Carlos Castaneda

Carlos Castaneda (previously Castañeda) was born in Peru on December 25, 1925 and died in Los Angeles on April 27, 1998. In the US, he wrote a controversial series of books that claimed to describe his training in traditional Native American shamanism.

Significant characters In Castaneda's works

This is a list of characters, claimed to be real persons, mentioned in Castaneda's works. Castaneda makes it clear that these are not the persons' real names (ostensibly to protect their identity). In denoting their function within each generation of practitioners, terms are used which can only be understood by reading Castaneda's writings:

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Generation of practitioners peer to Castaneda (Compact group for "three-pronged Nagual")

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• Florinda Donner-Grau -- "Northerly" "dreamer" in Castaneda's generation of practitioners
• Taisha Abelar -- "Easterly" "stalker" in Castaneda's generation of practitioners
• Carol Tiggs -- "nagual woman" in Castaneda's generation of practitioners

Generation of practitioners peer to Castaneda (Original group for "four-pronged Nagual")

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• Nestor -- the "scholarly man" in Carlos' generation of practitioners
• Benigno -- the "man of action" in Carlos' generation of practitioners
• Eligio -- a "courier" who ultimately joined previous generation due to Carlos' lack of ability to follow his explorations of awareness, apparently a manifestation of Carlos not being a four-pronged nagual
• La Gorda -- "nagual woman" in Carlos' generation of practitioners, who died trying in an attempt to join previous generation
• Rosa -- "Easterly" "dreamer" in Carlos' generation of practitioners
• Lidia -- "Northerly" "dreamer" in Carlos' generation of practitioners
• Josephina -- "Westerly" "dreamer" in Carlos' generation of practitioners
• Doña Soledad -- Originally thought to be the "Southerly" "dreamer", she turned out to be a "Northerly" "dreamer", apparently a manifestation of Carlos not being a four-pronged nagual

Generation of practitioners preceding Castaneda

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• Don Juan Matus -- leader or nagual man to a generation of practitioners, teacher to Castaneda
• Carol Tiggs-- nagual woman in Don Juan's generation of practitioners
• Genaro Flores -- the "man of action" and "master of awareness" in Don Juan's generation of practitioners, benefactor to Castaneda
• Vicente Medrano -- "scholarly man" and herbalist in Don Juan's generation of practitioners
• Silvio Manuel -- "master of intent" and purported to be permanently in a state of "heightened awareness" in Don Juan's generation of practitioners
• Juan Tuma -- "scout" in Don Juan's generation of practitioners
• Florinda Grau -- "Northerly" "dreamer" in Don Juan's generation of practitioners
• Nelida Abelar -- "Northerly" "stalker" in Don Juan's generation of practitioners
• Marta -- "Southerly" "dreamer"? in Don Juan's generation of practitioners
• Zoila Abelar -- "Westerly" "stalker" in Don Juan's generation of practitioners
• Zuleica Grau -- "Westerly" "dreamer" in Don Juan's generation of practitioners
• Delia Abelar -- "Easterly" "stalker" in Don Juan's generation of practitioners
• Celia Grau -- "Easterly" "dreamer" in Don Juan's generation of practitioners

Generation of practitioners preceding Juan Matus

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• Julián Osorio -- leader or nagual man to a generation of practitioners, teacher to Juan Matus

Generation of practitioners preceding Julián Osorio

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• Elias Grau -- leader or nagual man to a generation of practitioners, teacher to Julián Osorio, and to Juan Matus as well.

Significant event in the lineage

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• The nagual Sebastian's encounter in the 1700s with an ancient seer, the "death defier", also referred to as the "tenant". That encounter dramatically altered their lineage and was what separates the "old" seers from the "new" seers. Castaneda stated that the death defier met with every nagual since Sebastien, including with Carlos.