Book excerpt: Like Mexico, the witchcraft and spell casting of the borderland people is diverse, colorful, and deeply-rooted in its history. With origins from the early Mexican natives and influence from the European colonizers, the magic of Mexico is truly unique. As traditions continue to blend and transform into new identities, the power of hechicería (spell-casting) continues to grow today with influences rooted in Asia, Romani culture, the Caribbean, and more.The purpose of this book is not to explain the history of the magic from Mexico, but present you with the spells and formula to begin your practice. This powerful but practical magia (magic) is filled with alma y corazón (heart and soul) and lays a strong foundation for this introductory book. Many of the hechizos (spells) presented here are time-tested methods and were developed to help you manifest protection, love, luck, and aid in spiritual cleansing. To advance your spell work and magic, several unique divination methods are included to help you communicate with the ancestors and guide you along your path. We also want to be transparent in stating that most of the magia contained within these pages may have origins from Mexico, but is mostly derived from the Texas-Mexican border where we grew up, and may differ greatly from the magic of interior or Central Mexico.As the Curandera (folk healer) Maria Sabina of Oaxaca once said, "There is a world beyond ours, a world that is far away, nearby and invisible." From El Paso to Brownsville and along the Rio Grande, this folk magic thrives hidden under the guise of Catholic Saints and ancestral shrines. We are proud to present and preserve the ancestral knowledge that flourishes as our fam-ilies and culture continue to do so. Now, you can learn the ways as they were taught to us by our elders.