Inaruti Araní, the creatrix of Modern Mystics, embarked on her journey as a curandera in 2018. Her spiritual awakening began with a profound experience during her first Sahaja Yoga Kundalini class, where she felt a radiant energy flow through her body. Since then, she has delved into various African and Indigenous healing traditions to support primarily BIPOC clients. As a curandera, she utilizes natural remedies, herbal medicines, prayers, and rituals to heal physical, mental, and spiritual ailments.
Experts In This Article
- Dalina Soto, MA, RD, LDN, anti-diet dietitian based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Eva Glamaris Cruz Ruiz, BSN, MDiv, MA, PCC, mystic, curandera, soul tender, and weaver of threads
- Inaruti Araní, creatrix of Modern Mystic and curandera
For centuries, Latin American and Hispanic communities have turned to curanderos for holistic healing. These traditional healers, like Araní, possess deep ancestral and spiritual knowledge passed down through generations, offering vital health care and spiritual guidance within their communities. Despite the shift towards Western medicine, practitioners like Araní are preserving ancient healing traditions for a new generation.
Eva Glamaris Cruz Ruiz, a mystic and curandera, describes the curandero as someone deeply connected to both the Earth and the spiritual realm. This connection extends to others, allowing individuals to cultivate their own relationship with the Earth and the divine.
What a curandera does
Curanderos come in various forms, each with unique gifts and specialties. Yerberos use herbs for healing, sobadores release trapped energy through massage, and santeros tap into the supernatural for spiritual guidance. Araní, a curandera de platicas, combines psychotherapy with spiritual elements to restore inner harmony.
Instead of fitting into a specific curandero category, Araní tailors her healing approach to each individual, often incorporating tarot readings and traditional Amazonian frog medicine rituals like Kambo. Through ceremony and traditional remedies, she addresses deep-rooted traumas and provides healing beyond what Western medicine offers.
Curanderismo’s appeal in the modern world
Curanderismo remains a vital resource for healing in Latin and Hispanic communities, valued for its accessibility and cultural significance. A study in the journal Health Equity highlighted Latines in the U.S. seeking out curanderos for their shared language, culture, and more personalized approach to healing.
For individuals like Cruz Ruiz and Araní, curanderismo serves as a way to reconnect with their ancestral roots and address the limitations of Western medicine. Many BIPOC clients, drawn to curanderismo, find solace in the empathy and holistic care provided by practitioners like Araní.
Blending traditional cultural practices with modern medicine
Both curanderismo and Western medicine offer valuable healing methods, emphasizing the importance of integrating the two. Dalina Soto advocates for utilizing science alongside ancestral remedies to achieve holistic healing. Cruz Ruiz emphasizes that curanderismo is more than a career—it’s a calling that can awaken innate gifts within individuals.
Curanderismo invites individuals to connect with their ancestral practices, fostering a deeper understanding of themselves and their cultural heritage. Araní encourages those feeling the call to explore their roots and embrace the healing power of curanderismo.
