Discover the real sources of many of the traditions, beliefs, and techniques of modern Witchcraft And what author Raven Grimassi reveals in Hereditary Witchcraft is the documented ancient roots of the Old Religion.

One-by-one, Grimassi goes through the tenets of Witchcraft and shows their ancient sources. The association of the pentagram with Witchcraft goes back at least 2,500 years. The idea of the four elements goes back to a philosopher named Empedocles of Sicily in around 475 B.C.E. The practice of many covens today of having a Priestess, Priest, and Maiden can be traced back over 2,000 years to ancient Pompeii.

This book is filled with history, myth, and folklore. But it is also filled with rituals and techniques that you can do. On these pages you will learn how to prepare and banish a magic circle. You'll learn rituals you can do by yourself, including those for the Solstices, Diana's Day, and Cornucopia. With this information you can become a follower of the Old Ways

Of course, one of the most famous aspects of Witchcraft is magick. Grimassi doesn't disappoint here, either. You'll learn runic magick and divination; you'll learn about doing magick with the Moon and stars; you'll learn secret symbols and the powers of herbs.

If you are a Witch - or you're thinking about becoming a Witch - this is one of the most important books you could possibly have. You'll find the documentation to support the antiquity of your beliefs and the way Witchcraft is practiced today. This book is both a guide for everyday life and a resource to discover Wiccan origins. If you don't have a copy of this book, get one today. You'll use it for the rest of your life.

"TO HAVE WITCH BLOOD' WAS TO LIVE BETWEEN THE WORLDS AND TO KNOW THAT WHICH CAN NEVER BE TOLD."

"Through the years, I learned many things from my mother about the Old Religion. I learned that spirits dwelled in plants, and that to invoke them, one simply inhaled the scent of the flowers and called their names. She taught me to call the fairy folk by pouring milk, wine, and honey into a bowl and setting it under a myrtle bush. Once the bowl was in place, a reed tied to a string was swung briskly overhead in a clockwise circle, and we would whistle a slow, haunting melody. The rustling of the leaves was a sign that the fairies had come. But all of this was secret, and secrecy surrounded everything I was taught."

These were the Old Ways, part of a legacy of magick passed down through family lines, and kept alive for centuries. The secret ways of Italian witches live on today, and serve as an excellent model for any tradition of magick that seeks to impart its wisdom to future generations. In this well-crafted book, respected author Raven Grimassi tells the story of his family's traditions, from ritual spellwork to the Italian tooth fairy. Engaging and thought-provoking, Hereditary Witchcraft inspires us all to preserve the sacredness of our mysteries and magicks by giving them away — as gifts to our children.

The roots of Italian Witchcraft go back to the indigenous Mediterranean/Aegean neolithic cult of the Great Goddess. Follow its development to the time of the Inquisition, and to the present day. Learn how Italian witches viewed nature, magick, and the occult forces, and uncover surprising discoveries of how expressions of Italian Witchcraft have been taught and used in this century.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 245-248) and index.