would also be wise to lay the legend to rest - along with its creator.
Carlos Castaneda continued to write down his amazing story for many years after; 'The Art of Dreaming(1993)' was yet another mind-blowing journey into the world of Don Juan, Sorcery, and specifically, Dreaming; it was essentially Castaneda's last work - he died in 1998.
For all those who were fully immersed in the Castaneda world, fully convinced that within the knowledge presented here lay the key to human survival, and the true structure of reality. We were taught to see the 'Mud Shadows' in their fierce dance in the twilight, we believed in the 'Path of Knowledge' and respected 'The Warriors way' and above all, we bathed in the profound incredible secrets that the unbearably knowledgable Don Juan spoke of.
Unfortunately, Carlos Castaneda is a almost certainly a hoax. Many don't know it yet and continue to try to live their life by the books, and some know it and simply read the books for their understandable enjoyment. Others have been thoroughly wrecked by this revelation.
Carlos Castaneda's works were de-constructed by Richard deMILLE in two books entitled, 'Castaneda's Journey' and 'Don Juan Papers:Further Castaneda Conroversies'. DeMILLE neither sides with Castaneda or condemns him, but cleverly puts his fiction to rest.
The literature of Carlos Castaneda has provided a heart-stopping account of reality for the reader, but in the knowledge that his material is only a work of fiction, none of the original splendour can be experienced. It would be truly wonderful if everyone who wanted to read Castaneda could do so with innocence and untainted curiosity, because no one in that position can fail to want to change their lives by what they read. It is unfortunate then that that will never happen; its hard even to recommend Castaneda for the heartache he may have caused to former 'believers'.
Carlos Castaneda was a fascinating man who once had a following to fear. Since Richard deMILLE's de-construction, the same kind of euphoria experienced reading about the apprentice sorcerer won't be felt again, and perhaps rightly so. Many still argue that the truths of everything are still to be revealed through his work, but perhaps it would also be wise to lay the legend to rest - along with its creator.
