Creating Your Book Of Shadows

Creating Your Book Of Shadows, A Book of Shadows can be an amazing Witch’s tool, full of useful information, spells, rituals, and more. It can make it easier to come up with new magical workings and keep track of the ones you’ve done already. And it can act as a record of your journey as a Witch, so you can look back at what you’ve done, what you’ve learned, and how you’ve grown as you walked your path.

A Book of Shadows is a personalized place where a witch keeps all of her ever-growing knowledge about witchcraft.

No matter what format you may use, this is a document where you compile everything you want to know and remember. This includes received knowledge from books and teachers and firsthand knowledge that you gain through the experience with the craft. Just like no two witches are alike, no two Books of Shadows are exactly alike.

Your own personal Wiccan Book of Shadows chronicles your unique journey down this sacred path. Once it’s up and running, you’ll be able to trace a direct line from the witch you are now to the witch you used to be. Your spiritual development will be there right in front of you in word form. Your past mistakes will be repurposed into future triumphs.

Even though it might primarily be used as a reference tool, your BOS is also very much an autobiography that can lead to profound personal and spiritual insights. Making a Book of Shadows isn’t a burden—it’s a journey of self-discovery! Your Book Of shadows It’s the best reference tool you’ll ever own. With it, you don’t have to wrack your brain to recall a specific line of a spell from that one book you can’t remember the name of—it’s already there in your Book of Shadows. With it, you don’t have to flip back and forth between multiple texts to come up with the right combination of correspondences for a ritual—they’re all conveniently synthesized in your Book of Shadows.

Even though we’re talking about magick, this book serves a seriously practical purpose. It makes your witchcraft more organized and efficient! It’s a simple and fast reference manual like no other.

Click Here For Premade BOS Pages to get you started on your journey

Some Of The Things To Include In Your Book Of Shadows

When it comes to the contents of your personal BOS, there are a few sections that are nearly universally included.

Laws of Your Coven or Tradition: Believe it or not, magic has rules. While they may vary from group to group, it’s a really good idea to keep them at the front of your BOS as a reminder of what constitutes acceptable behavior and what doesn’t. If you’re part of an eclectic tradition that doesn’t have written rules, or if you’re a solitary witch, this is a good place to write down what you think are acceptable rules of magic. After all, if you don’t set yourself some guidelines, how will you know when you’ve crossed over them? This may include a variation on the Wiccan Rede, or some similar concept.
A Dedication: If you’ve been initiated into a coven, you may want to include a copy of your initiation ceremony here. However, many Wiccans dedicate themselves to a God or Goddess long before they become part of a coven. This is a good place to write out who you are dedicating yourself to, and why. This can be a lengthy essay, or it can be as simple as saying, “I, Mary, dedicate myself to the Goddess today, May 11, 2002.”
Gods and Goddesses: Depending on what pantheon or tradition you follow, you may have a single God and Goddess, or a number of them. Your BOS is a good place to keep legends and myths and even artwork concerning your Deity. If your practice is an eclectic blend of different spiritual paths, it’s a good idea to include that here.
Correspondence Tables: When it comes to spellcasting, correspondence tables are some of your most important tools. Phases of the moon, herbs, stones and crystals, colors – all have different meanings and purposes. Keeping a chart of some sort in your BOS guarantees that this information will be at the ready when you really need it. If you have access to a good almanac, it’s not a bad idea to record a years’ worth of moon phases by date in your BOS. Also, put together a section in your BOS for herbs and their uses. Ask any experienced Pagan or Wiccan about a specific herb, and chances are good that they’ll expound on not only the magical uses of the plant but also the healing properties and history of use. Herbalism is often considered the core of spellcasting because plants are an ingredient that people have used for literally thousands of years. Remember, many herbs should not be ingested, so it’s important to research thoroughly before you take anything internally.
Sabbats, Esbats, and Other Rituals: The Wheel of the Year includes eight holidays for most Wiccans and Pagans, although some traditions do not celebrate all of them. Your BOS can include rituals for each of the Sabbats. For example, for Samhain, you may wish to create a rite that honors your ancestors and celebrates the end of the harvest, while for Yule you may want to write down a celebration of the Winter Solstice. A Sabbat celebration can be as simple or complex as you wish. If you’ll be celebrating each full moon, you’ll want to include an Esbat rite in your BOS. You can use the same one each month, or create several different ones tailored to the time of year. You may also wish to include sections on how to cast a circle and Drawing Down the Moon, a rite that celebrates the invoking of the Goddess at the time of the full moon. If you’ll be doing any rites for healing, prosperity, protection, or other purposes, be sure to include them here.
Divination: If you’re learning about Tarot, scrying, astrology, or any other form of divination, keep information in here. When you experiment with new methods of divination, keep a record of what you do and the results you see in your Book of Shadows.
Sacred Texts: While it’s fun to have a bunch of new shiny books on Wicca and Paganism to read, sometimes it’s just as nice to have information that’s a little more established. If there is a certain text that appeals to you, such as The Charge of the Goddess, an old prayer in an archaic language, or a particular chant that moves you, include it in your Book of Shadows.
Magical Recipes: There’s a lot to be said for “kitchen witchery,” because for many people, the kitchen is the center of hearth and home. As you collect recipes for oils, incense, or herb blends, keep them in your BOS. You may even want to include a section of food recipes for Sabbat celebrations.
Spell Crafting: Some people prefer to keep their spells in a separate book called a grimoire, but you can also keep them in your Book of Shadows. It’s easier to keep spells organized if you divide them up by purpose: prosperity, protection, healing, etc. With each spell you include, particularly if you write your own rather than using someone else’s ideas, make sure you also leave room to include information on when the working was performed and what the outcome was.