In The Community
Leading Latina astrologist Jasmin Alejandrez-Prasad, better known as Esoteric Esa, is dropping a new affirmation deck, and her efforts to decolonize brujería are more focused than ever. The goal of the “Malas Palabras” affirmation deck is to empower Latinas to embrace taboo thoughts and all those “bad words” that we’re discouraged from saying or have been downright shamed for speaking.
Affirmation decks are cards that feature an uplighting or empowering sentence to encourage meditation and reflection. For many brujas and spiritual Latinas, affirmation decks are an important daily ritual and meditation practice.
Many people report that working with affirmation decks offers a quick boost of motivation, allowing you to tap into that chingona energy within. They encourage reflection and also offer a message that resonates within you, allowing you to integrate it into your thoughts and actions. More often than not, affirmation decks are focused on self-love, personal growth, emotional well-being, and more.
Esoteric Esa is taking a different approach, providing intentional affirmations that reframe dirty language into expressions of empowerment and anti-colonial resistance. The “Malas Palabras” affirmation deck contains 30 cards that explore themes like ancestral healing, sexual liberation, shadow work, and abundance mindset.
Luz got in touch with Esoteric Esa via email about her motivation behind the deck, and she shared, “I created this deck to remind those who are on their decolonial spiritual and healing journey that the process can be lighthearted. Oftentimes, we look at decolonial work and healing as very serious or intensive, which it is at times. However, it's also okay to own your darkness because those sides of our identities serve a purpose as well. I want us to understand the power of our words, and how even bad words or phrases with negative stigma can be used for a high vibrational purpose when manifesting.”
The fact is that when you have been silenced or told to watch your words enough times, censoring yourself becomes second nature. This affirmation deck says “To hell with that!” and it invites you to hold space for yourself, speak your truth without filter, and manifest in a way that’s authentic to you. Enough of bending yourself into shapes you’re not meant to be in.
With the “Malas Palabras” affirmation deck, Esoteric Esa reminds you of a simple truth: your words are your power, and they are self-induced spells, so you should be using them to craft your own empowering narrative. This deck is a guide to do exactly that while transforming language for decolonial power.
If you’ve been hesitant to step into your bruja self, know that that’s colonization at work. To break from that, it’s important to honor ancestral traditions and practice your spirituality to connect with the universal consciousness, which is a distinct source of power. Embracing brujería with this perspective can guide you with greater purpose and help you dismantle the internalized biases that keep you away from beneficial practices.
The “Malas Palabras” affirmation deck is a great way to either dip your toes into or further your spiritual practice. Instead of denying taboo thoughts and shying away from bad words, this deck will help you embrace them and their power to become the baddie you know you should be.
Moreover, supporting a spiritual creator of color that truly represents your cultural background and identity is an additional important aspect. New Age decks made by white creators, whether that’s tarot or affirmations, completely ignore the nuances of our experiences as Latinos.
As Esoteric Esa puts it, “I wanted to create a place of intersectionality for the mixed Latines and those who have a lot of shame for not being ‘enough’ when it comes to the approval of Latinidad. This deck is rooted in smearing perfectionism, which is something I find often in New Age and White spiritual spaces.” She went on to emphasize that she intentionally incorporated Spanglish as an acknowledgment that not all Latinos are completely bilingual.
By prioritizing decks created by people of color, we not only support diverse voices within the spiritual community but also affirm the validity of our own cultural narratives. We reclaim our agency in shaping the spiritual landscape, ensuring that our stories, words, symbols, and traditions are honored and celebrated in their truest form.
When asked what she wants people to gain from this deck, she said, “Those who work with them will learn how to embody their energy from an authentically unapologetic mindset even further. That's a very powerful place to manifest from, and incorporating these cards will help many rework through guilt and shame from Patriarchal colonial harm by exploring taboo topics from religious sexual oppression to mental health. The community can expect a fun and quirky introspective approach when integrating these into their spiritual practice. Especially since each card offers a tip as a journal prompt exercise to work with the power of the phrases more intimately.”
In the space of spiritualism and brujería, Esoteric Esa is one of the most respected voices in our community. She publishes in and contributes to major national outlets, including Cosmopolitan, PopSugar, Refinery29, and Bustle, among others. This new product reflects her values and core mission, which is to decolonize brujería and help Latinas shift their mindset for unapologetic, authentic transformation.
“Malas Palabras” Affirmation Deck
Esoteric Esa
If you’re ready to speak the unthinkable, you can find the “Malas Palabras” affirmation deck here, ready for pre-order.
