el libro de sombras

[*ULA*]

Merry Meet again-
I apologize for posting so many questions.. I'm just trying to get input and lotsa opinions to help me find the way that's right for me.. always need ideas..
anyway- i was just wondering about your book of shadows.. I've read that it should be devoted to just spells and sabbat rituals and the like, and some say it is more of a journal.
This seems to be a "form your own opinion.." point, but I was just looking for input.

always appreciated- blessed be- it's a beautiful night.

ULA

[rantnraven]

Consider the history behind the book.

Before the Burning Times, rituals were learned and Magick was passed down from one generation to the next. There came a time when it was thought that The Craft may not survive. It was then that people started writing down magick and rituals onto paper. They could not do this in broad daylight though (e.g. The Book of Shadows).

Predominantly used for ritual and magick text, the Book may also act as a journal. Fill it with whatever you like because these thoughts of things that occur on a particular day may have affect on one, or more, of your rituals.

My spiritual father would take mine from me on occasion and write something in it. It is not customary to allow others to write in your book but, he was my mentor.

He wrote once, "If you look into the sun unmoved, you will go blind. Same if you look to the moon unmoved. Look around and you will find a spectrum of color that shall never will blindness".

Put your thoughts into your book that you may reflect these colors. It is by this that we grow. (I think he said that also.

Blessings and do not hesitate to ask - for not asking would be like staring unmoved at the sun.

RnR

[MistOfTheSea86]

Write what you want in your book of shadows, ofcourse there could be some spells in there but there doesn't have to be. Just write down how feel about witchcraft or whatever. The Idea of a shadow is that is reflects you write, well reflect yourself in witchcraft.

[SahuaDjet]

MM,
I dont practice magick so my book of shadows would consist of when I started wicca, thoughts/feelings, info, ect... I say "would cosist" because I havent started it yet. I am also beginning to realize what exactly I believe in. :)

good luck on your journey,
Sahu Djet

[sherry]

I am not sure how everyone elses are, but I have a series of journals one for dreams, one poetry, a new one on the gods(just the things I am learning from my readings, most that start here and lead me all over finding all I can!) I can keep them in a special place when I get to my new home!!
I guess it is my way of organizing things and I try to get to each journal daily!! In all I have six at this time, Have been looking for the right box to keep them in and I guess I will know it when I see it that is how I picked the journals they just made me think of what I would put in each and are all different. So I guess I can rule out being traditional!!

[bluecat]

I don't use a book of shadows and there are some aspects of my life that should be in such a book, I don't know.

As mentioned your book can be just observations or even a journal of your life and how you lived it. You could even say that you joined a community such as this in your book and relate your experiences in the community and how it had an affect on your life. The book is to be handed to another whom you absolutely trust and if you want part of it to be public, So Be It.

Just think of it as a history of your life as a witch and the experiences you have had.

Just my humble opinion.

Blue :cool:

[Shy Hawk]

I've heard it said that in your BOS you put personal thoughts, poetry, dreams and whatnot. Also a record of spells and rituals that you've done and meditations that you've tried. Then general information, herbs, spells, rituals, and things as such go in a grimoire. This ring any bells? This is what I've come to believe anyhow. That way, if you want to pass something down, it's a grimoire, but your BOS is personal and for your own eyes.
What do you guys think? SHould you keep two books? If you keep one at all, don't you think that this would be more efficient?
Shy Hawk

[bluecat]

Good Point Shy Hawk! :)

Two books may be in order for some folks. Like many things the BOS question is ever so different from tradition to tradition, some differences are small and others are very great.

Thank You Shy Hawk. :cool:

Blue

[Shy Hawk]

:cool: You're very welcome. I'm trying just like everyone else to learn all I can.

I myself am trying to keep two separate books. I use a binder for a grimoire and a notebook for a BOS, it keeps me organized.
Shy Hawk

[bluecat]

Originally posted by Shy Hawk
:cool: You're very welcome. I'm trying just like everyone else to learn all I can.

I myself am trying to keep two separate books. I use a binder for a grimoire and a notebook for a BOS, it keeps me organized.
Shy Hawk

You are Very Welcome!

You are so right, we are all students, Shy Hawk. I am really put off by folks who say they are VERY knowledgable in WItchcraft or Paganism, it suggests, to me, that perhaps they know more than others. We will never stop learning, There is so much to learn, so very much.

