witchcraft families

[misschief]

i'm starting to think i'm almost one of a kind here.... both sides of my family are witches for generations... i didn't really realize until now (which is funny.. because i'm 25 years old), that it doesn't just 'work that way' for everyone... so, how many of you come from a family tradition? just out of curiosity.. i'm not trying to make a big deal out of who is 'natural' or any of that stupid crap.. i'm just interested..please explain also...

my mother and father are both german, but mom is a little less than half irish... back to at least their great-great-great grandmothers, they were all witches of very similar trad., apparently the great(x2) grandmothers of both my mom and my dad were great friends in europe... i find that very amazing.... anyway, i guess that's how the family paths got crossed and became so similar. so, i was born of two witches.. how bout you?

[mucgwyrt]

no, but I plan on starting one :hehehehe:

Do you follow that family tradition, or are you wiccan? :)
How much of the hereditory traditions do you incorporate into your craft?

[misschief]

i am not wiccan, i don't agree with wicca...

and, i have all the hereditary trad. i don't always use them, but i have them to pass on.

[Doodlebug]

No I'm not. All of my relatives are Christians with the exception of a Grandpa who is an Atheist.

[shenanigans]

I had to go back almost 2 hundred years genealogically to find any ancestors who weren't christian. There's quite a few rather colorful characters I'm distantly related to that I highly suspect must have been witches, although I can't prove it, there's a lot of circumstantial evidence

[Mab]

I have a feeling I do, but I can't prove it. My SO thinks I must, but it's so well hidden, I doubt we'll ever be able to say definitely.

[misschief]

well.. i guess i'm lucky to know. i think there have to be more than just me.. lol. maybe everyone just doesn't know like my family does.

[Temptation]

My Grandma taught me everything I know. She was a Catholic witch, as was her mother before that.

I kept the witch part and dropped the Catholic bit. :smile:

[mattolsen]

To the best of my knowledge my family is christian on both sides as far back as I can trace. I decided to find a different path because christianity didn't make sense to me.

[Sage Rainsong]

I don't come from a witch family but we were very spiritually ecclectic and were taught about the power of prayer ect. My mother is in the process of being a cabalist. Although we are offically Catholic (the kind where its basically Mary worship)

[Rowan Darkmoon]

My mom's side of the family is Irish/Italian and has a history of producing people who are "gifted." I don't think they ever called themselves witches per se, but they were local healers and magic workers. I have a great grandfather who was famous for curing warts! :crazylaug That's about it, father's side, not so much.

[Linx]

My grandmother on my mother's side was/is. I really have no idea if she is alive or not. My mother gave me this information, and I had to pry more out of her, which she barely knew. There were books, tons of them, hand written. My mother was going to give them to me, she said some had dated back to the late 17th century. Unfortunately, the books were lost in a fire, I was told.) My maternal grandmother was Irish, and english. Born and raised in England. Her family traces back to both Ireland and England.

She came to America with my papa. She was a war bride. My papa, who was 100% French and Catholic (his parents immigrated from France in April 1912, they actually came over on the Carpathia. They were originally headed for a vacation in the Mediterranean, but well got side tracked, when the Carpathia answered the distress call of the Titanic. When the Carpathia arrived in New York, they disembarked, and decided to stay.) fought in WWII, he was sent to France & England. When he came home, my grandmother came with him.

However, my grandmother and he did not see eye to eye on raising children. She had her way, and he had his. So, 4 years after my mother was born in '57, they split. She left all of her belongings, and just disappeared. My mother said their different backgrounds is what split them up. I have no idea if she is alive, or not. I do not even know her maiden name. And most of that information died with my papa in 2002.

Anyway, there is a little bit of *Linx* history. :)

[StephanieAine]

Quite a story you have there, Linx! (Sorry to threadjack - but I love interesting stories. Couldn't resist commenting <g>)

[gurlygurl2004]

Everyone in my family except for me and my older sister(that I know of) are witches of some type but most of family claims Christianity. However psychic and sixth sense does run in my family, particularly my father's famiy(but both sides) even not many of them will admit it, some are even worse then other when trying to express a premonition that they have warn you about.

[gurlygurl2004]

Oops I meant to say that me and my sister are witches, but everyone else claims Christianity.

[Ron]

My maternal grandfather and grandmother were and are (respectively) Anglican, Hindu, Muslim and in my tradition. Grandaddy levitated and such. Grandma just loves life - (I think that's all :wink:)

My paternal grandfather was a spiritual man, he was a priest in my tradition. But he spent most of his time Canadian Expeditionary Force (Army), Lord Strathcona's Regiment, as a radio operator that just happened to be gifted in miracle healing of the wonded. They used to call him the "Witchdoctor" as a pet name... but yeah, the stories are pretty rich - but ya never know what to believe. My paternal grandmother was quite the little prayer-masteress. She was something of an enlightened soul, in my opinion.

Blessings.

[Gede]

MM~
My father is Balinese and his family are devout Hindus, however the Balinese Hindu faith is very different from the classical Indian form of Hinduism, in fact it is closer to Animism - they celebrate the Full Moons, retain their own native deities, practice folk Magick, herbal healing, consult local priests for divining reasons etc. My paternal grandmother was a holy woman in her village who often fell into trances and seemed a vessel for wandering spirits who would freely enter her and possess her body, she was also a diviner and used the dice. My father is an expert in stones and gems and knows by instinct the qualities of each, he is also a devout Hindu and what I would consider a lay priest. My mother's family is nominally Christian, and she was sent to a Methodist Sunday school, however her father was a maverick by nature and often let swaggies (Australia's version of bums) live in the house and conversed with gypsies, he also hired dowsers to find water on their farm and he wasn't an admirer of the Church. My mum's brother is a Freemason, but no Witches.

Namaste, Gede...

[Iora Rua]

Neat thread!

Welllllll,

I didn't quite fit neatly into the poll so, to explain:

My family and its branches are a big whomping melting pot. :D There's not much we don't have in us. Strangely enough (or not -perhaps the like draws like thing here?), different branches and cultures all seemed to be involved in the "occult" or witchcraft in some manner or another. On my Father's side we have a gypsy witch (at least 3 or 4 generations back), a Kabbalist (two generations back), on my Mother's ...all the women that we can trace back (or remember from stories handed down), were healers, Am. Indian medicine women or ?

Though Christianity is the religion for ALL of my living family members, esp. my Mother...she and another sister were very involved in witchcraft before I was born. 99% of the time it's not spoken of...and when it is...not willingly. My Mother would prefer to forget methinks. ;) :lol: Anyways...she passed down many traditions, scraps of knowledge & lore, and "odd" ways of doing things to us girls...that I now know are witchcraft/spells/magic. All of these practices & ancestors are pre-Gardiner of course. :)

Many sensitives and those with some sort of abilities fill out the rest of the ranks...including a number of the menfolk.

Basically, lots of magic practiced....but, I don't know if any of them actually considered themselves witches...though that's exactly what a few of them were.

[TYRRHENUS]

I come from a long line of contadini - the Italian equivalent of "rednecks." The whole family is full of superstitions and witch stories. However, they are embarrassed by it. Only recently have I begun to take an interest in them.

[rain_fallen_tears]

I said 'don't know' because, neither of my parents are witches, but I believe that my great grandmother was and many other women on my mothers side could have been...but I have no proof just a feeling...:)

[elfmage]

Catholic on my mothers side, aetheist on my fathers..... Although my fathers' mother was trying to tell me she is a Witch.... I don't think she is, although I have got her interested in it! :D Corrupting my elders!! Bwhaahahhahahah :lol:

[oscenn]

I don't know if there are any witches in my family, but the other day my mom told me about my great gramma, who's gonna turn a 100 in a couple of months. My mom says that my Great Grandma always had a certain something about her, she told me it was like a sixth sense, and that she was very special in her own way. And then the next day, i was looking online at our last names to see if they mean anything, and my mom's maiden name's sheild had two culdrens on it. I dunno if it's a coincidence, but I hope there was a witch in the family =)

[RubyRose]

Well ...

I'm the only Pagan that I know of ...

On my mother's side, they were Christian's, Catholics, and maybe even athiests. On my father's Christians, and Athiest. My mother being Christian and my dad being Athiest. My sister is also an Athiest.

[PoisonIvy]

Both sides of my family are christian,although I had always suspected that one of my grandmothers was a witch. She taught me about herbs,gardening,the elements,the moons cycles and in which moon the animals would give birth,in which sign to plant crops,how the leaves turn before a rain,just noticing things about the Earth in general. Anyways,I never got to really find out if she was or not. I'd like to think she was so that I don't feel so alone.

[blueangel]

I don't know of any witches throughout the ages but then it's not something my family would talk about, and anyway a long way back it was looked down upon so perhaps they were but it was all undercover!

