The Mexican Witch Lifestyle: Brujeria Spells, Tarot, and Crystal Magic

by Valeria Ruelas

Discover the vibrant culture of brujeria and embrace your own inner witch with this essential guide to spellcasting, spirit worship, tarot, crystals, and all the other elements of this increasingly popular lifestyle.

A modern Mexican bruja is a powerful person, one who reads the tarot and performs spellwork and rituals of devotion to their spirit guides and deities. Brujeria, which translates as witchcraft in Spanish, is a unique form of spirituality that blends core elements of Afro-Indigenous beliefs. Having originated in Mexico, brujeria is now practiced in Latinx communities across the world.

Valeria Ruelas was raised living every aspect of the brujeria lifestyle. From shopping at botanicas and yerberias, to casting spells, to interpreting tarot readings, Valeria has today become one of the foremost practitioners of brujeria in the US. And as part of her daily practice, she seeks to bring the intense wisdom, harmony, and spirituality that comes with living this bruja lifestyle to her followers and returning power and ancestral magic to those whose agency has been lost.

Within these pages, Valeria provides you with an expert’s introductory handbook for all the aspects of brujeria, including,
-Respectfully shopping at a yerberia or botanica
-A complete guide to common crystals
-Essentials for your altar
-A introduction to tarot
-Spells to bring luck, love, and good fortune
-The secrets of Santa Muerte

​​​Comprehensive and inspiring, The Mexican Witch Lifestyle is the perfect guide for anyone curious to learn more about this vibrant culture of witchcraft.

Genres: Witchcraft, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Magick, Magic, Latino, Latinx

164 pages, Hardcover

Published November 29, 2022

Reviews

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent guide packed with information. I appreciate Ruelas's sensitivity to cultural appropriation, gender issues and other topics that are frequently misused by authors in this genre. Ruelas is the real deal and she/they have put out a really informative book. The lack of photos and images is more than made up for by the amount of good info.

I read a digital ARC of this book for review.

[Lolita Darling · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ideology and CRT and very little magick

This book is a complete waste of the paper it was printed on. The author is more interested in shoving ideology and race theory down your throat than offering anything helpful.

The most offensive part of the book had to be her section on Santa Muerte. Taking it upon herself to rip her from her folk catholic roots which to Santisima is like removing her scythe is not the work of a devotee. Refusing to acknowledge Santisima’s ties to folk Catholicism and its traditional catholic prayers were the red flags grifters fly high. This person knows nothing but their own gender ideology and racist world view and used Santisima as a prop to do so.

Her prescribed prayers for connecting with Santisima were utterly laughable and had the same charisma as a first grader story telling. It is garbage and offensive to pass this off as a meaningful way to build connection to someone who is deeply connected to folk Catholicism and the people who practice it. Removing her from her roots and imposing her own ego-centric cosmology upon her is going to turn many a devotees stomach.

Her tarot card information is also trash. The 9 of cups is the wish card. She says it’s a card of riddles etc etc and other garbage that has never been mentioned even in passing by any author. Ever.

The author has as much credibility in the Mexican Witchcraft world as Silver Rabenwolf does in the European Witchcraft world.

This book is a complete waste of my money and I’d like to be able to get a refund because it’s that awful.

Avoid this book and any book she writes in the future. Spend your money if Mexican Sorcery and Magia Magia, and don’t waste your money on this race baiting garbage.

The "information" offered in here can be found on Google. Save your money and do that instead.

[AndiReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so awesome ! A true work of the heart and soul. Valeria Ruelas gives a fabulous overview of the many aspects of the modern latinx witch (Brujeria). She draws upon her own upbringing and explains every section from the standpoint of a beginner.

Included are instructions on
-Respectfully shopping at a yerberia or botanica
-A complete guide to common crystals
-Essentials for your altar
-A introduction to tarot
-Spells to bring luck, love, and good fortune
-The secrets of Santa Muerte

What else could you really need to begin? If you are interested in modern witchcraft and don't know where to start, this amazing book is for you! #TheMexicanWichLifestyle

[Emilie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not connect with this book at all. A lot of explanations without any teaching or reasoning. The portion about Santa Muerte is very difficult to read and confusing. I wish I learned more about Brujeria traditions vs “this is what you need to do” without any explanation of “why” and where it comes from.