Maria Sabina Magdalena García, a native Mazatec healer and shaman from Huautla de Jiménez, Oaxaca, Mexico, was a remarkable woman whose life and teachings left an indelible mark on the Western world. Her practices centered on the use of Psilocybin mushrooms, a genus of psychedelic mushrooms, for spiritual and healing rituals, which have had a profound influence on the modern study and perception of psychedelic substances in Western medicine and culture.
Maria Sabina was born into a poor family in the Mazatec region of Mexico, where indigenous customs and traditions were central to life. Growing up in a family of healers, Sabina and her sister were introduced to the ritual use of psilocybin mushrooms (known locally as "little saints") when they were only six or seven years old. The sisters would collect these mushrooms and use them as a form of spiritual communication and healing. Sabina, who felt a special connection with these "holy children," went on to become a curandera.
The term “curandera” refers to a traditional Latin American healer who practices curanderismo, a holistic healing approach that blends elements of indigenous belief systems, herbalism, and spirituality. Curanderos or curanderas, depending on gender, are recognized in their communities as having the ability to diagnose and treat a range of conditions, both physical and spiritual. Their practices often involve prayer, rituals, herbal remedies, and energy work.
They act as intermediaries, accessing supernatural elements to aid in the healing process. The role of a curandera, like Maria Sabina, often goes beyond physical healing, as they are also revered as spiritual counselors and community leaders.
Image of a curandera performing a cleansing ritual in Huautla de Jiménez
How did Maria Sabina become well known?
Maria Sabina came to international prominence when R. Gordon Wasson, a vice president of J.P. Morgan & Co. and amateur mycologist, along with his wife Valentina Pavlovna, visited her in the 1950s. Wasson and his wife participated in a velada, an all-night healing ceremony, where Sabina used psilocybin mushrooms as part of her rituals. This experience had a profound effect on Wasson, leading him to write an article about it in "Life" magazine in 1957 titled "Seeking the Magic Mushroom."
This article drew widespread attention and put both Maria Sabina and the ritual use of psychedelic mushrooms on the map for Western audiences. It is often credited as the spark that ignited the psychedelic movement of the 1960s. People began to flock to Huautla de Jiménez to experience the psychedelic rituals firsthand.
Timothy Leary, an American psychologist and author recognized for his fervent endorsement of psychedelic drugs, was among the notable figures who sought out Maria Sabina's healing rituals. Richard Alpert, another American psychologist, and writer, better known as Ram Dass, was equally intrigued by Wasson's accounts and made the journey to experience Sabina's ceremonies firsthand.
Legendary musician John Lennon is also reported to have visited Sabina during the Beatles' psychedelic phase. Bob Dylan, a renowned icon in folk and rock music, is believed to have made a similar pilgrimage to Huautla de Jiménez.
These famous visitors underscore Sabina's widespread influence, reaching beyond the realm of science and medicine and extending into the arts and popular culture. However, this influx of notable personalities and the attention they drew both elevated Sabina's status and contributed to the social and cultural disturbances she later faced.
While Maria Sabina was initially vilified and ostracized by her own community for sharing sacred rituals with "outsiders," her influence and teachings eventually permeated Western culture. Her spiritual application of psilocybin mushrooms instigated a paradigm shift, fostering the birth of a broader psychedelic movement in the West.
Perhaps her most significant contribution, however, lies in the impact she had on Western medicine. Prompted by the curiosity ignited by Wasson's article, rigorous scientific research commenced into psilocybin and other psychedelic substances, marking a pivotal shift in their perception and potential therapeutic applications.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/
In the years since, Western medicine has slowly been reintegrating psychedelics into its fold. Institutions such as Johns Hopkins University, Imperial College London, and the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) have conducted and published a range of studies investigating the therapeutic potential of psilocybin and other psychedelics for conditions such as depression, PTSD, and end-of-life anxiety. Maria Sabina, perhaps unknowingly, created a bridge between the traditional use of psychedelics and modern medicine's recognition of their potential therapeutic value.
Yet, despite her invaluable contributions to the world, Maria Sabina's life came to an end on November 23, 1985, at the age of 91, in her hometown of Huautla de Jiménez, where she died in poverty and suffering from malnutrition. Years later, her great-grandson would request the exhumation of her remains from the town’s municipal cemetery to give her a proper burial worthy of one of the most famous healers in the world. As reported by The Yucatan Times, Sabina’s great grand-son Bernardino García requested:
"That the name of my great-grandmother be given the attention it deserves, a true museum worthy of her; the paving of the road that leads to her house, which is now completely abandoned.”