[lavender_wytch]

I'm not sure, but I would imagine some of my ancestors were Witches. My 3x's great grandmother was from Sicily. We found out her last name was "Pagano" which translates to "Pagan." I know that doesn't mean anything for sure, but I was still excited to find that out. I wonder how long the word "Pagan" has been around to describe Earth-based religions. Any ideas? :)

blessings!
lavender_wytch

[Annyka]

I was brought up in a pagan tradition. My mum is a witch and my dad just considers himself pagan. Like you I didn't find out that I was being brought up that way until I found the path for myself (when I was 22). I have witches in my mum's family as far back as I have got in my family tree so far. My mum's grandmother is alleged to have cured herself of diabetes. (I would have liked to tick 2 responses on the poll, but only ticked the one for 1 parent).

[SylverStar]

Well my father was into witchcraft when he was younger...teens/20s...as far as I know he doesn't practice witchcraft anymore and considers himself Catholic. So um kinda but not really.

[misschief]

hmm.. i guess i'm still kind of the odd man out. lmao.

[Ravyn Sylverwyng]

My mother practiced for years, then quit. Now that four of her five daughters are practicing, she is back at it. She told me that she learned some of the things from her grandmother. So, I don't know. I have suspected for some time that there are more in the family on both sides, but I can't prove it. I do know that we have a lot of Native American blood on both sides of the family, and that I have a lot of Irish and English blood, but that all dates back several generations. I mean, hey, I've had grandfathers from both sides of the family that served in the Revolutionary War, on both of it also, so I don't suppose that it is too much of a stretch to assume that they are there. There are just too many "strange" stories in the family, as my mom puts it, for there not to be.

[CaitrionaMorgaine]

I am the only Pagan and only Witch in my family that I have ever discovered.

Avalon's Blessings, ~Rhiannon

[OMmomma]

I Don't honestly know.

My family, both sides, have such variety of culture and mental illness. The only clue I have, is my mother's reluctance to discuss anything of a spiritual nature, to anyone. I found out quite early that she was ex-catholic, and bitter. She loved the Native American sensiblitites, both for their approach to living on the planet, and for what little written wisom she was able to collect. She was not any part Native American, by blood. Her jewelry, and fashion sense, seemed to echo the culture she so admired. We had a quite disfunctional relationship, she was not emotionally well, and I did not respond favorably to her apparent hypocrisies. She also loved books, had more that I could learn from, than the local library. That included an interesting collection of occult literature. There wasn't much available in the 60s and 70s, but what little there was, she had. I was drawn to it, like a bee to honey, couldn't get enough. And it prompted many ideas in me, that I had no way of articulating.

My parents allowed my sister and I to attend Sunday school at a neighborhood protestant church, and go to bible summer camps when we were young. I love music, and that gave me an opportunity to play piano and sing in front of people. But in response to any Christian literature or discussion, she would always state that it was all a matter of opinion, and mostly that of the imperialist white man. My dad was non-commital, but had a secular way of accepting Christianty. I found out that my mom's Catholic upbringing was a source of trauma, and she never appeared to have forgiven that. Although, of the exact nature of the abuse, I remain ignorant. She passed on in 1991.

So it remains, that I don't know, and will probably never know for sure. Such is the legacy of a disfunctional family.

Peace

[Moonlight's Daughter]

mm,

My mother is a witch, but that is as far back as it goes that I know of. I am one and will pass it on to my son or daugther, with hopes that they will continue the path, however if its not for them, that is ok as well.. I just want them to be on the right path for them.. you know?..Oh and just to clarify, one does not have to be wiccan to be a witch, even though I am both.

Brandiwyn

[IndigoMoon]

My mother is pagan. But to my knowledge she is the only one.

[kitsch]

i voted one before my parents..my great grandmother was the one you went to when you needed herbal remedies, your palms read, your tea leaves done, etc. my mom's told me a couple of stories about her being "the witch", though i don't know if she herself would have chosen that title. either way, she's passed down quite a bit of lore that i am just now linking to being pagan/witchy in origin.
my mother doesn't practice, though i do have my inklings that dad might. he is at least conversationally knowledgable about pagan stuff... he kept quite a few books on occult stuff. he took me on my first trip to an occult shop when i was about nine or ten, and has always encouraged my seeking. i'll never forget the day i mentioned the name of a witch shop i'd been to in another city, and he knew of it and knew the proprietors by name. if that doesn't sound at least suspicious...

[misschief]

it's looking like the family trad.s might be pretty much gone.. that sucks.

[Bleeding Skies]

my mom used to be a witch. I just discovered that a few days ago. I suppose she isn't anymore..or maybe she's just hiding it extremely well for some reason.... :shhhh:

[misschief]

doesn't mean she's hiding it. after so long you kind of move on to bigger things. witchcraft is really just the beginning.

[Ron]

it's looking like the family trad.s might be pretty much gone.. that sucks.
Sister, there's no way the good ole family traditions are gone. My family trad is certainly stable. I also know of three other Pagan family trads in my immeadiate area.

We're not gone, sister, we're right beside you. Lots of the family traditionalists don't spend time on mw... either they are too busy, not interested, or just don't feel like dealing with solitaries. I know a lot of them that don't use computers, uberpagans :)... Sister you know that we're here, don't say we're not.

The Goddess sits on the Old Lord's lap. Her bosom gleaming in the Moonlight. Heavens gift to me, a child who was concieved in the arms of the old Oak tree. -- If you have a family bos, or if your elders told fire side tales, then that should be familar. :) Maybe not.

Paidumloris - let there be peace.

[misschief]

:) i was starting to feel a little... weird there for a few... thanks rhys.. for the poke also.
i just don't know of any anywhere other than mine. aside from my family it was always something that only existed in novels. i'm glad someone actually knows of others out there :)

[Romani Vixen]

I wish....

My sister is, but she's too far away for anything really practical.

[Raven Reed]

My great grandmother was a Spiritualist Minister, my foster mother is pagan... My children are atheist, so my line will most likely begin and end with me.

[Xeen]

Oh yes, of course, my mom is a witch, my grandma is a witch, my greatgrandma is a witch... I'm the 7th witch of a 7ths witch of a 7ths witch.

:bangyourh

[ObsidianSunrise]

I said don't know. I've always been into nature and natural healing since I was young. Both of my parents are Christian. My great grandmother on my mothers' side was Native American though and it was nothing for her to whip up something herbal for a cough or such. Not that she shared any of her knowledge that I know of. Of course being one of 17 great grandkids, I probably wouldn't have been in immediate line for it anyway. And when she did tell tales, I was usually more interested in what all my cousins were doing and didn't pay attention :doh2: .

I recently have begun to work on genealogy for my family. I have found that a lot of my ancestors in the late 1600s and early 1700s came either to America, Bermuda, the Bahamas or other Carribean Islands as part of the people that were escaping religious persecution in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England. My fathers side were a lot of German descendants and many of them were healers and doctors.

So perhaps some where in there hides a witch or three! :thumbsup:

[misschief]

very likely. it's really hard to know unless you have proof in your hands.

[Flappersquirrel]

Well, my father said there were a few water witches (diviners) on his side, but he tends to exaggerate a lot and I haven't gotten anyone else to corraborate. :rolleyes:

Precognitive dreams run through the women on my mother's side, but no witches. And the dreams completely gave me a miss, which considering how irritating they seem to my grandmother, aunt, and cousin, I can't get too worked up over it.

But I do have openminded family, which suits me just fine.

[magick186]

My parents are Native American (Mic-Mac) and Irish. Being Christian was never really an option

[KaimelarFeylove]

i said don't know.. my family were "devout christians" as far back as i can tell, though i know my grandmother paid attention to things most threw off a superstion.. like always wean a baby at the full moon etc etc

[Dawa Lhamo]

Well, both of my parents took up Wicca when they were my age. (They actually met at a Sabbat.) So I have had the experience of growing up pagan, which, I think, is qualitatively different, but we don't have family lore going back generations and all that jazz. On my mother's side, there is a long line of socialist agnostics, and on my father's side, there is a long line of hardcore Lutherans (plus some Jehovah's Witnesses and Catholics who got disowned for their religious decisions). That same side is scared to death of magic and witchcraft and severely punished my father for his interest in it in his early adolescence. There's one great great great grandmother on my mother's side that no one would ever talk about, but I think she was probably Mongolian or something racially different (my great grandmother would be mortally offended if anyone suggested she was related to Mongolians, or Lapps, for that matter). So nothing until the 1970's, really.

Tashi delek!
Dawa Lhamo

[lil_suzie]

Well, my daddy and me are both pagan, but not witches at all! We honor the
sun and the seasons, and ladymoon, but we don't like cast spells or brew potions
or anything. My momma's family had some troubles with there church
along time before I was born, I think they threw them out because they didn't
beleive in Jesus, and alot of people stayed away from our old place in
virgina because they were afraid we would steal there hair! LOL
But I don't really know many of my relatives, so I'm not sure?

[6th Angel]

My mom is a witch, but she has focused her life on other things, but she suports me on my path and is always happy to pass me some of her knowledge.
Before her I have no idea.

