Annie Vasquez received a message during meditation and brought it to life. The poet, fashionista, and author recently released “My Little Prayer Book,” which contains 75 prayers, poems, and mantras. It coincides nicely with her mindfulness card deck. The two combine to create an amazing spiritual tool kit, which emulates what she does for her daily spiritual wellness. In essence, Vasquez, known as Annie the Alchemist, is manifesting the life of her dreams and wants the world to get in on it too.
It all started with a viral video on Instagram. “I felt called to share a prayer and it went viral, and I was surprised,” Vasquez tells PS. She kept sharing more until her followers asked her to create a book. The prayer book was originally a digital book with 35 prayers, but folks wanted more.
“In 2023, I was writing a book of poems about my journey as a first-born Cuban American and what that’s been like,” she recalls, adding how she soon realized she wasn’t ready to share her poetry book just yet. “The prayer book came into my mind right after a meditation. So, I pitched it to the publishing company.”
They loved the idea and asked her to include poems since that was their focus. Vasquez knew she needed more spiritual guidance on how to develop what her followers were asking for, and the universe answered again. “I only had 35 prayers done, and I asked the universe, ‘What number?’ and I got 75.”
She got to work and completed the 75 prayers along with the same number of poems and mantras. Although the work was complete, delays continued to arise, and while she tried to remain calm and go with the flow, she started to worry. This time, Vasquez turned to a spirit guide, her beloved dog of 15 and a half years.
“I finished the book. My dog died, and I know for a fact that he stayed until I finished it,” Vasquez shares. Following the delays in publishing her book, Vasquez turned to her dog for guidance, asking for a sign.
“I wrote a letter to my dog in heaven and said, ‘I know you have energy. Just show me a sign if this is getting published this year.’ I got the sign, and it was published on Nov. 21,” she recalls. “I realized that date was meant to be because people went bananas buying five copies. It was a Christmas gift.”
The Miami-born Latina writer was onto something. Although the Annie the Alchemist brand began in 2017 with tees, hoodies, and other merch, it wasn’t until the prayer book’s release that she felt things aligning. Her prayer book went nicely with the card deck she released in 2020, which contains affirmations as journal prompts and more, making it the perfect match.
“I love cards — affirmation cards, tarot, oracle cards — so I wanted to make my own with everything on it,” she says. “If they need breathwork, it’s there. If they need a crystal recommendation, it’s there.”
Now, Vasquez enjoys teaching others how to use the book and deck, which will soon include a journal as well. She is embracing how the universe has opened up for her over the last few years and is excited to share what she’s learned with others.
Like many Latinas in the spiritual space, Vasquez grew up Catholic. She wasn’t devout but enjoyed the social aspects of the religion and how it brought people together. Still, she was searching for something more.
“I feel like since a young age I was drawn to it, but I grew up Catholic. But my dad’s aunt took care of us a lot because my parents worked a lot, and she had intuition,” Vasquez says. “It was usually when she was cooking, I think because there was water around and the water opens your third eye.”
Spiritual beliefs outside of the Catholic religion were not discussed in her family, but she saw evidence of it with her tía and even her grandfather.
“My grandfather would use plants for medicine,” Vasquez shares. “I would get a cut and he’d be like, ‘Hold on,’ then he’d go outside and cut a piece of aloe and put the ointment on me. So in that aspect, I feel like it’s in my genes.”
Vasquez embraces her spirituality and uses words to create magic. After all, as she says, writing is her dharma, or duty in this life, and passing down the lessons is the greatest gift she can give the world. “My goal is just to keep creating tools to help people and teach them how to use it so they can pass it on.”
Image Source: Courtesy of Annie Vasquez/Design by Keila Gonzalez