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Culture — Mexico
Mexican Ritual Limpia
I tried Limpia ritual that is believed to remove negative energy from my body
Under the warm rays of the sun warming my shoulder, I found myself wandering Zocalo, the heart of Mexico City’s vibrant cultural scene that always bustled with crowds.
Lively street vendors vied for people’s attention, urging them to stop by their stalls. Some tourists posed for photos with colonial buildings and the Mexican flag in the background.
Next to the cathedral, a group of people dressed in traditional attire caught my attention. With curiosity piqued, I walked closer, eager to figure out the enigmatic practice in which they were engaged. As I soon discovered, the captivating ritual before me was the ancient and revered cleansing ritual known as “limpia.”
Limpia is derived from the Spanish word “Limpiar,” meaning “to clean,” and refers to ritualistic practices deeply rooted in Mexican culture. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient indigenous civilizations of Mexico, such as the Aztecs and Mayans, who believed in the power of spiritual cleansing for physical, emotional, and energetic well-being.
Over the centuries, limpia has endured as an integral part of Mexican heritage, surviving colonization and modernization to remain an iconic tradition.
The traditional attire worn during the ritual gives honor Mexico’s rich cultural past and contribute to the creation of a ceremonial environment, which enhances the overall experience of the ritual.
I decided to try it. I stood still, extending my arm. The practitioner, with copal resin burning, began the ritual. Holding Eucalyptus herbs in his right hand and copal in his left, he chanted a mantra while waving the herbs gently from my head, arms to toe.
In this sacred moment, the smoke and the herbs acted as a purifying agent, believed to have the power to cleanse away any lingering negative energies that might have enveloped within me. Smoke tendrils swirled around me, penetrating every corner of my being and reaching deep into the depths of my spirit.
The process lasted roughly two minutes. The limpiador softly directed me to place my palm on my head as the ritual ended to a close.
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