[BabblingImp]

That depends on what you mean by 'Desened' I know my mom is a witch but the thing is how far back? no clue! my mom and I could be the first witches in the family or my greatgrand mother could have been one the truth is I'm not sure! I like to think that I come from a line of witches! Does that count? :seehearsp

[-Sky-]

I voted "one before my parents" .The story is complicated.See I always felt that I had a natural power but since all my relatives were Christians I didn't know where it came from...When I finally became a wiccan I started searching more and asking around...So I've found out that my great-grandmother used herbs and traditional remedies.It was also revealed that intuition runs in the side of my mother.But since both my grandmother and my mother are Christians they have never tried to develop this gift.BUT mom finally admitted that she was into the supernatural a lot and she still kinda is.
Now how I've found I have a magical ancestor:Mom have taken advice from many mediums which happen to be her friends and 2+ of them told her that we have an ancestor,a woman who was a very powerful witch.And this ancestor also showed up in my spiritual sister's tarot cards(she is a member of MW) and in my own cards!On Sunday I had a reading with my new deck,Sacred Circle,and I drew the card "Tradition" so I am sure know.
I don't belong in a witchy family or clan yet but at least I have gifted ancestors.A best friend of mine though who lives in England is part of a Cornish Clan and I asked him to accept me as a member of his clan and he agreed.So soon I will be a proud member of their clan he he
The truth is though that I wish I've grew up in a pagan family so I am planning on starting one of my own to give my children the joy of growing up in this magical environment.

Blessed Be
~Anna

[misschief]

you know, i really think i would know even if i wasn't told. it's in me. yeah, that's got a ring to it that says "CHEESY! CHEESY!", but.. so what, i can feel it. i just know i would know, even if i didn't KNOW. ya know??

[CalisticSunrise]

it wouldn't let choose multiple so i'll start a list here of reliatives who are or were a witch:
On my mothers side: Mother, great-grandmother and great-great grandmother
On my dads side: my aunt

[-Sky-]

you know, i really think i would know even if i wasn't told. it's in me. yeah, that's got a ring to it that says "CHEESY! CHEESY!", but.. so what, i can feel it. i just know i would know, even if i didn't KNOW. ya know??

I know what u mean and I feel the same way.But I don't think it's "cheesy" at all.If you own it,show it lol

[coyoger]

Well, even though my mother never came out and said it, she and all the woman before her have passed down "witchyness" to the next generation. Traditions, tales, and powers. My mother and my grandmother are very Christian, but from their actions I know there is "otherness" involved. And on my father's side I think is what allows me to connect so well with nature. Mt great*2 Grandmother was a holy woman for her tribe.

[9-2-2]

I have descended from Christian-European smiths and commoners, and from Vietnamese and Chinese commoners. I was born without a spark... like it mattered, since I practice anyway :)

I plan on starting an occult family line, and I might just hang around after I die simply to keep it intact :)

My fiance has a crapload of mages on his mum's side... too bad they're all crackwhores, criminals, crazy, and junkies. I'm not being disrespectful, I'm simply not lying. We talk about them all the time.

My mentor descended from gypsy practitioners, I think that totally rocks n_n

[Lady Jade]

My Grandma on my mother's side passed on a great deal of witchy information, but the label never came into play. I think my mother put the brakes on that aspect. Sadly, now Gram is gone and I'll never get any tangible proof unless I find her goodies someday. She was an herbalist and knew all about wildflowers and their healing properties. She also passed along Kitchen Witchery skills. Looking back, my sister and I both agree that Gram and her mother were witches. Ritual slaughter according to the moon, herbalism, wives tales...all too much to be a coincidence.

[StephanieAine]

I've been wanting to ask this for a while, but I've hesitated... I wanted to wait until the subject came up in a thread and so my question would 'fit.'

I notice that people - when surmising about whether a living relative or an ancestor from times past might have been a witch - tend to talk about things like 'witchiness.' People mention that someone was 'the person everyone went to for healing advice' or that the person 'understood nature in a pagan sort of way' or 'seemed different, even though they said they were Christian' etc... and people often mention herbalism, home-and-hearth based crafts like soap-making or candle-making, and other 'earthy' pursuits.

How can these things indicate that someone is a witch, rather than something else? What I mean to say is that the knowledge of herbs and various healing methods would have been known to people regardless of their religious beliefs or their magical/non-magical practices... since they didn't live in the same kind of modern society we live in today. And as time went on and things became more modern, maybe some people just let scientists and medical doctors figure things out and tell people how to heal certain diseases... but there have always been people who garden and want to use the natural things around them to benefit themselves and others.

If you're talking about witchiness as in a "certain something" - a sixth sense, or some kind of 'other knowledge' or 'other understanding' a person may appear to have - I'm not sure that would indicate it either. I don't know that it would say anything either for or against the possibility, if you see what I mean.

Myself for example: my daughter and I have a rather uncanny connection, and for a while it seemed to be just coincidence. In recent years it has become so obviously *strange* that I'm honestly uncomfortable even talking about it (so you can imagine how I feel about typing this)... because of my Christian faith, and the prohibition against practicing witchcraft. Well, regardless of any sort of 'ability' - I'm not *practicing* anything; it's sort of *practicing ME* - LOL - and just *happens.* So, if a future descendant looked at my life they might conclude that I was a witch if they knew various things. However, they'd be completely off the mark!

I'm very big on gardening; I've studied aromatherapy and herbs (I love all aspects of herbs, from growing them to using them artistically, to cooking with them and using them for health purposes... they're incredible); I live my faith and spirituality very deeply; I'm extremely solitary due to being a writer, so I could probably be perceived as 'a witch living in the shadows' <g>... PLUS this "psychic" or "witchy understanding/perception/communication/foresight/etc" thing that I have, and which apparently my daughter either inherited or just developed on her own (depending on whether someone would say it's a 'hereditary craft' thing, or simply the similarities of personality and that kind of thing passed from mother to daughter, as is to be expected in families)....

... but I'm not a witch.

See what I'm saying?

Is the general belief among pagans, witches, etc. that a person is 'born a witch' and it's passed along the family line, or is it that it's believed that families teach it across the generations, or....?

If you're looking at something a person *knows or does* - such as a heightened understanding of herbs and their properties/uses/etc., how do you separate the "herbalist witches" from the "plain herbalists" and the moms who like plants?

(I hope you don't mind that I'm asking this; I'm very, very curious about this topic.)

[Calen]

Yeah, I can see what you're getting at. I don't know of any Pagans (or indeed, anyone particularly inclined towards earthy-whatever-activities) in my family, and if I discovered a great-grandmother who was known for her healing ability or herbal knack, I admit I might get a little excited, but I would do my best not to make any assumptions. I would be just as happy (okay, very nearly just as happy) knowing that I had an ancestor who shared my interests as to find my great-great-something was a witch.

[StephanieAine]

<bump-and-grind thread bump>

[Windigo]

Total famtrad here on one side. My father's side is pretty mixed religious, my mothers side is a family tradition.

[Crystal_Raye]

Maybe a couple generations back.

[Epona44]

My dad was raised Methodist, but when he went into the Army and was in basic training, he learned ju jitzu, and judo, and decided that he agreed much more with Buddhism than his family's tradition. My dad was a conscientius objector and so he served in the medical corps in Manchester, England during WWII.

My mum grew up raised as a Catholic, but when the Mass changed over from Latin to English, she didn't like what they were saying and stopped going to church. When she was growing up she read voraciously, and learned about Hinduism and Vedanta, and when I was about six, she started taking us to an Ashram in Cohassett, Massachusetts.

I met lots of Indian people, and learned to respect them. They too, are very diverse. There really isn't one single Indian culture.

Mum studied all sorts of philosophy, including the kookier stuff, just to see what it said. I was very fortunate to have grown up in such an eclectic household.

No one was particularly interested in witchcraft, (they didn't call it wicca then, and to the outside world pagan was a derogatory term as was heathen, and neopagan was unknown) but UFO's were a frequent topic of conversation.

We did have some books on the Black Arts, but I think they were for the effect.

Looking back, it was tough growing up without the shared Christian background as the others in my small town school, but it made me a more tolerant person.

[Carickah]

My grandmother has been into the magick arts, but has never, to my knowledge, called herself or considered herself a witch. She is very intuitive and I have seen some of her books and they are very similar to my BOS, but there are things that I found by accident and I have never asked her nor has she ever volunteered. My mother is an alchoholic and doesn't really have any proclaimed faith. There is some evidence that there have been Comanche and Cherokee Shamans in our family line, but solid evidence here is lacking.

My father is hardcore Baptist. My grandparents on my father's side are Church of Christ. There is nothing in the New World here to indicate that any of my ancestors on my dad's side have been anything but Christian. But beliefs from beyond the 4th generation back is really hard to come by since that's when many of them came across from Ireland and Scotland.

