Bos

[Emerald Sky]

Just wondering what all of you do for a book of shadows. Do you have one? Is it an actual book or on your computer? Is it your own personal book that you created or one copied/handed down? What are the most important entries in your bos? Just interested to hear what others do.

[loopy]

I don't actually have one right now. I'm saving up for the Tome over at that site, I can't find the URL right now. But I record things in my diary and dream books, and on the computer, and plan on organizing and putting it all together once I have my BOS. :)

[Lucidia]

i don't personally follow beliefs that would necessitate a 'book of shadows'. however, i would think that it would be more effective to use a physical means of recording such information rather than electronic, as a computer can fail and possibly erase all the important stuff in your "bos" whereas something would have to physically destroy an actual book.

then again that's just my opinion... and i suppose keeping an electronic backup might be a good idea even if you had a physical standard of recording said info.

[sherry]

I do not have a typical BOS I have journals for everything. one for dreams, herbal, candle majic, voodoo ect. each of my interests are done in a seperate book it is an organized choas thing

[random]

Originally posted by sherry
it is an organized choas thing

lol
I have a large purple folder kind of thing that i keep most of my stuff in.. the rest is all over my room. at my alter, were i stock my candles, everywhere in my desk, etc.

[Dagda Moon~Lily]

I have heard many people say that your BOS should be hand written, but I prefer mine to be typed. Although I have lovely hand writing, it's just easier to type it up and print it out. (Less time consuming too!)

I have a large black three ring binder. I put the pages in nice matted sleeves (easier to read than the shiny ones), so if I need it outside, the pages won't get ruined and whipped around. I only keep spells in it. I have seperate folders for: Tarot, Auras, Chakras, Energy, Gemstones~Candles~Palmistry, Miscellaneous stuff....etc.

:D

[Rævyn Cigány]

I have a BOS although it is compiled of a series of emails that my then-mentor (she was the only other pagan I knew at the time) kept sending me...pages and pages of information about herbs and plants, angels (there are hundreds), the rede, the creed, and I could go on ad nauseum. My favourite passage is a bedtime prayer for children, but as my BOS has decided to hide on me today, I cannot find it. But when I do I will post it.

Blessings,

Rae )0(

[MammaStar]

I started to keep things in one of those blue binders kids use in school. I drew some pictures and what not on the cover and then divided up the inside into sections, spells, rituals, notes, etc. Now I've decided to make mine. Kind of like in the fashion of a homemade photo album/scrapbook kind of thing. I got a white 3-ring binder and I'm going to cover it with some kind of material, i just haven't gotten down to the store yet.

Dadga--thanks for the idea about matted sleeves to hold the papers. I think I may incorporate that in my own! :D :sunny:

[Mairwen]

I'm being lazy and copied this from my group's website:

Q. Do you have a Book of Shadows?
A. Yes, we do have a Book of Shadows, but is called the Lesser Book of the Art and Craft, though some call their personal book their "magical journal" to avoid confusion. This is where a Gwyddon keeps all his Craft notes and thoughts, and is usually loose-leaf to allow greater ease in organization. In most respects, it is very personal to the person who wrote it. It will not be used by others in the Craft as a study guide or text book, unless the owner thinks it will be helpful. We aren't a group who routinely copies each other's Lesser Books. Also, we don't tell our members what we think they "should" put into or omit from their books; this makes each book truly unique.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Having pasted that, I'll add this:

A person would note right away that our Lore Books and Journals are, for the most part, computer generated. We ahve taken the time to type in all hand written materials and are to a point in our evolution where most everyone keeps records on the computer, to print out when and if need be. I require my members keep a "ritual journal" though ~ but there are no guidelines for those; just that ritual notes be kept. My personal copy, as well as the copy I keep for the group, is handwritten.

Kinko's is our friend!
Kinko's is our friend!
Kinko's is our friend! 8O

[MystyPines]

Merry Meet!

I have a Book of Shadows that I keep everything and anything in it. It has a Birch Wood carved cover with the Triple Moon Goddess symbol and at the bottom corner has MystyPines engraved in it. It is completely handwritten and I keep all my esbat, sabbat and spell rituals, as well as correspondences for the elements, candle colors, herbs, stones, a listing of tools, etc., recipes for oils and charmbags, tarot readings. Then, I keep a 3 ring binder of internet research on different deities of various pantheons and my favorite being the Tuatha de Danaan. Then, I keep a small diary size book that I carry with me, that keeps a listing of the moon cycles, my inventory of herbs, stones, essential oils etc. in my cupboard, so I know when I need something when I am out and about. My husband just started his BOS and has written portions from mine, but has personalized his own book in his own way.

Bright Blessings!

