From Academic Anthropology to Esoteric Religion
Aries November 22, 2021 Z. Kostićová
Carlos Castaneda is typically examined as a fraudulent anthropologist, novelist, philosopher, and contributor to neo-shamanism. This article instead analyzes his individual philosophy and religious system as presented in his written works, proposing a threefold classification—early, transitional, and late works—with distinct characteristics for each. The analysis shows Castaneda drifting from a scholarly style through narrative emphasis to fully religious texts, reflecting his personal trajectory from academic ambition through public scandal over his counterfeit works to founding a new religious movement as a charismatic leader. Unlike most scholarship focusing on early writings, this article emphasizes the late works, where Castaneda fully developed as a religious thinker and guru.