A Book of Shadows (BOS) is one of the most important tools a Witch has. Some have been passed down through Covens or from one individual to another, but today most are written by solitary practitioners. It’s basically your magical diary or journal, where you record all your experiences, rituals, spells and lore.
Think of it as a photo album of your magical journey. Every time you make an entry, your words create a “snapshot” of where you are. As you explore your path and discover what works best for you, your book will grow. You’ll be preserving the details of your communication with the Divine, and creating a chronicle of your journey … your own personal grimoire.
NOTE: A grimoire is like a Book of Shadows, but not as personal. If you want to keep a BOS and a grimoire, put information about rituals, celebrations, spells, and the magical properties of objects in your Grimoire, and record personal information, like thoughts, feelings, and ideas, in your BOS. This allows you to share magical entries with a witch friend, without her reading all your personal entries.
Your BOS can be a three-ring notebook, a bound blank book, or even a folder on your computer. Some use a nice hardbound book for their BOS and keep their grimoire in a notebook so they can add or remove pages. Others use their computer to record everything. The advantages of a computer are that you don’t have to worry about making mistakes in your entries, and you can add images or information you download from the Internet. Use whatever works best for you!
Start your Book of Shadows by entering your current feelings about this path. Write down the reasons you think Wicca is right for you. What are your goals? What do you hope to achieve and learn? What do you fear about following this path? How do you see the Goddess and God? Let all your thoughts and feelings out here, this is a private book and nobody else will ever read it. There are no right or wrong answers and it is not a test. It is simply a way to help you define your understanding of this path, and later on, it will help you see how far you have come on your magical journey!
If you’d like additional help with what to put in your BOS, we suggest you read Wicca A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner. It offers options for creating and blessing your book of shadows. You’ll also find the essential knowledge you need to devise your own magical tools and attain the spiritual goals of your personal path.
