How To Create Your Own Book Of Shadows
A Book of Shadows is your personal journal of your magical journey. In it, you will write down any notes and insights you receive from other Witches, from the Universe, from your dreams, from books and websites and any other source you find them. You will write down your spells before you cast them and you will make notes about the casting and about your results. You will keep any tables of correspondences, recipes, sketches of magical plants, symbols and just about anything that comes to you that relates in any way to your magical practice.
It is wise for all magical practitioners of any tradition to have a Book Of Shadows as it provides an invaluable resource you will invariably return to time and again when your memory fails, not to mention the incredibly deep insight your periodic review of your Book of Shadows and provide into your own spiritual evolution.
To create your book of shadows you will need a book. You can purchase a blank journal, or a specialized Book of Shadows online or in many specialty shops. However, do not over-complicate this project. Having a Book of Shadows is more important than the form the Book comes in. A 3-Ring binder with loose leaf paper, or even a spiral notebook or a composition book is suitable to get you started simply for a very low cost. You can always copy your notes into a fancier book later if you can't acquire one now.
Personally, I like a 3-Ring binder because then I can add notes and recipes I've received from other people or printed from the internet. When I go to public rituals, I often receive typed notes from the ritual leaders. If I like the ritual, I want to stick it in my book of shadows. Also, sometimes I'm out and about or don't have access to my binder. I can jot down notes on any 8 1/2 by 11 piece of paper to add to my Book of Shadows later, I can even type it. A 3-ring binder makes it easy (assuming you also have access to a 3-hole punch). AND I can use dividers to make sections. AND it lays flat when it's open, making it easier to follow a recipe. OR I can just take the pages I need out and put them back in again later. AND, My mom made me a nifty embroidered fabric cover for my binder that makes it look and feel like a "real" Book of Shadows (Check out http://makezine.com/craft/how-to_sew_a_simple_fabric_boo/ for directions to do this yourself. You can also make a cover out of paper or get a binder with a clear sleeve on the outside, then you can paint, draw or print out a cover and slide it right into your clear sleeve.
You will also need a pen. Pencil marks wear off over time so a pen is best. Some folks like to have a special pen for their Book of Shadows. A refillable fountain pen is nice. But again, if it's too complicated, just get any old pen and go for it. Do not let your lack of a really cool pen interfere with the creation of your Book of Shadows!!
You will also need whatever tools you generally use to cleanse and consecrate your magical tools
1. ☆Obtain and Organize Your Book
Consider how you want to organize your book. Although there are other methods, some good possibilities are the Table of Contents or Tab style and the Index Style.
Table of Contents Organization involves dividing your book into sections and having a Table of Contents somewhere in the book, usually near the beginning or end, that lists the starting page number of each section. Alternatively, the sections can be indicated by tabs.
If you are using a 3-ring binder, you can use tabed inserts to mark each section. If you are using a blank book, spiral notebook or composition book, you may wish to number your pages and create a Table of Contents or you can use colored post-it tabs to mark each section in your book. If you create a Table of Contents, make sure you do it on the second page, not the first. Leave the first page blank. Do not try to populate these sections at this time or you may get bogged down. Just create your sections and mark them out and move on to the next task for now. When you are ready to start writing, flip to that section and go for it.
The Index method does not divide up the book into sections. Instead, you list your main topics near the back or front of the book where they can easily be referenced and when you write in your book, you list the page number of what you just wrote under the appropriate topic in your index. So instead of flipping through sections, you would look at your index and see that you wrote about Topic A on page 8, 17, 22, and 91 and turn to those pages to find what you're looking for. Since you wrote the book, you probably wouldn't have to search through all of those pages to find exactly what you were looking for because you might remember that you wrote something recently or a long time ago.
Remember to leave the first page blank.
The following sections are suggested, but you may add or omit whichever sections you wish as best suits your personal practice and do not feel that you have to stick to this order.
Many practitioners follow certain laws and it's a good idea to have them right up front where you can meditate on them, absorb them, explore them and refer to them quickly and easily. So here is where you keep your copy of The Wiccan Rede, The Charge of the Goddess, The Delphic Maxims, The Seven Hermetic Principles or whatever it is that guides you.
2. ☆Holy Days and Rites of Passage
In this section you will record the dates and special significance of any holy days you celebrate and any rites of passage you experience, either as the recipient of the rite or the officiant of the rite. These may include the traditional Western Sabbats as well as any monthly observances you participate in and any special personal days, such as birthday celebrations, initiations, handfasting and marriage rites, adulthood rites, naming ceremonies and whatever else comes up in your life and personal practice. Write notes about the significance of each event, the rituals tied to each event, including traditional foods, decorations and gift-giving practices as well as special ceremonies and journal each individual event you celebrate. If you celebrate these events with your family, this will make your Book of Shadows a very special heirloom to pass down through the generations.
3. ☆Symbols and Correspondences
In this section, you will keep any tables of correspondence you collect or develop as well as symbols, runes, magical languages, sigils and whatever else that is symbolic in nature that you find useful during your magical journey.
In this section, you will write down each spell you perform before you perform it. Then you will journal about the actual spell after you have performed it and continue journaling about the results of the spell. Include your thoughts about what worked well and what felt weird and how you could have done it differently and how it can be improved.
(See How to Write Your Own Spell) and How to Cast a Spell )
Every holy day and rite of passage has food associated with it. Many witches also like to prepare special ritual wine or cakes consumed only as part of a magical ritual. If this is you, be sure to include a section for your recipes because it's a long time between Samhain feasts and you'd hate to leave out an ingredient in your famous pumpkin soup. If you have a special chant you like to recite while stirring to imbue your feast with magic, be sure to include this (or a cross-reference to the appropriate section.)
