What is a Book of Shadows?
A book of shadows, also known as a Grimoire, is a personal compilation
of spells, thoughts and feelings gathered by wizards and witches.
As a collection of knowledge, the book of shadows was passed down
from generation to generation of witches and warlocks. Sometimes,
the book was burnt after the death of its owner to protect its secrets.
Today, the book of shadows has become a personal diary for magic
interests. Invocations, rituals, dreams and recipes for various
potions are included in the book. It is just the perfect place to
store your love spells.
Creating
your Personal Book of Shadows
The book is ideal for keeping secret notes. There is no
right or wrong way to fashion your book as it is highly subjective
to your taste. However, there are a few traditional guidelines to
help start you out. If you feel an urge to add or ignore a certain
feature in order to make it more personal, then follow your instincts.
You can collect your spells in a leather bound book or in a simple
three-ring binder from a local stationery store. Some diehard traditionalists
get creative and use scrolls or calf skin journals to hold their
etchings or writings. It may be more practical to use a binder so
that written spells can be removed from the binder to perform them,
and some can be added or deleted in time.
On the inside cover, it is customary to inscribe a book dedication
to someone or something. You can simply declare the book to whichever
Deity inspires you in your search for truth. You can proclaim that
your intentions are honourable and you will work against none.
One meaningful aspect about keeping a book of shadows is to write
it by hand. It helps witches to better absorb the details of their
spells. Some traditional books of shadows were actually written
in code; was that perhaps to protect the information it stored?
The Content
To start you off and to get you into the mood, jot down
the research and history of your journey. Give details of your adventure:
why you started, who influenced you, what you noticed, and so on,
so forth. Include your thoughts on color, moon phases, astrological
signs, symbols, and describe the set-up of your altar.
Partition your book of shadows into sections if you wish. For example,
a section can hold your spells, while another can be for your potions
and recipes (for documenting the cakes and ale and other ingredients
of your potions.) A third part could contain the historical information
and studies of lore.
When casting your spells, keep track of the ingredients in your
potions, the phase of the moon, the time of day, and other factors
that will affect your spell. Once the love spell has been cast,
write in the result and any improvements you might want to include.
The Chapter on Love Spells
It is important to cast your love spell with the best intentions
in mind. Spells to improve your beauty or to find your true love
are the most common and the least interfering. Casting a spell with
the intention of making someone you hardly know fall in love with
you, or eliminating barriers that currently exist between the two
of you, can result in bad karma. Love spells should be cast with
care and their purpose chosen wisely. They work best when you cast
them yourself, and not through another witch. The power is most
formidable coming from the conjurer.
About Love Spells
Love spells are intricate and
difficult to comprehend, but can be best
described as phenomena associated with
a certain part of the brain ‘related
to love’. It triggers subconscious
sex chemicals and networks the energy.
The comprehension of why sex spells can
work for people is so elaborate, that
it could be a paper in itself. The network
of energy is all connected. Love spells
work the same way, where it resides in
your energy link and then the love spell
influences the energy around your body.
The energy around your body is the world
you live in and what you picked ‘a
love spell’ to change.
Documenting Your Spiritual Journey
Your book of shadows will flourish
with you as you continue studying and
learning about magic. Whether you decide
to share it and pass it on to others,
or choose to keep it for your eyes only,
is entirely up to you.
Article by Terri Lewis:
Terri Lewis is a relationship advisor specializing in
alternate therapy and is an authority on wicca and pagan culture
and tradition. Terri provides content for the website Free
Love Spells and Information.