Cleansing Rites Of Curanderismo – Erika Buenaflor

Itzamna sweeping a path. From Dresden Codex, Ernst Förstemann version, page 34. Courtesy of Ancient Americas at LACMA. Before I began formal training with any curanderas/os, I always honored the elements on one of my altars. Fire was often represented with a lit candle, and I knew to offer incense to it. (Curanderismo practices have always been second nature to me.) But after my training, both in the field and academically, I gained a greater understanding of my traditions and myself.

Researching and understanding how the ancient Yucatec Maya and Mexica conducted fire limpia rites greatly deepened the sacrality of the fire limpias I offered. The level of faith of both the curandera/o and participant always correlates with how effective it will be. By equipping myself with the sacred meanings and practices of my rich history and culture, I became more grounded in and comfortable with these rites.

I also began to put into practice nuanced ancient understandings and methods, particularly the knowledge that all the tools used have a soul essence. I learned how to work with these entities and for what purposes. I use some kind of fire limpia rite in all of my sessions. The different forms include igniting a charcoal and lighting a New Fire in my brazier; facilitating a white fire (see chapter 8, see here, for how to conduct a white fire limpia); using fire sticks; igniting a puro and cleansing a person with it; creating a fire pit; and velación.

For example, I usually light a white fire at the beginning of a class. I chant a prayer to the four directions in Yucatec Mayan and English and ask people to release into the fire anything that may prevent them from being fully present at the class, or anything that no longer serves them.

I typically only work with a fire pit in a ceremony where I have people honor the sun, moon, and fire and declare what they are releasing into the fire and what they are welcoming into their lives. Changing Streaks of Bad Luck with Fire Limpias To change streaks of bad luck, I recommend at least three fire limpias on three consecutive cycles.*19 I will request that the client schedule three limpias that reflect the frequency of the misfortunes.

If someone is experiencing difficult fortune on a daily basis, I suggest three sessions on three consecutive days. If the bad luck happened within a week, I will suggest sessions on a weekly basis on the same day and at the same time.

“Erika Buenaflor’s new book, Cleansing Rites of Curanderismo, is a major contribution to a body of knowledge that has remained unrecognized for too long. It is particularly important because it takes curanderismo from the esoteric to the practical world. It is a long anticipated addition to our understanding of curanderismo.” ANTONIO “TONY” ZAVALETA, RETIRED PROFESSOR OF ANTHROPOLOGY AND BORDER STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND COAUTHOR OF CURANDERO CONVERSATIONS “Accolades to Erika Buenaflor’s brilliant book Cleansing Rites of Curanderismo. This is a much-needed teaching and an important validation of this ancient sacred healing tradition, which must be widely used in tandem with allopathic medicine as an answer to our modern life maladies.

As a practitioner myself, I highly recommend it.” ITZHAK BEERY, AUTHOR OF THE GIFT OF SHAMANISM, SHAMANIC TRANSFORMATIONS, AND SHAMANIC HEALING AND PUBLISHER OF SHAMANPORTAL.ORG “It is a pleasure to endorse Erika Buenaflor’s book Cleansing Rites of Curanderismo on energetic and spiritual limpias. This publication will allow my students to explore the history and different types of limpias practiced by a number of shamans/curanderos/as. Highly recommended.”

ELISEO “CHEO” TORRES, PROFESSOR AND VICE PRESIDENT OF STUDENT AFFAIRS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO AND AUTHOR OF CURANDERISMO: THE ART OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE WITHOUT BORDERS 1kitap1.com/en CONTENTS Cover Image Title Page Epigraph An Introduction to Limpias and Curanderismo BOOK SECTIONS AND CHAPTERS WHAT IS CURANDERISMO? CURANDERISMO AND ITS ROOTS Part I. The Intersection of Experience and Research Chapter 1.

Coming into Being: A Modern-Day Xicana Curandera MY TRAINING WITH CURANDERAS/OS Chapter 2. Historical and Cultural Background: The Mexica and Yucatec Maya THE MEXICA YUCATEC MAYA Chapter 3. Pre- and Postcontact Texts: Sources Used and Why PRECONTACT CODICES POSTCONTACT ETHNOHISTORICAL RECORDS Part II. Commonly Practiced Limpias from Ancient and Modern Perspectives Chapter 4. Platicas: Ejecting Unwanted Energies from the Body THE PLATICA RITES OF THE MEXICA THE PLATICA RITES OF THE YUCATEC MAYA INTEGRATING ANCIENT MESOAMERICAN WISDOM PLATICAS AS SACRED CEREMONY PLATICAS FOR SOLO PRACTITIONERS Chapter 5.

Fire Limpias: Transformation and Renewal THE FIRE RITES OF THE MEXICA THE FIRE RITES OF THE YUCATEC MAYA INTEGRATING ANCIENT MESOAMERICAN WISDOM Chapter 6. Water Limpias: Cleansing and Rebirth THE WATER LIMPIA RITES OF THE MEXICA THE WATER-LIMPIA RITES OF THE YUCATEC MAYA INTEGRATING ANCIENT MESOAMERICAN WISDOM Chapter 7. Sweeping: The Way to Purification and Revitalization THE SWEEPING LIMPIA RITES OF THE MEXICA THE SWEEPING LIMPIA RITES OF THE YUCATEC MAYA INTEGRATING MESOAMERICAN WISDOM CAN YOU DO LIMPIAS ON YOURSELF?

Chapter 8.

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

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