Mexican Sorcery
A Practical Guide to Brujeria de Rancho
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.
Laura Davila is a fifth-generation Mexican witch, a long-time practitioner of Mexican ensalmeria, hechicería, brujeria, and folk Catholicism. Born and raised in Mexico, Laura has lived in the US since 2010. Laura identifies as a “bruja de rancho”—a “ranch witch”—a term with great resonance in Mexico indicating knowledge of botanicals and the natural world. She learned her practice at her grandmothers’ knees. Laura is also a Tarot card reader and a flower essence practitioner. Follow her on Instagram @daphne_la_hechicera.