Beyond that, I don't follow a family trad, but if my daughter wishes to learn, I will pass what I know down to her and so one may very well be started. :)



k

[StephanieAine]

Come on, guys - don't forget the thread! I'm really interested in this. I hope my questions didn't offend anyone; they weren't meant to do that. Just really interested in the distinctions.

[Nantonos]

Myself for example: my daughter and I have a rather uncanny connection, and for a while it seemed to be just coincidence. In recent years it has become so obviously *strange* that I'm honestly uncomfortable even talking about it (so you can imagine how I feel about typing this)... because of my Christian faith, and the prohibition against practicing witchcraft.

I thought the prohibition was against poisoning, and only got changed to 'witchcraft' in the King James translation, because of that monarch's well known interest in and phobia about witches.

Sory to diverge off topic a little. Can anyone confirm that reads Hebrew?

[Raidenmaru]

The problem with such a question is that in spite of the repeal of anti-witchcraft laws (relatively recent, nonetheless), many practitioners may have been in the broom closet for personal or professional reasons. I really couldn't be sure, in regards to e.g. someone up 3 generations from me.

However, among family from the Asian continent, I can definitely say that there is a deep-ingrained belief in holistic healing arts, spirituality and divination to an extent. I went to an acupuncture clinic with my grandmother once... each year we also import non-FDA-approved medicines from China in violation of FDA rules :). And for those in the know, I do sleep at 320 degrees (northwest), hopefully that doesn't count as "north".

[Nemesis Descending]

it's looking like the family trad.s might be pretty much gone.. that sucks.

No not at all, there are a few from various cultures that still survive. Nothing is forgotten.

In Her service,
Nemesis Decending

[Scarlet Witch]

I thought the prohibition was against poisoning, and only got changed to 'witchcraft' in the King James translation, because of that monarch's well known interest in and phobia about witches.

Sory to diverge off topic a little. Can anyone confirm that reads Hebrew?

Just off the top of my head, if I correctly recall, the word was "chasaph" (not sure of the exact spelling without checking old notes). It indicated an assassin, and in the old days poison was a favored method. So "chasaph" became equated with poisoner. Since people believed that Witches knew the properties of herbs, King James had the word chasaph translated into Witch. Anyway, that's the short version of it.

Blessed be,
Scarlet Witch

[Teresa]

My ancestors on one side of my family have a line of Shamans running thur it.On the other side of the family there are gypsies, fortune tellers,rootworkers,and a witch here and there.They were very superstitious people.I remeber loving to play in the attic as a child .There were many interesting magical things from my ancestors kept there.My Native American grandparents raised me from around age 7 until 19.Most of what I learned about the otherside of my family was written in old journals with the occasional picture and a few objects that were saved to be passed on.There were some Holy Rollers inbetween which destroyed some of the treasures I would have loved to have seen.I embrace both sides of my heritage as I am of a mixed decendance.I do not claim one path.

[raven grimassi]

I notice that people - when surmising about whether a living relative or an ancestor from times past might have been a witch - tend to talk about things like 'witchiness.' People mention that someone was 'the person everyone went to for healing advice' or that the person 'understood nature in a pagan sort of way' or 'seemed different, even though they said they were Christian' etc... and people often mention herbalism, home-and-hearth based crafts like soap-making or candle-making, and other 'earthy' pursuits.

How can these things indicate that someone is a witch, rather than something else? What I mean to say is that the knowledge of herbs and various healing methods would have been known to people regardless of their religious beliefs or their magical/non-magical practices... since they didn't live in the same kind of modern society we live in today.

You raise an interesting point, and I think many Social Anthropologists would agree with you. Even when indigenous people label themselves Witches, many scholars argue that they are simply folk magic practitioners (and not Witches). It appears to be a common bias found in modern scholars.

If you're talking about witchiness as in a "certain something" - a sixth sense, or some kind of 'other knowledge' or 'other understanding' a person may appear to have - I'm not sure that would indicate it either.

I would agree that psychic ability in and of itself is not a sign that a person is a Witch.

Is the general belief among pagans, witches, etc. that a person is 'born a witch' and it's passed along the family line, or is it that it's believed that families teach it across the generations, or....?

That is an endless debate. As a hereditary Witch, I was taught that the "gift" and the "power" is passed in the blood. But my life experience leads me to conclude that this is not exclusive or required. I believe that Witches reincarnate, and so one can be a Witch again even if he or she is born into a different blood line. That is my personal belief.

It is interesting to note the data compiled by several folklorists of the 19th century who performed field studies on the existence of Witchcraft. Among the most noted are J.B. Andrews, Roma Lister, lady De Vere, and Charles Leland. Each of them investigated Witchcraft in a different region of Italy. Despite independent investigation, they all reported striking similarities.

Here are the most common aspects reported:

1. Passed through family lines
2. Taught primarily to females
3. Initiation involving either pricking or marking
4. Secrecy
5. Magic
6. Lunar, solar, and stellar spell workings
7. Their own lore
8. Divination
9. A set of laws
10. Working with spirits
11. Association with a goddess figure

There are also earlier references to Witches that appear in the writings of Francesco Guazzo. In his Compendium Maleficarum (1608) Guazzo states that Witches work with spirits of earth, air, fir, and water. He also states that Witchcraft is passed through family lines, a black book is used, a religious demeanor is assumed, marriages are performed, healings are worked, and so forth.

I'm reminded of a passage about Witches, reportedly by a man named Edward Johnston , Esq. of Sudbery Suffolk in 1645:

"Mark well their manner, for it is quiet and assumeth not. It is in peacefull tones they speak, and oft seem abstracted. Seeming to prefer the companie of beastes, they converse with them as equalls. They will dwelle in lonely palces, there better (as they say) to know the voices of the wind and hear the secrets of Nature. Possessing wysdome of the feldes and forrests, they doe heale with their harvests. They concerne themselves not with idle fashion, nor doe worldly goodes hold worth for them. Be not so confused as to think that only womankyned harbour the gifte in this manner. Of men there bee many that holde mickle power."

I found this in a copy of the old Witches' Almanac, but have not run across the passage anywhere else in my research. But it is still interesting.

Best regards - Raven

[Jenne]

Thanks for that, RG, that was great!

I have none that I know of, but my deep abiding love for the Craft leads me to believe (or makes me WANT to believe) that yes, there is some heredity there. Sigh. But, nonetheless, I do have much Native American blood in me, from both sides, mostly from my dad's, who is 1/8 Black Foot.

My grandmother (father's mother) is also half Italian, and her roots are VERY Sicilian. It would be interesting if there's some Strega there, but I'm doubtful.

[Mòrag Elasaid Ní Dhòmhnaill]

I thought the prohibition was against poisoning, and only got changed to 'witchcraft' in the King James translation, because of that monarch's well known interest in and phobia about witches.

Sory to diverge off topic a little. Can anyone confirm that reads Hebrew?

Nantonos, your best bet would be to ask Morr. She is Israeli, speaks Hebrew and is a scholar of both the Bible and Torah. She's actually covered this before in another thread...I will try to find her post for you.

Ah-ha! I found it:

The word "witch" in hebrew is parallel to one of practices magic for evil intents, controls spirits through whatever means (chants, spells, etc) and looks to harm another person. Using poision is another method that applies to this person.

The same word in hebrew that stems from the word "Kishuf" (spell/enchantment) that describes a "witch" (female) - "Mechashefa" is the same word used in biblical time and nowadays. There's also another word (that i think was mentioned in this thread) - "Ba'alat Ob". This usually refers to a woman who uses Spirit for Divination. Also, this is frowned upon in the bible. King Saul goes to one of these ladies to predict his future, and she predicts good things for him, while Y-H-V-H gets pissed that Saul went to a curropt lady like this, and he lets him die in the battlefield (I'm pretty sure this is how the story goes...).

EDITED TO ADD: I picked up my Hebrew Bible (the Torah and Old Testament only - Not the New Testament and Christian Bible):

"Mechashefa Lo Techaye"

In my own translation, as someone who speaks/reads/writes Hebrew fluently for her entire life, and whom understands the simple direct meaning of each word -

"Witch No You Let Live"

Ie. (adding correct grammer/linguistics english stuff to make it an understandable sentence in English) - "Do Not Let a Witch Live" (translator's note - "Mechashefa" is written in the FEMALE form, in Hebrew. Not in the Male form).

This word, "Mechashefa" in Hebrew is used today and means the exact same thing as "Witch" does in English. The word has the same attributes and stigma as it did in Biblical days, as it does now. Of course, I'm talking aoubt Orthodox Judaism. A Reform Jew may view Witches differently, and I wouldnt be surprised if he/she are aware of Wicca and the Modern term for "Witch".