[Faery-Wings]

I was wondering the same thing this weekend. Right now I have a 3 ring binder for Tarot information and a notebook for readings and interps and all. I have a larger 3 ring binder stuffed with stuff I have printed off the net, notes I have taken, etc. I have been keeping all of my notes on the rituals I have done so far. Right now it is so messy and disorganized. Then I am keeping a journal I write in about and a dream journal.

I like the line about organized chaos, Sherry!!

My question is how to get better organized. I think I am going to try to getting separators for the different topics. Should I recopy all of the scribbles and notes from my journal and put them into their own areas? Or leave the journal as is?

Thanks so much for giving some info to get me started!

Chris
:sunny:

[Kiya]

I've got a folder separated into different areas (Tarot, Runes, meditation, magick etc) where I keep what I call all my research notes - everything I've printed from the net etc - which are also quite often annotated in hand and highlighted (I have 6 highlighter pens - sad, but I'm addicted to 'em!!).

I've got a pocket diary for moon phases and quick notes (which flowers are blooming, what birds/animals I've seen).

I've got a journal for all my Tarot excercises and readings.

I've got a Sabbats book where I note down what I plan to do to celebrate, and what I actually did.

I've got a general nature journal - less observations, more what I feel when I'm in the midst of all things green (this is probably closest to my true inner feelings - I ramble on in this one quite a lot)

And the last is where I have hand-copied things I feel are important, from the Wiccan rede and three-fold law to colour correspondances and elements. All things I felt it was IMPORTANT to draw by hand, not print from a screen. It makes them more real to me, and they cease to be words on a page, but really, really a part of me and my life.

There's loads more I would love to get involved with - I want to start a dreams journal, learn the runes, learn aromatherapy, study Egyptian mythology in detail, study Celtic mythology in detail.....
.... but I have to work, and look after a wonderful partner as well!!!

:sunny:

Kiya

[Emerald Sky]

Originally posted by MystyPines
Merry Meet!

I have a Book of Shadows that I keep everything and anything in it. It has a Birch Wood carved cover with the Triple Moon Goddess symbol and at the bottom corner has MystyPines engraved in it. It is completely handwritten and I keep all my esbat, sabbat and spell rituals, as well as correspondences for the elements, candle colors, herbs, stones, a listing of tools, etc., recipes for oils and charmbags, tarot readings. Then, I keep a 3 ring binder of internet research on different deities of various pantheons and my favorite being the Tuatha de Danaan. Then, I keep a small diary size book that I carry with me, that keeps a listing of the moon cycles, my inventory of herbs, stones, essential oils etc. in my cupboard, so I know when I need something when I am out and about. My husband just started his BOS and has written portions from mine, but has personalized his own book in his own way.

Bright Blessings!


That sounds really beautiful, Mysty Pines! :D

So far, I keep a general journal that I write my feelings and experiences in, and another separate, larger book as my bos. I'm saving up $ to buy the Greenman grimoire from the site I posted a few days ago. I'll copy what I have in my bos to that.

Thanks everyone for responding. It's interesting to hear all the different things everyone does. :)

[MystyPines]

Oh, yes I saw that Greenman grimoire, it is absolutely beautiful! (and expensive, he he he). My book costed about $50.00 to be made and carved. :)

[Emy]

I have a BoS, that is handwritten, but it isn't traditional in many ways, however it is really me, and it is practical. :) It is sort of like a scrapbook, everything is written on heavy papers, however in different colors, and I've also added pictures, little drawings etc in it. Every page is laminated so I can take it with me outside and not having to worry about it getting wet or anything. I have collected all the pages in a large binder.
It is however traditional when it comes to contents, it has all the sabbats, and stuff like that, divination, spells, rituals etc.

I also have journals for notes on dreams, tarot readings, poetry, and such things... :)

Blessings

[Silver Venus]

Everyones BOS sounds soooo lovely!!!

I constantly add spells, sabbats rituals, recipes, colour guides, symbols, tarot spreads and much more to a big ring binder which is full of printed documents from my computer ~ Ive gathered this ove rhte past two years from sites, friends emails, here!! and typed allot of thoughts, memories and reflections too... I seperate each subject in its own subfolder with a painting I have painted for each ~ I have a picture of the Star tarot card for my tarot section and then each section has its own ribbon (all different colours) ~ It looks very beautifull even though it is a ring binder.

Then I have a big sketch book type of BOS ~ Like Emy! ~ where I stick all my picutres, sketches, thoughts, findings, diary, dried flowerd, spells, and anything else that wil stick in!! Its really thick and got quite out of control until I made a box for it, The box is gorgeous ~ covered in glitter and stars!

:D

[Emerald Sky]

Wow, SV -

That sounds really beautiful, too!!!