Starting a Book of Shadows

from Terri Paajanen

 

Starting a Book of Shadows

Your magickal journal

 

Your Book of Shadows could also be thought of as a journal or diary of your spiritual development. A bound book does have a nice feel to it, but a 3-ring binder may be more practical. You might even want to store your BoS on your computer. Any research that you do, spells or rituals that you like or need, meditation notes, or even creative work like poetry and drawings can all go in your Book. Within some traditions of Wicca, there is an 'official' Book of Shadows containing material that is shared with members of a coven. Even if you are given the contents of your BoS, you are still encouraged to add your own material. It's your book, so feel free to make into whatever you want or need.

 

 t's not hard to start your own magickal journal

 

Contrary to popular belief, a Book of Shadows is not a specific book or text. Many movies and television shows portray it as an ancient and mystical book filled with spells and incantations. Those new to the Craft soon realize that is not the case. Every Wiccan writes and keeps their own personal Book of Shadows. New Wiccans are often confused or overwhelmed with the prospect of creating such a book. Here is a guideline to help you start your own Book of Shadows (BoS).

First of all, there is no 'right' way to keep a BoS. There are as many variations as there are Wiccans. Some people don't even keep one. If you belong to a coven, there may be a Book of Shadows belonging to the group that you will be expected to copy from. If you are solitary, you'll have to start from scratch.

What to Use
The term Book of Shadows tends to conjure up large, leather-bound tomes with metal latches and buckles

 Books like that are available but they are not cheap and can be cumbersome to use. Any blank book will do, even an artist's sketchbook. Binders can be a practical choice, because you can move the pages around as your collection of information grows. Some very modern Wiccans use a DoS (Disk of Shadows) and keep their material on computer.

Another frequent question about making a BoS is what to write with. Some want to keep a beautiful and traditional book, and think the best writing utensil is a quill and ink. While this may be a good idea, you don't want it to be too time consuming to take notes or record information. Your book just won't get used. A fountain pen is a good compromise, but any pen or pencil is fine.

What Goes in It?
Quite frankly, anything you want. Your BoS is a very personal book, and it is completely up to you what goes in. The kind of material tends to fall into 2 categories: reference or personal. Reference material may include useful correspondences, moon phase dates, sabbat information, spells you might like to try, etc. You can find good reference material from books or on the Internet. Personal material might be a dream journal, poetry or artwork, results of spells you've done, recordings of astral work, etc.

Personally, I have two books. One is a large, 3-ring binder filled with computer printouts from various websites. This is my collection of reference material. I also keep a smaller, hand-written book for my more personal notes. I use a high-quality, roller ball pen for writing.

Don't let yourself get caught up in putting together the perfect Book of Shadows. If you start it and don't like how it's turning out, start another one. As time passes, you'll find it an invaluable tool.

Coming Out of the Broom Closet

Do you need to tell ?

This can be a tough issue for anyone who is new to a Pagan path. Since there is so much misunderstanding about our way of belief and thinking, it can be difficult to make others understand what you've embarked upon. No one can decide for you whether you should remain 'in the closet' or not. Don't feel that you must make announcements. Your religious views are private and are not something that needs to be made public. Surely the Gods wouldn't want you to suffer discrimination or hostility on account of them. I would recommend against announcing your beliefs just for the shock value.

Casting a Circle

The basics of ritual

Casting a circle is the first part of any ritual, and although there are traditional ways to do this, you can adapt these rituals to suit your own needs. The circle defines your sacred space, and helps keep your own magickal energy in and negative energy out. While casting the circle, it's also common to mark the circle with sprinkled salt water, a line of chalk or even a long cord. Though we refer to it as a circle, you should think of it more like a 3 dimensional sphere. Typical circle casting includes: visualizing the boundaries of the circle, asking the Elemental Guardians to watch over the circle, and then asking Deity to join your ritual. Once your ritual is complete, you reverse the procedure: thanking the Gods and Guardians and releasing them, then visualizing the closing of the circle. Your precise words can be elaborate or very simple. You can read a variety of examples on my Circle Casting page.

