Voices from the Ancestors: Xicanx and Latinx Spiritual Expressions and Healing Practices

Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction / Lara Medina and Martha R. Gonzales
1. MORNING PRAYERS
	Sunrise Prayer / Inés Hernández-Ávila
	. . . Keeping It Real . . . / Gloria Enedina Alvarez
	Prayer to the Orishas / Martha R. Gonzales
2. HONORING THE SACRED DIRECTIONS
	As the Ceremony Begins . . . / Sara H. Salazar
	Honoring the Sacred Directions / Lara Medina
3. CREATING SACRED SPACE
	The Curandera Prepares for Healing . . . / Sara H. Salazar
	My Home Altar / Ofelia Esparza
	Shrine of Self-Realization / Rosanna Esparza Ahrens and Ofelia Esparza
	Reclaiming Our Mother, Reclaiming Ourselves / Alba Onofrio
	Creating an Altar for the Healing of Our Younger Self / Susy Zepeda
	Little Altars / Martha R. Gonzales
	Bendiciones de casa (House Blessings): Life and Spirit in Living Spaces / Marta López-Garza
4. BLESSINGS FOR BABIES AND YOUNG CHILDREN
	Life Arrives / Gloria Enedina Alvarez
	A Home Baptism / Lara Medina
	A Little Baby Prayer / Patrisia Gonzales, Traditional Baby Catcher
	The Mujeres Circle / Mónica Russel y Rodríguez
	Planting the Umbilical Cord / Jennie Luna
5. CREATING ART AS SPIRITUAL PRACTICE
	On Creating Art / Flor y canto / Yreina D. Cervántez
	Bordar y tejer es medicina / Dora Xochitl Lopez-Mata and Maria Eva Mata
	Aprender bordando: Embroidery as Meditation and Knowledge Making / Esther Díaz Martín
	Luz de luz / Gloria Enedina Alvarez
	The Gift of Art / Margaret “Quica” Alarcón
	Joto Rituals for Healing, Self-Love, and Social Justice / Eddy Francisco Alvarez Jr.
6. CREATING ART THROUGH PROSE AND POETRY
	Mujer Jaguar PRESENTE! / Gloria Enedina Alvarez
	Fuerza ancestral / Xánath Caraza
	Writing Is as Necessary as Air to Me / Xánath Caraza
	Canto Ocelotl / Jaguar Incantations / Yreina D. Cervántez
	On My Relative’s Skin / Claudia A. Mercado
	Latinx Liberation: A Meditation on Writing / Lauren Frances Guerra
7. CREATING ART THROUGH DANZA
	Queering Mi Palabra / Luis Salinas
	Prayer in Motion / Issa Linda Arroyo
	Wearable Prayers: Danza Ceremonial Trajes / Patricia Juárez / Chicueyi Coatl
8. COMMUNING WITH OUR DYING AND BELOVED DECEASED
	Ofrenda / Gloria Enedina Alvarez
	Nana’s Hands / Sybil Venegas
	Death as a Peaceful, Loving Teacher / Alan Hicks
	Ancestral Ties / Maritza Alvarez
	The Rose in My Heart / Patricia Rodriguez
	Showing Me the Path Home: A Poz, Third-Gender Xicanx Constructs a Triad of the Divine Feminine / Omar Gonzalez
	Teachings from Mami / Norma Elia Cantú
	What My Abuelita Taught Me About Prayer and Memory . . . / Theresa Torres
	Conjuros / Rossy Evelin Lima; Translated by Don Chellini
	Life Embracing Death / Jocelyn Vargas
	Día de todos los santos: Xicanx Healing Ritual After the Death of a Child / Aida Salazar
	Lamento Cihuateteo / Llanto de Juárez (The Lament of the Cihuateteo/ The Cry of Juárez) / Yreina D. Cervántez
9. DREAMING
	Cultivating a Healing Dream Practice / Atava Garcia Swiecicki
	On Dreaming / Maritza Alvarez in conversation with Lara Medina
	After the Limpia . . . / Sara H. Salazar
10. HOLISTIC HEALTH CARE
	The Curandera Begins . . . / Sara H. Salazar
	Womxn Caring for Womxn Is Ceremony / Grace Alvarez Sesma
	Baños de limpia espiritual / Sandra M. Pacheco
	The Thirteen Aires and Self-Limpias / Atava Garcia Swiecicki
	El Temazkal, a Place for Rest and Purification / Estela Román
	Wellness Ways for Beginning Self- and Community Care / Felicia “Fe” Montes
	A Poppet for Mental Health / Jessica Lozano Rodriguez
	La oración / Pedro Alvarado
11. LIFE CHANGES
	A Rite of Passage for a Young Woman / Linda Villanueva
	Fiesta de maíz: A Ceremony for Our Young Adults / Lara Medina
	Transceñera: A Transformative Ceremony / Jacqueline Garza Lawrence
