For those of you out there that have a relatively organized Book of Shadows or its equivalent, I'm curious what sort of general topics you decide to include and how you go about organizing it. I ask because I'm in the process of putting together a hardcopy version of mine which presents some organizational challenges of a new sort compared to the ones I have for managing it on the computer. I think I know how I'm going to approach this, but seeing how some of you do it prompt me to consider possibilities that I've neglected. Alternatively, you can also post up content and organizational ideas from sources you have (citing them of course!). So in a nice arrowed summary:
arrow What do you include content-wise in your Book of Shadows? Alternatively, what have you seen other sources recommend for this? arrow How do you organize your Book of Shadows? Alternatively, how have you seen other sources organize them?
[EDIT] A few additional questions arrow What are your standards for including material in your book? Do you prefer it to be mostly original or well-researched or do you not mind including source material copied from other practitioners? arrow If it's some combination, what sorts of material do you usually use each standard for?
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 5:46 pm
At the moment, a bunch of useful printouts and occasional musings.
I'm trying to write a new one with a lot of help from friends (I'm a terrible writer) on things that I know (or think I do) and the proposed layout is something like this:
What works What we do differently
Fancy Things Default ritual layout Little everyday rituals Sabbats Esbats - big spells for purposes General little spells that have worked because they're cool too.
Shiny Things Cleansing Groundcentreshield Meditation Astral projection Crystals Energy and colour healing
Messy Things Herbs - medicinal and magical Trees Food healing/sabbat recipes Related arts and crafts Incense Wands
Divination Tarot Playing cards Runes Dowsing Scrying Numerology
Though who knows when it'll actually finish, and how it'll change in that time.
Funa Spectrum
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Labores Luna
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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 7:16 pm
Since mine isn’t too organized, these questions may not be addressed to me, but I’ll answer anyway…
My “BOS” has become a collection of books rather than just one with everything in it. Part of this is due to the lack of organizational skills I have regarding papers and files, and also because I have simply run out of room in some places and have too many things scattered about in others.
I have one big binder with printed out information that I’ve collected over the past few years, notebooks with tarot readings/dreams/thoughts/ritual aftermaths etc, a small journal with correspondences and herbal info, and another one that I’m going to make into a “plant scrapbook”. It’s one of those really good sketching journals with a nice black cover that I put a metal pentacle on the top, and I’m going to collect different plants and press them into the pages, write out information about it, make it colorful, laminate it etc. I also have another small journal that I’ve started to write rituals in.
Another reason why I’m not really organized right now is because I still live with my parents, and I’m too worried that they’re going to go through my things and what not…so a few months ago I started a jump-drive BOS which is currently organized into these folders: Dreams, Herbs (further categorized from A-Z), General Information, Legends (mythology, tales and the like) Rituals, Recipes, Divination, Pictures, Writings ("mine" and "not mine"), etc. Nothing very creative, as it is just temporary.
Anyway, I’m curious to see how other people organize theirs, as there is a problem I have run into. On one hand, I want to be able to continuously add not only information/rituals and what not, but any other kind of thought/poetry/dream I want to write down, while at the same time have it stay relatively neat and organized. I’m mainly just waiting until I move out and settle down a bit before I get gung-ho and make into something really special.
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 7:57 pm
Mine is pretty simple, but fairly organized. All I use is some regular lined paper and a three ring notebook with dividers.
I've also seen a sort of mix and match style, where you just put everything in alphabetically. I will say, though, that it can be hard to decide what to put where... If you are adding in a spell, for example, do you put it under the type of magic, or do you put it in a special category for spells? If your ritual includes herbs and stones, where do you put it? It's a conundrum, I'd say.
My book of shadows is basically just a dream journal that I write in everyday. It's not very organized sometimes I write about my life too, poems, or spells if the occasion occurs. I just put whatever I feel like I want to put in it. XD
Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 12:25 am
mine is not organized, atleast not yet... I just write there spells and rituals that I come up with or plan on using :3 sometimes I write there my feelings during/after a ritual.
delete_my_existence
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Reivyn-chan
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Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:03 pm
I went a bit crazy when I organized mine.. Currently it's all on my computer, and I have a 3 ring binder as backup. Unfortunately my printer is broken and I don't have the time to write everything that I've collected by hand.. redface I recommend a little book writing program called PageFour. It's very helpful for keeping everything organized since you can add as many folders or notebooks as you want.
For mine I have everything broken down into 4 different books, with 21 sub-books in total. And those will probably be broken down into yet more sections in the near future as I add info to it. whee
The first book contains things that I thought would create a good base understanding like history and mythology, god/desses, as well as laws and karma. Also things I find inspirational like poetry and music, and things about life like reincarnation, ghost/spirits, and child rearing.
