Book of Shadows

Hey there,
I'd like to share with you some of the things that I write in my Book of Shadows. I actually have two of them.

The first one is what I wrote when I started studying Wicca. I call it a Grimoire. The things that are in it are all of the basics of spell and ritual castings. I've written about the correspondences and tools and how to set up and alter. You know, just little things like that. I've drawn alot of pictures in it too. All of the writing is done with a black pen. I wanted to make sure I didn't mess up too much, so before I wrote in it I typed it in a Word document. This way it was organized and I knew exactly word for word what to write. So, yeah. It's just a little red book with about 100 pages.

My second Book of Shadows is a spiritual journal that I keep. I write about my rituals and spells and my deities. I write about everything, really. I put in it my personal feelings on certain rituals, and how spells have worked. I go further in depth in my beliefs and experiences. This one has a book blessing in it, meaning no one can read it but me, unless I give permission. My Grimoire is the one that I'll let people read because there's not many personal elements in it. My Book of Shadows, though, has a lot of personal thoughts in it. It's deffinately bigger than my Grimoire; it has about 500 pages.

Everyone is always asking me, "So, what am I supposed to write in it?" Well, that's the beauty of it. There's no 'rule' that says what you can and cannot write in it. A Book of Shadows is something that is sacred to YOU. You put what you want in it. I always say, write everything. Later, if you've changed your mind about something you wrote, don't rip out the page. Write another entry about it and why you changed your mind. It's all part of learning your path.

My Books are hand made. I thought about buying one, but I knew my friend Andrea made a book once. I had her teach me how. I think I've said in a previous post that anything you make is better than buying it. I don't want to say that buying a journal is wrong because it's your Book. You do what you can do and whatever is more convenient to you. Another thing to know: It's not called Book of Shadows because it holds dark things. It's called that because whatever is written in it is shadowed to the eyes of others. So, you don't have to share it with your friends or coven members if you don't want to.

Thanks for reading!
Blessed Be.
Alice