Monday, March 10, 2008

Remedios para cuerpo y alma

Remedios para cuerpo y alma is big, uber-beautiful coffee table book published in Mexico City this past December (alas, no images available on google)--- I'd translate the title as "Remedies for Body and Soul." It has a prologue by one of Mexico's most-beloved novelists, Laura Esquivel, and photos by one of its finest photographers, Ignacio Urquiza. Remedies are categoried by head; thorax; abdomen; back; other remedies for the body; for the soul; and other remedies. There is a fascinating chapter on the temazcal, a kind of sweat lodge, and best of all, in "Tradicion viva," a profile of each of the healers who contributed remedies. I was especially interested to see that of Carlos J Gomez Nunez, biologist and founder of the Ethnobotanic Garden "La India Bonita" in Acapatzingo, Morelos (see some of my pix here). More anon.