Secrets of Santa Muerte A guide to the prayers, spells, rituals, and hexes

Occultist Stone debuts with a thorough and illuminating introduction to Santa Muerte, the "Mexican female folk saint of death." Stone covers the practices and concepts central to the Santa Muerte folk faith and asserts that the figure has the "key to all life and creation" with the power to "infuse life and luck into all your creations." For her worshippers, Santa Muerte can provide blessings, good luck, health, love, wealth, and protection from evil, but Stone warns that the saint can also be vindictive and wrathful toward those who disrespect her. The author describes how to connect with Santa Muerte by setting up an altar that features a statue of her, a glass of water, incense, liquor, flowers, and such foods as bread, fruit, or candy to represent the delights of the world. Drawing from Mexican prayer books and the wisdom of curanderos (Mexican folk healers), Stone shares prayers for protection and thanks, as well as spells for healing, love, and warding off one's enemies. The expansive selection of prayers, spells, and rituals offers enough material to satisfy practitioners of all levels, though some readers might find the meticulous instructions at times overwhelming in their detail and granularity. Still, this invaluable primer is nearly one to die for. (Aug.)

Stone, a scholar of religious studies who spent the last six years studying with Santa Muerte curanderos in Mexico, writes a respectful practical guide to the Mexican folk saint Santa Muerte, who she says is likely the modern incarnation of an all-powerful pre-colonial goddess of death, revered and worshiped by all of Mexico's indigenous tribes. Surviving generations of suppression by colonial conquerors and the Catholic Church, worshipers of Santa Muerte (whose current manifestation is always female and usually skeletal) now openly adore her embrace of all genders, ages, races, and orientations. The embodiment of maternal giving, girlish playfulness, and crone wisdom, Santa Muerte is the arbiter of both the good and the terrifying power of death, Stone writes; she grants wishes, dreams, abundance, true love, and ruin to one's enemies. Stone advises that devotees of Santa Muerte must be dedicated and consistent in their commitment. The author also offers generous, expert, and explicitly detailed practical advice on creating and maintaining an altar, acquiring statues, the symbology of colors and animals, and the use of herbs, candle work, rituals, prayers, and hexes. VERDICT Readers of occult practices, Mexican culture, and goddess studies will find this title to be a comprehensive and respectful guide to all aspects of the folk saint.--Janet Tapper