Book of Shadows.

The Book of Shadows.

Also called a Grimoire, a Book of Light, a Book of Secrets, and so forth. A Book of Shadows is basically a Witches diary. Anything can be written in it, most witches only record things of spiritual, religious or magickal relevance.

What can you record in your Book of Shadows (BoS)?
Anything you like. The following are a good starter:

• What your beliefs are
  
• The Sabbats (Pagan Celebrations)
  
• The element you feel closest to and why
  
• Your magickal name if you have one
  
• Spells
  
• Rituals
  
• How to write a spell or ritual
  
• Outcomes of your spells and rituals
  
• How you view the God/Goddess/Universal Being or Energy
  
• Visions given to you by the God, Goddess, or Universal Being/Energy
  
• Anything your God/Goddess or Universal Being/Energy has said to you
  
• Information on the Gods and Goddesses and what they stand for
  
• Experiences with mythical creatures
  
• About the Angels or your Guides
  
• Dreams you've had
  
• Experience in astral travel or with out of body experiences (O.B.E's)
  
• Any psychic gifts you have and your experiences with them as they grow
  
• Any deep spiritual or religious experiences
  
• Magickal recipes (for the kitchen)
  
• Types of divination you practice, why and how successful you are
  
• About the Wiccan tools
  
• The moon phases and when is best to do what type of spell
  
• Colour correspondences
  
• Anything else of spiritual or religious relevance to you
  

Ok, so what does it look like?
Anything you want it to. You can decorate your Book of Shadows how you want to, it is yours. Personalise it so it is how you want it, not how you imagine anyone else would like it.

Mine is just a book with lined paper from a local shop. It has a bit that flips over on the front, is red with gold writing on it. It is bound like a normal book is. On the inside cover I've written "The Book of Shadows for the Solitary Witch - Anasopiah" with my favourite rune, Egyptian symbol, etc. On my first BoS I put a drawing of a cat inside as I felt they were magickal, I drew a raven as well as it was my spirit animal guide, my star sign symbol (Pisces). Just decorate it how it feels right to you.

What type of book is best?
A leather-bound book type isn't compulsory, make it personal. Some prefer the leather-bound look, others perfer note books, journals, loose paper, ring binders, and so on.
The advantage to a ring binder is you can add in dividers for the different sections (e.g. Spells, Rituals, Recipes, Meditation & Visions, Magickal day diary, the Sabbats, etc), and just keep adding!
If you choose a note book or a leather-bound book, you can't do this so I strongly recommend a content page to make it more organised.

Advice.

• Keeping a Book of Shadows is not compulsory, it is optional.
  
• Date the pages, it is nice to look back through and see what you did on which day.
  
• Date and time your spells and rituals.

Good luck!