The second is about things usually done before spellwork like blessings and info on casting circle and cleansing. Also things that deal with energy or the 6th sense, like types of divination and healing, and info on things that can effects or enhance magick like elements, moons, writing systems and symbols.
The third has info on the different types of magic, special rituals and sabbats, tools to enhance magick like crystals, herbs and wands etc., and of course spells and rituals.
The fourth has all my personal info like beliefs, various journals, my family tree and history, as well as lists of resources like shops or websites.
There's a good thread here that may give you more ideas..<>
And also a good tip! If you collect info from various sources for your BOS, always write the source down with it! This has saved my butt more than once.. biggrin
Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:09 pm
Right now it's a bit messy. I have it in a binder, but the binder is years old and falling apart. I keep all my things in there so no one thinks too much of it and wont look at it. I've got information on animal guides, spells and rites, symbols, lists of hoildays, and recipies. It doesnt look too appealing, but one day I hope to buy a more better looking binder for it.
Mimi-Mako
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Starlock
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Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:40 pm
Thanks for sharing so far, guys!
Cicle Fu, I was extremely amused by your 'Shiny Things' category. I totally understood what you meant by it and it is a very cute way of grouping together more energetically-based magical work. 'Messy Things' is likewise cute.
Labores Luna; organization is a byotch isn't it? Keeping it organized won't be the problem for me as much (using a 3-ring binder type thing); the bigger problem will be always being in a process of constant revision. I've already gone through three versions of Solar Festival files and I don't think my most recent one is even going to be what ends up in the BoS. I'm sort of getting to this point that I want to simplify down the content rather than have any attempt of being encyclopedic. Because that's an impossible goal anyway. xd
Reivyn-chan; your division into four categories gave me an idea. I'm not sure it'll work... but I figure since the Four Elements are so big in my practice I can perhaps arrange it with that in mind. Hmm . . .
Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 9:41 pm
My BoS isn't put together yet, for privacy reasons, and all my information is in different places. I have bought a 3-ring binder and a whole bunch of dividers, and I'll be buying sheet protectors soon. I was hoping of typing everything on my comp and printing it out on parchment paper, and then make little drawings on the papers so that it will look nice, and then I'll place them in sheet protectors in my binder. I'm still in the process of organizing things, so I can't really say how it is organized for now. I'd say it is kind of the way SlaineWildfire has it, but with different-named sections and in different order.
Reivyn-chan; your division into four categories gave me an idea. I'm not sure it'll work... but I figure since the Four Elements are so big in my practice I can perhaps arrange it with that in mind. Hmm . . .
I guess I didn't mention it in my post, but that's exactly how I went about setting mine up.. I even went as far as naming them my book of Winds, book of tides, book of flames and book of sands.. Great minds think alike! xd
Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 1:32 pm
I don't have what I call a "book of shadows.." I think that's more of a Wiccan thing anyway (I'm not Wiccan ^^). I do have a notebook that I guess would be like my BoS... I've been trying to get better with runes and tarot, so I have a section for each of those that I'm working on, including spreads and such... I have a section for general information like colour associations, moon phases, planetary hours, etc. Then I have one section of spells I found that I might want to use and another section for ones that I have used and a brief discussion of the results of each one.
my BoS is a total mess- I have scraps of spell papers, dried candle-wax and spells running throughout in no particular order, dream readings, interesting tarot spreads and ideas for spells for other people- lol, it's definately a chaotic item. ^^
Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 2:18 pm
OMGs Reivyn... lol
Sweetdeily, a chaotic BoS also has its appeal, doesn't it? I bet it looks very well used - especially with that dried candle-wax. Makes me wonder about whether or not I should put all my pages in sheet protectors. But perhaps the more worn it looks the better? Heheh.
I'm also thinking about designing a special font for my BoS. I have this code I've used for years and I finally got ahold of a font-making program to bring it into reality. Then pretty much nobody will be able to read the darned thing except me. ninja
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Labores Luna
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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 7:52 pm
A font that nobody else can read? Interesting. The idea of developing another system of symbols for writing is one that I have thought about for years, but I have never had the time or effort to learn and put together one. It would definitely be nice, though...not having to worry about prying eyes reading your personal work. Too bad it can't be like in the movies where grimoires and diaries are able to suddenly manifest only for you, lol. I'm starting to learn German, so perhaps once I'm more adept in that, I can at least prevent most of my American friends from reading it too easily xD There is always Theban and a few other magical alphabets, but the only one that I really like is Runes. Anyway, congrats on figuring that one out 3nodding
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