The connection between curanderismo and brujeria
Curanderismo is a form of magical healing. Curanderismo is associated with practices such as white magic, cleansings, rituals, divination, spirit contact, and prayers. According to the Catholic community in Mexico, curanderismo is a highly spiritual practice. Brujeria refers to witchcraft, and it focuses on earthier magic. Many individuals often perceive Brujeria negatively because it focuses on love, sex and money. However, both curanderismo and brujeria utilize white magic to provide luck or healing (Anderson 10). Furthermore, brujeria is associated with necromancy and spirit summoning. Brujeria has become part of Southwestern culture. People derive the connection between curanderismo and brujeria since both is associated with forces that oppose either evil or good. Brujeria and curanderismo require powerful religious faith, and the practitioners utilize multiple objects ranging from herbs, eggs, spices, limes, lemons, holy water, crucifixes, saints, candles, oils, incense among other divination tools.
The tension between witchcraft and healing
Tension exists between healing and witchcraft since most individuals believe that witches and wizards cause more harm than good. However, witches such as midwives and healers perform crucial miracles such as healing by utilizing their magic. People fail to understand that witches use the power to provide protection and healing to other people and themselves. Ideally, witchcraft is associated with evil deeds; therefore, witches cause more illnesses instead of healing (Miller 24). However, people such as the Christians believe witchcraft has no power to perform miraculous activities such as healing. Witches have both positive and negative energy. The positive power results in good deeds such as healing while negative power leads to evil. Many people have a perception that believes that witches magic can’t heal but results in more harm to others, and this has created the tension between witchcraft and tension.
Works Cited
Anderson, Diana K. Curanderismo and Brujeria in Rudolfo A. Anaya's Bless Me, Ultima. N.p., 1981. Print.
Miller, Norman N. Encounters with Witchcraft: Field Notes from Africa. Albany: State U of New York P, 2012. Print.
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