This essay is a provisional assessment of the spiritual teachings contained in the twelve books by Carlos Castaneda and further ramified in the works of both supporters and critics. A full assessment - which would involve a more detailed presentation of the teachings and how they relate to comparable systems across eras and continents - requires a book-length treatment, something I might undertake.
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This paper examines the spiritual teachings found in the writings of Carlos Castaneda. While he presents them as the wisdom of a Yaqui Indian called don Juan Matus, the attribution is not considered essential to this analysis. Some background is provided regarding the Castaneda controversies, concluding that it may be impossible to know the extent of the fiction within the Castaneda corpus, by which is meant not just his writings but also works by those close to him and even his detractors. By dividing the teachings into exoteric and esoteric headings it is possible to see both what is universal to the spiritual life and what is unique to shamanism in the teachings of Carlos Castaneda.
Keywords: Carlos Castaneda, shamanism.
First published: Stochastic Press
Year: 2020, no of words: 17,237
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