The Book of Shadows is an important tool for a witch. It is a place where you can keep records of all aspects of your magickal and spiritual journey. It is something of a diary to record your research, thoughts, spells. chants, incantations, poems, essays, recipes, even dream interpretations and aspirations.
It is a very personal thing for each person. There is no one certain way that you have to do it. Every witch creates his or her own unique Book of Shadows, so it is difficult to say how one should be written. But there are a few general outlines that most people follow. That is what this is meant to be, a general outline. When you sit down to start yours, it will take on your personality and be unique from anyone else's.
Some people believe that a BOS should be handwritten in order to transfer the energy of the writer into the spell. I agree with this to a certain extent, I do think that spells, chants, and incantations should be hand written. However, I see nothing wrong with using a computer to print out your research, herb and tree lore, history, beliefs and things of that sort. A computer can make it look nice and be much easier to assemble. If you do choose to hand write all or part of your BOS, be sure to make legibly so that you can read it later. Some people even use a computer disk to keep information for their BOS. The pages can easily be printed out for use in an actually book.
The actually construction of you Book of Shadows can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. A very simple method is to begin with a blank notebook and start writing. Beautifully bound and covered volumes are available for purchase, if you wish. That is fine, but it isn't really necessary.
One of the simplest and most popular method is to purchase a three-ring binder and add pages. This way, you can arrange rearrange the pages as often as you wish. It is also a good idea to put page protectors so the pages do not get messed up with use. You can make your own beautiful cover for it that will be unique to yours.
This is how I make mine. I actually have 5 at this point; 3 are spells, poems, magickal ethics, and things like that. 1 is the history and lore of the Celtic tradition and the other is the history and lore of the Faery tradition. I also have separate journals for tarot and runes, as well as for my essays.
Be mindful of the laws of your tradition or coven. Keep them at the front of your book at as a reminder of what is acceptable behavior and what is not. If you are solitary or eclectic or both, you can use the beginning to write about what you think is acceptable and what isn't. Set some guidelines for yourself. If you are a member of a coven, you probably should include a copy of your dedication ceremony here also. If you have dedicated yourself to a God or Goddess on your own, this a good place to announce that as well. A simple line saying that you dedicate yourself to whatever Deity you choose is fine.
Below is a general guideline for what you might want to include. Arrange it how it feels right to you.
A dedication
Copy of your dedication ceremony
A protection spell for the book
A blessing
Table of Contents
Glossary of Terms
Pagan Traditions
Magickal Ethics (The Wiccan Rede, Law of the Three-Fold Return, etc.)
Beliefs
Wheel of the Year
Sabbats
Tree Lore
Herbalism
Moon Phases
Crystal Healing
Reiki
Aura Studies
Tools
Fairy Lore
Dragon Lore
Mythology
Paranormal Studies
Humor
Rituals & Spells:
Circle Casting
Cleansing and Consecration
Blessings
Meditations
Prayers
Candle Magick
Ritual Construction
Rites of Passage
Invocations
Chants
Music
Sabbat Rituals
Correspondences for:
Color magick
Crystal, gemstones, and minerals,
Elements
Planets and Planetary hours
Herbs, Plants, and Tress
Animal Totems
Oils
Incenses
Days of the Week
Magickal Symbolism and Alphabets
Divination Information and Studies:
Dowsing
Tarot Cards
Runes
Astrology
Scrying
Pendulum
Palm Reading
Aura Studies
Tealeaves
Numerology
I-ching
Ouiji
Recipes for:
Ritual and Sabbat Foods
Bath Salts
Incense
Oils
Candle Making
Herb Blends
If you copy your information from a book or website, remember to write down the source to refer back to later. Including a list of books and websites could also be helpful in case you want to share information with others.
Showing posts with label spells. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spells. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Saturday, October 27, 2007
You Can Write Your Own Spells!
If you want to use spells that you find in books or that trusted friends give to you, that is fine. There is nothing wrong with that, in my opinion. But you may not want to use other people's spells or you may not be able to find exactly what you are looking for. The fact is, writing your own spells is not hard and can be an intensely spiritual act. If you follow are few easy steps, you can write you own spell!
First, take some time to figure think about what you want the spell to accomplish. Be clear on this! Do you want to clear your spirit of negativity? Or is it that you want to find the perfect love for you? Do you need a new job? Whatever it is that you want, be sure to state that specifically.
Next, think about what items you want to incorporate into your spell. Do you like working with candles, crystals, or herbs? Find out which candle colors or herb or type of crystal best represents the kind of thing that you wish to accomplish in your spell. You don't have to use any of these items, but using some type of magickal item may increase the power of your spell. Decide what you are most comfortable with depending on your level of experience.
