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LadyEladrin

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 10:08 pm


The Book Of Shadows


The Book of Shadows is a much hyped tool of the occult. Every witch in media seems to have one and uses it regularly. But what IS this book exactly? And do 'real' witches/mages use them?

Also called a Grimoire, a BoS is a witch/magus's spellbook, journal, recipe folder, and general place of holding notes. A Book of Shadows is your own personal place of magic spells you've written yourself, favourite spells from other sources, correspondance tables, etc that you compile yourself. It's unique to every person.

A Book of Shadows can be a nice leatherbound tome you find at the local stationary store, an old binder filled with sheaves of loose-leaf 3-ring binder paper, stored on your hardrive or discs or just in your mind. A BoS is a representation to you of what is important to you in practise and possibly in faith as well. It may contain personal poems you've written or like, pictures of rituals you and/or friends have performed, inspirational sayings and laws or rules that you follow.

Not all witches have a Book of Shadows. Some don't feel the need to keep a book like this and store all their information in their heads. Others, such as myself, wish to make theirs a keepsake for future generations. Some witches are lucky enough to come from a family tradition that already has a BoS and can just add to whatever is in it already. If you choose not to keep a BoS, that's alright. It doesn't make you any less a witch or magus.

This is NOT a spell thread. This is not a thread where you can post up spell requests for things. Personally, I find that the spells you create yourself and are unique to your situation work the best. HOWEVER, following this post will be some correspondance tables, the Wiccan Rede (in full, not just the last 4 lines), The Charge of the Goddess and the Charge of the God. After all of the reserve posts, you may post up anything you wish out of your own BoS or Grimoire. Keep it within Gaia's ToS (terms of service) and within any of the other rules posted in this forum.
PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 10:10 pm


Reserved for Correspondance Table 1 domokun  

LadyEladrin

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 10:12 pm


Correspondanc Table: Daily Magic


Daily Magical Correspondance Table

Unfortunately, I couldnt' figure out how to make this table appear here in the thread, so you'll have to go to the site linked above to see it. It's a great table if you believe that magic should be done at a certain time in order for it to be more powerful or more effective.

The idea behind correspondances is that certain things are related; the moon is mysteries, darkness, magic, passiveness. The sun is truth, light, action and assertive. Certain colours have their own correspondances, as well as herbs, stones, chakras, flowers and even names. If you explore the site from that link, you'll find some other great tables.
 
PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 10:13 pm


Common Wiccan and Witchcraft Guidelines


Please be aware that not every witch, Wiccan or Pagan follows any kind of guildline or rule system. Some do, some don't. If someone doesn't, that doenst' automatically make them a bad person/Pagan or even a left hand path follower. It just means they have their own personal code of ethics that doesn't fit in here.

The Wiccan Rede (in full)

Bide within the Law you must, in perfect Love and perfect Trust.
Live you must and let to live, fairly take and fairly give.

For tread the Circle thrice about to keep unwelcome spirits out.
To bind the spell well every time, let the spell be said in rhyme.

Light of eye and soft of touch, speak you little, listen much.
Honor the Old Ones in deed and name,
let love and light be our guides again.

Deosil go by the waxing moon, chanting out the joyful tune.
Widdershins go when the moon doth wane,
and the werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane.

When the Lady's moon is new, kiss the hand to Her times two.
When the moon rides at Her peak then your heart's desire seek.

Heed the North winds mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail.
When the Wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast.

When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss you on the mouth.
When the wind whispers from the West, all hearts will find peace and rest.

Nine woods in the Cauldron go, burn them fast and burn them slow.
Birch in the fire goes to represent what the Lady knows.

Oak in the forest towers with might, in the fire it brings the God's
insight. Rowan is a tree of power causing life and magick to flower.

Willows at the waterside stand ready to help us to the Summerland.
Hawthorn is burned to purify and to draw faerie to your eye.

Hazel-the tree of wisdom and learning adds its strength to the bright fire burning.
White are the flowers of Apple tree that brings us fruits of fertility.

Grapes grow upon the vine giving us both joy and wine.
Fir does mark the evergreen to represent immortality seen.

Elder is the Lady's tree burn it not or cursed you'll be.
Four times the Major Sabbats mark in the light and in the dark.

As the old year starts to wane the new begins, it's now Samhain.
When the time for Imbolc shows watch for flowers through the snows.

When the wheel begins to turn soon the Beltane fires will burn.
As the wheel turns to Lamas night power is brought to magick rite.

Four times the Minor Sabbats fall use the Sun to mark them all.
When the wheel has turned to Yule light the log the Horned One rules.

In the spring, when night equals day time for Ostara to come our way.
When the Sun has reached it's height time for Oak and Holly to fight.

Harvesting comes to one and all when the Autumn Equinox does fall.
Heed the flower, bush, and tree by the Lady blessed you'll be.

Where the rippling waters go cast a stone, the truth you'll know.
When you have and hold a need, harken not to others greed.

With a fool no season spend or be counted as his friend.
Merry Meet and Merry Part bright the cheeks and warm the heart.

Mind the Three-fold Laws you should three times bad and three times good.

When misfortune is enow wear the star upon your brow.
Be true in love this you must do unless your love is false to you.

These Eight words the Rede fulfill:
"An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"

Four Rules and a Law

To Know
To Will
To Dare
To Keep Silent

The Rule of Three

The rule of three (or threefold law) is a common tenet in Wicca. It states that both the good and the evil that one creates in the world will be returned threefold (in joy or suffering). It is therefore seen as a pragmatic reason for ethical behaviour and compliance with the Wiccan Rede.

The rule of three was first descriped in print in an article by Raymond Buckland, and does not appear in the traditional Book of Shadows. Some Wiccans do not hold it as a tenet, and feel that it is a modern innovation based on Christian morality.

