Castaneda: Humanist and/or Mystic?

Abstract

In this article the experiences of Carlos Castaneda in his apprenticeship to the Yaqui Indian don Juan (Castaneda, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1974) are used as a focal point for an exploration of possible incompatibilities of humanistic and transpersonal psychologies In my early readings of Castaneda I was impressed with the anecdotal material which was illustrative of growth from a humanistic viewpoint Castaneda appeared as a man on the road to self-actualization (Forisha, 1975). More recently, however, other parts of Castaneda's accounts have loomed larger for me. This other side of Castaneda's story fits more closely into the theoretical formulations of transpersonal psychology and, at times, cannot be understood within the humanistic framework. Indeed, Castaneda's experiences in part challenge the adequacy of humanistic theory as a model within which to fully appreciate our complexity.