Carlos Castaneda

[trainedobserver]

Carlos Castaneda perpetuated a colossal fraud that spanned a lifetime.

 

[jimp]

I was very impressed by Castaneda's books as a teenager in the 70s. I would say that his books changed my life to a certain degree -- especially as to a belief that there may be worlds around us that are beyond our natural senses. In fact, I probably owe my interest in the paranormal, UFOs, and other strange stuff, to his works. Since then, I found out that his research was very dubious, much or most of it invented or otherwise confabulated. And his later career as a sort of New Age guru I found pretty repulsive -- it went against how he described the world of shamanism and sorcery in his books.

Castaneda's books -- especially the early ones -- are still fascinating to me. I think there must be some sort of truth or wisdom to them, no matter where Castaneda got his inspiration. After reading several online documents about Castaneda, I think that he probably did interact with the Yaqui Indians in Mexico, may have used the hallucinogenic plants with them, and may have at least interviewed someone like Don Juan. Or maybe Don Juan was an amalgam of a few different shamans he had come in contact with.

So I suppose I read Castaneda's books today as fiction that contains some universal spiritual truths in them -- kind of the way I read most books about the paranormal and UFOs, actually. I find John Keel, for instance, to be very entertaining, and his books get at things about the UFO phenomena that are unique. I think, though, that Keel made stuff up, or at least exaggerated and confabulated.

 

[trainedobserver]

Since then, I found out that his research was very dubious, much or most of it invented or otherwise confabulated. And his later career as a sort of New Age guru I found pretty repulsive -- it went against how he described the world of shamanism and sorcery in his books.

The world of shamanism and sorcery in his books was, like you said inventedand a total ficiton. Actual shamans performed a much different function within their tribe as they described in the above documentary. Also, I think they alluded to Castaneda borrowing bits from various sources in the process of constructing the myth.

I find John Keel, for instance, to be very entertaining, and his books get at things about the UFO phenomena that are unique. I think, though, that Keel made stuff up, or at least exaggerated and confabulated.

Yes, I think you are right there.

 

[tyder001]

Castaneda's books -- especially the early ones -- are still fascinating to me. I think there must be some sort of truth or wisdom to them, no matter where Castaneda got his inspiration.


Not being an ass here but I have to ask. First though I will say this. I perused these books at a young age but didn't get into them. But, my question is this. If everything Phil Ibrogono says is now suspect . I do agree by the way that it is suspect and I'll be deleting two books from my Kindle that I had already purchased. Anyway, how do you give Castaneda any credibility either? This is just one of many reasons that I tell people to stay away from Gurus.

 

[trainedobserver]

Anyway, how do you give Castaneda any credibility either? This is just one of many reasons that I tell people to stay away from Gurus.

I don't think you can. The documentary alludes to some the possible sources of his alleged esoteric knowledge which appear to have been libraries and his imagination. It certainly wasn't the type of research he claimed.

 

[jimp]

Castaneda's books -- especially the early ones -- are still fascinating to me. I think there must be some sort of truth or wisdom to them, no matter where Castaneda got his inspiration.


Not being an ass here but I have to ask. First though I will say this. I perused these books at a young age but didn't get into them. But, my question is this. If everything Phil Ibrogono says is now suspect . I do agree by the way that it is suspect and I'll be deleting two books from my Kindle that I had already purchased. Anyway, how do you give Castaneda any credibility either? This is just one of many reasons that I tell people to stay away from Gurus.

I don't find Castaneda credible at all -- just interesting. And if I had first approached him now in my life instead of as an impressionable youth, I doubt I would even find him interesting. I only read his early books --and found out about his having been a New Age guru only relatively recently. I share your complete distrust of gurus!

I've never read anything from Imbrogno. I heard him interviewed once on Binnall of America, and interestingly, Tim Binnall kind of pressed Imbrogno on some stuff he was saying about Air Force investigators interviewing people in Massachusetts, which is where Binnall lives. Some kind of red flags went up for Tim, and I was curious enough to write something in the BofA forum about it -- but no response. I even said something about Imbrogno reminding me of Keel in the way he had a lot of great stories (non-musicians channeling Mozart-like concertos, for instance) but no proof to back them up. Though I would never have guessed that Imbrogno was as much of a fraud as he turned out to be. Imbrogno's fake military career is very shameful, of course -- but I think Castaneda actually ruined lives with his cult guru business.