The House of Intuition's LGBTQ+ Latinx Founders Have a New Book That's Literally Magic

Image Source: Holland Clement

If you're in a spiritual crisis and looking for divine intervention, Alex Naranjo and Marlene Vargas's new book, Your Intuition Led You Here, out on Dec. 28, might be the magic series of words and sweet spell of sorts that can bring you relief and, perhaps, inspire you to work toward becoming a better and more evolved version of yourself. The duo, who identify as spiritually fluid, meaning they've been shaped by and abide in more than one spiritual or religious belief system, are the team behind House of Intuition, one of the largest spiritual shop brands on the West Coast, which sells crystals, magic candles, essential oils, and all-natural herbs. The pair have stayed true to their original goal of creating a "spiritual oasis" for those who feel misunderstood, isolated, and hopeless as they continue to grow into a powerhouse metaphysical brand with the publication of their first book, a modern mystic's must read.

After more than a decade of building their brand — they launched in 2010 — the business owners are finally ready to reveal the story behind their pain, trauma, and magic. Your Intuition Led You Here, a vulnerable read, will unveil how they transformed their lives through rituals accompanied by candles and crystals. The book includes 32 rituals that helped these LGBTQ+ Latinx spiritual entrepreneurs overcome adultery, bankruptcy, and their "Dark Night of the Soul" moments — otherwise known as "times of spiritual crisis" in one's life.

"I do identify as a witch. I think we all are witches . . . we all can create magic," Vargas told POPSUGAR in a recent interview. Vargas, who is Mexican American, is the other half to her partner, Colombian-born Naranjo. Together, the two ran House of Intuition for four years alone, managing everything from cashier duties to teaching Magic 101 classes to their community. "In the very beginning of opening up HOI [House of Intuition], we just wanted to give a platform for tarot readers. Then it turned into, now we no longer want to give the guidance, we want to teach how they can guide themselves," Vargas explained. That new sensibility and approach inspired their book, which welcomes and speaks to spiritual seekers of all denominations and levels of practice.

Your Intuition Led You Here aims to encourage readers to defy conformity to traditional spiritual or religious edicts through personalized magic. Naranjo and Vargas don't mindlessly submit to conventions — that's what makes them, their rituals, and their book so refreshing. Early in life, Naranjo said, she had an awareness of and connection to a spirituality that transcended the religion into which she was born: "Definitely there was that belief system in something outside of traditional religion [in my family]. Now thinking back, you know, it's something that I'm realizing is that I've been introduced to this [brujeria] since before I can even remember," Naranjo said. She recalled the first time her family revealed their faith in nontraditional spirituality. "My grandmother on my mother's side told my mom we gotta take her [Alex] to this curandera lady because they're doing mal de ojo on her," Naranjo said, noting her family wanted her to receive an "egg limpia" (spiritual cleansing via the aura of an egg dipped in room-temperature water). Naranjo believes that magic has always been subconsciously influencing and protecting her.

With that formative experience guiding her belief system, you can expect Naranjo and Vargas to question everything and ask you to do the same. They're philosophers at heart, interrogating socially imposed limits and why alternative spiritual practices and beliefs aren't embraced by mainstream society and, sadly, some spiritual communities as well.

The book emboldens readers to ignore the naysayers, to take the knowledge Naranjo and Vargas provide to concoct their own unique formulas for self-empowerment and improvement. To that end, the authors encourage self-exploration. "I don't have to follow anything. Who says I have to be initiated into anything for me to be able to have a relationship with deities, God, ancestors, spirit, and angels?" Naranjo said. That point of view, which is foundational to the book, helps readers align with their authentic selves through easy-to-follow ritual work. Relatable and inspiring, Your Intuition Led You Here reminds you to believe in your dreams, no matter the challenges and setbacks.

"The book tells . . . all the things we had to go through to even open up HOI," Vargas said. Before they opened HOI, Vargas recalled a client's words of caution: "One of the stories the book shares is [that] a tarot reader told us, 'Don't tell your friends or family that you're opening up a spiritual store. Because all of their fear and all of their worry [about] failing is going to go onto you . . . They love you and don't want you to fail. Their fears are going to stop you and question you from moving forward,'" she remembered.

Naranjo and Vargas decided to heed that sage advice and the old saying that goes, "Keep your manifestations on the low so people don't do brujeria on them." For eight months, they kept their vision to themselves until they felt ready to go public with HOI. Eleven years later, they're claiming their space as women of color in the publishing industry in the spirituality category, which is dominated by white New Age spiritualists.

Naranjo and Vargas have shown up for our communities in many ways — now it is time for us to show up for them. Purchasing Your Intuition Led You Here helps other queer, WOC, and Latina authors claim and maintain seats at tables in white-dominated spaces. Remember, Latinxs and Hispanics hold the largest buying power in the US, according to Nielsen, a 2020 Census Official Partner. Let's make our dollars count and our voices heard. Our stories matter.