A Witch's Book of Shadows

One of the most commonly utilized, and possibly most important, tools for any Witch is their Book of Shadows. There are still a lot of misconceptions about just what a Book of Shadows is, some still perpetuating the idea that the only valid Books are derived from ancient manuscripts, or that their Book is a copy of a Book that is hundreds of years old and the only true Book of Shadows. On both cases, the answer is no. There is no one true Book of Shadows, having “ancient” passages in Latin, Greek, or some other language that you can’t read doesn’t make your Book any better, and for the Craft’s sake: there are no hundreds of years old Books of Shadows around! (and no this isn’t because they were all destroyed in the “Burning Times,” leave that myth alone.)

A Book of Shadows is, quite simply, a magickal diary recording all information that that one Witch deems important and useful, or that they would like to reference again with ease. As such, each Book of Shadows is different. Even Books belonging to two members of the same coven, of a tradition that passes on a basic Book of Shadows, will be different. This is because each Witch will add to their book, and as we are all different people, what we deem worthwhile may be rubbish to someone else. So, no two books are the same. And that’s how it should be.

So what kinds of things commonly go into a Book of Shadows: 

• Correspondences- the magickal properties of various things, such as crystals, herbs, the Elements, various Deities, colors, etc.
• Magickal Lore- this can include information on Sabbats and days of power, specific Deities, superstitions and folklore, the seasons, etc.
• Rituals and Spells- keep a record of your activities, what you experienced during them, the results of a spell, or jot down ideas for new spells and rituals
• Recipes- be they for potions, incense, powders, or soap, you need to keep that info safe somewhere and your Book of Shadows is a great place
• Dreams and Visions- the best way to tell if they are truly prophetic is to keep a record and make notes of any patterns you encounter in your life that fit

But basically, you put into your Book of Shadows whatever you want to: it’s your Book. Fill its pages with information that inspires you, that speaks to you, or that you just want to access easily in the future. Fill it with poetry, songs, and drawings. Your Book will change and grow with you, becoming a reflection of your practice and a record of your progress.