Abstract
The paper maps the concept of freedom in the works of Carlos Castaneda, both from the historical point of view, regarding its development from the early to the late writings, and from the analytical point of view that tries to discern the main sources which contributed to Castaneda's concept of freedom. The historical perspective follows Castaneda's development from his beginnings as an anthropologist and philosopher to his late years when he became a full-fledged religious leader, creating both spiritual doctrine and practice.
The basic influences that shaped Castaneda's concept of freedom range from the spirituality of the early New Age movement (mainly the psychedelic revolution) to western philosophers such as Husserl, Heidegger, Schutz, and Wittgenstein. The main themes that can be discerned in Castaneda's concept of freedom consist of freedom from oneself, freedom from a limited understanding of reality and, finally, freedom from death.
This last point finally becomes the main nucleus of Castaneda's mature religious doctrines.