In the book Bless me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya, the author introduced the character of Ultima. Ultima is a curandera or a spiritual faith healer using naturals herbs and plants to cure illnesses (Anaya). In this paper I will discuss the various healing methods Ultima used along with other healing methods that curanderas use. I also plan to explain the psychological placebo effect that takes places during these rituals along with Native American belief rituals. In the book, Ultima is this well-known curandera known to have received her healing powers from the greatest healer known as the “flying man” from Las Pasturas (p.85). Ultima has performed many of her healing rituals throughout the book. Ultima has also served as a mentor to Antonio who is the main character and who’s this book is written in the perspective of. …show more content…
Unfortunately, Antonio has witnessed a lot of death and when he first witnessed Lupito’s death; Ultima was there to concoct something for him to help put him at ease and to treat the cuts on his face and feet. Ever since then Antonio started spending time with Ultima in which she started teaching Antonio about collecting the medicine from the plants by asking permission from the plant to take some of its medicine. On another occasion the daughters of the barbershop keeper named Tenorio Trementina cursed Antonio’s uncle Lucas. Trementina’s daughters were believed to be witches and had cursed Lucas because he had witnessed their satanic ritual known as The Black Mass. Ultima agreed to help lift the curse from the witches with a condition that they understand that someone needs to take responsibility for the causal chain of events that could be unleashed for interfering in the fate of man (p.85). Ultima also requested that Antonio would have to go with her to help lift the