10 Latina Brujas to Follow Right Now to Help You Get Through This Pandemic

By Johanna Ferreira

Updated on 9/14/2020 at 5:30 PM

In the past few years we've seen a significant amount of Latina feminists proudly reclaiming their inner bruja and embracing the spiritual practices of our African and Indigenous ancestors. For centuries, spiritual practices such as Santería, the Oshun faith, Yoruba, Macumba, Vodou, and more were highly stigmatized and demonized.

Spiritual beliefs outside of the Christian/Catholic faith pushed by our Spanish colonizers were seen as "evil." Spiritual healers or brujas were reduced to negative stereotypes and perceived as cruel, manipulative, and dangerous. The modern brujas or witches of today are not just embracing these practices, but they are also building community and providing healing and support during difficult times like today.

The global pandemic has left many feeling anxious and worried about getting sick, our loved ones getting sick, and even how we're going to pay the bills. Add social distancing to the mix and that's enough to impact our psyches and lead to feelings we have no control over.

Now more than ever is the time to care for our souls and prioritize not just our physical health but also our mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. Fortunately, there are quite a few magical mujeres on Instagram who are making a point to provide content and support for anyone in need right now. They recognize that the spiritual effect of this pandemic can not be ignored and spiritual wellness is crucial.

From Reiki healers, to astrologers, and tarot card readers, here's a look at a few of our favorite Latina brujas who are helping us find joy in our darkest days.

Jasmin Alejandrez-Prasad

  • What you'll get on her feed: Uplifting content and educational resources for communities of color through spirituality."With the current circumstances, my platform has completely shifted to providing channeled messages from spirit to assist our community with thinking philosophically during this time," Jasmin told POPSUGAR.
  • Her philosophy on spiritual wellness: "Just flow" right now and be easy on yourselves. "Allow yourself to be whatever you need to be in the moment and if that changes from hour-to-hour, that's completely okay too."

Cindy Rodriguez

  • What you'll get on her feed: A spiritual wellness community helping women of color reclaim themselves, now offering support through IG Lives for the full and new moons and doing video journaling sessions. Cindy is all about giving people "a starting point or help them see they aren't alone in the hustle that is surviving this pandemic," she said.
  • Her philosophy on spiritual wellness: Finding something that keeps your mind sharp, your body moving, and yourself connecting to nature in some way. Cindy also believes in the power of baños and limpiezas, and suggests using herbs and oils that catch your attention first, and then learning what they mean. "The most important aspect is about the intention you put into it."

Jacqueline Rose Fardella

  • What you'll get on her feed: Weekly videos where she thoroughly breaks down what the week will look like for each zodiac sign. She's also offering highly discounted FaceTime readings — all you have to do is shoot her a DM to schedule an appointment.
  • Her philosophy on spiritual wellness: "Everything has its place in your life in order to help you evolve and prepare you for the future," she said. "Your only responsibility is to remain open, take the lessons given to you, recognize and use them. Embrace your expansion in both the greatest and most trying times of your life. Have patience. Let yourself unfold into your monumental version."

Yaquí Rodríguez

  • What you'll get on her feed: Remote reiki healing sessions, positive affirmations to prioritize your mental health, reflect, and heal, and sound healing meditations, including remote group sessions for mothers and their children.
  • Her philosophy on spiritual wellness: While it's important to stay informed, Yaquí believes all the information we're getting from the news has been creating more panic, and it's ok to just turn off the news for a bit. "Panicking won't change anything, but don't tell an anxious person that," she said. "Telling someone to calm down and everything will be okay is the surest way for panic. Also, it invalidates the other person's experience. The last thing people want to feel is judged right now or that they don't have somewhere to go. Meeting yourself and others where they are is crucial."

Melanie Santos

  • What you'll get on her feed: A space to connect with mind, body, soul, and spirit for women of color to heal, where self-care is normal and mental health is not a taboo. Melanie also offers a members-only virtual soul circle for anyone who needs it.
  • Her philosophy on spiritual wellness: Melanie believes this is a good time to recalibrate our relationships with ourselves and everything that surrounds us, and is certain this is an opportunity to evolve. "This is it," she said. "We can make the conscious choice to let go of the mental programming and behaviors that got us here in the first place." She added that by releasing useless patterns, we can create intentional shifts in our lives.

Valeria Ruelas

  • What you'll get on her feed: A safe space for all to heal in, self-reflect, and feel encouraged to tap into your power through tarot cards and spiritual teachings.
  • Her philosophy on spiritual wellness: "The best thing I can do is live in the present and stay hopeful," Valeria said. "I believe we are all being given a chance to heal ourselves. We are learning to be independent with our healing intentions and rely less on others."

Dr. Miguelina Rodriguez and Dr. Griselda Rodriguez-Solomon

  • What you'll get on their feed: Daily spiritual practices and meditation on Instagram Live. The sisters have also been extra vocal during this pandemic by pointing out how capitalism has neglected communities of color and how it has become even more apparent with the spread of COVID-19. This has resonated well with their community, who has found a platform where they can talk about their own experiences, learn, and feel like they belong and their concerns matter.
  • Their philosophy on spiritual wellness: They believe that spiritually, this is a time of rebirth. They added that the Earth is ready to shift into a new criterion because "we could not have possibly continued the way we were as a species. We have to break down and break through old paradigms that no longer serve us."
Zayda Rivera
Courtesy of Zayda Rivera

Zayda Rivera

  • What you'll get on her feed: Daily meditations as part of her 30-day virtual meditation gatherings that provide tools to navigate stress and anxiety caused by these uncertain times.
  • Her philosophy on spiritual wellness: "The lesson I'm finding through all of this is that simple is better," Zayda said. "Many of us race through life so quickly that we miss so many of the most impactful moments of our lives." She continued, "There's so much joy in everyday things if we just slow down and take time to notice it."

Jackie Ortez

  • What you'll get on her feed: Distance reiki sessions (done remotely) to clients, free distance reiki sessions to healthcare workers who are in the frontlines of this pandemic, as well as support and tips on getting through this global situation.
  • Her philosophy on spiritual wellness: Jackie recommends meditating, taking spiritual baths with epsom salt and essential oils, saging your apartment, and paying attention to how your body feels. She believes that the main lesson out of this is that everything we have right now is enough — yes, even under these circumstances — and it is possible to thrive and glow. "The saying that your perception is your reality is ringing more true than ever and I feel like people are finally starting to get it," she said.