[Big Fat Bear Living Somewhere Nice In Canada · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars since it was educational, but limited.

i read this to learn more about the brujeria lifestyle, not necessarily as someone wanting to jump into the practice. as someone completely unfamiliar with it, i was curious to know what rituals/beliefs it encompasses, but i was a bit disappointed.

it felt too short to be a full introduction to the lifestyle, but it's not written to be a straight-forward guide. why did i feel that way? half of the book is essentially a tarot card meaning guide which is partly based on the author's personal card meanings, and the other half is step-by-step rituals and spells. i wanted more explanations for the mindset/beliefs/history and more education content than step-by-step guides. why should i practice a brujeria lifestyle? what is the full scope of practice? how does it differ from other religions? what is the significance behind it? what's the full point of having spirit guides or deities to worship (and what's the difference)? what other deities are there out there?

i liked the inclusion of anecdotal elements, but i also felt the author's personal views on politics heavily influenced the text in a way that was overpowering. i would've rather read an impartial review on the religious practices and history of brujeria, with a dedicated chapter on using magic for social justice maybe, and that's coming from a POC who agrees with the author's leftist stance.

[April · Rating 1 out of 5]

I rarely write reviews, but this book really made angry that I had to say something! The author seemed to focus more on her personal ideology than Brujeria. Every subject she focused on she had to bring up more woke ideology. I GET IT. My great grandmother is a bruja (or do you want me to say “brujx”?) and she laughed and found every page to be offensive, culturally inappropriate/insensitive, and just wrong. The author must be white washed and refer herself to a latinx. The depiction for the tarot was awful, the candle part was very confusing since she herself even says she doesn’t personally do glass candles? The oils, tinctures and sprays tho—what kinda botánica are you shopping at that sells all these herbs? And don’t get me started on the Santa Muerte chapter. I’m glad this book was a gift because I would have been pissed if I spent my own money on this super woke book. It was the hardest book I’ve ever had to read. I was so embarrassed to show my great grandmother ugh.

[Viviana Olvera · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book felt incredibly disorganized and just not thoroughly thought out. i honestly dont see how this could really be useful for beginners or someone w preexisting knowledge. there were some moments i liked but not enough to make up for how limited the writing is. kinda felt like the author waited until the night before the deadline to write this tbh which is so mean but i just really struggled making sense of the layout and presentation

[Maileen Hamto · Rating 4 out of 5]

In “The Mexican Witch Lifestyle,” Valeria Ruelas shares spellwork, herbalism, crystal work, tarot, astrology, and other esoteric practices to embody the Mexican “brujeria” way of living, rooted in nature, intuition, and invocation of ancestral knowledge. Ruelas identifies as a gay Chicana/indigenous “bruja/brujx,” denoting the gender-expansive intention of the term. The book defines essential verbiage used in brujeria in an easily understandable way for those new to the practices. Lists and definitions demystify the various applications of the craft, utilizing Ruelas’ acquired knowledge from years of study and practice, which prioritize preserving one’s safety and security.

As a student of mythology, I was fascinated by Ruelas’ discussion of Santa Muerte as a precolonial LGBTQIA+ icon, with both feminine and masculine energy that manifests in her/their presence and symbolism in Mexican brujeria. I learned the different aspects of the deity as a purveyor of justice, mercy, fertility, and protection of the home. It was enlightening to understand how the persistence of beliefs in Santa Muerte underscores the indigenous perspective about the duality of death and pre-Columbian views of the afterlife.

My interest in the book comes from my fledgling curiosity about indigenous and ancestral wisdom. On my lifelong journey of decolonization, I have come to understand the benefits of learning about forgotten practices and buried knowledge. Approaching the book from outside the Mexican indigenous tradition, I appreciated Ruelas’ caution against cultural appropriation. I wholeheartedly agree that people of color and those with lineal and familial connections to the traditions should benefit from knowledge preserved and handed down by their ancestors.

[Paula Sabol (Never Choose Fantasy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mexican Witch Lifestyle by Valeria Ruelas is a must have for anyone interested in or practicing brujeria or witchcraft.  The book is divided into 2 parts.  Part 1 discusses items needed from creating an altar to items used to practice brujeria. She/they discuss where any of these items can be purchased.  Ruelas describes brujeria as "the practice of natural, psychic, astral, or spiritual magic".  Part 2 describes and explains various ways to practice including the use of tarot for divination and the use of oils, crystals, candles, and herbs to create spells.
She also gives a detailed explanation of Santa Muerte and prayers used for practice.
      Ruelas has managed to concisely capture the essentials of her craft and share them in simple easy to understand descriptions and directions.  Her organization is easy to follow and allows readers to find exactly what they are searching for with ease.  Her descriptions of spell work are easy to follow. 
     I would definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in brujeria either for greater understanding or to practice.  It's important to note the author comes from a place of respect and encourages others to ensure they come from a place of respect and avoid cultural appropriation. 

