There are many thoughts and opinions about how to keep a Book of Shadows about your path work and now to keep those records. Namely the best advice, is to do what works for you and what helps you along your path of self and magickal discovery. I learned something new as I was researching some tips for this blog. A book of shadows is primarily thought of as your spell book and your lesson book. Those things you worked and those things you have overcome, people tend to put into the book of shadows. But the book about your life, your book of mirrors, is your record of your explorations, more temporary record keeping based on how you figuring things out and searching for patterns. Not everyone chooses to have those two types of records to have these records in separate books because
[level-dracowolfs-circle]
magick is always interwoven with the life you live and is rarely separated out into something distinct.
I keep separate books of shadows and books of mirrors. I free write my emotions out, until I can get a better understanding of what needs to change in my life and perspective. It is an intense process, and a temporary one, not something I might chose to make a record of to pass on to students or children. I would not want those energies of transitions (which can range from anger, frustration, resentment, to pure bliss of finally releasing and surrendering to what is before you) effecting the energy of something like my book of shadows, which to me is more stable, more concrete. I tend to call my book of mirrors, my book of pain, when I’m in the middle of processing something. But in reality it is a book of change or transformation, those things which I am actively working on are recorded in there. Personal tarot readings, realizations, odd occurrences are also recorded there until a clearer meaning can be attributed to those insights. I do a lot more work in my book of mirrors, than in my book of shadows because of this. I chose to keep my book of shadow more like my personal gospel, those things which I want to pass on about how I live my life. I keep my dream journal separate from both of these, unless there is a good reason to include a dream in my book of shadows. My dream journal I keep online at www.dreamboard.com, because it processes the dream in in a way where you can easily see patterns in how and when you are dreaming and what you are dreaming about. Lastly, many people feel that handwritten and crafted pages are more magickally potent and connected to you than a something you printed from your printer. I do tend to believe this, as when we do things from hand, we put our own energies into what we are working on, and in the process of crafting a new page, it lends the time and attention to perhaps glean some further insights into why were called to that particular piece of information, image, topic, etc….Here is an article, I found, that does describe how I think about my magickal record keeping: http://neuromagick.com/the-neuromagick-library/neuromagick-theory-practice/developmental-journaling
Here are some things you should consider recording:
- Spell work
- Results from spell work
- Divination readings
- dreams, visions, insights
- Personal work, quiz results, personality and soul groups (astrological profiles, personality tests, personal numerology, and anything that can provide insight into different aspects of self)
- Quotes, inspirational passages, prayers
- Rituals
- Shield work (using different energies to protect, filter, or attract different things)
- Classes, workshops, etc…
- How you are learning to weave you web of power and connections.
Here are some extra tips and resources I collected recently about magickal record keeping:
- Don’t be afraid to let more mundane journal or record keeping bleed into and infiltrate your magickal journals. It might help you see how everyday life and magick tie into and are inseparable. Let yourself discover, through your diary work, exactly how it is that your whole life really is dedicated to the Great Work (the process of aligning or attuning your personal heart and will with that of the Divine). We have to a path to work, and do not live in a bubble! Being in the practice of magick more about being aware and awake in your everyday life, than setting aside life and time to look at the Craft separate from the rest of your life. The crazies are part of life, and when they are happening is great time to record some of that. Down the line, you could gain more insight into patterns and perhaps why things were crazy.
- Don’t worry about how good a writer you are. The important thing is to write. If you’re a poor prose stylist, keeping a journal regularly will make you a better one.
- You can include your findings about your life and path from exercises you do. Here are two examples of exercises: 1) The first involves keeping a record every day for 3 months of issues related to your health. This can also help you track how your body is adjusting to new sensitivities, as any psychic and magickal work will begin to clear up block and issues you have may had. 2) make notes, every day for three months, on one’s process of psychological projection. The task of this exercise is rather to become mindful and aware of our own process, so that we can learn to project in appropriate, rather then inappropriate ways. Personally, when I need a boost or re-commitment to my own work I go back to the book “The Artist’s Way” and use the prompts and exercises from that system. (http://thelemistas.org/en/MSS/Bjorge/SpiritualExercises/05-diary)
- This user from Cauldron Living online community had this to say: “I would recommend using a large 3-whole punch notebook that has different subjects. I have set up my BOS so that it can accommodate the multiple facets of being a witch: a section for kitchen witchery, herbalism, sacred tool making, vision questing/dream journal, spells and esbats/sabat rituals, animal totems, shamanism subjects, crystals and alchemical notes, glyphs, symbols drawings,etc. The good thing about using a format like this is that you can add to the various subjects as you need and take out things (pages) or update them as necessary. You can also decorate the plastic cover which is very durable. I covered mine with some nice paper (recycled) with a symbol of the green man encased in an oroboros made from clay. You can include drawings and samples of plants with plastic inserts. Whatever helps you to better organize your work. And just think of what a great gift it will make your children when it is time.” http://www.cauldronliving.com/tools-trade/4954-how-many-use-magickal-journal-diary.html You can upgrade this idea, and get a leather covered binder something more elegant and permanent in your life. And don’t be afraid to go scrapbook crazy with your books either. It should be a reflection of you.
- Here is a sight that can help you get started with things that a lot of people track and journal about. It’s a little goal orientated, and of course it’s online. But you can take and use the the prompts and do it in handwriting, or do the hard work and free writing on the site and transfer some of your better conclusions, experiences, and revelations into your nicer book of mirrors or shadows. https://outofthewhirlwind.com/
Assignment: Take some time to consider what about your practice is important to you and begin to organize your records, articles, and journals so that you can better look up and research and record your practices and findings! Send me a brief essay about what your method of magickal record keeping is like!
