Welcome to one of my Sea Magic series posts, Sea Magic: Book of Tides. Here I’ll be explaining what a Book of Tides is, how it differs from other magical journals, and how you can begin your own.
First off, lets talks about what a Book of Tides is.
A Book of Tides, much like a Book of Shadows, is a record of a witch’s magical journey. It can be a book of spells, rituals, correspondence charts, personal thoughts, etc. A Book of Tides, however, differs from a Book of Shadows because although it is a magical book for witches, it is specifically a magical book for Sea witches.
Where did this term first come from?:
I’m not exactly sure, but I would have to assume this term was first used / came from seawitch.org. Although Sea magic is not necessarily a new practice, it is oftentimes a solitary one, so there is no real “official” book or other source with information set in stone for us Sea witches to gather information from bestowed unto us from a renowned Sea witch that can say this and this is that or this is because of that, and so on. So it’s a bit hard to pin point where a term such as a BOT comes from.
How does a Book of Tides differ from a Book of Shadows?:
Depending on the witch, a Book of Tides may not be all too much different from an ordinary Book of Shadows. However, no Book of Shadows is the exact same from one another. A Book of Tides hints at feel towards Sea magic, and a Book of Tides may be completely dedicated to a Sea witch’s experience in practicing Sea magic. (To understand what I’m saying in further detail, scroll down to my Book of Tides Table of Contents options below).
Do I have to call my magical book a Book of Tides?:
No. Even if you’re a Sea witch you do not have to call your book a Book of Tides. You can call it a Book of Shadows or whatever you want, honestly. I personally prefer the term Book of Tides since I feel it better reflects my practice more. I also love the sound of it, too.
Where can I find a Book of Tides?:
There are some wonderful etsy shops that make and sell blank Book of Shadows that you can use as a Book of Tides. My personal favorite options are from the shop OddSoul. (The owner even has books that are Sea and Mermaid themed!) You can also look for ordinary journals that have Ocean / Mermaid / etc covers.. Or you can even get creative and make your own by gluing seashells, sea glass, glitter, plastic mermaid/fish scales, pictures of the Ocean or beach as a cover - etc.
What goes in a Book of Tides?
As I’ve said before, no two Book of Shadows/Tides will be the same and a Book of Tides does not have to consist of only Sea magic related topics. But if you want to have a book for your Sea magic practice specifically, you can add any of the following contents:
Charge of the Sea Goddess
The Sea Witch Tradition (A introduction to what Sea witchcraft is to you).
How you started practicing Sea Magic
A list of Sea Gods & Goddesses
Information on Sea Fetches (magical ocean bound animals that help aid in your practice).
Information on entities such as mermaids, nymphs, and so on.
Your Altar, Shrine & Tools
The Winds (and information on weather magic if you practice it).
Oceanic Offerings: Offerings to the Ocean & Sea Gods
The Sabbats, Esbats, or a list of any sacred days that you might celebrate.
Correspondence Charts (Correspondence charts for seashells, sea glass, and other ingredients and tools of a Sea witch).
Divination (Methods you practice, specifically ones relating to Sea magic such as Seashell divination, Sea Scrying- etc).