Through the years, her fame brought a wave of Westerners, including celebrities and hippies, to her humble town, leading to a disruption of local life and an erosion of sacred traditions. This, at the time, led to resentment among her own community, which, coupled with the Mexican government's crackdown on the use of psychedelic substances, led to hardship and persecution for Sabina.
In her later years, she reportedly expressed regret for having shared the sacred rituals with outsiders. Nowadays, she is regarded as a legend, leaving behind a legacy of profound influence on the global perception and study of psychedelic substances. Despite the trials she faced, Maria Sabina is remembered today as a pioneering figure in the world of spiritual healing and psychedelic research.
Her legacy serves as a reminder of the profound wisdom indigenous cultures can offer the world.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/
- The Lost History of the Adelitas of the Mexican Revolution ›
- Latina Painters Who Redefined Art History ›
- Facts About the Iconic María Félix That Will Blow Your Mind ›
In the world of work and domestic chores, a term has been gaining popularity - “weaponized incompetence” But what exactly does it mean, and why is it crucial to understand and identify this phenomenon? Let's break it down.
What is Weaponized Incompetence?
Weaponized incompetence, also known as strategic incompetence, refers to a purposeful and manipulative tactic where someone pretends to be incompetent at a task to avoid responsibility. By playing the 'helpless' card, they dodge their obligations, leaving others, often women, to pick up the slack.
This phenomenon can take place both in a professional environment or at home. In the workplace, a colleague might say they're 'just not good' at using the new software, leaving you to finish the project on your own. At home, your partner might claim they 'just can't figure out' how to do the laundry, leaving you with another task on top of your already full plate.
In Latine culture, a historical prevalence of machismo and marianismo can feed into this tactic. Machismo, characterized by an emphasis on masculine pride and the domination of men over women, often results in traditional gender roles being strictly maintained. Under this societal expectation, men might feign helplessness or incompetence in domestic tasks, thereby perpetuating weaponized incompetence. By doing so, they reinforce harmful stereotypes and unequal distribution of responsibilities, leaving women to shoulder most, if not all, of the domestic burden.
Weaponized incompetence not only burdens the person left to do the job but also perpetuates harmful stereotypes that some tasks are inherently 'too difficult' for certain individuals, often based on their gender, ethnicity, or age.
How to Spot Weaponized Incompetence
It's important to differentiate between weaponized incompetence and a genuine lack of skill or understanding. The former is a manipulative behavior, while the latter can be addressed with training and patience. Here are some signs to watch out for:
- Pattern of Avoidance: The person consistently avoids certain tasks or responsibilities, claiming they're 'just not good' at them.
- Lack of Improvement: Despite guidance or training, the person doesn't show any progress or improvement.
- Selective Incompetence: The individual can perform complex tasks but suddenly becomes 'incompetent' when it comes to specific duties or chores.
- Excuse Making: The person often gives vague, non-specific excuses for not doing a task, or they over-dramatize the complexity of the task.
In the domestic sphere, a classic example is a partner who claims they don't know how to cook or clean properly, leaving these duties primarily to their partner. This is particularly prevalent in households that follow “traditional” gender roles, where domestic chores are stereotypically assigned to women.
In the professional realm, an example could be a colleague who perpetually evades a portion of their duties by claiming a lack of technical skill or understanding, leaving you or others to carry their workload.
How Can you Stop Weaponized Incompetence?
Overcoming weaponized incompetence involves addressing it head-on, setting boundaries, and promoting a culture of shared responsibility.
- Communicate: Open a conversation about the issue, expressing your concerns without attacking the person. They may not even realize they've been utilizing this tactic.
- Train and Support: Offer to train them in the tasks they claim to be incapable of doing. If they genuinely lack skills, they will improve over time.
- Set Expectations: Make it clear that everyone is responsible for certain tasks. If it's a colleague, discuss the issue with your supervisor. If it's a partner, talk about shared duties and equal contribution to household tasks.
- Set Boundaries: Be firm in not taking over the tasks they are avoiding. It may lead to short-term discomfort, but it could bring long-term change.
Weaponized incompetence is a manipulative tactic that not only adds to the burden of those who pick up the slack but also reinforces harmful stereotypes and is part of a larger conversation about gender equality, shared responsibility, and dismantling harmful stereotypes.
- Machismo and Marianismo: What's the Difference? ›
- Are You Normalizing Machismo in Your Everyday Life? ›