Blue

[Mairwen]

We have several Books of Lore ~ but it helps with organization. The first book, the Greater Book of the Art and Craft, is the one containing Gwyddon Law, practice, and Ritual and is not to be changed/added to/taken away from (there are reasons for this). :cool: This is also the part of our Lore and Tradition that no one outside the Tradition is allowed to see ~ which is why I'm still ticked at Sirona Knight for publishing that blasted book! *grumble, p*** and moan!* :bad:

The second, the Lesser Book of the Art and Craft, varies from Gwyddon group to Gwyddon group ~ this (as well as the following Books of Lore) is the living, growing, changing, breathing part of our Lore; this book holds the Seeker's Guide, study information, "Learning Guide", as well as a Teaching Guide and 1st and 2nd Degree Lore. :eek:

Then come the "big daddies" ~ the Druidic, Bardic, and Vatic Books. YEEHAW! 8O In our Tradition, the Druids are the 3rds who go on to study Gwyddon Law, College/Nemeton Admistration, "the lawyerly arts" (is lawyerly a word? LOL!), Ritual-Making, Ritual Lore. The Ovates are the 3rds who go on to study Herbal Medicine, Craft Sciences, Divination. The Bards are the 3rds who go on to study Poetry, Craft Myth and Tradition (history), Arts & Crafts. :elf:

We also have personal "magical journals" (though some call these a personal "Lesser Book"), a College Registry (a list of Members, along with all their important dates and other information), and personal "ritual journals". We're very strong on record-keeping! :D

[Shy Hawk]

Wow Meriwen, I really like the way you guys keep your books, and it sounds so structured and organized. I envy it. I am interested in learning more about your tradition. Should I start at your personal link? lol sorry, dumb question. Anyhow, thank you for the info, I like it. I love record keeping myself. And, the idea of having an unchanged book....is great. for many reasons. More than I care to state.
Also, Bluecat, I went to your website, very cool! Especially the open letter to Doctor Laura. :D Good stuff.
In perfect love and perfect trust,
Shy Hawk

[Mairwen]

Originally posted by bluecat
You are so right, we are all students, Shy Hawk. I am really put off by folks who say they are VERY knowledgable in WItchcraft or Paganism, it suggests, to me, that perhaps they know more than others. We will never stop learning, There is so much to learn, so very much.

I feel that people like that think they must "impress" those around them, and/or have a baaaad Ego problem. Ego-importance is a hard disease to overcome, and indeed, many don't.

Too, we never stop learning. In my opinion, the end of knowledge is death.

[Lavender]

Originally posted by Shy Hawk
[BI myself am trying to keep two separate books. I use a binder for a grimoire and a notebook for a BOS, it keeps me organized.
Shy Hawk [/B]

I've been wondering about this for a while now...in one simple sentance you have solved my dillema. I have so many bits & pieces of paper of herbal info & folk remedies & such & was debating how to organize them to put in my BOS. I never thought about them as two different books.

[Mairwen]

Originally posted by Shy Hawk
I really like the way you guys keep your books, and it sounds so structured and organized.

It is a lot more organized now than it was 3 years ago ~ the College of the Blue Butterfly has worked really hard to get all of the Gwyddon materials in one location, all typed up and in a reasonable format (MS Word). We've gathered a lot of material because of this search that is specific only to the Gwyddon path ~ and that only serves to enrich what we already had. We find our Lore keeps growing, and that's as it should be.

The goal of any 3rd in any/all of the Priesthood Schools (ie, Druid, Bard, Ovate) is to leave a lasting contribution to them ~ ie, to publish a thesis on what he's learned about that School. The thesis in turn is added to that particular Book of Lore.

I am interested in learning more about your tradition. Should I start at your personal link?

Yeah, just click through to the website and start reading. :D

Perfect Love and Perfect Peace.

