I was really amazed by the amount of information the author packed into this book! She starts out by explaining a little about her own family history and invites anyone interested to read it and learn from it, whether they be Mexican or not, and no matter your religion... however, “The lived experiences that shaped these practices and traditions must be respected.” She also explains the terms Brujeria, Hechicería, and Brujeria de Rancho, as well as explaining how Brujeria and Hechicería are often used interchangeably. The author's explanation about the history of the practice, which was birthed in Mexico’s social inequality and is a fusion of pre-Hispanic and colonial beliefs, was fascinating.
“Brujeria de Rancho survives through the simplicity, the beauty, and the accessibility of simple kitchen magical ingredients and the empowerment this gives to the marginalized.” Davila goes on to write a little about the unfortunate but all too common capitalist appropriation of such practices. “If you want to be traditional you must decapitalize the practice, quit mass consumption, and give up the false ‘glamorous aesthetic’ that does not belong to your Mexican magical traditions.” I love this statement and it goes for many other traditions as well.
She insists that everything you need is in your kitchen or on hand somewhere about your home. As in other practices of the marginalized, “...you work with what you have". And by practicing land based witchcraft, you avoid overconsumption of a plant, or of negatively affecting communities in other parts of the world.This book is crammed full of information on symbols & tools, amulets & talismans, the saints, ensalmos & remedies, limpias & home cleansings, many spells, and much more!
This book was published by Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC 2023. Thank you for sending me a copy!
Originally published in the Covenant of Hekate's newsletter, Noumenia News, Issue # 66: https://www.hekatecovenant.com/noumenia-news
Comments