"This modern take on traditional witchcraft will introduce newcomers to the unique and vibrant traditions of magical practice. Drawing inspiration from Latin American and Afro-Caribbean regions, The Modern Art of Brujería takes readers on a journey through spirituality. Touching on historical colonial impact, this book offers new approaches to practicing traditional magic that support and uplift cultures that were once oppressed for their beliefs"--
"This book focuses on the blend of American and Mexican folk magic currently being used by those living in the US but whose roots are in the Mexican culture. This type of Mexican-American folk magic contains its own unique saints and spirits, as well as the more familiar, such as the infamous Santa Muerte. It is extremely similar to Conjure traditions of the American south and, in fact, shares a lot of crossover, demonstrating how these traditions have influenced one another"--
Discover the vibrant culture of brujeria and embrace your own inner witch with this essential guide to spellcasting, spirit worship, tarot, crystals, and all the other elements of this increasingly popular lifestyle. A modern Mexican bruja is a powerful person, one who reads the tarot and performs spellwork and rituals of devotion to their spirit guides and deities. Brujeria, which translates as witchcraft in Spanish, is a unique form of spirituality that blends core elements of Afro-Indigenous beliefs. Having originated in Mexico, brujeria is now practiced in Latinx communities across the world. Valeria Ruelas was raised living every aspect of the brujeria lifestyle. From shopping at botanicas and yerberias, to casting spells, to interpreting tarot readings, Valeria has today become one of the foremost practitioners of brujeria in the US. And as part of her daily practice, she seeks to bring the intense wisdom, harmony, and spirituality that comes with living this bruja lifestyle to her followers and returning power and ancestral magic to those whose agency has been lost. Within these pages, Valeria provides you with an expert’s introductory handbook for all the aspects of brujeria, including, -Respectfully shopping at a yerberia or botanica -A complete guide to common crystals -Essentials for your altar -A introduction to tarot -Spells to bring luck, love, and good fortune -The secrets of Santa Muerte Comprehensive and inspiring, The Mexican Witch Lifestyle is the perfect guide for anyone curious to learn more about this vibrant culture of witchcraft.
Delve into the world of witchcraft, communicate with your ancestors, and perform spiritual cleansings while celebrating culture and tradition. This is not your abuela’s brujería. This modern take on traditional witchcraft will introduce newcomers to the unique and vibrant traditions of magical practice. Drawing inspiration from Latin American and Afro-Caribbean regions, The Modern Art of Brujería takes readers on a journey through spirituality. Touching on historical colonial impact, this book offers new approaches to practicing traditional magic that support and uplift cultures that were once oppressed for their beliefs. Inside you’ll find: Tips for ancestral communication Instruction for limpias or spiritual cleansings Different types of candle magic And much more! Let The Modern Art of Brujería be your guidebook as you delve into the complex world of witchcraft. “This was a really interesting book that glimpses into Mexican cultural lore and traditional folk magic. Packed full of recipes and prayers, this book is essential for witches of all paths . . . If you feel a pull back to the magic of your ancestors, this book is written for you.” —Roses and Reviews “You will find inspiration here from Latin American and Afro-Caribbean regions written in a very readable style. There are tips for ancestral communication, instruction for spiritual cleansing, various types of candle magic, and oh so much more!” —PaganPages.org
This beginner-friendly guide is the ideal choice for understanding and practicing brujería--the healing witchcraft of Mexico and the American Southwest. Adapted from a twelve-month series of classes, The Sacred Art of Brujería is a hands-on learning tool that features practical techniques, engaging exercises, and clear explanations of a wide variety of brujería-related topics. This remarkable how-to book is unlike any other, covering everything from the history and divine figures of brujería to the healing, protection, and money magic that you can utilize in daily life. Explore power words and breath work, treat spiritual maladies, perform different types of limpia (cleansing and clearing), and learn about brujería as a business. Professional bruja Katrina Rasbold gives you an insider's look at this sacred practice and how it helps others as well as yourself.
"This complete self-study course in modern Wicca is a treasured classic - an essential and trusted guide that belongs in every witch's library."---Back cover
"Brujas, Witches of Color are ancestral magical beings and the world we live in has tried to silence our voices. . . . This book is such a beautiful tribute to the different stories and experiences we go through as brujas. . . . Amplify the voice of Witches of Color by reading their stories." —Juliet Diaz, author of Witchery and Plant Witchery There is a new kind of witch emerging in our cultural consciousness: the bruja. Witchcraft has made a comeback in popular culture, especially among feminists. A growing subculture of BIPOC witches, led by Afro-Caribbean immigrants, Indigenous Americans, and other witches of color, is reclaiming their ancestral traditions and contributing their voices to the feminist witchcraft of today. Brujas chronicles the magical lives of these practitioners as they develop their healing arts, express their progressive politics, and extend their personal rituals into community activism. They are destigmatizing the "witch" of their ancestries and bringing persecuted traditions to the open to challenge cultural appropriation and spiritual consumerism. Part memoir, part ritual guide, Brujas empowers readers to decolonize their spiritual practices and connect with their own ancestors. Brujas reminds us that witchcraft is more than a trend—it's a movement.
Persecuted as evil during colonial times, considered charlatans during the nation-building era, Puerto Rican brujos (witch-healers) today have become spiritual entrepreneurs who advise their clients not only in consultation with the spirits but also in compliance with state laws and new economic opportunities. Combining trance, dance, magic, and healing practices with expertise in the workings of the modern welfare state, they help lawyers win custody suits, sick employees resolve labor disability claims, single mothers apply for government housing, or corporation managers maximize their commercial skills. Drawing on extensive fieldwork among practicing brujos, this book presents a masterful history and ethnography of Puerto Rican brujería (witch-healing). Raquel Romberg explores how brujería emerged from a blending of popular Catholicism, Afro-Latin religions, French Spiritism, and folk Protestantism and also looks at how it has adapted to changes in state policies and responded to global flows of ideas and commodities. She demonstrates that, far from being an exotic or marginal practice in the modern world, brujería has become an invisible yet active partner of consumerism and welfare capitalism.
Spell work, spiritual cleansing, herbal magic, how to protect against the Evil Eye, and cast, break, and avert hexes and curses. Mexican witchcraft, or brujeria, has long been an integral part of traditional Mexican culture that permeates all strata of social hierarchy, ethnicity, or level of education. “Brujeria de Rancho” refers to brujeria as it is practiced in the rural areas of Mexico. There, the brujos de Ranch offer their healing and divinatory powers, acting as advisors, and even meting out justice through the use of cursing and hexing for people who are often not able to pay lawyers’ fees. Davila, a practicing bruja de Rancho and for whom this is a multi-generational family tradition brings this tradition to light in this comprehensive guide to Brujeria and Hechiceria (sorcery), presenting the beliefs and practices to today’s readers. The tradition includes a component of folk Catholicism that will be accessible to Pagans, non-Catholics, and practitioners of Hoodoo and Conjure. Topics included in the book are spell work, cleansings (limpias), herbs, talismans, how to protect against the Evil Eye, and also how to cast, break, and avert hexes and curses.
There's more than one way to be a witch! Some witches harness the properties of herbs and crystals, and some craft their own spells and rituals for empowerment and success; some dress all in black, and some prefer a more colorful aesthetic. Author and illustrator Sonia Lazo celebrates the power and diversity of contemporary witches in this enchanting love letter to all things occult. Her charming illustrations offer an inclusive, body-positive message to modern mystics all over the world, reminding readers that anyone can tap into their inner magic—all you have to do is be true to yourself.
