CREATING YOUR OWN BOOK OF SHADOWS
The Book of Shadows (or BOS) is a spell book and magical diary or journal of a Witch or Wiccan. Some are passed down through Covens or from one individual to another, but today, solitary practitioners compose most. Your BOS can be a three-ring notebook
or a bound blank book, whatever works best for you. You'll record celebrations, ritual activities, spells and their results this book.
As you explore your path and discover what works best for you, your book will grow. You'll be preserving the details of your communication with the Divine, and creating a chronicle of your journey ... your own personal grimoire.
If you'd like additional help creating your own BOS, we recommend you read Wicca A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham or Crafting Magick with Pen and Ink by Susan Pesznecker. In either of these books, you can find the essential knowledge you need for creating and blessing your own book of shadows. Both titles are available in Nature's Insight Bookstore
or a bound blank book, whatever works best for you. You'll record celebrations, ritual activities, spells and their results this book.
As you explore your path and discover what works best for you, your book will grow. You'll be preserving the details of your communication with the Divine, and creating a chronicle of your journey ... your own personal grimoire.
If you'd like additional help creating your own BOS, we recommend you read Wicca A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham or Crafting Magick with Pen and Ink by Susan Pesznecker. In either of these books, you can find the essential knowledge you need for creating and blessing your own book of shadows. Both titles are available in Nature's Insight Bookstore
I find these articles very interesting and anything i can learn helps.I have heard that you are not to use spells to benefit yourself, but over the past mmany years, i always felt i was missing something, hence the interest.
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I totally agree about the BOS .. its wonderful to go back and rediscover where you were then and where you are now.
There are times when going back into them that will show you things you had forgotten.. been there.
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Kardia, I not only believe that you're dead on target by your explaination of how to write a Book of Shadows {BOS}, but maybe this can help as well.
If one aknowledges how to write their own biography, that too can be a way of creating your own BOS. The tradition of Wicca as you've lived it, is written in order for other Family Witches and Wiccans to read as their generations are passed down. Your BOS should always carry a little if not a lot about you, your spells, curses, rituals, special celebrations, {as Kardia mentioned}special and normal truditions and mainly how you address the public as a practicing Witch or Wiccan.
A BOS, can also be extremely educative to those who are serious about wicca. To go through in detail about one or two of your Chants is titanically educational. Where it was held, how it was held and when!. Large Chants can be held in a selected portion of woods titled as, The Sacred Forest whereas others can be held in other places. Your drawings, the language that only we are able to read and understand also tells a lot of us.
We've come a long way since 1692, no longer do we live by the Malleus Maleficarum, and guess what? If we did..... 92% of this country would be gone!!!.
Even though everyone does obtain a biography, we as Witches and Wiccans obtain far more in our Grimoires which can explain far more of our lives than any average person's written biography!.
Grimoires can tell and explain a lot!. Those who don't study or live our lives truly aren't able to read Grimoires. Some of them can't be read while others weren't written to be read and there are those witten that are told as legends which are found on different haunted properties.
The hardest part about a Grimoire is, if you want to name one, that just may be problematic!!!. However, always remember... this is a book on what you want written in it, how you want it written and whatever drawings it will obtain if any. Books of Shadows are fine books once they have been finished.
As a 52 year in vintage Wiccan, I've written and finished serveral BOSs.
I send away to have each of my BOS special made.
Any of us who may be a Witch or Wiccan should own at least one Grimoire.
Blessed Be my Family and Friends, Blessed Be!!!.
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