Carlos Castaneda

Anthropologist Carlos Cesar Arana Castaneda (December 25, 1925-April 27, 1998) File:Carlosdesign.jpg Artist Illustration of Carlos Castaneda Seeing and Taking Castaneda Seriously Castaneda, according to scholar Benjamin Epstein in his 1996 Psychology Today journal interview, was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Christmas Day in 1931. However immigration records show an earlier date of December 25, 1925 in Cajamarca, Peru. He was educated at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and earned a B.A. in 1962 and a Ph.D. in 1970. Carlos Castaneda was a controversial author of a series of books that recounted his training in traditional Native American Shamanism. The Society for the Anthropology of Consciousness, founded in 1984 by Joseph Long, states: "Castaneda, acquiring fame from his publications with the academically respectable publishers Simon and Shuster, arguably, with the exception of Margaret Mead, was the only junior scholar whose name was know to the general public" This reflected a disagreement fueled by envy and quite possibly contempt that is still present today; that of the teachings of Don Juan Matus, which "exposed a world view of an aspect of human consciousness independent of time and space and susceptible to control." The Mystical teachings of Matus expounded on the "interconnection between all life forms, and to be properly understood, the human connection and spirituality, it must mature." A rare radio interview taken in 1968, please listen and view as Carlos Castaneda explains his experiences with a "non-ordinary reality" giving validity to divination and the teachings of Don Juan. discussion ==Short Plot Summary== Journey to Ixtlan: the Lessons of Don Juan "For me the world is weird because it is stupendous, awesome, mysterious, and unfathomable; my interest has been to convince you that must assume responsibility for being here, in this marvelous time. I wanted to convince you that you must learn to make every act count, since you are going to be here for only a short while; in fact, too short for witnessing all the marvels of it" The Yaqui Indian Culture The American Indian peoples of the Sonora desert have a varied past. They are noted for their sacred dance performances. The Yaqui people honor and celebrate the Laws of Nature: 1.) The Magic of the Children of the earth, 2.) Women in the global community led and guide the family with their language and Spiritual power, 3.) Family of Life, a reference to animism or the belief that a spirit lives in everything, and 4.) The Guardians of the Family or protectors of life. In 1978, the Yaqui Tribe was federally recognized as the Pueblo of the Pascua Yaqui Indian Reservation where Indian identity and sovereignty could be maintained. Sonne Reyna, a Yaqui Sundance Peace Chief, speaks regarding Yaqui culture. Please view a video Chief video Criticisms Reviews Paul Riesman on October 22, 1972, wrote a review of the book that appeared in the New York Times, he stated: "We are incredibly fortunate to have Carlos Castaneda's books. Taken together, they form a work which is among the best that the science of anthropology has produced. The story they tell is so good, and the description so vivid, that I was utterly fascinated as I read." Saturday Review: "If anything, it is more provocative than his first two books. It is truly another world, foreign enough to make us suspend judgment, and Castaneda’s achievement is that he makes it tangible for us." Major Works Brief Description of Books The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge (1968) A Separate Reality (1971) The first two compositions are of a structured quality and reflect Castaneda’s journey to the "way of knowledge" or the Yaqui "way of knowledge" that required the use of native plants. Journey to Ixtlan (1972) Tales of Power (1974) This narrative marked a period of time, from a graduation of student to Don Juan, to a man of knowledge. This book ends with Castaneda leaping off a cliff as if he "flew." The Second Ring of Power (1977) This narrative focuses on women warriors of the Nagual (The word Nagual means among the Mexican and Central American Native Peoples, a guardian spirit that is believed to reside in animals)Dictionary The Eagle's Gift (1981) The book describes the rule of the Nagual, an eagle as a symbol of power and a way towards freedom. The Fire From Within (1984) This composition alludes to a fire or energy within each of us. This is a form of knowledge. The Power of Silence (1984) This book contains stories about mastering the various intentions of a sorcerer. The Art of Dreaming (1994) The narrative represents teachings regarding the realization of dreams in the waking state. Magical Passes (1998) The book introduces Tensegrity or the practice of body movements that increase focus and physical well being. The Active Side of Infinity (1998) This piece emphasis the practice of journaling whereby increasing ones knowledge of the soul. The Wheel of Time (2001) This book is a retelling of the other works and includes quotable material from the collection. Websites and Bibliography (5, 7, 8) Castaneda, Carlos. Journey to Ixtlan: the Lessons of Don Juan. New York: Washington Square Press, 1972. Print. Eliade, Mirces. Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy. Trans. by Willard R. Trask. New York: Bollingen Foundation, 1964. Print. Epstein, Benjamin. "My Lunch with Carlos Castaneda: (Author of Teachings of Don Juan and other books)." Psychology Today. 29.2 (1996); 30-4. Print. Freke, Timothy. Shamanic Wisdomkeepers: Shamanism in the Modern World. New York: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. 1999. Print. Gardener, Martin. "Carlos Castaneda and New Age Anthropology." Skeptical Inquirer. 23.5 (1999); 13-6. Print. Jellinek, Roger. "A Sorcerer's Success." New York Times (1857-Current File); October 14, 1972; Proquest Historical Newspapers New York Times (1851-2005). 31. Kliever, Lonnie D. "Fictive Religion: Rhetoric at Play." The Journal of the American Academy of Religion, XLIX. 49.4 (1981); 657-69. Print. Lev, Yossi. "Journey Into Nothingness: Structure of the Mental Entity-Shiomo Giora Shoham's Personality Theory." International Journal of Comparative Sociology. 44.4 (2003): 344-72. Print. (6) MindliftTV. Kleurnet TV in Amsterdam. Accessed 4 June 2009. Reisman, Paul. "Journey to Ixtlan: the Lessons of Don Juan." New York Times (1857-Current File); October 14, 1972; Proquest Historical Newspapers New York Times (1851-2005). BR 7. (2, 3, 4) Swartz, Stephen A. "Boulders in the Stream: The Lineage and Founding for the Society of Anthropology Consciousness." Accessed 4 June 2009. References See also Sustained Action, a website devoted to learning and exploring both the controversy surrounding Castaneda's work and in support of his anthropological journeys. SA ClearGreen Inc., or Carlos Castaneda's Magical Passes. This site focuses on the use of Transegrity, a type of bodily relaxation technique or art. CG Template:English Educational level: this is a tertiary (university) resource. ````--Candyangel43 14:31, 4 June 2009 (UTC)Candyce