Think about the timing of your spell. If you are a practitioner of moon magick, find out what phase of the moon is best for your spell. The waxing moon is best for positive works and drawing things to you. The waining moon is best for negativity and destructive magick. Just be aware of what you want to accomplish and which phase of the moon is best for you. Also, the day of the week you preform your spell on may be important to you. In many Pagan traditions, the days of the week can be very important aspects of magick. You might want to learn more about this before deciding on when to perform your spell. If you are new to spell writing and spellwork in general, don't get bogged down in the details too much. Follow your instincts. If the timing feels right to you, go for it!
Lastly, think about what you want to say. Do you wish to verbalize what you want? Do you want to say a poem, or do a chant? Do you want to call upon the Deities to help you achieve your goals? This doesn't have to be any complicated. A few words of praise for your Deities of choice and a small wish for their help is all you would really need.It can be as simple or as elaborate as you want to make it. You might even decide not to speak at all, but to use this time on nature, your life, or what you wish to accomplish.
Write your new spell down in your Book Of Shadows and do the ritual whenever you want to. Like I said, it doesn't have to be complicated. Just get out there and do it! If you haven't seen and effect from your spell within a lunar month (28 days) you might want to take another look at it and see what variables can be changed to try again. Don't give up! The sense of accomplishment you get from writing a spell that works for you is amazing!
Blessed Be!
First, take some time to figure think about what you want the spell to accomplish. Be clear on this! Do you want to clear your spirit of negativity? Or is it that you want to find the perfect love for you? Do you need a new job? Whatever it is that you want, be sure to state that specifically.
Next, think about what items you want to incorporate into your spell. Do you like working with candles, crystals, or herbs? Find out which candle colors or herb or type of crystal best represents the kind of thing that you wish to accomplish in your spell. You don't have to use any of these items, but using some type of magickal item may increase the power of your spell. Decide what you are most comfortable with depending on your level of experience.
Think about the timing of your spell. If you are a practitioner of moon magick, find out what phase of the moon is best for your spell. The waxing moon is best for positive works and drawing things to you. The waining moon is best for negativity and destructive magick. Just be aware of what you want to accomplish and which phase of the moon is best for you. Also, the day of the week you preform your spell on may be important to you. In many Pagan traditions, the days of the week can be very important aspects of magick. You might want to learn more about this before deciding on when to perform your spell. If you are new to spell writing and spellwork in general, don't get bogged down in the details too much. Follow your instincts. If the timing feels right to you, go for it!
Lastly, think about what you want to say. Do you wish to verbalize what you want? Do you want to say a poem, or do a chant? Do you want to call upon the Deities to help you achieve your goals? This doesn't have to be any complicated. A few words of praise for your Deities of choice and a small wish for their help is all you would really need.It can be as simple or as elaborate as you want to make it. You might even decide not to speak at all, but to use this time on nature, your life, or what you wish to accomplish.
Write your new spell down in your Book Of Shadows and do the ritual whenever you want to. Like I said, it doesn't have to be complicated. Just get out there and do it! If you haven't seen and effect from your spell within a lunar month (28 days) you might want to take another look at it and see what variables can be changed to try again. Don't give up! The sense of accomplishment you get from writing a spell that works for you is amazing!
Blessed Be!
Friday, October 19, 2007
Karma and The Wiccan Principles are at work in my life.
As Wiccan and a witch, I feel that karma is of utmost importance. More importantly, as a mentor and teacher, I feel that I must be above board when it comes to following the Rede and The Law of The Threefold Return. Not only do I believe in them, I teach them as well. But it has not always been so.
I have come to hold these things so tightly in belief because of things that have happened in my life during the last two years. As I am already written, I was given the shop the that I own. I honestly believe that it came to me because of karma.
The lady who owned the shop before, and who simply gave it to me, is a well-regarded teacher in the field of Wicca. She came to live in New Zealand in a rather sort of odd way. She came her to lecture at a university and simply stayed. Why? Even she is not quite sure.
She was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. She has traveled the world and spent time in many beautiful and deeply spiritual places. However, she says that once she stepped off the plane in Christchurch she knew she would stay for a long time. Well, she stayed for 10 years. She says that she returned to the US to be nearer to her grandchildren.
I wonder about that though. The reason is because of how she came to leave New Zealand. She came into the shop one day and announced that she was returning home. Just like that. Maybe she was homesick. But again, I wonder.
Why so I question her motives? It's simple really. Timing. She was in the middle of a big project at the time. She was also in the middle of a Year and a Day program. Then, she simply comes in one day without having mentioned it before and announces that she is leaving the next week.
There is more. I question why she simply gave the shop to me, not that I am complaining at all. The previous week I had told her that when she retired I would like the option to buy the shop from her, even I were working there anymore. She said of course. Then exactly a week later she hands me the papers saying that the shop had been transferred into my name. Strange to say the least.
What do I think that karma has to do with this? I won't go into details because she reads this blog. Let us just say that I had helped her with a very sticky and delicate situation a month earlier when no one else would. I has also been as good a friend as I could to her because she was a good friend to me.
I believe that it was the good karma that I sent off coming back to be in the form of the her giving me the shop.
