“This is the house that built me and I’m gonna burn it down. This is the river I crawled from and I refuse to drown here. And bless the strippers but fuck the men. And bless the berries but fuck the farm. And bless the daughter but fuck the family. What is a home if not the first place you learn to run from? You’ve got to bite the hand that starves you, and in doing so Praise the place that birthed you. Birthed you fucked up. Birthed you ugly, and interesting, and ready to scream.”
— Courtney Love Prays To Oregon, Clementine von Radics (via clementinevonradics)
There are many ways to perform a limpia, such as the methods I have shared on my blog before. This is another method that I know of. I have been taught these, and here, you can learn from me. Know that all limpias are simply different paths to the same destination.
Performing a limpia is a two person job. it requires cooperation and coordination, as well as trust. However, it does require firm boundaries as every limpia requires some level of either physical or spiritual contact. Be firm, and let your partner know what you are and aren't comfortable with.
The Ritual:
You will need:
• A bundle of fresh herbs 1-2 feet in length
Rosemary, rue, mugwort, sage, or basil are wonderful for limpias. I typically go into my garden and pick the herbs intuitively, leaving an offering of tobacco or oregano for permission.
• An outdoor space
• Optionally, copal incense and mezcal
The herbs are used to absorb and transmute the negative energies. The bundle is not like a traditional herbal bundle you purchase from a store. In fact, it is more akin to a bouquet. You may make it as simple or ornate as you like. I typically tie my bundle together with a red ribbon. You beat the client with the bundle, and not lightly may I add. You beat them all over their body with the bundle, head to toe; front and back, as if you are brushing all the negativity out of their aura and body. You may say a small limpia prayer or mantra during this process, or simply enjoy the silence. The intention of this is to bring the spirit back to their body.
Sacred copal is used to purify the mind, body, and spirit. The white smoke of copal perfectly captures its purpose: to turn bad into good; to replenish; to cleanse. It has been used for thousands of years, and should be treated with respect and reverence. Source it ethically, and, if you can you should collect it yourself.
Mezcal alcohol is an alcohol derived from the agave plant. It is grounding. Therefore, it aids in returning the spirit back to the body. It also aids in cleansing and purifying the body. It is typically sprayed from the mouth of the curandero onto the heart, head, abdomen, and appendages. It is an intimate practice. Typically you spray it under their shirt, with permission of course.
And finally, gratitude. The curandero must give thanks throughout the limpia. Give thanks to mother earth and father sky. Give thanks to the ancestors. Give thanks to the allies and tools that aided in the limpia. Give thanks to God, Jesus, and Mary. The participant must give thanks too, often by giving a small gift to the curandero such as copal, tobacco, or mezcal.
Remember, curanderismo is healing magic. Do not treat it as anything else.
The easiest way to propagate garlic: peel the cloves from a whole bulb (or as many as you want to plant), and place them point up inside a clean food container with a little soil and just a little water, in a sunny and warm place. Leave the lid of the container on, to create a greenhouse-like environment.
They will begin sprouting very quickly; once the have begun to grow roots, you should separate them carefully, and plant them. In about six months, you'll have a wonderful garlic harvest, and the living plants are a very powerful protection talisman.
Oh, and save and dry the peels – they make the cheapest hex-breaking / anti evil eye sahumerio, which has been used by the islands' curanderas for centuries.
Curanderismo and “Brujeria” are practiced throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. This post refers only to practices from the United States/Mexico border, with a focus on the Texas/Mexico border.
There is a lack of resources in English for this information. I want to provide English resources, not so that these practices can be appropriated but so that those, like me, who were separated from the language and the culture can reconnect. I would also like to provide this information for comparative reasons because I often see “Candle Magic” posts that list color correspondences without any information on the practice they come from. I hope that this will highlight that there are many traditions of candle magic and that while some things are the same, the subtle differences are important.
Color Correspondences:
White - Purity & purification, shielding or reflecting negativity to its source, healing, spiritual or holy strength and power, harmony and balance, peace. All-purpose candle.
Red - Protection, passionate & romantic love, lust and desire, strength, vigor, vitality, the power of familial blood, the blood of Christ, sex, and good health.
Pink - Friendship, platonic love, tenderness, reconciliation, emotional connection, crushes and squishes, sobriety, and good will.
Green - Money, tangible wealth & abundance, stable employment & tangible growth. Also burned to remove or recover from spiritual harm; symbolizing the bright green growth of a trimmed plant.
Blue - Discernment & perception, insight, healing & restoration, fidelity, reliability, stability, the invisible or mysterious, the unseen, insight gained by education and tranquility.
Limpias, or spiritual cleansings, are a common practice in curanderismo. They are used to heal a variety of problems such as illness, bad luck, hexes and curses, and curing susto (fright).
Below are some prayers, mantras, and chants to say during a limpia, in English and Spanish.
Thank you for clearing his/her path in life and at this [Location]. Thank you for cleaning his body and returning [Name] to his/her body.
Gracias por despejar su camino en la vida y en esta [UbicaciĂłn]. Gracias por limpiar su cuerpo y devolver a [Nombre] a su cuerpo.
This short story by Junji Ito is about a fault that appears in Amigara mountain after an earthquake. The earthquake exposes countless human-shaped holes in the mountain which seem to have been made about a thousand years ago. People, intrigued by these silhouettes, gather at the site and that’s when things get creepy.
It’s about a 15-20 min read, but if you haven’t read this before, you’re in for a treat. Link above.