 Casting A Ritual Circle

Circle Casting is one of the distinguishing features of Neopagan Witchcraft. All religions have procedures for establishing Sacred Space, casting a Circle is the Wiccan practice that fulfills that function. The Circle establishes the outer rim of the sacred space.

The Circle sets the ritual space apart from the normal everyday space; it delineates the boundaries between our mundane practices and the realm of magical interaction. It is a declaration of parameters. It also helps to contain and focus the energies raised, it acts as a containment field for the energies that are summoned later. The casting of the circle is a magical act and should be sealed with a statement of success or some signal of completion.

When the Circle is being cast the participants should be visualizing a sphere of energy forming around them, the details of this visualization vary. Once it is cast, no one should leave without making some concession to the barrier such as "cutting a door".

This is a "Three worlds" Circle casting that I prefer because it speaks to the purpose of the Circle casting.

"Now we make our sacred space
By building a sphere of energy around us
We cast this circle of light by calling upon
the three worlds we move between

We cast this circle thrice about:
Once for the world of daylight,
For the world of intellect and clarity.

We cast this circle thrice about:
Once for the world of moonlight,
for the world of intuition and secrets.

We cast this circle thrice and last:
Once for the world out of time,
Between all places,
Where we meet to do our Work.

The Circle is cast
We stand between the worlds
Let all who enter, enter in love
Let all who leave, leave in peace."

This is the circle casting I learned from my teacher Jill Price. This is sort of an accordion piece, each verse can be stretched or condensed to last all the way around the Circle. The descriptive section, after the colon and before the final line of each section, can be improvised upon for as long as necessary.

"We cast this circle thrice about,
once for the maiden,
Innocent and free.
We are the maiden when we:
begin a new thing
know the beauty of the ordinary
marvel in the everyday
are joyful in life
we are the maiden and the maiden is us.

We cast this circle thrice about,
Once for the Mother,
Nurturing and strong.
We are the mother when we:
are Generous and loving
when we have the courage to lead
stand up for what we believe in
think of others first
we are the mother and the mother is us.

We cast this circle thrice about,
Once for the Crone,
Old and in wisdom strong.
We are the crone when we:
teach others
seek inner truth
comfort the weak
we are the crone and is us.

The Circle is cast.
We stand between the worlds,
Between all places,
Where we meet to do our Work.
Let all who enter, enter in love,
Let all who leave, leave in peace."

This is a Triple Goddess casting by my coven mate Michael wrote

I cast this circle thrice about, once for the maiden.
Carefree and innocent, she who knows the beauty of the ordinary.
She who marvels in the everyday, and is joyful in life.

I cast this circle thrice about, twice for the mother.
Nurturing and strong, she who knows the pains that make life worth
living. She who teaches us how to live, and takes away our hurt.

I cast this circle thrice about, thrice for the crone.
Aged and experienced, she who knows life's hard lessons.
She who aids us with the hard won knowledge of the ages.

The Circle is rarely perfectly round and in practice it's boundaries are somewhat flexible. You are within the Circle when you are in sensory contact with the group. As long as you are included in the interaction of the group you are within the Circle.

Cutting a door is a symbolic opening of the inclusive sphere to allow an individual to come or go. A door can be cut with an athame or parted like a veil. I like to unzip a door like a tent flap. Always close the door behind you when you leave.

© 1999 Sheherazahde, Braided Wheel Tradition

Finding Deities

Your own Gods and Goddesses

The topic of Deity is a deep one, and I really can't go into too much detail in this small space. You may choose to work with simply the God and Goddess (also referred to as the Lord and Lady), without defining them by any certain pantheons. But to really develop a personal relationship, you should consider narrowing your attention to specific Gods or Goddesses. You could use meditation to request that a God or Goddess make themselves known to you, but don't expect it to be a smooth road. You should do some research of your own into different cultures and pantheons to find which group of Deities strikes a chord with you. Many people use their own ancestry to make a link with ancient cultures. You might be surprised which Gods start dropping signs in your life. The search to connect with Deity is a very personal process, and is often different from one person to the next. Some people find that a Goddess reaches out and manifests Herself in ways t hat can't be missed. But some people need to do more leg-work of their own to find a God to work with. Don't expect your own experiences to be the same as anyone else's.