I have a hundred other examples that I could give you, but we would be here all day. I do want to tell you about one other incident though. This one involving bad karma. It is the really reason that I have changed my view of karma and hold stricter to the Wiccan Principles.
I have a friend, or former friend now, who asked me to do a spell for her that I knew I should not do. I knew that no good could come of it but I did it anyway because she was my friend.
She was having terrible troubles in her marriage. Her husband was cheating on her and she knew it. But she loved him and wanted to stay with him, minus the mistress. The spell she wanted was a special one that make the girl leave her husband alone. It was really sort of a curse if you want to know the truth. My friend begged so I finally agreed despite my better judgement.
We sat down and wrote the spell together and performed it. It was a terrible disaster! The mistress was hit my a speeding car and was gravely injured. She may never walk again.
This time karma really came back at me in a nasty way. I had just bought a car. It wasn't new but it was pretty and it was mine. Two weeks after the mistresses accident, my car caught on fire with myself and my twin daughters inside. Everyone got out safely, but the car was destroyed.
To make matters worse, the insurance company refuses to pay for it because they say I didn't have the car checked my a proper mechanic before I bought it. That's not true. I did have it checked. The company says that you have to have someone on their approved list check it.
Then, because I was without a car, I could not get my shop open on time the next day. My daughters and I rode the Tram and it was delayed. Then we missed the next Tram and had to wait. In all, I was 2 hours late opening my shop. I missed a very important meeting and probably a lot of money in the deal.
I am trying to get my shop's website up and running. The meeting that I missed was with the web designer.
So you see, karma really came back on me. Since then, I have been holding closer with the Wicca Principles because, you see, that was 3 things. 3 things came back to me. The Law of the Threefold Return has made a real believer out of me!
I have come to hold these things so tightly in belief because of things that have happened in my life during the last two years. As I am already written, I was given the shop the that I own. I honestly believe that it came to me because of karma.
The lady who owned the shop before, and who simply gave it to me, is a well-regarded teacher in the field of Wicca. She came to live in New Zealand in a rather sort of odd way. She came her to lecture at a university and simply stayed. Why? Even she is not quite sure.
She was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. She has traveled the world and spent time in many beautiful and deeply spiritual places. However, she says that once she stepped off the plane in Christchurch she knew she would stay for a long time. Well, she stayed for 10 years. She says that she returned to the US to be nearer to her grandchildren.
I wonder about that though. The reason is because of how she came to leave New Zealand. She came into the shop one day and announced that she was returning home. Just like that. Maybe she was homesick. But again, I wonder.
Why so I question her motives? It's simple really. Timing. She was in the middle of a big project at the time. She was also in the middle of a Year and a Day program. Then, she simply comes in one day without having mentioned it before and announces that she is leaving the next week.
There is more. I question why she simply gave the shop to me, not that I am complaining at all. The previous week I had told her that when she retired I would like the option to buy the shop from her, even I were working there anymore. She said of course. Then exactly a week later she hands me the papers saying that the shop had been transferred into my name. Strange to say the least.
What do I think that karma has to do with this? I won't go into details because she reads this blog. Let us just say that I had helped her with a very sticky and delicate situation a month earlier when no one else would. I has also been as good a friend as I could to her because she was a good friend to me.
I believe that it was the good karma that I sent off coming back to be in the form of the her giving me the shop.
I have a hundred other examples that I could give you, but we would be here all day. I do want to tell you about one other incident though. This one involving bad karma. It is the really reason that I have changed my view of karma and hold stricter to the Wiccan Principles.
I have a friend, or former friend now, who asked me to do a spell for her that I knew I should not do. I knew that no good could come of it but I did it anyway because she was my friend.
She was having terrible troubles in her marriage. Her husband was cheating on her and she knew it. But she loved him and wanted to stay with him, minus the mistress. The spell she wanted was a special one that make the girl leave her husband alone. It was really sort of a curse if you want to know the truth. My friend begged so I finally agreed despite my better judgement.
We sat down and wrote the spell together and performed it. It was a terrible disaster! The mistress was hit my a speeding car and was gravely injured. She may never walk again.
This time karma really came back at me in a nasty way. I had just bought a car. It wasn't new but it was pretty and it was mine. Two weeks after the mistresses accident, my car caught on fire with myself and my twin daughters inside. Everyone got out safely, but the car was destroyed.
To make matters worse, the insurance company refuses to pay for it because they say I didn't have the car checked my a proper mechanic before I bought it. That's not true. I did have it checked. The company says that you have to have someone on their approved list check it.
Then, because I was without a car, I could not get my shop open on time the next day. My daughters and I rode the Tram and it was delayed. Then we missed the next Tram and had to wait. In all, I was 2 hours late opening my shop. I missed a very important meeting and probably a lot of money in the deal.
I am trying to get my shop's website up and running. The meeting that I missed was with the web designer.
So you see, karma really came back on me. Since then, I have been holding closer with the Wicca Principles because, you see, that was 3 things. 3 things came back to me. The Law of the Threefold Return has made a real believer out of me!
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