Showing results by author "Luis J. Rodriguez" in All Categories

By age 12, Luis Rodriguez was a veteran of East L.A. gang warfare. Lured by a seemingly invincible gang culture, he witnessed countless shootings, beatings, and arrests, then watched with increasing fear as that culture claimed friends and family members. Before long, Rodriguez saw a way out of the barrio through education and successfully broke free from years of violence and desperation.

Growing up on the streets of East L.A., Luis Rodriguez narrowly escaped a serious jail term and then struggled to overcome his powerful addiction to heroin and alcohol. Eventually, Rodriguez embarked on a career as a successful journalist and a highly regarded poet. In It Calls You Back, Rodriguez describes with heartbreaking honesty his challenges as a husband and a father and his difficulty leaving his criminal past completely behind.

Shares traditional veneration rites and practices to connect with your ancestors, including limpia rites, trance journeys, energy work, and sacred gardening Explores ancestral altar-making practices, sacred tools for altars, and how to invite your ancestors to take an active role in...

Luis J. Rodriguez writes about race, culture, identity, and belonging and what these all mean and should mean (but often fail to) in the volatile climate of our nation. His passion and wisdom inspire us with the message that we must come together if we are to move forward.

Comparte ritos y prácticas de veneración tradicionales para conectarte con tus antepasados, incluidos rituales de limpieza, viajes de trance, trabajo energético y jardinería sagrada Explora las prácticas ancestrales de elaboración de altares, herramientas sagradas para los altares...