From this post: http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?p=1536338&highlight=poisoner#post1536338

[Wyrdsister]

I don't believe I am, though there's alegedly a woman in my family tree who was one of the women killed in the Salem witch trials. I haven't done any research on my own to confirm this though. And even if she's in my family tree, it doesn't mean she was a witch. ;)

Wyrdsister

[MoonDragn]

My great aunt on my father's side was the only person in my family I knew that practiced magick. She was from the southern part of Taiwan in the urban area and practiced some kind of folk magick. She grew herbs and vegetables in her garden and generally stayed in a separate house alone from everyone else. I heard she moved to canada after our family moved away but I dunno what happened to her. She's most likely dead by now as she was old when I knew her. Its a shame I could not have learned some things from her.

[butterflydreams]

I'm the only one in my family that I know of. My grandmother on my mom's side has a little something about her - some like to say "a wee bit of the fae" but her and my grandfather are both very devout catholics. She'd freak if I ever called her a witch. My grandfather's family was all from Ireland and all Irish CAtholics. In my mom's generation, everyone has that religion but only one uncle and his wife actually bother going to church and outwardly practicing their faith.

On my dad's side of the family- he himself has some psychicness (couldn't think of any other way to put it) but he believes in a higher power and that is the extent of his religion and practices. We do have lots of Sicilian blood on his side of the family as well as some Native American.

I could possibly find something on one or both sides if I looked back far enough but I think it is safe to say there are no other witches in my family.

[Crow Laylancer]

honestly i dont know most of my family on my dad side came form germany and the rest are cherokee(sp)
while on my moms im the melting pot of human geno from native americans and british isle people....so i guess it is a possibility
i personally have began the tradition of my germanic part and started studying asatru and that

[Black RiverWolf]

on dads side there are aolt of tales about things that have happend to family members his side is Native American and Irish on moms side it German and Polish so i have no idea

[SacredWithin]

Everyone in my family except for me and my older sister(that I know of) are witches of some type but most of family claims Christianity. However psychic and sixth sense does run in my family, particularly my father's famiy(but both sides) even not many of them will admit it, some are even worse then other when trying to express a premonition that they have warn you about.

It's interesting. My mom is always joking around with me saying I have "witchy" tendancies. However, my family is mostly Methodist. However, from observation, I can tell my mom has some sort of spiritual gift, in my opinion anyway. She can tell when someone is sick, usually with cancer or something. She may know even before the person knows. So, to me, that's a gift. And I personally have had many psycich experiences, however, neither of us call each other witches, but neither of us are really into the family methodist thing either. But I'm starting to think more of us have spiritual gifts that we may not be talking about. But other than that...no witches here.

[Nord Witch]

no, but I plan on starting one :hehehehe:



I hope to raise my kids as we believe someday (don't ahve any now) only 1 of us is a witch though...I am pagan (I call myself zen pagan, a mix of pagan and buddhist) and the SO is buddhist. The paths seems to be pretty, at least in my case, only difference is the holidays(which we both celebrate the traditional ones b/c of family and he celebrates mine with me) and the fact that I practice different rituals.

[Ben Gruagach]

My dad's family lived for many many generations in the Lancashire witch area of England. We've traced at least some of the family tree back to just after when the Lancashire witch trials happened but I don't know if there are any direct connections there with either the accused witches or the people who were doing the accusing. My dad was born in Lancashire and came over to Canada with his family when my dad was 13.

The family tree I've got access to doesn't go any farther back than 1636. The witch trials there were in the early part of the 1600s, around 1612 or so I think.

So I guess there is the possibility there were some identified witches in my family tree, but I don't know for sure. And even if they were identified as witches, they might have just been accused of being witches while not being witches at all.

My dad's family does seem to talk a bit about the Lancashire witch stuff though so it makes me wonder if the idea was kept alive for some reason other than just that it was memorable.

My mom's side of the family is from Ireland, but I don't remember any talk of witches from that side of the family. My mom does talk about an aunt of hers in Ireland who says she has fairies living in her garden though.

[WitchJezebel]

My grandmother on my father's side was a Catholic witch so to speak. She was definitely Catholic, but she also had a side to her that did spells and 'odd' herbal mixtures (I remember one time my mother had to go and get pigeon poop off park benches...). My mother believed in it before she became a JW, but I think alot of it frightened her. My grandmother told me the witches (that's not how she referred to us, she said 'special' people) go waaaay back in my family, but I think it's only on my father's side. I guess I should mention we're from Puerto Rico so many in my family retained alot of the 'old ways' when they came here.

[HorseCrow]

To my knowledge, there are no witches in my family. To be honest, I'm always quite sceptical of people who tell wide and far about how their mother, grandmother etc were witches.
However, I have had a very pagan upbringing. Never been baptized, no confirmation, never gone to church. I have been brought up to enjoy and respect Nature and Earth as Mother Earth, put rice porridge out for the house gnome at Yule, been taught about herbs and their medicinal and magical uses etc etc etc. So though my parents have never used the term witch, nor pagan, they would come out with a pagan high-score on any chart. Then moving to Africa for 10 years, from I was 8 till I was 18, I was taught by Nhangas, the witchdoctors and shamans of my area.
So- very intensely pagan upbringing, lacking witches for the first 8 years.

[Lady Khaibit]

Family on my maternal grandfathers' side were Shaman and Medicine Women. So who knows... every now in then an Cherokee woman comes to me in my dreamtime and speaks to me... as far as my children, they'll be raised in the Craft....I'm going to start a New generation of little crafters!!

Lady K

[ollathair]

To the best of my knowledge I am the first ... the one and only.

I am of the opinion however, given that my family heritage goes back to the pre-1100's in Scotland and Ireland, that there was, hopfully, another one or two who can guide me now :)

[manicfairy19]

I come from a long line of gypsies. Of course their practices have been fairly buried over the generations. My grandmother and I used to talk about the ancestors a lot, because I am the one that has the "sight" Everyother generation in my family on my mothers side a girl is born with green eyes that fade into hazel, but in high emotional situations they turn bright green. This girl is given the gift of sight by the gods, (As my grandmother put it) and it seems to ring true. I see auras, have visions, and see spirits. Ive been doing it since I was really little. So i dont know if in somewhere my family had witches in the bloodline, but that is part of the reason why I chose paganism. I want to continue on new traditions to my children so that it wont be so scary when my granddaughter gets the gift someday. (Yes I know Im going to have a granddaughter some day. I dont even have kids yet though lol)

[Meiga]

Both my parents were healers.He was a wounded healer and a licensed doctor and surgeon.My mother has a green hand and a strong intuition/creativity, fit as a teenager at 70.Both were non-practising catholics.I learned the ritual side from my mom´s mother,a raging catholic who made me study Sacred history at the age of 4.

[Lupercus]

Yes, i come from a family that has a tradition in the Craft. My Grandmother was teaching me before i was 5. Her Grandmother was also a witch, as well as her Aunt. Family Craft tradition is an important part of my Trad. It however does not eliminate those who have no such background. Mother chooses who she wills, and there is very little logical pattern involved, other than Her own, and that is undecipherable.

[Leander]

I voted "Don't know", because I have an incling, but I'm not sure. I can trace my family back on both sides to about 700AD (I'm originally Viking and Scottish on my mother's side, and Irish celtic on my father's side), and I'm almost certain that someone in my family must have practiced some of the things we do now, although I can't of course be sure. I had quite a few ancestors burnt as heretics over the years (including interestingly Thomas More and John Fisher, both in the reign of Henry VIII, and both now Christian Saints), although I don't know who most of them were. I suspect some of them were burnt as witches though.

[Phoenix Risingstar]

I was adopted by very unmagickal people. My bio-family will not talk about some things. So I had to answer the poll with i do no know.

I do know without a doubt that I am a witch. From my perspective that is more important.

[Amethyst Rose]

As far as I know no one in my family has been a witch...although my grandfather used to read tarot cards. I voted "I don't know" though, cuz I really don't...it's not impossible.

[Amryn]

I voted I don't know, because I've heard things about my father's side of the family. Just stories about them being Druids way way back. My last name kinda resembles Druid. I know Druids aren't the same thing as witches but who knows what else is lurking around in my gene pool.

[farm girl]

.

[LadyTrinity]

I was told that one of my great aunts was prophetic there fore the family said she was a witch.. My dad says she labeled her self as such but who knows the truth? I think it would be cool to think she was one.. because my passion had to have come from somewhere.. No one else in my family likes witchcraft. :geez:

[Grey]

Moms side- Grandma + Grandpa both had visions, grandma more so. And yes they were accurate and so not likely delusions.
Mom was a bit of a hippy, went far into metaphysics and buddhism.

Dads side- 1/2 native american... supposedly some shamans in there, the other half is portugese and gods know whats there... but dad was a metaphysician too, though he liked the drugs as much if not more than the religion I think.

[Aislyn Coldstone]

My family is kinda a mystery. My mom to my knowledge has never touched a bible except to pick mine up when I was little to sudt under it. She is fascinated with Tarot and other occult things. The first book I ever bought on wicca came up missing and was later found well used on her book shelf and she will not give it up. She belives the bible to be a bunch of hooey even though it has been proven to be a excellent source of History for the area around Israel and Egypt.

