Writing your own Book of Shadows

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Permalink Reply by Meadow Rain on January 27, 2009 at 9:24am

In my first BOS I wrote color associations, herbs, candles, gems, incense recipes. Important things I had learned from books I took out of the library and didn't want to forget. Rituals and spells that I put together and personalized from reading other rituals and methods. My first BOS is not filled up but I have a new BOS, a 3 ring binder, with a folder in the center and a dream journal that I was instructed to get by my teacher. The only thing that is in my present BOS is a printed copy, hand signed of my dedication to the craft.

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Permalink Reply by Kathleen on January 27, 2009 at 9:39am

Ty for the help, using a plain notebook sounds like a good idea for now!

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Permalink Reply by Jan Denn on January 30, 2009 at 9:31am

yes, i agree... Having a "scratch" note-book of shadows will lessen the chance of revision and commiting mistakes in writing. It will also grant you time for editing, magickally and grammatically speaking.

I also use separate pens for BOS and spells... just suggesting. :)
Blessed Be!

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Permalink Reply by Glenn on January 27, 2009 at 9:50am

Kathleen, don't forget to include anything you write for your own use, whether they be invocations/evocations, suggestions, ideas for spells and devotions, etc...; starting with a 3 ring binder or notebook is absolutely the way to go at first, because you'll want to edit and revise things as you grow, and learn. Blessed Be!

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Permalink Reply by Jan Denn on January 30, 2009 at 9:31am

yes. just as i thought. :)

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Permalink Reply by vix on January 29, 2009 at 3:58pm

spells,when spells are carried out and when they achieved a successful out come, rituals, remedies, supplies and dates u need to remember .

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Permalink Reply by Oberon on February 1, 2009 at 3:16pm

a BOS is used to write the spells you have worked so that should you have to correct one or reverse it you know how it was cast

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Permalink Reply by Liz (Faerie Fire Dreamer) on February 1, 2009 at 7:11pm

I put season rituals in mine too, plus all the things I want to remember, like colors, stones, herbs, days of the week associations and such....

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Permalink Reply by Divinities Creature on February 1, 2009 at 8:09pm

I think it would be wise to catalog your own times of enlightenment. Or those times when something simply spectacular happens, and equally as important the times when nothing happens. Those times when you can be out driving around or in the middle of eating dinner and suddenly you have a moment of insight (this happens to me alot ^.^), copy it down and keep it! A perfect example happened just today while I was at work. I don't know where it came from or even if I heard someone else say it, or I read it, but the words suddenly came to me: "Know little. Question much."
Just little things like that always stick out the most in my mind. Color correspondences of candles and herbs and stones and their therapeutic/healing/ magical uses are great and may come in handy alot. But the great signifigances to me can sometimes come in so few words, and they can often teach great lessons.
I rarely cast spells. I just don't see the use of them the majority of the time. But the first spell I cast involved this cheap white tea scented candle that I bought from K-mart, lol. It was the night before graduation day, the spring of 2005. I was a junior in highschool and I had carved symbols that were of importance to me into this candle (I still have the candle today). I sat and placed the candle before me and began drawing energy into myself, then I began funneling it inot the candle while casting my spell. I didn't really rehearse what I was going to say, I just used all of my will and power and released them into the candle through my words I guess you could say. But the gist of it was that the next day was going to be a long one and I had alot to accomplish, so when I lit the candle from that point onward it would grant me the energy and motivation to get down to business and get things done. I lit the candle and put more energy into my words for a few more minutes, then blew the wick out and sat it on my windowsill and went to bed.
It worked fantastically. The next day I had TONS of energy! I was wired and I got more accomplished than I even had planned the night before. I burned some serious calories! When I meditate I also hold that candle on my chest, wether it's lit or not dosen't seem to matter.
But that incident stands out to me, so it would be something I would write down and keep.
Just thought I would share!
Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Vicious on February 17, 2009 at 2:39pm

I dont know if its too late to respond to this?

I have two books.
One is a nice leather-bound and the other is a 3 ring binder.
Leather-bound Notebook: I put spells I used, when I used them. Spiritual situations I've been in. What I feel after a meditation. I mark the date every single use. I write poems, my dreams/nightmares. I use a bound book for this because its just thoughts, as they're happening to me. So it wont change. This book to me is a lot more personal than the 3 ring binder. I show this to no one.
Three-Ring Binder: History of Wicca. List of herbs and magical uses. Dream dictionary. Ritual steps. etc. List of prayers. Alphabets, Angels, Demons, Deities, Runes, Tarot, etc. It's something I can constantly add stuff to. Its like one big encyclopedia for me. It's heavy and I use it more as a reference guide when I forget something. Sometimes when my friends are curious I dont mind showing them this book only because its less personal and it's just like any other book they can probably pick up in a store.

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