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Once upon a time, back when I understood precious little of Paganism and mistakenly thought I could rightfully claim the title Wiccan, I had a book of shadows. Now that I have grown out of my fluff bunny days, I thought it be funny to flip through this book of shadows again to see just what a fluff bunny keeps in it, and share it with you guys so we could all laugh at past foolishness. Note that this was about four or five years ago, so my memory is a little spotty on what some of the notes in the book are.

Let's begin with the coverpage. First, we have my "Wiccan name". Yes. Seriously. It was Sahandrian. Then we have the word grimoire. I assume I wrote this to denote that it is a book of shadows. Then I wrote Wolf/Coyote. A totem, perhaps? Then my patron diety (Told you I was using the term Wiccan mistakenly at the time), the Japanese Yachimata-Hiko of possibilities and innumerable roads. My path is written as eclectic with the quote "An unaimed arrow never misses". Then the words water, black/red, and Tuesday. No idea what those were for. Then a pentacle and swastika, with a written note that this is a Buddhist swastika, not a Nazi one, presumably in case a parent picked the book up.

The book itself starts out with the "Wiccan Rede", contained on multiple pages (It's a really long poem version. No idea where I found it or if it is the real Wiccan Rede.). Then we have a list of eight Pagan holidays, followed by a list of Hindu Chakra. Then my totem, Wolf (Covers protection, knowledge, cunning, intelligence, independence, teaching, and pathfinding, noted to be territorial). Next is a little information about Yachimata-Hiko (the same info written on the front page), followed by the cycles of the moon and the types of magic they effect. Next is a list of astrological signs and what kind of spells they effect. Then a list of colors and days of the week and what they symbolize. Next is a list of aromatic oils and what they are good for, followed by herbs, gems, metals, and minerals and what they symbolize and are good for in magick. The final entry is a page with only the words The Burning Times.

So, that's what was in my book of shadows during my fluff bunny days. Feel free to comment on and laugh at my juvenile foolishness. It is pretty funny in retrospect.

Yes, it really, really does.

I can't believe I actually thought I was Wiccan, yet had a patron deity (Japanese, no less) and descriptions of Chakra.

Yea. I had no idea what I was doing back then.

That's a good idea. Perhaps my essay could be on what not to do.

My first one was about the same with a whole mess of silver raven wolf stuff. This was about 15 or 16 years ago. Gosh! sweatdrop its been that long. I keep mine as a reminder, of where I came from and how stupid I was.

Mine was a unsightly compilation of things too, but ones which I find useful to have on hand.
I have lots of aura and herbal notes written down, plus crystals and traditional associations, and, if I had a particular author or book I got it from, I wrote those down as well. And, for some reason, put in a bagua map, plus the Ten Commandments, the Nine Noble Virtues, a couple of some good, some badly written spells, etcetera.

It was part Book of Shadows, part Theology textbook, and part some vague neo-pagan bull. Also, notes on when I'd had my moments where I realized "Holy crap, I saw this part of my life", though I never took (nor still take) good track of my visions, like an idiot. stare

But it's all organized, and it's since taken a more mature, slowed-down approach to carefully learning things.
The recent studies have been into herbal emmenagogues and abortifacients.
I'm turning into something of the witch in the cottage type. xd

I now have a side notebook for thoughts on Hellenism.

That's sort of an issue with eclecticism. I mean, particular traditions will have particular requirements or suggestions for what goes into one. If you're on your own, doing your own thing, you can put in anything you want. Which is good... but leaves one with very little structure, and a bit lost as to what one actually wants to add.

I'm sort of in that position myself! I have some stuff I want to go in there, but have trouble deciding in what order, or how it should be structured, as well as what else I want to add. So the ol' book is sitting empty at the moment. wink

Mine's all over the place too, but it sort of reflects my personality in that way. Most of it is taken up with yummy food recipies I want to cook someday, and incense recipies.