	Luna Mia: A Xicanx Guide for a First-Moon Ceremony / Aida Salazar
	Leaving Home / Lara Medina
	Querida Tierra-Sol-Mar-y- Viento / María Elena Fernández
	Mynopause: From “Change of Life” to a Nepantla State of Enlightenment / Elisa Facio
12. MEDITATION
	The Warrior Womxn Envisions . . . / Sara H. Salazar
	Connecting with the Elements / Lara Medina
	Following My Breath / Brenda Romero
	A Meditation on Beauty for Releasing Pain and Trauma / Linda Vallejo
	Learning to Breathe: Ancestral Healing, Spiritual Activism, and the Medicine Wheel / Heidi M. Coronado
13. MEDICINAL FOODS
	Remedios y rituales / Berenice Dimas
	Atole / Neomi De Anda
	Nourish Your Body and Soul / Gloria Quesada
	Cultivando semillas y culturas en la Madre Tierra (Cultivating Seeds and Cultures on Mother Earth) / Melissa Moreno
	Spirit Plates / Claudia Serrato
14. MOTHER-CHILD BONDING
	Radical Mami Love: Chicana Consejos del Corazón / Brenda M. Sendejo
	Be Stewards of the Earth / Karen Mary Davalos
	Find Your Truth / Elvira Prieto
	Live in the Present / Maria Elena Cruz
	Receta for Radical Wholeness / TÍa Naya / Naya Armendarez Jones
	“We Are Not a Conquered People” / Jackie Cuevas
	My Relations / MarÍa Elena MartÍnez
	Consejos of Remembrance / Alicia Enciso Litschi
	Petra’s Gift / Modesta Barbina Trevino
	Why Being Truly Popular Is Hard to Do / Martha P. Cotera
	Huitzin de mi alma: A Meditation on Healing in Adoption / Corina Benavides López
	Welcome, Nova: Consejos for Surviving Pregnancy Loss / Patricia Marina Trujillo
	Chalchiuhtlicue—The Passing of One’s Child / Aida Salazar
	Post-Cesarean Ceremony / Baby’s First Journey to the Heart / Jennie Luna
	Fortifying Our Spirits: A Talking Circle for Our Daughters / Irene Lara
	Shaking It All Up / Laura Pérez
15. MOON MEDITATIONS
	Coyolxauhqui Canto / Cristina Gorocica
	Full Moon Coyolxauhqui Circle / Felicia “Fe” Montes
	Patzin: Abuela Luna and the Cycles of la Mujer / Patrisia Gonzales
	Moon Gazing / Lara Medina
16. SACRED SEXUALITIES
	The Incarnate God and Embodied Desire / Lauren Frances Guerra
	In Gratitude / Martha R. Gonzales
	prayer to my Lover // Ofrenda a mi amante / yaz mendez nuñez
	Healing from Sexual Trauma / María Elena Fernández
17. PRAYER AND SONG
	The Wounded Warrior / Sara H. Salazar
	On Prayer / Laura Pérez
	Cántico de mujer / Rosa Martha Zárate Macías
	Woman Song / Cristina Gorocica
	Woman Nation / Marisol Lydia Torres
	I Pray: Un Rezo of Healing pa’ lxs Mariconxs / Eddy Francisco Alvarez Jr.
18. RELATIONSHIP WITH LAND AND PLANTS
	The Earth Moves / Laura Pérez
	Encontrándome / Berenice Dimas
	Letter to Eva / Theresa Yugar
	Growing Maíz / Maritza Alvarez
19. SPIRITUAL ACTIVISM
	The Scriptures of Lydia Lopez / Jacqueline M. Hidalgo
	The Peace Walks of Dolores Mission Parish: How One Community Moves Toward Healing from Violence / As Rita Chairez and Raquel Roman of Dolores Mission Parish have shared with Jennifer Owens Jofré
	The Day After the Election: Protecting Body, Mind, and Spirit / Sandra M. Pacheco
	The Dharma and the Dragon Girl / Patrisia Gonzales
	Misa Mujer / Mujerista Mass / Patricia Pedroza González
20. SPIRITUAL PEDAGOGY
	A Pedagogy of Ofrendas: The Altar as a Tool for Integrating Social Justice in the Classroom / Norell Martínez
	A Spiritual Pedagogy / Lara Medina
	Decolonizing Spirit in the Classroom con Anzaldúa / Susy Zepeda
21. TALKING CIRCLES
	The Curandera Listens . . . / Sara H. Salazar
	From Past to Present: The Power of Healing Circles / Trini Tlazohteotl Rodriguez
	En este círculo / Ann Hidalgo
	Circles of Women / Naomi H. Quiñonez
22. EVENING PRAYERS
	Ángel de mi guardia . . . / María Figueroa
	Descansando en paz / Jerry Tello
	Tlazocahmati Tatita Sol / Grace Alvarez Sesma
References
Contributors
Index