Espiritismo: Puerto Rican Mediumship & Magic

by Hector Salva

One of the first books to explore this influential spiritual and magical tradition, covering its philosophy while also providing a practical hands-on guide. Espiritismo is the Spanish word for Spiritism or Spiritualism, spiritual traditions that emerged to great popularity in the US following the Civil War. In the US and Canada, Spiritualism's primary focus was on communication between the living and the dead. The spiritual tradition traveled around the world, especially in Latin America, where it evolved in different ways. The Puerto Rican influence on modern Western magic is profound but largely unheralded. Beginning in the early twentieth century, Puerto Rican immigrants to the US introduced Espiritismo to the US spiritual landscape, strongly affecting the way magic was practiced. Hector Salva's book places Puerto Rican Espiritismo in this broader perspective.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Magic

226 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2022

Reviews

[Poptart19 (the name’s ren) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

A basic introduction to Espiritismo (beliefs, practices, & cosmology), including stories of the writer’s own practice & his family’s spiritual heritage. There is also a basic history of the development of Espiritismo, as well as a high level explanation on the differences between Espiritismo, Santeria, Vodou, etc.

[What I liked:]

•This is a good introduction to a faith tradition & practice I’d heard about, but only had very surface knowledge of before reading this book. The writer also recommends several books to read for people interested in learning more.

•I liked how the writer wove his personal experiences & some of his family history into the text as examples of the educational ideas he presents. It’s not really a memoir, but it personalizes & contextualizes the content nicely.

•I learned a lot from this book, not only about Espiritismo’s cosmology & basic practices, but also about the spiritual/religious history of Puerto Rico, & the overlap/syncretism of various faith traditions that have influenced Espiritismo.

[What I didn’t like as much:]

•I mainly read this book because I wanted to learn more about a topic I was pretty unfamiliar with, & this book definitely provided a good introduction. However, I think it could be tightened & shortened a bit. There is some repetition, especially towards the end.

CW: racism, colonialism

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]

[Stella · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Somos un aire; quien nos aguanta? (We are like a fragrance; who can hold us?)”

In this introduction to the Puerto Rican practice of Espiritismo (Spiritism), Salva distills the historical context of the faith and presents its basic tenets. I understand that Espiritismo isn’t widely popular or written about, so I give Salva props for passing on his life’s knowledge in print. As he mentions, the foundations of Spiritism echo that of many other spiritual practices, so as a beginner/student of spirituality, it filled in a lot of gaps in my knowledge. It also expanded on concepts and frameworks that I scarcely had the words for, like the universal fluid, light, causas, and cuadros.
I truly think the book unraveled me a little and helped my heart remember why spirituality is such a strong interest of mine. Because no one around me shares this inclination, I’ve felt alone and out of my depth in spirituality. I didn’t know who or what to learn, and this book served me in a lot of ways. Although I’m not planning on becoming an espiritista, the book gave me a wealth of inspiration and suggestions to next steps in my own practice. I can definitely see it as a staple in my personal library.

[WhiteRaven Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly a fantastic easy-to-read book by a very talented young author.
You will get in this book rich history of the evolution and the "whys and hows" of Espiritismo in Puerto Rico and you of course will get basic information on what being an Espiritista looks like.
The author will discuss important Espiritismo topics like Mesa Blanca, the difference between Kardec's Espiritismo and Espiritismo Criollo, Cuadro Espiritual, Guias, Seres, Santos, Corrientes, Las Causas, and many essential themes, rules, systems, in the world of Espiritismo.
The author plasters on these pages the complicated birth, evolution, and practice of this beautiful religion in a simple understanding narration enriched with beautiful personal stories with very picturesque characters as well as the basic teachings.
If you know nothing about Espiritismo, by the time you finish this book you will have, basic knowledge and a foundation to begin your path in this beautiful religion.
I highly recommend it.

[Dominique Lamssies · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is actually a wonderful introduction to the discipline. It's well written and gives a considerable amount of history, as well as personal experiences to illustrate the concepts in the book. However, if you already know anything about Espiritismo, skip this book. This book is basically a 101 lecture course and the author puts a great deal of emphasis on the fact that, if you actually want to learn the ins and outs, you need to find a teacher. Espiritismo is nothing something you will learn from a book, you have to go out and find someone to teach you.

Recommended for people who have never heard of Espiritismo and want to know about it. If you already know about Espiritismo, this book isn't going to be for you.

[Adonay Quetzal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! At the end of each chapter there is a personal story that essentially details out what was just being talked about but in like a personal memoir story telling kinda way which I really appreciated. I also like how the author tells the reader what is needed to practice, spends a lot of time on the world view of said practice, but doesn’t mince words about “You need a teacher so get one you can’t do this alone” which I think is very very important. A lot of books on cultural practices such as this can sometimes make the tradition seem like an open practice available for all people but this reminder definitely highlighted the fact that this isn’t just Spiritism or Spiritualism by another name but rather it truly is it’s own tradition. Very much would recommend!

[Gabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the comparisons of Puerto Rican spiritualism to other countries in the Caribbean (Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic). I learned from this book and I was reminded of the importance of spirituality and it’s connection to the divine. I was drawn back into the book after each chapter to read more of the personal stories and experiences of the author. Amazing read for anyone with or without familiarity to spiritualism.

[Chronicat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good primer on this tradition which is not very well known at this time. It has elements of spiritism, folk magic and ancestor veneration. The book gives a good history of it as well as how to get started with it. It is a very white light/positive, uplifting type of approach concerned with clearing karma, purification, and its all about bringing blessed conditions to one's life. I would recommend it to anyone interested in hoodoo, folk magic, and ancestor veneration.

[Sonia Sein · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to learn the history of Puerto Rican Mediumship, this is the book to read. Love the way he made it simple to comprehend and read. Love the way he shown how Mediumship and Religion interwine together. I recommend this book to everyone to read.

[Juan Franco · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best book on the subject!

One of the best books i've read by far on the subject of espiritismo. The author is highly knowledgeable, takes his time explaining everything from beginning to end on a basic level. Highly recommended!

[Serenity L · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good book. Not surprising since this author has never disappointed me. There wasn't much in this book I didn't already know, but the way it was organized gave me a real clarity about what I practice

[Alexandra Loba · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books that’s written clearly and beautifully not only the Puerto Rican culture and spirituality in Espiritismo. It has wonderful cleansing recipes along with such dense information and wonderful examples through stories and personal experience.

[fernando · Rating 4 out of 5]

muy bueno

Interesante, me hubiera gustado si dieran ejemplos más concretos de rituales y significados o codificación de información obtenida post ritual.