Mexican Sorcery: A Practical Guide to Brujeria de Rancho by Laura Davila

Spell work, spiritual cleansing, herbal magic, how to protect against the Evil Eye, break and avert hexes and curses, as well as how best to honor the "Day of the Dead."

Mexican witchcraft, or brujeria, has long been an integral part of traditional Mexican culture that permeates all strata of social hierarchy, ethnicity, or level of education.

"Brujeria de Rancho," better known as Hechicer?a or "Mexican Sorcery," was (and still is) a term used to refer to brujeria as it is practiced in the rural areas of Mexico. There, the Hechiceras offered their healing and divinatory powers, acting as advisors, and even meting out justice through the use of cursing and hexing for people who are often not able to pay lawyers' fees.

Davila brings this tradition to light as in integral dimension of Mexican brujeria, presenting the beliefs and practices to today's readers. The tradition includes a component of folk Catholicism that will be accessible to Pagans, non-Catholics, and practitioners of Hoodoo and Conjure. Topics included in the book are spell work, cleansings (limpias), herbs, the Days of the Dead, how to protect against the Evil Eye, and how to break and avert hexes and curses.