Hereditary Witchcraft: Secrets of the Old Religion »

Raven Grimassi is a Neo-Pagan scholar and award-winning author of over twelve books on Witchcraft, Wicca, and Neo-Paganism. He is a member of the American Folk Lore Society and is co-founder and co-director of the College of the Crossroads.

Raven's background includes training in the Rosicrucian Order as well as the study of the Kabbalah through the First Temple of Tifareth under Lady Sara Cunningham. His early magical career began in the late 1960s and involved the study of works by Franz Bardon, Eliphas Levi, William Barrett, Dion Fortune, William Gray, William Butler, and Israel Regardie.

Today Raven is the directing Elder of the tradition of Aridian Witchcraft, and together with his wife Stephanie Taylor he is developing a complete teaching system known as Ash, Birch and Willow. This system is the culmination of over 35 years of study and practice in the magical and spiritual traditions of the indigenous people of pre-Christian Europe.

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.