RE: [ranchos] explanation of a ventosa

["Janet V. Iglesias" <reynavaleria@...>]

I remember a curandera doing the "Egg ritual" to an aunt when I was younger. They would rub the egg all over the body while praying . . . Once they had rubbed the egg completely they would crack the egg in a glass of water and read the egg. The egg would tell the curandera wether there was a curse/negativity/future reading on the person. They would finish the ritual off with herbs (rosemary & others i dont remember) rubbed all over the body again.

 

~janet in South Cali.

---

From: ranchos@yahoogroups.com [mailto:ranchos@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Erlinda Castanon-Long
Sent: Monday, July 25, 2005 9:58 AM
To: ranchos@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [ranchos] explanation of a ventosa

My first cousin, from Jerez Zacatecas sent me this 
explanation of a 
ventosa so I thought I'd share it.  It's a real 
combination of 
spiritual with physical which is old world... any comment 
from the 
Dr. in our group?

A ventosa is as follows:  Mother 
would get a meduim size water 
glass and pour a little alcohol  into it 
and swirl it in the glass; 
then she would light it with a match and 
immediately place it on the 
area where the sprain was. The heat  would 
cause the muscle to pull 
upward into the glass and that would release the 
tension on it. The 
glass would remain there a few seconds and then she would 
repeat the 
procedure. My husband used to enjoy getting them whenever he had 
a 
back problem. She used them mostly on the torso. The extremeties she 
would massage with her hands after she applied an ointment. The one 
thing she did not believe in was "el mal de ojo". She called that 
brujerias (witchcraft). This is where they would apply a raw egg on 
the 
body and this would do  away with " el enhechizo" ( the curse) 
but, at 
the same time they had a lit candle and they would go back 
and forth over 
the body while they'd pray. It was quite interesting. 
I can't remember what 
else they'd use along with the egg. I tell you 
how I regret not writing all 
these costumbres down. 

Linda in Wa..