Anthropology, Castaneda's Healing Fiction, and Neo‐shamanism Print Culture

Carlos Castaneda's first book, The Teachings of Don Juan, and two subsequent texts were presented as anthropological accounts, lending them credibility. Because the accounts came from the Sonoran Desert, they appeared authentic to readers. Castaneda's refusal to specify character identities added intrigue, allowing readers to imagine or find cultural parallels. Castaneda and Don Juan became attractive cultural and intellectual models that inspired spiritual seekers to replicate their experiences.

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Abstract

Abstract Carlos Castaneda's first book, The Teachings of Don Juan, and two subsequent texts were described as anthropological accounts, which gave them credibility. Coming straight from the Sonoran Desert, Castaneda's ethnographic accounts could easily appear to readers to be authentic anthropology. The fact that Castaneda refused to specify the identity of his characters brought an intrigue to his plots. Readers of his books were left free to exercise their imaginations or to look around for cultural and individual parallels with Castaneda's characters and settings. Castaneda and Don Juan became attractive cultural and intellectual models, which inspired at least some spiritual seekers to replicate their experiences.