– Resolving the mystery Carlos Castaneda –
In the consistent writing the title should be a substratum of the idea and the text its expansion. The subtitle, where given, points out some of the difficulties to include the whole idea in just one phrase – the title one. The idea of this essay is exposed in the title. Resolving the mystery known as Carlos Castaneda, as the title suggest is in the context of the words Ecstasy and Conspiracy, as a key words for comprehending his opus. The subtitle instructs that besides the context of the literary work in the construction Carlos Castaneda the mystery is also the author of the opus, which is an object of this essay.
Who is Carlos Castaneda?
In the literature’s history there is only one more author who in hiding his own identity and biography succeeded to stay as much or even more enigmatic than Castaneda. It is an already notorious case with the identity of B. Traven, an author of “Rebellion Mexico” and lots of other literary works among which the most popular is the famous bestseller few times adapted for the movies titled as “The treasure of Sierra Madre”. Although at the end of this mysterious writer’s life, the editor placed his name as Bent, instead of the initial “B” to suggest a Nordic ethnic genealogy, experts agree that until today we can not be certain if B. Traven is a name or a pseudonym, a male or a female, Mexican, Indian, or European, or if this is a pseudonym for a person at all and not a name for whole group of authors who prefer to stay in unclear anonymity.
#1 Things are very similar with Carlos Castaneda. And again as with B. Traven that Mejico Lindo Micoraso! Again an author who gravitates toward this unusual country which is still not just unknown to others, but as it looks with huge emptiness in its own self-conscious. The spiritual energy of Mexico practically has not been even touched with not one systematic research, and still remains magnetically repulsive for this kind of studies. But this is why Mexico captures those who are occupied by searching of a buried treasure and in this occupation the whole certainty is reduced to intuition and inside assurance (conviction). The treasure that Castaneda had searched for all of his life by his believes had also been hidden in Mexico. But this treasure has not been material, but spiritual, and not of a kind that controls the others, but which discovers the greatest secret. The secret of self-identity, as a part of the secret of the Universe.
Carlos Castaneda is Doctor Faust of the 20th century!
Prepared to do everything (that means truly everything) with himself, determined to except any challenge and to agree to experience every experiment on his own skin, Carlos Castaneda has had only one thing in mind: discovering of that Veritas Ultima – the last Truth! Nothing less from that was big enough for him.
That is why it is only logical that Castaneda had not put an accent at his own personality, he was not the one that the others should understand. For himself he was just one of the searchers – maximum determined though, with great gift and firmness – with an obligation to inform honestly and in details for his discoveries and searching progress. His books are exactly that: letters to unknown friends, scientific reports of séances; experiences with hallucinogenic exciters, testimonies, and diaries. This is why it is not astonishing that his editor’s announcement for Carlos Castaneda’s death was issued on the 20th of June, and the date of his death is 27th of April, which is over 50 days later. And no funeral rituals nor ceremonies. The ashes of his cremated body, at his will is moved to – Mexico.
As an author of the serial novels of the magical teachers Don Juan that reached circulation of above 50 millions copies, in more than 60 languages, Castaneda chose to stay out of the public focus. “Not I, but one that I am looking for”! – Wrote Castaneda himself in “The Ring of the power” for what he considers is important in one man’s life.
However, for the needs of the methodological approach that insists on the key importance of the biographical researches, everything that can be find is reduced to poor information. He was born between 1925 (earliest) and 1931 (latest) in the month of December, (probably on 25th), most likely somewhere in South America – (dominates a conviction that it is Peru!). According to some not fully confirmed information, Carlos Castaneda in 1973 had received his Ph.D. at the University of Berkeley (UCLA), Anthropology department. He had rarely appeared in public, so only his photography from 1951 is considered authentic. Smiling, Castaneda here confirms the thesis of his Peru background, but seriously questions the validity of his date of birth. The expression of his face and especially his ears, points to a man not younger than 35 and by the earliest estimate, he should have had 25 years of age on that photo. It is interesting that there is non-audio record of his voice.
With a big pomp, but with even bigger reasons, promoted as a Guru of the New Age, Carlos Castaneda will loudly echo with his ten novels – reports. Because, if we paraphrase him – “Not the voice, but what has been spoken is that what truly matters in every speech”.
And what really Castaneda had spoken!?
”Every road is just – a road. So do not hesitate to desert it if your heart tells you so… Examine it carefully, each time. Walk through it as many times as you wish and as far as you decide to try it. And after, ask yourself – and only yourself! – Has this road a heart!? If it does, it is a good road, if not, it is a waist to spend your life on a road like that.”
Carlos Castaneda: The Teaching Of Don Juan