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.)