Sense of live

Immigration records for Carlos Cesar Arana Castaneda (Castañeda), indicate that he was born on December 25 (Christmas Day) 1925 in Cajamarca, Perú. Records show that his surname was given by his mother Susana Castañeda Navoa. His father was Cesar Arana Burungaray. His surname appears with the ñ in many Hispanic dictionaries, even though his famous published works display an anglicised version. He moved to the United States in the early 1950s and became a naturalized citizen in 1957. In 1960 he was married to Margaret Runyan in in Tijuana, Mexico. They lived together for only six months, but their divorce was not finalized until 1973. He was educated at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) (B.A. 1962; Ph.D. 1973).

Castaneda wrote twelve books and several academic articles detailing his experiences with a Yaqui Indian from northern Mexico. His first three books, The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge, A Separate Reality and Journey to Ixtlan were written while Castaneda was an anthropology student at UCLA. Castaneda wrote these books as if they were his research log describing his apprenticeship with a traditional “Man of Knowledge” identified as don Juan Matus. Castaneda was awarded his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees for the work described in these books.

In March of 1973 Casteaneda was the subject of a cover article in Time cover article March 5, 1973 (Vol. 101 No. 10). Following that interview Castaneda disappeared from public view until the last decade of his life.

In 1974 his fourth book, Tales of Power, was published. This book ended with Castaneda leaping from a cliff into an abyss, marking the end of his training under the tutelage of don Juan. Some commentators thought this must necessarily mark the end of the series, and were surprised to find both don Juan and his apprentice Castaneda returning for many more books in the ongoing saga. Despite an increasingly chilly reception from literary as well as anthropological writers, Castaneda continued to be popular with the reading public. In all twelve books by Castaneda were published, and three videos released.

In the 1990′s Castaneda once again began appearing in public to promote Tensegrity, a group of movements that he said had been passed down by 25 generations of Toltec shamans. On June 16, 1995 articles of incorporation executed by George Short were filed to create Cleargreen Incorporated. The Cleargreen statement of purpose says in part:

Cleargreen is a corporation that has a twofold purpose. First, it sponsors and organizes seminars and workshops on Carlos Castaneda’s Tensegrity, and second, it is a publishing house.

Castaneda died on April 27, 1998 in Los Angeles due to complications from hepatocellular cancer. There was no public service, Castaneda was cremated and the ashes were sent to Mexico. It wasn’t until nearly two months later on June 19, 1998 that an obituary entitled A Hushed Death for Mystic Author Carlos Castaneda by staff writer J.R. Moehringer appeared in the Los Angeles Times.

Books of Carlos Castaneda