Valeria Ruelas, The Mexican Witch Lifestyle: Brujería, Spells, Tarot, and Crystal Magic. New York: Simon Elemental (imprint of Simon and Schuster), 2022. ISBN: 9781982178147.
This book is a basic introductory handbook to Mexican brujería, but it can be practiced by others, especially in Latino communities. The book is divided into three major parts. Each part has chapters covering a broad range of topics. Some of the topics presented are:
- Build your altar.
- How to do a spell.
- Limpias (cleansings).
- Tarot.
- Candle magic.
- Spells.
- Santa Muerte.
On the positive, it is very basic and easy to read, so it can be very accessible. It offers a large list of spells for various situations, and the instructions are fairly detailed.
On the negative, for many of the rituals and spells you may need to have a botanica (a brujería supply store) nearby in order to get specific yerbas and other materials. You may or not be able to buy the supplies online. The issue of materials pricing is not discussed nor does the book really mention options for substitutions, say swap an ingredient for a cheaper one. This is a sharp contrast to books like Thrifty Witchery (link to my review). For a book written by someone who presents themselves as part of a common community, a bruja of the people, this seemed a bit of an oversight, especially in the Bad Economy we live in.
The Tarot section is, supposedly, based on the Rider Waite Smith (RWS) system. However, if you are looking to learn Tarot for the first time, this is not the book for you. What you get here are the author's own meanings of the cards, and they differ radically from traditional meanings. If you have studied Tarot, you will be able to see the contrasts. If you are new to Tarot, get yourself one of the various books on RWS available to learn the basics. For some cartomancers, it is fine to add your own meanings, but you should know the basics first in my humble opinion. Given this I do wonder where else the author has gone out of conventions, and I get the impression she does it to be different, which may or not be a good thing.
The Santa Muerte section does not seem better. The author seems to take a few liberties with Santa Muerte and her concept as well. This is another topic I would suggest getting a specific work, for example Prower's Santa Muerte book (link to my review) or other experts.
I do need to add that the book at times can get a bit preachy when it comes to leftist politics and activism. If that is an issue for you, then this might not be a book for you. Your craft can be as political or not as you wish to make it. The author here does lay it a bit thick, so I leave it for readers to decide if that is of interest or not.
Overall, the book has a strong pop witch vibe to it. The material is very basic given it is a book for beginners, and that concept is fine. Still, the book seems to lack some depth and remains at a very superficial level. It feels like a book that witches more into the aesthetic than the hard work would grab. The author bio describes them as a Spotify 'celebrity tarot reader' and a Cosmopolitan influential witch. It shows in the book.
I'd consider this very optional reading. With some research, you may be able to find better books on the topic. I do not recommend it for libraries, and I am not ordering it for our library. At best, this was just OK.
2 out of 5 stars.
This book qualifies for the following 2024 Reading Challenge:
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