Your Book of Shadows

[baluk15]

Hey I dont know what to write in my book of shadows. I was wondering if you people can give me some tips mrgreen Thakiess  

[Cat Goddess Bastet]

spells, dreams, random notes...  

[dark_angel_32189]

Your rituals... can't forget those.  

[Sophie_Neveu]

I have something to add-if you don't want you're parents to find out, decorate it with a pentacle and say you like the sign if they find out. Also learn the runic language and write everything in runes so they can't read it. That's what I'm doing.  

[Kato Kitoma]

go with the theban/witches language....the runic language misses a few letters.  

[Sophie_Neveu]

I've noticed that. CAn you scan the language and put it here?  

[Kato Kitoma]

Its in the librara subforum  

[Aurellion]

What to put.. Well, it'll come to you: your book of shadows is your own, not ours. I'll try my best in offering inspiration.

I'm a big fan of crystals - I've got about 30 ^^; - so I'm putting all the meanings of the ones I own, or hope to own in there. I also have my rituals, and other peoples rituals. I admit, I don't tend to have spells as I'm not really that way inclined - I'm more for visualisation and simple chants.

I have some basic theory too - The God + Goddess, Good & Evil as one, the Law of the Power - etc. See, really simple stuff. ^^;

You may want to consider writing stuff that you write yourself in a different pen colour: it's really handy, and perks up your pride in yourself a bit. ^^

Actually. [grabs book of shadows] It'll be easier to explain if I basically do a demonstration...

This is what I currently have in mine. It's a new one, so not as much as other people..

1- book blessing
2- Goals of Wicca + inspiring quote
3- principles of belief + the elements and symbols for - and all the connections. e.g. Fire - symbol - drawing - masculine - the sword - south. Later on I have a much more detailed explanation of the elements.
4- Lord + Lady, and more inspiring quotes. ^^
5- Maiden, Mother Crone and correspondences. I'm hoping to type this all up in the academy soon..
6- Moons, and Good + Evil. There's no ultimate good, and no ultimate evil.
7- Sabbat explanation, and picture.
8- Yule. Notes on + my own ritual. ^^
9- Imbolc.
10- Ostara
11- Beltane
12- Litha
13- Lammas
14- Mabon
15- Samhain
16- An explanation of magic, inspirational quotes + drawings.
17- Forms of Power + Law of the Power
18- Diary type entry. Personally, I think it's good to keep your BoS down to earth. It's nothing earth shattering - just saying things like Imbolc was coming up.
19- Crystals
20- Crystals
21- Crystals
22-Crystals ^^;
23- My frequently used chants
24- Notes on Lucid Dreaming
25- Detailed explanation of the elements
26- More on Elements
27- Cakes and Wine
28- My favourite herb + tree properties
29- More on that
30- General spells
31- General spells
32- Notes on Fae Folk
33- Notes on guarding against fae folk.. ^^;
34- Notes on scrying

Yes, you can breathe again. That's all that's in there, currently. I hope to expand it a lot, lot more...

Just remember, your book of shadows is your own. There is no right or wrong as to how you keep or organise it.

I hope I helped..  

[~Bitter~Sweet~Insanity~]

eventually, everyone (like --aurellion--) will share their's with each other. that's why we don't put copyright's on them because we all share the information to help each other out.  

[Aurellion]

That's right. ^^ After all, the purpose of this guild is to teach and learn.

I'm Jen by the way.  

[Helmorana]

Mnjah... I'd bite the hand off of the person that touched mine. It's way too personal and there are things people need to learn and figure out on their own. Everything else is widely availible in book stores, on the internet... but nowadays, I notice, kids (yes, kids) are just too lazy to look. I'm not going to help someone who doesn't have the interest to look for himself/herself.

Anwsering questions is different though.

Anyways, my point: hands off my BoS and I think that's how it should be anyways. Unless you have someone with whom you're close enough to share. But such friendships take a very long time to form.  

[Aurellion]

I'd mainly agree with that.

However, anyone truly on the Path won't be lazy about it. One of the 13 goals is to learn. If people are just going through a phase - most likely 'kids' as you say -, then yes, they will be lazy. However, most if not all active on this guild aren't lazy, as they've taken the initiative to learn by joining.  

[TheCrazy_writer]

Just start writing about everything you believe in. No one can tell you what to write in it has to be very personal to you. But I would sugest writing about all your principle beliefs your thoughts on god/goddess and spirit whatever god or goddess you feel close to and about whatever panteonon they are a part of. Along with your holidays an explanation of magick, a diary of whatever spells you have cast or rites you have used. Something about tarot if you use tarot or any other forms of divination you might use. A dream diary. A seperate what I call mundane journal on your everyday life non-magickal practises. Some kind of mythology or folk lore. Symbolism notes on candle colors herbs and plants and animals. Remember there is no limit to how long your book of shadows can be I suggest working on your book three times a day. Once when you wake up for your dream diary and any divining you do. second in the middle of the day preferably while reading or doing some work on the craft. And thirdly at night before you go to sleep writing about your day and anything else you can think of. Make your book as personal to you as possible and write in it often. A book of shadows at least for me is my best friend a most important tool.  

[MorganeLeFaye]

Everyone seems to have covered what goes into it, but what about what it is composed of?

I really actually wouldn't want a notebook, per say, but maybe a three-ring binder.

The instant that I need to move something in my BoS would be the instant that I stopped using it, if it were a notebook/little hardcover diary-type-thing. I need structure. x.x

I guess my question is, would a three-ring binder be at all appropriate? xD  

[Helmorana]

I use a thick notebook. I like the confusion of a chronological order. Not like it takes me ages to find anything, I know where I put it.