You’ve had your Book of Shadows for quite a while and still haven’t gotten around to writing in it.
Maybe you find it intimidating and maybe you’re just at a loss of what to write. You might still be thinking about the perfect Book of Shadows layout.
It is very understandable…but know that there is no perfect Book of Shadows layout.
It is very personal and therefore will contain things that make up the witch that you are.
But still, the struggle is real…
...which is why we are writing this article to help you figure out what to include in your Book of Shadows and finally push you to write your very first entry into your Book of Shadows.
While there is really no wrong thing to include in your BOS - it is highly personal. When it comes to the contents of your personal BOS, here are some great ideas.
All Wiccan traditions have convergences and divergences. Are you subscribed to the Dianic tradition or the Draconic tradition? Is Scott Cunningham your man? Or are you more of a Raymond Buckland fan?
You can start writing down specifics about your tradition. This is the path you chose to take and it means a lot to you. It’s a really good idea to keep them at the front of your BOS as a constant reminder.
If you’re part of an eclectic tradition that doesn’t have written rules, or if you’re a solitary witch, this is still a good place to write down the tenets of your beliefs. One example is the Wiccan Rede.
Depending on what pantheon or tradition you follow, you may have a single God and Goddess, or a number of them.
Your Book Of Shadows is a good place to write down their names, their stories, you can even doodle artwork of your deity. You love and admire your gods and goddesses… what better way to express that than in writing in your Book of Shadows?
When it comes to spellcasting, correspondence tables are very helpful. Stuff like the different phases of the moon, different herbs for this and that purpose, stones and crystals to heal this and that, and colors. Expound on their metaphysical properties, healing properties, magickal uses, and more.
What can also be very helpful is writing down herbs that can replace a certain herb. There are some spells that call for a specific ingredient… but did you know you can always replace that ingredient? Consider this as expanding your knowledge of substitutions.
Plus, there are also herbs that you cannot ingest, which is very important for you to know especially if you’re a kitchen witch - lest you want to end up on your kitchen floor. Yikes!
Keeping a chart of some sort in your BOS guarantees that this information will be at the ready when you really need it.
The Wheel of the Year includes eight holidays for most Wiccans and Pagans, although some traditions do not celebrate all of them.
Write down those that you celebrate and what each Sabbat means to you. Include your rituals, including rituals that you look forward to performing.
Rituals are longer than spells and writing them down will help you follow them to a tee.
If you’re learning about Tarot, scrying, crystal gazing, or any other form of divination, write down what you’ve learned so far and even the step-by-step to achieve mastery of the subject.
Divination does take practice and practice is greatly bolstered by research and notes.
When you experiment with new methods of divination, keep a record of what you do and symbols and signs that you see in your Book of Shadows.
As you read more on Wicca, you will encounter phrases, sentences, paragraphs that just make you nod your head in agreement or tugs at your heartstrings. Have you ever read something that makes you think “Wow this is totally my life”?
These meaningful sayings are what brings your journey to another level. What tugs at you is not necessarily tugs at another person, all the more reason to write them down in your Book of Shadows.
If you’re into kitchen witchery, you will get this. Unless you have photographic memory, you are going to need a guide for when you concoct your brews, potions, and tinctures. There is no better place to write down your recipes than your Book of Shadows. It’s much harder to lose your Book of Shadows than pieces of paper where you’ve written down your recipes.
You’re in this for the long haul and your recipe list will only grow. Have one place for them and you won’t waste time looking for separate notebooks.
Same as recipes, your list of spells will only get longer. It’s best to keep your spells in the same book as your recipes and your substitutions.
It will be easier to keep track of everything and if being organized means a lot to you, then you’ll be thankful later on that you chose to place everything there is about your practice in one Book of Shadows.
One idea for a Book of Shadows layout is organizing the spells according to purpose. For example, spells for prosperity, protection, healing, etc.
So there you have, now that you know that there is no perfect Book of Shadows layout, it’s time to start writing in your Book of Shadows.
The sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll get over the fear of starting and the sooner you can fill its pages.
Soon enough you will have your well organized Book of Shadows collection as you advance not only in years but also in practice.
Thank you for the information. Learning so much you never know the best way to set up your book.
Book of Shadows
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Destiny
September 27, 2021
I love this