As to my dads side well I don't know, actually I don't know him but from what I can tell they were probably some type of stuffed shirt peakocks with no brains.

Anyways that is my history

[Silver_FireStar]

I voted don't know. On my dads side mostly christian and all n the salvation army.
On my mums side...I never knew them and don't want to either.

However I do remember a life where I was descended from pagans. So I don't rightly know.

[Muttnboofer]

My dad was an athiest most of the time I was growing up. His side of the family is mostly Church of Christ. My mom's side is a mix of those who are entirely Catholic (including a mother superior for a great aunt), the standard mix of Irish Catholic/Old Religion, and just Old Religion. My mom has only ever followed the old religion. My grandparents followed the old religion, but publicly belonged to whatever religion was the best politically socail move. My great grandfather always said "church is for praying, the old ways are for living" and he mostly went to church on Christmas and St. Patricks Day. Between my mom and I we both know people in our family who followed the old Irish ways back to my great great grandparents generation and have been taught by some of them. I've chatted with the parish priest in the county where my great granddad was born and have discovered that the church has records going back further than that, but they've been closed because of some of the information in them. I'd have to go there and get the records in person and even then I'm not sure I could get the records. I'd sure enjoy the trip though :)

My family has always called it the old religion...never Wicca or anything else. I'm married to a Wiccan and there seem to be some differences. On of the biggest that I've seen is that most Wiccans (and pagans in general) believe in a god/goddess duality or a pantheon of gods. My family beliefs are more animist. We believe that all things are like the leaves on a tree of life and that we are all interconnected.We help to sustain the tree and the tree helps to sustain us. It's a symbiotic relationship.Most of us these days see the tree as being more of an energy that all living things help to create and that in turn helps sustain us.

Boy I'm long winded...sorry bout that.
Muttnboofer

[AutumnFire]

I likw the word Pagan better to describe myself. My grandfather was Lakota Shaman. My grannie just an ole cottage witch in the Irish tradition, I tend to mix both in honor of my heritage and have even explored the Greek side of my heritage from a great-grandmother. All my kids and grandkids are Pagan following their chosen paths. I truley believe in freedom and respect of all faiths, I do not try to convert and it does bug me when certain faiths feel their way is the only true way and will push or try to force conversion.

[Pentangling_57]

Nope, no one of my relegion in my family.

~Pentangling

[RowanMegaera]

My parents are both very ecclectic. Growing up we were definitely agnostic. Very spiritual, but not "religious" per se. I was always encouraged to find out things for myself and given the access to anything I wanted in my studies. I was drawn to paganism and witchcraft around 12 and dedicated at 14. My parents bought me all the books I could handle and my dad read them along with me. Now, I have been practicing for 13 years and my dad is a full blown "heathen" as he likes to tell people. So technically I am not descended from pagans, I created my own.

[DraoinanDuanaire]

By sheer odds, I'd suspect that almost everyone is related to someone that's been considered a witch at some point.

[Kaylana]

No, it would go againist my relatives god.

[Galakemen]

Both my parents aren't religious in the sense of going to church or praying everyday. But I suspect that they lean to christianity, though they have always let us choose our own paths. It was said that my Mom's mother practices, but I am unsure of this rumor. When I traced my lineage it gave no indication that my ancestors where anything other than christians, though I was unable to complete my findings because I am a desendant of French(Caribbean) & American slaves on my Fathers side.

[Athene]

Hello all,

My parents are atheists.

My maternal family are almost all witches (mostly the women). I discovered this by my parents dropping hints about my practices/experiences/skills being similar to 'Aunt Joan' etc. Very odd.

Not sure what happened with my mother. Obviously she wasn't born a witch, but never knew why she denounced all faith and beliefs.

peace

[fafonen]

I haven't had any luck in tracing my family back further than the early 1800's. And even then most of what I have is names. No records of personality etc...let alone religion. My dad's biological father left his mother when she was pregnant with him so I don't even really know my grandpa on his side other than his name..so I've had no luck trying to trace that side of the family although by looking up the last name I've discovered he was Irish.

So I suppose I could be descended from witches if you go back far enough. My grandparents were Episcopal and Catholic...but who knows?

*shrugs*

[Lunamoth]

To my knowledge, my family on Dad's side was always Methodist... and likely Anglican before that. I have no idea about my Mom's side, as she was adopted and her biological mother was less than forthcoming with details about the family. Her adoptive parents were United Church... so, there was a lot of Protestantism going on, huh? Sounds at least like the family did reject the whole Catholicism idea. Interesting. I wonder what an actual in-depth search through the history would show...

[Fireheathen]

Unfortunetly there's no witch blood in my family on either side as far back as I've looked.. maybe I'll be the first! _twohorns_

[David19]

I voted don't know but as far as i know, no one was a witch although there may have been somewhere along the line, my dad's side is Irish Catholic and my grandma on my mum's side is Jewish and my grandfather (who'd dead) i think was more agnostic but who knows, i have a suspicion that on my Jewish side, my great grandma may have practiced sometype of herbal practice from what my grandma tells me but i don't think that makes them a witch but who knows, maybe one of my ancesters in either Ireland or Iraq practiced magic but i don't think i'll ever know, unless someone invents a time machine :)

[Meadhbh]

My mothers family does, I never really thought about it being odd or anything it was just the way things were. When I got a bit older I found out that not everyone did things they way we did them. Her side of the family is Scottish so I've had to revamp some of it a little but I find for the most part its workable for me.

[StarCraftLia]

w

[LadyCelt]

I don't know and I'd feel odd asking cause I don't think my parents believe thingslike spells or sorcery or the craft exists. I'd be interested to know, but not sure how to do so without asking but one of my cousins and her former guy did Reiki and crystal healing with it if that counts somehow, but she's born thorugh my mm's sister though so I odn't really come from her in my bloodline exactly, now I'm confused :)

[bbnflpn]

as far as i know my family were not witches. but some times i wonder about it. my dad has always been against orginized religion and even lied about his religon on my birth certificate. (it said that he was protastant when he was catholic) through the things he taught me they were very pagan in nature. my mom always told me that i needed to find the path that was right for me. so i really cant say one way or the other,

[fangedeshana]

There is a lot of a mix in my family. A fair few healers, spiritual people, some catholics and a few i-have-no-idea-shutup kind of people. None of them claim the title witch, as I do, but a lot of them practice very similar to how I do. I think there is a tiny bit of witch in everyone. They might not light candle or incense, but I believe people I've known preform magic without even knowing what it is.

[MoonDust]

nope. not I.

1st generation. :T

[taijiya]

No, but there were some odd things--like my aunt, who always claimed to "know" things, or my mother teaching me, as a kid, how to "witch a wart" (which her own mother had taught her). When I was very young, I could apparently see dead people, and knew of people and places that a toddler had no business knowing...but I seem to have grown out of those abilities!


~*~taijiya~*~

[Moonlite Faery]

I couldnt tell you what my "actual" heritage is, I was adopted. But my adoptive parents and that whole family is Christian.

[Sun_and_Saturn]

My mother has and her mother had an uncanny sense of intuition. My mother just "knows" things, as did her mother, and my grandmother was a skilled tarot card reader and she also read playing cards. Of course, I didn't find out any of this until after my grandmother died. My great-grandmother worked with herbs and used them for healing. They've also all worked with different energies, too. I guess one might call all of them Christian witches, since they were all Christians. There are also other people listed in our genealogy book who were rumored to have been witches, but there is a lot of circumstantial evidence.

I have started a family book of shadows, which I have a feeling is going to grow to be very large. :)

[Avalonia]

As far as I'm aware, there are no witches in my family. Apparently, my grandfather on my mother's side was a town folk healer, which is the closest thing. Other than that - mother's family is Catholic, father's family is Protestant. So... um... no witches.

I suppose I'm first generation. XD

[TaysatWesir]

I don't know however my great aunt had taught me a little bit of blessing the house with incense daily. My mother took me to botincas got my first reading at age 11. My father bout me my first deck of tarot cards and plenty of books about other religions. So to answer your maybe but they are not witches rather something else.

[Greymuse]

Does kitchen witchery count? I can't claim witchcraft in either side of my family, but on my mother's side going back at least 3 generations, the (irish) women have all had strong empathy and ...intuition. Great gramma Madden knew almost immediately her daughter (my gramma) was pregnant with my mother and called to tell her so, before gramma even felt any symptoms. One of greatgramma Madden's sister had a vision of a shadow passing over their brother's bed and knew he had died, when she called great gramma about it the next day, it turns out at the time of the shadow the brother had been in a train wreck. Gramma knew when my mother was in trouble, mom has always known when I'm in particular trouble, and I've had what I call phantom pains that mirror other people's injuries even if they weren't my blood relations. So something's there, but as far as I know everyone up until me have gone with some form of christianity.