~Wikipedia.com


If you know of others, please PM me so I can add them to the list. Thanks!  

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 10:14 pm


Charge of the Goddess


This is a poem written by Doreen Valiente and much loved by Pagans of every path. There are several versions, however, I chose this one as it is the most well known.

Now listen to the words of the Great Mother,
who was of old also called among men Artemis, Astarte, Athene, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Dana, Arianrhod, Isis, Bride, and by many other names. At her altars, the youth of Lacedaemon in Sparta made due sacrifice.

Whenever ye have need of any thing,
once in the month,
and better it be when the moon is full,
then shall ye assemble in some secret place, and adore the spirit of me,
who am Queen of all witches.

There shall ye assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery,
yet have not won its deepest secrets;
to these will I teach things that are as yet unknown.

And ye shall be free from slavery;
and as a sign that ye be really free,
ye shall be naked in your rites;
and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love, all in my praise.
For mine is the ecstasy of the spirit,
and mine also is joy on earth;
for my law is love unto all beings.

Keep pure your highest ideal;
strive ever towards it, let naught stop you or turn you aside;
for mine is the secret door which opens upon the land of youth,
and mine is the cup of wine of life,
and the cauldron of Cerridwen,
which is the Holy Grail of immortality.

I am the gracious Goddess,
who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man.
Upon earth, I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal;
and beyond death, I give peace, and freedom,
and reunion with those who have gone before.

Nor do I demand sacrifice;
for behold, I am the Mother of all living,
and my love is poured out upon the earth.

Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess;
she in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven,
whose body encircles the universe.

I who am the beauty
of the green earth and the white moon upon
the mysteries of the waters,
I call upon your soul to arise and come unto me.

For I am the soul of nature
that gives life to the universe.
From me all things proceed and unto me
they must return.
Let My worship be in the
heart that rejoices, for behold,
all acts of love and pleasure
are My rituals.

Let there be beauty and strength,
power and compassion,
honor and humility,
mirth and reverence within you.
And you who seek to know me,
know that the seeking and yearning
will avail you not,
unless you know the Mystery:
for if that which you seek,
you find not within yourself,
you will never find it without.

For behold,
I have been with you from the beginning,
and I am that which is attained
at the end of desire.
 
PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 10:15 pm


The Charge of the God

This Charge is one of 3 variations I found online.

I am the radiant King of the Heavens,
flooding the Earth with warmth and encouraging the hidden
seed of creation to burst forth into manifestation.

I lift my shining spear to light the lives of all beings
and daily pour forth my golden rays upon the Earth,
putting to flight the powers of darkness.

I am the spirit of all beasts wild and free.
I run with the stag and soar as a sacred falcon against
the shimmering sky.

The ancient woods and wild places emanate my powers,
the birds of the air sing of my sanctity.

I am the harvest, offering up grain and fruits beneath
the sickle of time so that all may be nourished.
For without planting there can be no harvest;
without winter there can be no spring.

I am the thousand named Son of creation.
Know that by all names I am the same.

The spirit of the horned stag in the wild, the endless harvest.
See in the yearly cycle of festivals my birth, death and
rebirth and know that such is the destiny of all creation..

I am the spark of life, the radiant Sun, the giver of peace and rest.
I send my rays of blessings to warm the hearts and strengthen the minds of all.
 

LadyEladrin

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LadyEladrin

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 10:16 pm


The thread is now OPEN! Feel free to post now. 3nodding I'll be finishing up the reserve posts when I get the chance tomorrow night or Monday afternoon.
PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:12 am


i had a shadows book i put a dryed african violet as the book mark and i would write the spell i was going to my reasons for what it would consist of what certain things would symbolize in the spell what spirits i would call on to activate the spell my hypothesis of the spell when i did the spell then afterwords i would write about what went on during the spell and my feelings during and after the spell and anything scenificant and then over time about things that may have been related to my doing the spell my conclusions on them and important dreams not just every dream i have like the one where lizards come out of my bottom just the ones of spiritual significants to me

notforcats


LadyEladrin

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 8:18 am


That is a PERFECT way to use a book of shadows, notforcats! It's part spellbook, part journal! ^__^ And huzzah, someone finally posted in the thread. ^___^
PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 8:21 am


I know several people who keep a BoS in a binder, but love using the leather bound books as well. So they use the books as a journal/diary of everything they've done, what rituals they did when and how it went. So it ties in closely with the BoS.

and Notforcats- would you mind using periods?

Silver Mist


LadyEladrin

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 8:37 am


*nodnod* That's it exactly. smile My first BoS was a black binder that I filled up with pages and pages of notes and tables, prayers and poems. Eventually I started adding in my own things as well. I still have it, but am determined to move everything into a more organized space, and save it on my harddrive. I also have one of those nice leather covered journals, but I save that one for finished copies of spells that I'll need for public rituals. It just looks so much better than my binder. cool
PostPosted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 6:25 pm


Hmm for now i keep it in a small book in my drawer, but i plan on taking all teh important stuff and tatooing it onto my body in variosu dead scripts, such as Theban and Futhark.

i will be my own walking Girmoire, as well i wish to place various spells on my body in runes and have it to where my own body energy continuosly charges them.

Crimson Fox Of Tempests


LadyEladrin

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PostPosted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 12:48 pm


Wow, that would be a lot of tattooing! But I think it would look really neat when you're done. Not to mention handy; whenever you needed that spell, it'd be at your fingertips! come to think of it, tattoing could be a way to permanently put a spell on yourself so that it's always 'on'...
PostPosted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:11 am


pretty much that is teh whole intent of some of them, just like engraving ward spells on items and charging them except its continually charged by your own energies that you emit.

Crimson Fox Of Tempests

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