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.

"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.

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