Many witches enjoy crafting their own magical tools and candles as well as making household items like soap. If this is you, include this section with step-by-step instructions for each item as well as notes for their use, spells that you like to imbue into the item (you can cross-reference to the spell section) and herbs or essential oils you like to use to scent items for specific purposes, seasonal variations, etc.
7. ☆Chants, prayers and songs
There are many lovely chants we come across online, in books and at public rituals and some of us even write our own. Your Book of Shadows should have a section for these even if they can be found in the Holy Day ritual and spell sections. If you have a prayer you say at dawn, at bedtime or at mealtimes, be sure to include these as well.
Do not be afraid to "steal" someone else's chant, prayer or song for your own personal use; that's what they put them out there for, just make sure you write down the name of the author, if you can find it. If you were to publish your book of shadows in either print or digital format (blog, website, e-book, etc.), you will need to contact the author or publisher to ask permission to include it. Otherwise, it will have to be removed from the public version.
In this section, you will record any significant, especially vivid or recurring dreams that you experience. Include notes about what's going on in your life when you have these dreams.
Some people like to keep a separate dream journal and this is fine too.
(Read Dream Journal and Begin Lucid Dreaming)
9. ▪Journey or Meditation Journal
If you journey, engage in Astral Projection or practice meditation, keep a journal to record your experiences and impressions during these exercises. Be sure to include any music, fragrances or different methods you used so you can judge their effectiveness later.
Some people like to keep a journey or meditation journal separate from their Book of Shadows and this is fine too.
Keep track of whatever books or websites you use to gather information. Take notes in this journal section make sure you write down where the information came from in case you want to look it up again later. Often when I am reading a book (or a website) I will come across a "fact" or an anecdote that I would like to research further. This journal section is invaluable for me in those instances. (I love that my Kindle has a note-taking feature on it, but I do need to copy those notes into the paper journal as well.)
Sometimes you come across a piece of information in a book or website that you'd like to chew on for awhile before you actually add it to your Book of Shadows. This is a good place to jot that down.
11. ☆General Journal Section
It is nice to have an extra section at the end of your Book of Shadows to just journal in. Here you can work on that poem you don't have quite right, or record that omen you saw that may or may not be an omen or expound on how gorgeous the sunset was or make a note to ask Judy where she bought the incense she used at the last esbat because wow, that was some potent stuff and of course you'll want to write down the name of the vendor you discovered at the RenFest that carried the exact beads you've been looking for so you can order more from their website and you'll want to write down the day you felt like you were in a fog all day so you can speculate on the reasoning for your fog later when you're feeling more clearheaded.
Unless you've purchased your book already decorated, you may wish to decorate it yourself. I had you create sections to make the book usable before I had you decorate it because I want you to be able to use it right away, even if it's not technically "finished" yet (Your Book of Shadows will never be finished). There is nothing more discouraging than the feeling that you have to do a bunch of work before you get started. Now you may decorate it if you wish, but you don't have to. You can paint or draw right on the book, or use scrapbooking supplies if that's what you're into.
You can learn to create a nifty fabric book cover at http://makezine.com/craft/how-to_sew_a_simple_fabric_boo/
Or you can make the good old fashioned paper book cover (you don't have to use a bag if you have craft paper or wrapping paper you'd rather use) http://specialchildren.about.com/od/schoolissues/ss/bookcover2.htm
If you are using a 3-ring binder with a clear sleeve cover, you can simply print off or draw or paint an image that is pleasing to you and slide it into the clear sleeve.
Many people also like to decorate the first page of every section. Feel free to do this as well. You can use scrapbooking tools or if you are an artist, use your own talents. I have also seen Books of Shadows that were illuminated throughout with sketches of herbs, postures, and just doodles and this is wonderful. The more /you/ you put into your Book, the more personal and magical it will become. Just don't get caught up in the decoration and forget to write. Of course, if your an artist and prefer to journal in illustrated form, that's fine too!
13. □Cleanse and Consecrate Your Book
Cleanse your Book using your preferred method and then consecrate it, that is, declare its sacred purpose.
Check out How to Prepare Magickal Tools for Use
Once this is done, open up your book to the first page and write the following:
This is the magical Book of Shadows of {Your magical name} begun this day, {date}
You can elaborate on this if you like, but don't feel you have to. Some folks have written some Book of Shadows blessing rhymes that you might like to use and there are some more elaborate blessing rituals out there. You can find many of these using the search terms "Book of Shadows Blessing" in your favorite search engine. Choose one that you like and that reflects your intentions and beliefs. Or don't and keep it simple.
Now, hold the book out in front of you, preferably over a candle or burning incense (high enough that it won't catch fire) and read aloud what you just wrote.
14. ♡Write in Your Book of Shadows
Many people like to write a bit fancy in their Book of Shadows. Some artsy types use calligraphy, some like to write in a magical language or code. I always write in cursive in my Book of Shadows. It feels fancy to me and is apparently going to be a dead art in another generation. Go ahead and be fancy if you like, but don't get caught up in it. If you find you're spending more time re-writing the calligraphy that's not perfect or looking up magical languagesthan actually writing in your book, ditch the fancy and go for practical. The most important thing is that you write.
Write every day. Keep your Book of Shadows next to your bed so that you can write down your dreams as soon as you wake up and so that it is within arms reach when you wake from a dead sleep with some brilliant insight you won't even remember you had in the morning.
If you don't write every day, at least write every time you do a spell and at every Holy Day.
When your Book of Shadows becomes overstuffed, you may wish to archive it and create a new one. I recommend you read through your old book completely first. This will provide useful insight into your magical evolution and will allow you to identify any information you want to make sure gets transferred to the new book.
http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/wiccaandpaganismbasics/ht/BOS.htm
http://lapuliabookofshadows.com/
