Patricia Partin
Encyclopedia
Patricia Partin, also known as Nury Alexander, was born Patricia Lee Partin on September 4, 1957. She was a member of the inner circle that formed the core of the group to which Carlos Castaneda
was the leader. She was said to be the Blue Scout who is featured in Castaneda’s book The Art of Dreaming
published by HarperCollins
.
She was last seen alive in late April 1998, having disappeared shortly after Castaneda's death on April 27, 1998. Her whereabouts were not known for certain until her remains were discovered in Death Valley National Park
in 2003 and positively identified by DNA testing in 2006. The cause of death could not be determined.
, Nevada
. According to a divorce petition filed by Silliphant on February 22, 1977, he and Patricia separated after 19 days of marriage. Mark had been enrolled as a Theater Arts major at the University of California, Los Angeles
from Fall 1972 through Spring 1974 during which time Castaneda also attended the university and both he and Patricia were members of Castaneda’s “inner circle” at some point during the 1970s.
In 1973, after Castaneda appeared on the cover of Time magazine
, he bought a compound on Pandora Avenue in Westwood, California
, and dropped out of the public view. It was at this time that he started to build his inner circle of associates.
Castaneda wrote about the concept of "erasing personal history" and advised his associates to sever ties with their family. Sometime in either 1977 or 1978 Patricia and Mark visited Patricia's mother and that was the last contact she had with her family for almost twenty years.
As part of the process of erasing personal history, the women of Castaneda's inner circle changed their names and refused to allow their pictures to be taken. Eventually all the women also had their hair cut short and bleached blond.
On June 30, 1978 Mark and Patricia’s divorce was finalized and the next month Patricia changed her name to Nury Alexander (on the documents the typed word Nuri is altered by hand replacing the “i” with a “y”.) On October 3, 1985 Castaneda executed an 11-page will in Beverly Hills, California
leaving 1/4 of his estate to "Nuri" Alexander.
In 1993 The Art of Dreaming
, which introduces the character of the blue scout, was published. In 1995 Partin, as Nury Alexander, was adopted by Castaneda. Her last public appearance was on April 4, 1998 at a Tensegrity
workshop at the Santa Monica College Gymnasium. In 1996 or 1997 Partin's brother-in-law tracked her down through Cleargreen
. They had a brief telephone conversation and parted on bad terms.
Sometime in late April Patricia Partin left Los Angeles, along with Florinda Donner-Grau
, Taisha Abelar
, Kylie Lundahl and Talia Bey, and was never heard from again. All of their telephone numbers were disconnected on the same day. Early in May Partin’s car was found abandoned in Death Valley's remote Panamint Dunes.
The only recorded reaction of her family to her disappearance is an e-mail from her sister sent to the website "Sustained Action", six months after the fact:
Richard Jennings, the founder of Sustained Action, seemed to maintain his opinion that the Partins were "a loving family", although he admitted he'd only talked to them once for a chat on Patty's background.
After the death of Castaneda, accounts started to come out about the cult-like activities taking place within Castaneda’s compound. In August 2003 Amy Wallace, who was at one time a sexual partner of Castaneda’s, published her book The Sorcerer's Apprentice: My Life with Carlos Castaneda, which provided the first alleged inside look into the cult that Castaneda had been creating.
In 2003, Partin's bones were discovered in the general vicinity of her abandoned car. They were positively identified in 2006 using DNA analysis.
Carlos Castaneda
Carlos Castaneda was a Peruvian-born American anthropologist and author....
was the leader. She was said to be the Blue Scout who is featured in Castaneda’s book The Art of Dreaming
The Art of Dreaming
The Art of Dreaming is an allegedly non-fictional book written by author/anthropologist Carlos Castaneda and published in 1993. The book reportedly describes the events that took place during an apprenticeship he claimed to have served with a self-proclaimed Yaqui Indian Sorcerer, don Juan Matus,...
published by HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
.
She was last seen alive in late April 1998, having disappeared shortly after Castaneda's death on April 27, 1998. Her whereabouts were not known for certain until her remains were discovered in Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park is a national park in the U.S. states of California and Nevada located east of the Sierra Nevada in the arid Great Basin of the United States. The park protects the northwest corner of the Mojave Desert and contains a diverse desert environment of salt-flats, sand dunes,...
in 2003 and positively identified by DNA testing in 2006. The cause of death could not be determined.
