
ANSWER - One of the things that frequently comes up in discussion is the concept of how relevant a memory of past lives actually is. If we take reincarnation (as many of us do) as being a process by which the soul develops new learning from each lifetime, memory of previous lives could actually be seen as a hinderance to the learning from the current incarnation. I think this is particularly interesting in the concept of being reincarnated as a witch. In each lifetime the witch has new challenges to face as she actualises her craft within the world. I wonder if the value lies in how the witch comes to her craft and finds her true self each time. Possibly this is one of the reasons there is so little information out there?
There is also the interesting idea that some witches who claim to be reincarnations are actually experiencing ancestral memory. As many witches work closely with their ancestors, this makes good sense. In a sense this would not be so much reincarnation of a single soul but reincarnation of the ideas, thoughts and beliefs that have descended down the bloodline.
I’m not personally a fan of the idea of either hereditary or previous life witchcraft. I see becoming a witch as a choice and the idea of being reincarnated through each incarnation as a witch kind of makes me feel my choice is being taken away from me. One of the best explanations I’ve ever come across is a witch who said she was not born a witch but she was born to become one. Possibly the spark had been present in each of her lives but it was in her current incarnation she chose to actualise it. I like this because it blends the idea of born a witch and becoming a witch together.
You’re right by the way, there is very little info on this out there. I found a couple of articles that may interest you (see links) but very little seems to specifically address what you are asking. Tell you what I’ll do, I’ll post the question on the community page and see if anyone has any info that may be more relevant.