Books of Shadows and Grimoires Books are never frar from a scholar's hands, just as songs are never far from a singer's lips.
Chinese proverb
A Book of shadows (BOS), or Grimoire, is a gatherig of magickal spells, incantations, herbals, and symbols with instructions for how to utilize each. If youthink of it as a cookbook for magick, with additional ritualized elements you'll get the idea. The word Grimoire comes from the Old French Gramaire, meaning occult learning or knowledge. During the 14th to 15th century it also meant grammar (possibly due to the supersitions surrounding the power of written words because so few people were literate)
Bookmark: History
Around 3500 B.C.E., sumerians began using the cuneiform alphabet on clay tablets. Come 2500 B.C.E., scrolls were being used( with papyrus following around 2400 B.C.E.) In 196 B.C.E. the Rosetta Stone was cut, followed by the advent of paper in China in 150 C.E. and finally the Gutenberg press cam on the scene in 1450, changing the face of writting ( and books) forever.
As the ways in which people kept information changed, so did their outlooks about the written word. Books were expensive; people who coudl write were rare. So it's not surprising to find various mages and sages using books to carefully note their formulas. From coplex instruction for invoking demons and banishing curses, Grimoires appeared quite commonly beftween the 12th adn 18th centuries. Now some modern scholars feel that some of the wording in these books was really a code, intended to fool those who should not be tinkering with such power haphazardly. That doesn't surprise me, especially coming from people who often felt there was a limited amount of magick in the world. What is surprising is the amount of Christian verbiage in these tomes. reference to prayer, God, Jesus and angels dotted the texts liberally, perhaps as an attempt to live cooperatively with the predominant religious power.
During this tie we find two types of manuals the first is that of a natural magick or head WItchery( what would be considered the magick of common folk documented byu historians physicians, and similar studied observers of human behavior.
These collections typically include a lot of herbal formulas ( especially for health, be it human or naimal, and fertility, be it personal, animals, or the garden!) Other common instructions were charms to imrpove wealth, protect and obtain favors, be they personal or legal.
The second type of book was far more formal and detailed, what we would consider High Magick. Such collections include Sigils, Invocations, and even the use of "heavenly' or magickal languages. One example of this is the Lemegeton ( also known as the Key of SOlomon) legend has it that Solomon himself authored this text, while it only came into public notice in the 12th century. The Lesser key of Solomon ( Ars Goetia) dating from the 16th century includes a list of spirits, their powers, and exxactly how to invoke them. Obviously, a very different focus from the hearthside collections.
For those readers who would like to see some of the older grimoires first hand, there are several online resources ( about.com is a good starting place) and at least one CD collection available at www.lifetechnology.org/grimoires.htm In particluar check out the following titles
Natural magick by John Babtista Porta
Magickal Elements 1655
Key of the Mysteries by Eliphas levi
wAncient Book of Formulas by Lewis De Claremont
Three Books of Occult philosophy by Agrippa
The Sefer Yetsirah ( very important in Cabbalism) typically attributed to Rabbi akiba ben Joseph
The Hieroglyphic Monad by Dr. John Dee
In recent history there has been a rebirth of Grimoires, thanks greatly to the New Age publshing industry and increased along Books of Shadows to their adherrents.) In addition,many practitioners like to create a personal Book of Shadows, that includes their favorite tidbits of metaphysical information.
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