What is an Hereditary Witch?

Good Morning All! Blessing to you Everyone!

Picking up where we left, Yes my Great Grandmother was a Strega, an Italian Hereditary Witch! She worked with the herbs she took the time to grow in her garden. She became one with Mother Earth. You would often find her helping those in need and she never harmed a soul. My Great Grandmother had a soul that radiated the white light of God. Yes she was a Strega and yes she was also Catholic which is how she raised her family. Now I hope you understand why I see myself as a Catholic Italian Hereditary Witch.

Hereditary Witchcraft is exactly what it sounds like. When you inherit something it is passed down to you. the same goes with Hereditary Witchcraft. It is passing down what you have learned along your spiritual path to the next generation of witches in your family. It is the passing of your practices, your magick, rituals you may have been taught from your ancestors or written yourself. It is passing down your belief system and of course your traditions and culture. In my family traditions are a big thing. It is what makes us who we are as a family unit. An Hereditary Witch passes down spells that have worked for them, medicines that they have developed, and the secrets they have guarded in their practice as they walked along their spiritual path. The do not share this information with just anyone it is only passed from family member to family member.

If you are an Hereditary Witch it does not make you Wiccan since Wicca came along way after. As a matter of fact Gardner introduced Wicca to the world in the 1960's. Hereditary Witchcraft is much older than that. It was here before the start of Christianity. It is more along the lines of folk magick and can even be compared to ancient Shamanism.

Hereditary Witches believe in a God and a Goddess. They give thanks to Mother Earth for all she does for us, all she gives us. Most Hereditary Witches I know are Solitary Witches which means they practice alone. Oh they may have a sister or another member of the family they work with but for the most part they practice alone. That is not to say there are not those who do join covens from time to time but I have not met any who have. Since they enjoy their privacy and only pass their knowledge down from generation to generation it would stand to reason they do not join a coven with which they would have to share their craft with.

For me I am not only blessed with being an Hereditary Witch and doing what comes naturally as I walk along my spiritual path from day to day, I am also blessed with having the most amazing teacher any one could ever hope for, my Great Grandmother, Maria Teresa. I am still learning from her to this day. Now you're all thinking wait when she started this blog she said she was fifty seven years old. How could she still be learning from her Great Grandmother who surely would be not of this realm anymore. You would be right she has moved on but she is now one of guides. She is with me all the time. When I need her she is there and she guides me so I can help those who need it and learn at the same time. She is always by my side guiding my hand as I go along.

I know she is there because I have had the honor and the pleasure of seeing her at times and other times I have been blessed with feeling her presence, Over the past few years I have had a few people tell me she is always with me. For this I am grateful and truly blessed.

My Great Grandmother taught me to believe in God, the angels, the Catholic Saints. She taught me to respect and believe in Mother Earth for she will give you what you need. She taught me together God, Mother Earth, and I are a team. Together, if I listen, I can handle anything that comes my way. She gave me a belief system that has more strength and power than Hercules himself. I thank you, Maria Teresa, for the knowledge you have given me to use and I appreciate the gifts God has bestowed on me.

                                               Hereditary Witch

                                     Yes I am a bit different than most,
                                      I admit there are times I speak to ghosts,
                                      One of the gifts that have been bestowed on me,
                                      Blesses me with the ability to see,
                                      For some this may seem a bit scary and weird,
                                      But it is nothing I ever feared,
                                      These gifts come from the Divine,
                                      When off balance they help me realign,
                                      I have the ability to hear what my guides say,
                                      I have been blessed that way,
                                      And since I listen when they speak,
                                      There are those who see me as a freak,
                                      Their negativity does not shake me from my path,
                                      I just wash it away in a cleansing bath,
                                      I hold my head high and smile proudly,
                                      As my guides speak to me loudly,
                                      "Follow the path you were meant to take,
                                      For it is real not a fake,
                                      Be proud of who and what you are,
                                      Do not worry who considers you bizarre,"
                                      A little bit different I would have to agree,
                                      I am an Hereditary Witch this was bestowed on me.

To be Continued!