Book Of Shadows?

[julietaw]

I have recently started my first book of shadows. I've got a few questions
1. Is it okay to use rulled paper( school paper)?
2. What should I put in it?
I have a tabel of contents, The rede, 13 goals of a witch, Charge of the Goddes, and Chrge of the God.

[Tylluan]

Hiya

Its ok to use anything you have to hand. If thats school paper then thats fine. A BOS is your creation, you should feel excited to work with it. It grows and becomes part of your path.

All the things you've mentioned are just fine.

You could add a page for the 13 Esbats (full moons), details of the Sabbats (if you follow them).

Any hints, tips you pick up along the way. Your own beliefs etc.

There are alot of online BOS here you could have a look through other people's for inspiration.

x

[ScarlettRose]

You can pretty much use anything you want in YOUR book of shadows! : )
any kind of paper you desire, or even if it's just a journal! That works too!
Whatever you are most comfortable with. : )
You can put whatever you would like in it! I have two books of shadows of my own and my first one was just a school journal and I wrote down some poems and eventually made them into spells, as I got further into the journal. I also wrote down other spells I had seen (a lot on this site.)
The one I am working on now (almost completely full) is a little more complex.
It is in just a binder and I have a section for herbs, and what they do, also spells for that.
Season spells, rituals to do when Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter comes.
My own spells I have wrote, which is getting to be bigger! YAY! ((:
And also a list of poems, I would like to make into some sort of spell. I have a lot of compartments, to stash some papers, like if I'm not at home and writing poems, journal, whatever and then put them in the pockets of my BOS!

Blessings.

[Tasariel]

The medium used usually doesn't matter, it's what you put in it that's important!
I'm still working on getting mine together, it's a lot of work for me because my stuff is really disorganized... >.<
Anyway, Good things to have in it are rituals/spells that you use often, and correspondences for stones, colors, herbs. I have a few recipes for foods to eat during/before/after rituals. I have some consecration rituals in there, and simple chants to the God and Goddess for waking, sleeping, and other times.
You can pretty much put anything that you could possibly think of using in your magickal workings.

[JBRaven]

Yes, as everyone has told you, lined paper is fine.

As for what to put into it- Think of your BOS as your personal Bible in a way. It is meant to hold all you hold dear. IF you love herbs a herbal correspondence would fit. If you are heavy into stones, detailed stone correspondence. While both of these correspondence should be in everyone's BOS they can be in simple form if you do not use them often. I mainly put spells and pagan related pieces in mine. (Think 13 goals and the 9 virtues ect. ect.) In theory, your BOS should be able to be picked up by another person and they can tell your progression through the Goddesses' and Gods' mysteries (though if another person sees your BOS is up to you) . Dream interpretations and Sabbath rituals, leave rubbings, thoughts on your craft, ideas for future spells and rites, and chants praising the elements or Gods all fit.

[raynelae]

Put your growths through Wicca and your beliefs-spells, rituals,sabbats,spirit guides, it's totally up to you

[SpiritTalker]

Just some thoughts on what to put in BOS -

Recitations- Charge of the Goddess, Creation story from Aradia, Gospell of Witches, Descent of the Goddess, Wiccan Rede, Witches Rune, your favorite chants
Rituals - tools use & altar set-ups, Blessing, Consecration, Complete Circle Ritual, Self Dedication, Draw Down the Moon as Solitaire, Lesser Banishing Rite of the Pentagram, Hand Fasting, Wiccaning, Requiem & 8 holidays
Deities - names, mythology, powers, symbols, prayers, offerings & celebration dates
Recipes - ritual food &'drink, incense blends, sprinkling powders, potions
Spells - using bottles, candles, cords & knots, sigils, invoking & banishing pentagrams, hex & evil-eye removal, long-distance healing; elemental correspondences, herb & stone properties, Moon phase - weekday timing
Misc Interests - personal experiences, your zodiac info, Moon garden plans, planting/harvesting by moon phase, nature trail maps, divination forms, favorite witchy jokes, WC supply websites, discussion boards & your password & user ID