Enjoy my writing and art? Want to see more? Support my work on Patreon or donate with PayPal.
This is another hot-button topic, but one worth addressing. In the last handful of years I’ve seen more and more people claiming that they’re hereditary witches, and acting like the Pagan community needs to bow down to their superiority. It’s pretty ugly, and largely false.
The simple fact is, there really aren’t a whole lot of hereditary witches out there. A hereditary witch is one whose relatives identified as witches, practiced witchcraft, and passed their traditions down to the next generation. Very few people have this kind of family experience. Many wish they did, but it’s just not that common.
Some people try to claim that they’re hereditary witches because there’s a tale of someone, somewhere in their family practicing witchcraft, so it’s in their blood. This is a pretty loose interpretation of the term. These are often the same type who claim to be a “born witch,” which is impossible, since you don’t come out of the womb with beliefs and knowledge, casting spells around the room.
Generally speaking, people who have real familial ties to witchcraft aren’t bragging about it. They might bring up grandma’s favorite spell if the conversation goes that way, but they’re not going to throw their supposed roots in your face like it makes them better than you. Be extremely wary of anyone who acts like their bloodline makes them superior, or anyone who claims to have been born a witch. Even if someone does come from a long line of practicing witches, it doesn’t make them any better than you or anyone else.
*Disclaimer: I no longer practice Paganism, but I’ve left these Pagan Myths articles active because I believe they’re still valuable in helping people to understand Paganism and reduce negative stereotypes.*