[Philosophia]

There could be, but I'm not 100% sure.

[fangedeshana]

I'm the only Pagan/Witch I know. I'd love to have some family or friends that practiced. I get a little lonely sometimes, especially when I feel like celebrating Sabbats with someone.

"Intuition" runs in my family, but it's not reall openly reconized or talked about. Most of my family is Christian or Athiest (a few Agnostics in there, too).

[Hærfest Leah]

So far I'm the only one in my family but it doesn't matter. I have two darling little girls that I plan raising as little witches if they are interested.

[Renny]

Nope. Mother = Christian.. Dad and his family = Atheist

[JadeEmerald]

I only say NO because my parents aren't witches and I doubt my grandparents were (they all died when I was very young)...but who knows if one of my ancestors was?

[morningstar2651]

I don't know and I don't care. What matters, to me, is the here & now. My fiance and I are both witches.

[jcldragon]

There's no one known to be Magickal on either side of my family to any significant degree at all. However, my Mom's Father, was a Presbyterian minister, who was very close to Nature, having climbed 46 peaks. He was an Environmentalist, a Social Activist, and a Master Mason. Privately, he believed in reincarnation, although he never preached about it in Church. His favorite section of the Bible, was the Sermon on the Mount.

[Tanya]

My mother, grandmother and great grandmother were all witches. They were very under the radar, but they gave me all my spiritual beliefs and lots of my recipes in my shadow book.
They believed the whole world is alive and we are part of it all, not sperated
The believed in the holiness of women
They were strong herbalists and natural hisotrians, knowing every herb we could grow
They taught me all the forest trees flowers, mushrooms and bushes with all their uses.
The grew nearly everything they needed, and were the only folks in town who used herbs both for food and healing
The believed the Goddess is in every leaf on every tree, every ripple in the water, and they endevoured to listen to her.
They reveared the wisdom of the local Indians(the Lenapi) and courted their lore about the place where we lived.
They dedicated their lives to healing and teaching.

They make me very pround to be of them.

[OnyxStar]

i'm not sure, cause my grandma might have been in the sixties or something,but I haven't worked up the courage to ask. That would be awesome, though.

[Negruperla]

my father is muslim and so is mom...
but i've been grown up with Grek Mythology by grandpa

i believe in Zeus for six years... i am a Pagan..
that's my path _inabox_

[Sage WindMoon]

Ok, I answered "Don't know" because while my family has been some variety of protestant Christian for as long back as I can tell, there are a few things of interest:

My mom's side were almost all of Scottish descent and settled in the Carolinas. There are LOTS of stories about psychic occurrences, folk beliefs and even references to what is called "root magic". So these folks were certainly Christians of some type, but with a little folk magic ideas tossed in. Not a real solid tradition, though.

Oh, and just for fun - I had an ancestor in the 1600s who was killed by pirates in the Caribbean. Off topic, I know.

But I'm really curious about the few here who have witches in their lineage back for more than two or three generations. You hear a lot of people say there are no real family traditions going back that far - at least I hear that. I would love to get more information on the nature of these traditions - I find the topic very interesting indeed.

[coeur]

There aren't many witches in Manchuria.

[MysticWitch]

I am not sure. So I chose "I dont know". I was told a story once about my great, great, great, great grandmother found a book while walking on the island and when she opened it words were being written "magickally" Apparently the family thought she was doing witchcraft to make this happen so they disowned her from the family or something. No one living in the family knows where this book may be?

[storm_child]

Well I dont have any family history that says we are but both sides of my family wrapped into me has made a witch:). On my dads side, nothin special really. They lived by the land, hunting, fishing,and gardening. I suspect that if my Grama White was alive she would have lots on interesting kitchen knowledge to share...
My mothers side is a bit more supernatural. Ghosts are every day life for my family it seems, my grampa has a ghost we effectionatly call Aunt Ruby that checks in on him from time to time, my uncle is a dreamer and can do the water witching thing. My Aunt is starting to learn quantum touch and is interested in alternative health care.
Both my parents can read Tarot cards, my Dad.. I dont know what he is but once told me "we are not humans seeking soulful experiances but souls seeking human experiances." And my Mum, well I seem to be turning her into a pagan:) shes been reading my books, and starting to follow her intuition more... and me, im the first to claim im a pagan/witch. I hope that I start a family trad though.
BB-storm child

[unicornwitch]

My parents brought me up Mormon. So becoming a witch was not a problem for me. If you know anything about Joseph Smith and Mormons, then you know what I'm talking about. I suspect I have always been pagan in all of my lives, I'm very drawn to Celtic traditions and feel at home when I practice them. BTW my parents aren't poligamists.:eyebrow::hehehehe:

[TaysatWesir]

My mother side of the family consist of mediums and santera practitioners.

[Astara Seague]

My Dads Mom was one..

[Riceko]

I found out from my (very christian) grandmother a few weeks ago that I have a long lost grandfather who was a Druid in Ireland.

I thought that was interesting.

[Semjaza]

Heh heh, in my family there are plenty of eccentrics, psychics, and empaths... as well as a few who could speak in tongues... Some talk to the dead and others see events before they happen... We all have a great appreciation of the world beyond the veil... No witches but me though, I think...

Cheers,

Semjaza
FFFF

[Amythyst]

Both of my parents are witches...my Mom is an old kitchen witch and my Dad is an old wizard--Giz, the Grey-- he practices a kind of shamanism. They live out in Colorado and my Dad is an avid hiker. He hikes way up above the timberline to perform solitary rituals and he says it is an unforgettable experience. When he dies, we're suppose to hike up there and spread his ashes.

My youngest sister is a witch, one of my cousins is a witch, and three of my daughters are witches, my son is a closet wizard.

ps-- egads! Good thing my parents probably won't be reading this, they wouldn't like the adjective "old".:ggrief:

[KaidaMidnight]

My Grandmother on my father's side is a Kitchen witch. She is the one that taught me what I know. Everyone on my mother's side is very christian. My father says he doesn't really have a religion, but he does celebrate all the pagan holidays and he does do rituals. *shrugs*

[CheshireEyes]

Both sides of my family have gifts and power, Unfortunately, there are few if any now that understand, I have searched far and wide, those who I have been with, when I start to open up are fearful. I so long for the old days..... when I didn't have to hide what I am, its starting to feel like the dark ages again with all the religious persecution and fear of the unknown. Anyone else feel this way or am I alone in this? I'm calling for you....

[Novembers River]

I am the only pagan in my family (that I know of). As of right now my husband and I do not plan on having children, so I guess it starts and stops with me. That makes me a little sad. :(

[Morr]

My family arent Witches (at least the ones I know), we are Jewish, therefore its less likely they were open to witchcraft or any kind of nature practice.

However, there ARE "witchy" skills running in my family, especially when it comes to premenition and healing.

My mother is interested in healing and has studied Chinese Astrology.
My grandmother (mom's mom) claims she can tell whenever one of her kids is about to call or come over, she also claims that her brother (who died a while back) had magical powers, he healed himself from something (I dont remember what exactly) that the doctors didnt think would ever heal, etc.

My mom and I often know when the other is calling, or what the other is thinking to a degree.

I know that if we developed it, we could do very interesting things. I'm pretty sure my mom's mom's (my grandmother) family line was very gifted, but I am not sure they were aware of it and used it properly.


Either way, I know semi and I are planning on creating Witchy babies, though we will let them make the ultimate call on which religion suites them the best.

[Garden of Eden]

Well, there's quite a history of divination in my family on my mother's side, my grandmother was highly talented with tealeaves and crystal gazing. My mother is very good at palmistry and cartomancy. My grandmother was a very devout, if supersticious, catholic, while my mother is agnostic. I know very little about the family beyond that, other than names and that they were rather poor.

I fully intend to pass on my own tradition, whatever it develops into.

[lunita]

No one else in my family is a witch as far as I know. Would be interesting to find out tho - i have my family tree as my surname is quite rare so i might just do some looking.

[David19]

As far as i know, none of my family were witches, half of my family are Jewish and the other half are Catholic (and also, my mum's dad was more agnostic and so was his family or maybe they were COE), but who knows what i could find as i go back, i think great grandma (on my mum's side, she was Jewish and from Iraq), may have had some knowledge with herbs, i think, but that's not really 'witchy', but i'd like to set up an ancestor altar so maybe something will come through then.

[Lunar Raven]

This got me thinking. Unfortunately, I only got to know my grandmother for the young years of my life, however, she was always a bit mysterious and from my knowledge regularly read tarot cards. Maybe she was a witch? It is possible :). I honestly don't know much about my families history.