[/level-dracowolfs-circle]
[level-current-students]
magick is always interwoven with the life you live and is rarely separated out into something distinct.
I keep separate books of shadows and books of mirrors. I free write my emotions out, until I can get a better understanding of what needs to change in my life and perspective. It is an intense process, and a temporary one, not something I might chose to make a record of to pass on to students or children. I would not want those energies of transitions (which can range from anger, frustration, resentment, to pure bliss of finally releasing and surrendering to what is before you) effecting the energy of something like my book of shadows, which to me is more stable, more concrete. I tend to call my book of mirrors, my book of pain, when I’m in the middle of processing something. But in reality it is a book of change or transformation, those things which I am actively working on are recorded in there. Personal tarot readings, realizations, odd occurrences are also recorded there until a clearer meaning can be attributed to those insights. I do a lot more work in my book of mirrors, than in my book of shadows because of this. I chose to keep my book of shadow more like my personal gospel, those things which I want to pass on about how I live my life. I keep my dream journal separate from both of these, unless there is a good reason to include a dream in my book of shadows. My dream journal I keep online at www.dreamboard.com, because it processes the dream in in a way where you can easily see patterns in how and when you are dreaming and what you are dreaming about. Lastly, many people feel that handwritten and crafted pages are more magickally potent and connected to you than a something you printed from your printer. I do tend to believe this, as when we do things from hand, we put our own energies into what we are working on, and in the process of crafting a new page, it lends the time and attention to perhaps glean some further insights into why were called to that particular piece of information, image, topic, etc….Here is an article, I found, that does describe how I think about my magickal record keeping: http://neuromagick.com/the-neuromagick-library/neuromagick-theory-practice/developmental-journaling
Here are some things you should consider recording:
- Spell work
- Results from spell work
- Divination readings
- dreams, visions, insights
- Personal work, quiz results, personality and soul groups (astrological profiles, personality tests, personal numerology, and anything that can provide insight into different aspects of self)
- Quotes, inspirational passages, prayers
- Rituals
- Shield work (using different energies to protect, filter, or attract different things)
- Classes, workshops, etc…
- How you are learning to weave you web of power and connections.
Here are some extra tips and resources I collected recently about magickal record keeping:
- Don’t be afraid to let more mundane journal or record keeping bleed into and infiltrate your magickal journals. It might help you see how everyday life and magick tie into and are inseparable. Let yourself discover, through your diary work, exactly how it is that your whole life really is dedicated to the Great Work (the process of aligning or attuning your personal heart and will with that of the Divine). We have to a path to work, and do not live in a bubble! Being in the practice of magick more about being aware and awake in your everyday life, than setting aside life and time to look at the Craft separate from the rest of your life. The crazies are part of life, and when they are happening is great time to record some of that. Down the line, you could gain more insight into patterns and perhaps why things were crazy.
- Don’t worry about how good a writer you are. The important thing is to write. If you’re a poor prose stylist, keeping a journal regularly will make you a better one.
- You can include your findings about your life and path from exercises you do. Here are two examples of exercises: 1) The first involves keeping a record every day for 3 months of issues related to your health. This can also help you track how your body is adjusting to new sensitivities, as any psychic and magickal work will begin to clear up block and issues you have may had. 2) make notes, every day for three months, on one’s process of psychological projection. The task of this exercise is rather to become mindful and aware of our own process, so that we can learn to project in appropriate, rather then inappropriate ways. Personally, when I need a boost or re-commitment to my own work I go back to the book “The Artist’s Way” and use the prompts and exercises from that system. (http://thelemistas.org/en/MSS/Bjorge/SpiritualExercises/05-diary)
- This user from Cauldron Living online community had this to say: “I would recommend using a large 3-whole punch notebook that has different subjects. I have set up my BOS so that it can accommodate the multiple facets of being a witch: a section for kitchen witchery, herbalism, sacred tool making, vision questing/dream journal, spells and esbats/sabat rituals, animal totems, shamanism subjects, crystals and alchemical notes, glyphs, symbols drawings,etc. The good thing about using a format like this is that you can add to the various subjects as you need and take out things (pages) or update them as necessary. You can also decorate the plastic cover which is very durable. I covered mine with some nice paper (recycled) with a symbol of the green man encased in an oroboros made from clay. You can include drawings and samples of plants with plastic inserts. Whatever helps you to better organize your work. And just think of what a great gift it will make your children when it is time.” http://www.cauldronliving.com/tools-trade/4954-how-many-use-magickal-journal-diary.html You can upgrade this idea, and get a leather covered binder something more elegant and permanent in your life. And don’t be afraid to go scrapbook crazy with your books either. It should be a reflection of you.
- Here is a sight that can help you get started with things that a lot of people track and journal about. It’s a little goal orientated, and of course it’s online. But you can take and use the the prompts and do it in handwriting, or do the hard work and free writing on the site and transfer some of your better conclusions, experiences, and revelations into your nicer book of mirrors or shadows. https://outofthewhirlwind.com/
Assignment: Take some time to consider what about your practice is important to you and begin to organize your records, articles, and journals so that you can better look up and research and record your practices and findings! Send me a brief essay about what your method of magickal record keeping is like!
[/level-current-students]
