If you are one of the millions of people living in western society, you were probably taught by modern medicine that healing the body is purely an outside job. The philosophy of western medicine claims that despite the extent of the trauma, injury, or loss that an individual endures, a doctor can cure any malady with the help of treatments like surgery or medication (assuming the physical damage isn’t too severe of course). But what happens when your doctor gives you a clean bill of health, yet you find yourself feeling “off” or suffering from an array of newly developed physical or emotional ailments? Perhaps relying entirely on a system that focuses on repairing the physical body while ignoring the well-being of mind and spirit, dismisses the vital role that a soul plays within this human experience.
There was a time when healing was an inside job. The belief that energy within the soul directly affects a person’s physical health might be a new concept to some, but it has been expressed in Curanderismo for centuries. Curanderismo is the medicine of people. It’s been mislabeled throughout the years as a system of remedies for folk-disease, therefore delegitimizing a sacred practice with roots that reach far back into the 14th century. Curanderismo is the divine mestizo or mixture. It is a form of indigenous spirituality and healing therapies born from the blending of Spanish colonizers with the indigenous tribes of Mexico and Africa.
In the 1500s, Spain invaded the New World and took control of earth spirited tribes like the Aztec. Soon after, they began importing Africans from their homeland and forcing them into slave labor. Throughout this period of upheaval, the resident healers or curanderos continued to evolve and weave a sacred web of spiritual practices and beliefs within their community.
Curanderos look after the physical and spiritual health of a community, which includes assuming the role of healer and protector of souls. According to Curanderismo, when a person experiences trauma, they also experience some level of susto or shock to the soul. Susto causes a part of the soul to remove itself and hide from the physical body in order to avoid more damage. If susto is not dealt with right away, eventually that sense of emotional detachment expands and may lead to depression, anger issues, disease, and overall loss of self. Curanderos may decide to lead clients through soul-retrieval, the process of reintegrating the lost piece of soul back in with the rest. Soul-retrieval may include therapies like herbalism, massage therapy, limpias (energetic clearings), pláticas (meaningful conversations between the client and healer), shamanic journeys, and other intuitive practices designed to discover the exact moment a soul detached from the body.
Even today, the role of the healer within the culture of Curanderismo is highly respected. Value is measures not in dollars, but by the health and well-being of the community. The curandero knows that the body is intrinsically dependent on the well-being of the soul, and therefore a healer’s services are available to all people, regardless of financial situation, religion, or spiritual beliefs. The knowledge that healing starts within, and that a person cannot heal the body without first repairing the heart, is a message that we can attribute to the selfless and wise curanderos and curanderas of past and present.
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