Biography
Patricia earned 116 of 190 required credits and then dropped out of high school in the spring of 1975. She worked as a waitress and married Mark Silliphant on January 23, 1977 in Las VegasLas Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. According to a divorce petition filed by Silliphant on February 22, 1977, he and Patricia separated after 19 days of marriage. Mark had been enrolled as a Theater Arts major at the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
from Fall 1972 through Spring 1974 during which time Castaneda also attended the university and both he and Patricia were members of Castaneda’s “inner circle” at some point during the 1970s.
In 1973, after Castaneda appeared on the cover of Time magazine
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, he bought a compound on Pandora Avenue in Westwood, California
Westwood, California
Westwood is a census-designated place in Lassen County, California, United States. Westwood is located west-southwest of Susanville, at an elevation of 5128 feet...
, and dropped out of the public view. It was at this time that he started to build his inner circle of associates.
Castaneda wrote about the concept of "erasing personal history" and advised his associates to sever ties with their family. Sometime in either 1977 or 1978 Patricia and Mark visited Patricia's mother and that was the last contact she had with her family for almost twenty years.
As part of the process of erasing personal history, the women of Castaneda's inner circle changed their names and refused to allow their pictures to be taken. Eventually all the women also had their hair cut short and bleached blond.
On June 30, 1978 Mark and Patricia’s divorce was finalized and the next month Patricia changed her name to Nury Alexander (on the documents the typed word Nuri is altered by hand replacing the “i” with a “y”.) On October 3, 1985 Castaneda executed an 11-page will in Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
leaving 1/4 of his estate to "Nuri" Alexander.
In 1993 The Art of Dreaming
The Art of Dreaming
The Art of Dreaming is an allegedly non-fictional book written by author/anthropologist Carlos Castaneda and published in 1993. The book reportedly describes the events that took place during an apprenticeship he claimed to have served with a self-proclaimed Yaqui Indian Sorcerer, don Juan Matus,...
, which introduces the character of the blue scout, was published. In 1995 Partin, as Nury Alexander, was adopted by Castaneda. Her last public appearance was on April 4, 1998 at a Tensegrity
Tensegrity (Castaneda)
Tensegrity was a term used by Carlos Castaneda to refer to some movements called magical passes that he said were developed by Native American shamans who lived in Mexico in times prior to the Spanish conquest.-Cleargreen Inc and Tensegrity:Castaneda and the other students of Don Juan created...
workshop at the Santa Monica College Gymnasium. In 1996 or 1997 Partin's brother-in-law tracked her down through Cleargreen
Cleargreen Incorporated
Cleargreen Incorporated is a for profit corporation founded by Carlos Castaneda in order to promote Tensegrity, a group of movements that he said had been passed down by 25 generations of Toltec shamans....
. They had a brief telephone conversation and parted on bad terms.
Sometime in late April Patricia Partin left Los Angeles, along with Florinda Donner-Grau
Florinda Donner
Florinda Donner is an American author and anthropologist. She disappeared in 1998....
, Taisha Abelar
Taisha Abelar
Taisha Abelar, born Maryann Simko, is an American author and anthropologist who was a close associate of Carlos Castaneda. She disappeared shortly after Castaneda's death in 1998...
, Kylie Lundahl and Talia Bey, and was never heard from again. All of their telephone numbers were disconnected on the same day. Early in May Partin’s car was found abandoned in Death Valley's remote Panamint Dunes.
The only recorded reaction of her family to her disappearance is an e-mail from her sister sent to the website "Sustained Action", six months after the fact:
Richard Jennings, the founder of Sustained Action, seemed to maintain his opinion that the Partins were "a loving family", although he admitted he'd only talked to them once for a chat on Patty's background.
After the death of Castaneda, accounts started to come out about the cult-like activities taking place within Castaneda’s compound. In August 2003 Amy Wallace, who was at one time a sexual partner of Castaneda’s, published her book The Sorcerer's Apprentice: My Life with Carlos Castaneda, which provided the first alleged inside look into the cult that Castaneda had been creating.
In 2003, Partin's bones were discovered in the general vicinity of her abandoned car. They were positively identified in 2006 using DNA analysis.