A Shamanic Healer, or “curandera” in Spanish, is a traditional native healer/shaman found in Latin America, the United States and Southern Europe.

 

The term ‘curanderos’ comes from the Spanish verb ‘curar’ which means ‘to heal’ and it can be traced back to the Spanish colonization of Latin America. Therefore, ‘Curanderismo’ is a healing holistic system that resulted from a mixture of traditional Indigenous medicinal practices and Catholic rituals, as well as some influence from African rituals brought to Latin America by slaves. Curanderismo in Mexico is based on Aztec, Mayan, and Spanish influences.

 

Curanderismo is defined by a set of traditional beliefs, rituals, and practices that blend faith, and prayer with the use of herbs, massage and other traditional methods of healing to address the physical, spiritual, psychological, and social needs of the people who use it. The ancient native cultures believed that a delicate balance existed between health, nature, and religion. Illness occurred when one of these areas was out of balance. Therefore, the goal of Curanderismo is to create a balance between the patient and his or her environment, thereby sustaining health. Curanderas have strong religious faith and believe that they were given the ability to heal as a gift from God. Curanderas pray to spirits and/or Catholic saints for help in healing their patients, often praying to specific saints for particular conditions.