Jacobo Grinberg’s relationship with Castaneda in his own words

Teresa and Jacobo Grinberg

Just added here Professor Jacobo Grinberg’s account of the interactions he and his wife Teresa had with Carlos Castaneda and his group in 1991, when the two were invited to become part of Castaneda’s group in Los Angeles. Professor Grinberg declined the offer, and kept secret his interactions with Castaneda per Castaneda’s request until 1994, when he felt impelled to memorialize them–both to relieve himself of the secret and to “serve who reads it.” Grinberg titled his piece about this experience “The Bird of Liberty.”

I find Grinberg’s account of his interactions with Nury, Florinda, Taisha and Carol when he spent a week with the group in Los Angeles to be insightful. I also resonate with his account of multiple sessions where Castaneda ridiculed the social order, made fun of numerous celebrities he had met, and urged Grinberg that he was presenting him with a fleeting opportunity to follow the “bird of liberty.” What Grinberg experienced in his intense interactions with Castaneda in 1991 was virtually identical to what I heard from Castaneda in the weekly, and sometimes nightly, sessions I was part of from 1995-1997. Grinberg’s account suggests Castaneda was particularly interested in having the celebrated Mexican professor and/or his wife join his group, in that Castaneda also made up stories about “Indians” who had briefly abducted the Blue Scout during their visit, and who were otherwise jealous of the opportunity he was affording the Grinbergs.

Another piece on this site, excerpted from a 1997 New Age Journal article by a Mexican journalist, details Grinberg’s disappearance in 1994 and his relationship with his wife Teresa, who also went missing a year later.

–Richard Jennings

Related Links:

• Professor Jacobo Grinberg’s Relationship with Castaneda
• Jacobo Grinberg’s involvement with Carlos Castaneda
• Controversy in Mexico: Questions Asked & Unanswered