Customer Reviews

Magic from Mexico: Folk Magic, Prayers, Spells & Recipes as Taught by the Wise Woman of Guadalupe (Llewellyn's World Magic Series)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book was ridiculous, and very disappointing. It has nothing to do with Brujeria or Curanderismo as practiced in Mexico. It's about New Age Wicca, not Ancient Aztec Teachings. The prayers about wands, and such where ridiculous, and the supposed information she got from Brujas notebook read more like a cheesy book of shadows, and nothing like what the contents of sacred libretas have.
This has nothing, to do with Brujeria as practiced in Mexico. The altar diagram, as all know is a Wiccan altar, not a Brujas altar. There is no mention of La Santisima Muerte, los Milagros charms, how sacred Copal is in brujeria practices, no mention of the importance of dreams, or the Nagual Spirits, or the traditional hechisos, and trabajos espirituales. Save your money, if you want to learn about the ancient mother Goddess, Tonantzin I would highly recommend, the book. "The Aztec Virgin" by John Mixi. If you want another book on how Wicca has no true roots, and is steeling and disrespecting from every tradition and spiritual path in the world, then this petty book is for you.

I have found precious few books that go into the detail behind the tradition of Our Lady Of Guadalupe. The author has given us a roadmap with this book on how to better understand Our Lady. She presents in a clear and direct manner one particular tradition of Brujheria. I am glad to see a book written, and published by Lewellyn for that fact which dosent make the material "fluffy" or "toned down" at all. Many many of the books Ive read have been written in such a way that the material is "socialy acceptable" to everyone. This book however presents the material in a way where people can take it or leave it, One seems to know instantly if this is a book for them or not. I particularly enjoyed the section on the various aspects and visions of Our Lady. The illustrations were a nice touch. Id half to say that this book is a worthy edition to any library for one who follows Our Lady Of Guadalupe in her many forms. I rate this book at the highest rating 5 out of 5.

I'm glad I checked this book out at the library before I actually wasted my money by buying it. It was written in a campy, cheezee style, so much so that I found it to be insulting....and I am not even Mexican. I have lived all my life in an area with a large Mexican population, have known practicing brujas and this book just does not ring true to me. There are alot of quintessentially Mexican elements missing, like Santisima Muerte, the importance of copal incense and divining with Loteria Cards, for example. Mexican sorcerers use Latin?? that is news to me. The Tarot card interpretations were ridiculous, inaccurate and disrespectfull-suggesting that all Mexican men are womanizing drunks. I just can't recommend this book.

A book about Guadalupe for followers of Guadalupe. I must admit that some oif the material seems a bit off and theres a bit too much wiccan flair to this work but I think the author did this to open Guadalupe's message to a larger group. Brujeria is not wiccan under any circumstance and should not be construed as such. Guadalupe is Mary, she is not an archetype of the wiccan goddess. If you wish to learn about this beautiful and peacefull pure woman then read a book dedicated to her. I have loved and cherished my copy for years and will continue to do so always. La Guadalupana is with us.

This book uses visualization techniques and some spellcraft in order to gain power. The methods are not what you would usually find in wiccan books. For example one visualizes the virgin mary under various colors of dress and emotions in order to get certain powers. Other saints are visualized in the same way. I would have given this book a ten, but the author then writes that there are certain "secrets" that cannot be told in the book. This is the one flaw in the book and I must say in a few other books on the occult. I feel I'm being sold short. Fortunately, a careful reading of the book will show that the "secrets" can be gained through the visualization methods the author describes. You have to read between the lines to know this though. Given this, the book is a very good text on mexican wicca.

like i said i really enjoyed the book but like you said should have given more details for some of the spells.why give have the suspense for some of these spells when we pay full price to get some answers.the pictures of the differnt women should have been in color for more clearer details.