I was given and ARC in exchange for my honest review.
       

[Dawn Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Mexican Witch Lifestyle: Brujeria Spells, Tarot, and Crystal Magic by Valeria Ruelas

224 Pages
Publisher: Simon Element, S&S/Simon Element
Release Date: November 29, 2022

Nonfiction (Adult), Religion, Spirituality, Divination, Magic, Candles, Crystals, Tarot

The book is divided into the following parts.

Part 1: The Essentials of Brujeria
Botanicas, Yerberias, and Mercados
Build Your Altar
Blessing Y our Altar and Space
How to do a Spell
How to use Magic Words
Pre-Ritual Herbal Nasal Steams
Yerba Readings with Tea
Obsidian Dagger Preparation
Limpias
How to Charge an Object to Give it Purpose
Working with Nature
Spells and Magic Words
Obsidian Mirror Training
Fixing Your Energy with Crystals and Candle Spells

Part 2: The Practice of Brujeria
The Rider-Waite Smith Tarot Deck
The Cards
How to Work with Yerbas
Candle Magic
Candle and Crystal Spells for Common Problems
Lifestyle Spells
Santa Muerte

This book is written for beginners. I did not agree with the author that a practitioner “absolutely needs” specific objects or “should” do something. In my mind, a practitioner only needs themselves and an author can recommend or suggest. This is a good book for people interested specifically into Mexican practice.

[Gen X Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mexican Witch Lifestyle by Valeria Ruelas was an exciting read for me as it contained a tremendous amount of new information on a practice that I know very little about. It includes just enough basic information that anyone with prior experience or knowledge of "magical" practices will feel welcome and not completely out of their comfort zone. The author quickly gets to the unique components of a specifically Mexican magical lifestyle and walks the reader through all the important components. I learned so much about what is truly a cultural tradition and could easily make comparisons to American Hoodoo, Haitian Voodoo, Rootwork, and Herbalism, all while learning about the specific traditions of a people and a culture that is new to me.

The Mexican Witch Lifestyle is a book that will appeal to people craving unique cultural experiences as well as those researching the ins and outs of a specifically Mexican magical lifestyle.

[Cielo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is definitely personal, meaning that you feel like you are learning with Valeria as your friend. They are very aware about everything with cultural appropriation and honestly...it's a breathe of fresh air. I appreciate it.
I was first interested in reading this book to start connected with Mexican magic and I personally reached out to her out of fear of what their intentions were, and she told me it was to avoid cultural appropriation.
So I jumped right in and I will admit, it took me a second to really get into the book, but I realized very quickly that this is a basic guide, it's a started and for you to learn on your own and what you can do and I appropriate that.
I also found that her personal connection with Santa Muerte was a good change and I am happy that they were comfortable with sharing.

[Sheena ☆ Book Sheenanigans · Rating 2 out of 5]

[AM · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author put a lot of her personal beliefs in this book and I feel like she made some things up entirely. For example, the whole section on tarot cards is full of information that conflicts with historical interpretations of the cards. Also, she either doesn't know farm equipment or she doesn't actually use the Rider-Waite tarot cards as she claims because there isn't a cane depicted in the 7 of Pentacles. Another part that bothered me was the major arcana was not in order. The Justice card description was listed out of order, which leads me to believe this book was not thoroughly edited. While I appreciate the unique perspective of the author, I don't recommend reading this as your first book on the subject of brujeria or witchcraft. I encourage curious minds to read multiple books on the subject and not take everything in this book as factual.

[Alexis Reimers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I believe this is a good introductory book HOWEVER, I don't think the topic of Santa Muerte should be on here. The topic of Santeria and worship of her is closed. Only those who are properly called to it and are Mexican or allowed in by a Mexican in that work is allowed in. To have that in here made me want to immediately give this book a 1. However, after reading it and also seeing that the tarot had some interesting interpretation... I would give it a 3.5 if I could. To sum it up, don't try to enter a closed practice, take the tarot as a different interpretation of the traditional one, and the rest give it a read! It's not fully bad. -From a Mexican "bruja" who doesn't practice Santeria and worship Santa Muerte as I'm not apart of that practice but know people who actually are.

[LittleRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s no single religion, no single way of living, and no single type of Witch. This is why I enjoy reading about other practices in regions around the world. Sometimes they books are touching on my ancestors and other times I’m learning about the ancestors of others, but either way, I’m learning about my witch sisters around the world and I learn something new each and every time.

This book was superb and I loved learning about Brujeria and am ready to speak with the mother of one of my friends who is a practitioner. I greatly enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to anyone who is looking to learn more about Brujeria.

[WhiteRaven Raven · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an amiable fun to read book. The author shares with the reader a basic glimpse of her daily Brujeria practices, including basic information on crystals, tarot, herbs, spell casting, rituals, as well as her personal view on appropriation and inclusivity.
The author dedicates a part of this book to addressing La Santa Muerte and this is when this book turned a bit hard to read for me since addressing La Santa Muerte as They/Them threw me off.
The book is entertaining to read, but lacks depth and substance. A beginner's book that hopefully will get you into reading others.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this book because the synopsis sounded great and the cover is beautiful, but I was sadly underwhelmed once I got into it.

The information provided about the history and culture around brujeria felt really shallow and almost inauthentic. The tone of the writing didn't really match the topic. And while it is very much a book aimed at beginners, there's a lot of references to working with clients which... just, no. I wanted more of the actual philosophy, more of the belief, and less of a shopping list to do magic.

[JadersCorner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a pleasant read. As a tarot reader it hard to find true content that explains that they are a tool and how to then use that tool. It was enjoyable to explore another witch culture and beliefs. The book was so well constructed, from layout, to content. The author was so great at explaining as well as to why the culture uses the recipes, spells, tarot etc. Highly Recommend. Great for a resource book as well.

[Joanna Banana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate what the author was doing with this book, however it felt more of a print of her BOS than an informative book in brujeria. Again, this is my opinion, it may be different for you.

I really enjoyed learning about brujeria, with what we were given but the tarot explanations felt more like the author’s interpretation, which is totally fine since it’s their book and all, but it didn’t help me. It just confused me and went against my teaching.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book immensely! As someone of Afro-Indigenous blood, I was eager to read this book. I am so grateful for the chance to do so because I finally learned about Mexican Brujeria from someone who is about that life. I was sad that the book ended. A very good read! This is my honest opinion in exchange for reading this book via NetGalley.

[Isabel Ortiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This text is incredibly informative but also extremely accessible to the wider public! Those who are not very familiar with customs, practices, and even the language associated with Brujx and Mexican culture in general are made to feel very welcome. This is a text I would pick up for a quick read after work or as needed for more information on the subject!

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mexican Witch Lifestyle was basically an interesting glimpse into “Brujeria 101” which I found very interesting. For anyone who has a passion for learning new things and/or enjoys things that others consider a bit “woo woo” then this one is for you. I have a few friends that might be receiving this as a gift for various reasons. <|;^)

[Brenda Echeverry]

Despite the aesthetically pleasing design (shout out to the cover artist), this book was an unsettling read for me. This how-to book on brujería listed specific rules about how magic “should” be done without much context or explanation behind it. I also found it hard to relate to the section about tarot, as the meanings of each card read as super random. Disappointed :(

[Cassandra Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very informative on a wide variety of topics and the author does a great job of educating the reader on how to be respectful with their craft. Anyone calling it a “woke agenda” are probably the folks who need that education the most, funnily enough. Great read for anyone looking into brujería.

[Angel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick impressions: 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.

(Detailed review on my blog soon.)

[Vincent · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting but most of the interpretations of the tarot cards and completely wrong. So I have to wonder what else is off? I’m not tarot expert but there are some that are pretty universally agreed upon like the 2 of cups being love it gave something completely different.

[Audrey La Point · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful, it gives in-depth interpretation of tarot cards, candle colors, and their uses/meanings, etc. Also, it details many spells and their components. It gave a brief explanation of Santa Muerte and incantations to get closer to her. Overall, it was educational.

[Sonia Sein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was good. For people wants to learn about brujeria. The author explains everything step by step. I will recommend this book.

[Mary Grace Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ended up buying it!