[Golliath]

All my family from my moms side (blood wise) has practiced christianity with a pinch of paganism. That pinch has come from our ancestgors in Greece. I'm greek myself, I tend to relate to the greek god/dess's (who woulda thought). Up until my great grandmother where she devoted herself to spiritualism. I learned alot of my magick through my great aunt who taught me baisc spells, my empathy, tarot reading and scrying. I was seperated from her when she passes away as she was starting to teach me shamanism (she was shamanic herself)

Then we moved to America when I was 13 so I stopped learning until finally my mom revealed everything to me, and my aunt *her sister* walked me through the rest of my path... when i came of age I continued my studies on my own. (I am now 17)


So there ya have it!


PS. My mom chose to not walk the path due to the fact that my dad is Greek Orthodox, Christian...

He still doesnt know of my magick... nor when I know exactly what he's gana say and what hes gana do.





:fpipesmok

[Skye]

i'm starting to think i'm almost one of a kind here.... both sides of my family are witches for generations... i didn't really realize until now (which is funny.. because i'm 25 years old), that it doesn't just 'work that way' for everyone... so, how many of you come from a family tradition? just out of curiosity.. i'm not trying to make a big deal out of who is 'natural' or any of that stupid crap.. i'm just interested..please explain also...

my mother and father are both german, but mom is a little less than half irish... back to at least their great-great-great grandmothers, they were all witches of very similar trad., apparently the great(x2) grandmothers of both my mom and my dad were great friends in europe... i find that very amazing.... anyway, i guess that's how the family paths got crossed and became so similar. so, i was born of two witches.. how bout you?


Hey, Your surely not alone:boing: I too have a very long family trad., on both sides. Great to know you!

[MajorTal]

Yeah Misschief you are not alone.And you are as unique as the rest of us.Both sides of my family are witches,wisefolk,what-have-you. Now I take offence at you using the term "natural" unless you are meaning that you do magick only with nature, but I feel you are trying to be an elitist by saying that no other forms of magick are "natural". Clarify this for me,for I'd hate for you to make the rest of us look like 'better than yous".
Cheers!

***Tal***

[The High Queen of Faerie]

Naaah.

My mum comes from a line of mediums, though... my mum herself is totally clueless. Look like things skipped a generation. ;)

[Agaliha]

I don't know.

Uh, if I were to go far enough back on my German and Slavic side then I'm sure there'd be one. But then I can never go that far back.

doesn't really matter to me though.

[StarEyedShelly]

I'm the first in my family as far as I know. My family's unitarian.

[Darbla]

I probably am by today's definitions, but I don't think that's what my ancestors thought of themselves. As a child, my mother would cut our hair by the moon phases and the garden was usually planted based on moon phases and such (I can't remember all the details right now). I also remember hearing a lot of superstitions, such as you should always put the right shoe on first to ward off bad luck. There was a horseshoe over our door, but that's common among country folk (but country folk ways that were commonplace to us might be what's called witchcraft today...). And I remember once seeing a book on witchcraft in our home. So my mom at least believed in that possibility, but I think the moon phases and such were already imbedded in her lifestyle and upbringing anyway. We are of Irish descent.

Darbla

[ladyraven]

My great grandmother practiced and so does my great aunt(different side of the family). I don't know about my grandmother. I do grandmother does a little of herbal stuff, and some of my aunts and my mother are psychic, but no other witches, as far as I know, and you think I would since everyone knows about me as well as the great grandmother and great aunt Ellen.

[covenofkeys]

blimey- you lot are a bit 'open' arent you? if you were in one of the forums that i also go to in another part of the world.....well lets just say that right about now theyd be hounding you all for proof of lineage, and calling every one of us fakes. some just dont want to accept the pre-gardner lineage theory, that there were witches in covens and in family involvement in witchcraft way before he was around. well i am quite in shock, at the openness here!
god i love america!
i have also heard that in the u.s.a that certificates are made to prove lineage on initation, is this true? nothing like that here in the u.k, thats why people can not accept it as a truth.

[Paije]

My family (as far as I know) have always worshiped Jesus. When I was forced to go to church I always felt out of place and uncomfortable. It wasn't until I was 32 when I thought I was going crazy because I could feel everyone around me. I knew who was having the emotion, why they were having it and if it went away while they were around me. My parents told me that I did the same thing when I was little but they use to tell me it was the work of the devil and to stop. I found out years later that my sisters did similar things, one had premonitions the other had understanding of things she wasn't near (ie, she was in her carseat and the phone in the house would ring and she would tell my mom it was ringing and who was on the line). They also told her not to do that anymore that it was the work of the devil.
I know of 2 great aunts on my mothers side that used the moon, herbs, called quarters, and had a BOS. I never met them but watched my grandmother burn their BOS after one of them was murdered by her husband. My mother is Irish :fpipesmok , my father English :gagged: (and were the ones that called me freak for doing what I did/felt), and there is suppose to be some form of american indian in us, but with my white skin and strawberry blonde hair...I don't see it :weirdsmil . AS for my hertiage, only my great aunts and myself were anything close to being witch.

[Haruka2077]

I have no witches in my ancestry that I know of, but I am raising my daughter in my tradition.

[Paije]

I allowed my daughter to watch me and read my material. She has been to a christian church but decided to take my path. I wish her all the great return in her investment. If only she could get down meditating :abanana:

[WitchOfEndor]

My great grandmother was pagan & practised the craft, I believe the women in the family before her did as well. There is also a strong mediumship line as well & shows itself especially in the females. I've taught my daughters about all the worlds religions & my eldest (11yrs) seems to be going the pagan/wiccan way & my youngest (7yrs) seems to be going pagan/buddhist way. LOL I suppose we've taken many religions/beliefs & mixed them into our very own personalised path. My eldest is displaying mediumship abilities like me & the many generations before us. :)

Brightest of Blessings...

[Cornflake_Girl8]

I think my Grandma and my Great Aunt were both witches, but it was never spoken aloud in the family. Of course my parents aren't.

[magickal_realism]

I have Judaism somewhere back in my Polish gene chain, but it's not documented as to where beyond a distinctive matrilineal last name. My mother's family is Christian as far back as anyone can tell, and no one discusses what anyone did before Methodism came about. Religion has always been important in my family, but my family's approval has never been that important to me -- my generation has always been inclined towards the noveau faiths, myself with Wicca, my cousins with the resurgence of charismatic Christianity, and my sister has taken to the generic spirituality that seems popular in my age set (30 something) at least where I live.

My question for all this is what does it mean? For those who practice a form of ancestor worship, I can see where their religion and tradition would affect you and your belief system now, especially if it was different from yours.
But what if you are otherwise focused in your belief system, an animist or a fervent believer in prompt reincarnation? Aside from the psychological challenges you face in practicing a newly adopted faith in your life, what else does your heritage do to help you define your own spirituality?

Serious questions. I have a few of them.

[Fiamma]

blimey- you lot are a bit 'open' arent you? if you were in one of the forums that i also go to in another part of the world.....well lets just say that right about now theyd be hounding you all for proof of lineage, and calling every one of us fakes. some just dont want to accept the pre-gardner lineage theory, that there were witches in covens and in family involvement in witchcraft way before he was around. well i am quite in shock, at the openness here!
god i love america!
i have also heard that in the u.s.a that certificates are made to prove lineage on initation, is this true? nothing like that here in the u.k, thats why people can not accept it as a truth.


I don't know about in England, but a lot of questioning does happen in the US, usually when someone's claiming unbroken fam trad back to 1246 or something outlandish like that.

I believe it's perfectly possible to have witches who trace their lines to pre-gardnerian times...but they would be of different traditions.

[covenofkeys]

well we practise witchcraft, not wicca, and are questioned continuously by everyone.i can trace back a few, but not quite to 1246! lol

[ravenmyst]

both sides of my family are unconventional freaks, not sure about anything else, we just all dance to our own beat

[Greybird]

I'm descended from a long, long line of pagans with a 'brief' 1500 year stint of Christianity between the last one and me. Of course, that applies to most of us. ;)

[AmyDarling]

I've never known and never had the guts to ask. But I have always had a sneaking suspicion that there is something descended on my Mother's side of the family. (Coincidentally the more Native American side of my family.) My mother in particular in all her cluelessness seems to know things or say things that allude to a belief that comes natural to her. Not to mention she was raised Catholic, volunteered at St. Mary's Catholic church for years, and yet I was seemingly kept away from pursuing any religion as a child. In my family, religion is just something we don't talk about unfortunately. The exception being my Nana who was a devout Catholic until the day she passed but even she was self-contained because my grandfather certainly didn't go with her to church. I ramble only because posting has made me realized I need to start asking questions.

[Aina]

My great-great grandmother was a witch, but it wasn't passed down to anyonelse (that im aware of) The rest of my family is Christian (or as my grandparents are , Anti-Religon).

[Libris]

I have no idea, probably not though, at least not closely related anyway.

[maskedone]

my sister says one of the grandmas
I just count my sister

[Brigid Rowan]

I have no clue. But, seeing as I have Irish and a lil bit of Native American roots, I guess the odds are someone back in my family history dabbled a bit in some type of witchy stuff. Certainly no one I know, but Im sure they are there, somewhere.