[Shy Hawk]

::: laughs ::: I'm so happy i could help you. You know, I keep it really neat, I rewrite what I need to and I have different sections in my grimoire, such as Rituals, Herbs, Oils, Spells....it keeps it together. I can take my Grimoire into the circle with me (if I MUST) but not have to lug around my BOS too. It just cuts down on clutter and whatnot. Though I must say that my Grimoire is much larger. lol
I'm glad I could help. This is what I've learned...
Shy Hawk

[Mairwen]

I have a folder on the hard drive titled "Magical Journals" ~ which I've further divided down into like, astrology, rituals, ethics, seasons, gods ... There's like just under 4meg of stuff in there. I have been trying to collect stuff that's non-Gwyddon just for my own personal growth, and I thought such an organizational system would be just the "trick" I needed. ... Let's see, this is what I have, category-wise:

Astrology
Chants and Blessings
Charges, Redes and Creeds
Coven Organization
Craft Crafts
Dreamwork
Etiquette and Ethics
Gods and Goddesses
"My Personal Shadows" (ie, my personal stuff)
Oils, Brews and Philtres
Pagan Counseling
Pagan Poetry
Pagan Reading
Rituals
Seasonal Information
Spells, Incantations and Invocations
Tarot, Runes, and other Divination
Text Files (ie, text files that haven't "found a home" yet)
Traditions
Word Documents (ie, word documents that haven't "found a home" yet)

I hope to eventually get it all organized, then burned to CD. :D

[Mairwen]

One thing that is totally invaluable to magical record keeping: page protectors! And I'm talking about the kind that come from the JM company ... They're labeled "economy weight: polypropylene". They're clear, and they're floppy ~ unlike those that are totally stiff, get old, and yellow, or worse (break) with age! You can put like a page facing one way, and put in another facing another ~ and have two pages in the space of one, and best of all, they're safe from drink and wax spills!! 8O

[Shy Hawk]

It's always good to learn all you can about different traditions. And, you certainly have a lot of stuff. Goodness!
I am trying to put all my stuff onto paper, I like the feel better, what I print out I punch holes into and put directly into my binder if it suits me.
What do you know about Theban Script? I'm asking because I recently heard that it's important to learn, and I don't understand why.
Shy Hawk

[Shy Hawk]

I second the idea about page protectors.

[Mairwen]

Originally posted by Shy Hawk
It's always good to learn all you can about different traditions. And, you certainly have a lot of stuff. Goodness!

Yeah! :D You should see what's actually listed inside each category!!! :bigredgri

what I print out I punch holes into and put directly into my binder if it suits me.

Do you use "hole reinforcers"? If not, your pages will rip out with age and use. Trust me. ;)

What do you know about Theban Script? I'm asking because I recently heard that it's important to learn, and I don't understand why.

I know what it looks like when I see it. We use Ogham and Futhark Runes.

[Shy Hawk]

Maybe I'm just not getting the point, I mean, I've managed to learn some, and I'm able to write my magickal name, which is not Shy Hawk, lol...I don't believe in telling everyone your magickal name....it's a personal choice, however, back to my point. I don't know what to use it for...there's not much info on WHY it's used. Is that for secrecy or something? Why do you use runes and such?

[Shy Hawk]

By the way, I am looking into investing in hole reeinforcers. I am already having pages rip out. Especially the first ones. BAH

[Mairwen]

Originally posted by Shy Hawk
Maybe I'm just not getting the point, I mean, I've managed to learn some, and I'm able to write my magickal name, which is not Shy Hawk, lol...I don't believe in telling everyone your magickal name....it's a personal choice, however, back to my point. I don't know what to use it for...there's not much info on WHY it's used. Is that for secrecy or something? Why do you use runes and such?

We have Craft Name (which we choose at Initiation, and have the option to change at any Elevation ~ we can even ask for a new Teacher if desired) which is our "public" name. We also take on a Secret Name, which is known only between us and our Gods of Rapport. :D

I don't know anything about Theban script. It's listed in our Tradition in the Bardic Lore, but I believe that's only listed as a "script" with some other "scripts". Like I said, we don't use it, so I've never studied it. I've focused more on the Ogham. ;)

We use the Futhark for Divinitory purposes, as well as for passing along messages. My first Teacher had great fun in sending me my lessons in Futhark. :bigredgri We use Ogham for passing along messages, as well.

[Shy Hawk]

Ah, good deal
I'd rather be reading the messages then writing them. Some are awful hard. However I do believe in discipline when it comes to faith. Memorization for me, is the key. :)

[Mairwen]

I'd rather know something than memorize something. Why? Human's are fallible, therefore so is our memory.


What was I writing about, again? 8O :crazy: :eek:


(I'm going to bed, I think ... LOL! .. :o )