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What is a Book of Shadows?
So what is a Book of Shadows?
A big book with lots of pages to scribble on. Well it is, but maybe there's just a little more to it than that.
So what's the difference with all them names?
Be it a Book of Shadows, a Grimoire, a Book of Magick which ever name it has, they are all the same thing a collection of thoughts, incantations, dreams, ideas, recipes, concoctions and all those weird and wonderful things that you come across. They don't have to be full of magic or witchcraft they are just a record of what you do, think or feel. In fact during Victorian times these types of book were common among the ladies. Many could been seen sitting in their pretty little gardens, lovely hat, long dress, little parasol, hardly the picture we normally have of a witch (or is it- long dress, hat, stick seems some things are the same if she's got a cat you'd better watch out!) There they would sit writing down their hopes and dreams, perhaps a few wishes (like get me out of this corset it's killing me sitting on these hard old benches), upon closer inspection you might have found a few recipes for Grandma's lovely chocolate cake and how about let's throw $in a couple of concoctions for what ails you a cure for poison ivy, perhaps a little of Aunt Ethel’s cure for a tummy ache, surely these young ladies were not witches. Yet if you were some poor lonely lady in the middle ages picking a few herbs in the woods to sort out little Tommy from down the road's belly ache you'd hear the cries of WITCH! for miles around and out come the old witch finders rubbing their hands thinking of their big fat fee.
What the history books tell us.
The term "Book of Shadows" was first used by the founder of modern Wicca Gerald Gardner to replace the term Grimoire in the 1950's.
Going back even further we see the very first Book of Shadows, albeit called the "Great Grimoire", a book of legend. Reportedly it contained all the spells and incantations of the first witch, these were given to him by Lucifer (the good guy angel not Mr. Pointy the devil kind). The Great Grimoire was said to contain all God's little secrets (and I bet he had plenty!), it also contained his name of creation, say it backwards and here comes big trouble. Doom and gloom, let's get rid of Man, back to square one with this old place called Earth and let's have it back say the old Archangel's. Sounds like a load of old Catholic nonsense to me, same old story "Do what we tell you and don't read anything but the Bible and you'll get a first class ticket to the Old Pearly Gates. But if you read that there book you're in big doo doo, a quick slap on the wrists and a front row seat at the next performance of Fire and Brimstone, and no "You can't bring your own marshmallows!""
Then we have the "Golden Grimoire", this one was supposed to belong to that most famous pointy hatted friend Mr. Merlin of Camelot fame, now that would be a good bed time read.
The "Book of Light and Shadows" was widely used in the mid to late 19th century in Europe about the same time old Alester Crowley started his writings that eventually re-kindled the craft after the persecution of the 1600's.
So what's it look like then?
Traditionally beautifully hand written tomes with elaborate covers (just like ours?). Within its pages were illustrated a collection of rituals, recipes, techniques and other information deemed relevant for whatever reasons.
Within a coven each witch would have their own book these being personal in decoration, only another witch would be allowed to see another’s book. As well these there would be one very much bigger and more in depth Coven book, probably had a whip round one night "Come on folks dig deep we want a bigger book than that lot in the next woods. Besides, them nice people at FromtheShadows.co.uk said they'd give us a generous discount." Who said that bad word DISCOUNT! we don't discount!(well we might do if you ask nicely and buy us some choccies, ha ha). These larger book would stay within the Coven at all times.
Upon the death of a witch the book would be destroyed or in some traditional covens returned to them for disposal, what a waste. If you had children interested in the craft it would sometimes be passed down and added to over the years, but it was only allowed to be used by a practicing Wiccan.
A book of shadows was basically a journal and diary for a wiccan practitioner. In it could be found not only spells but techniques, ideas, recipes, herbal remedies and any thoughts they might have and results and outcomes etc. in essence a complete run down of a days work. For this reason they were kept very secret and private, after all who wants some new upstart of a witch stealing you best recipes.
During the days of the inquisitions and witch trials many of the old and probably best books were burnt not only by the witch finders but also by the witches themselves, trying to protect their craft and themselves for possession only meant belief in and practice of the dark arts and would be deemed a confession no trial needed off you go for your own personal barbecue, one course and you won't be around for pudding. Strange what a civilised church got away with (this I may go into in further depth in another article). One point of note on the punishment of witches, not a single witch was ever burnt at the stake in England they were imprisoned, flogged, hanged, dunked but never toasted.
During these times the craft was passed down by word of mouth. In saying that, there is some belief that witches in the dark ages didn't write down their craft, most people during that time were illiterate but it is my opinion that if the church had scribes surely other 'religions' would and maybe this was another learning of the craft (the Church would say the devil would pass on the skill of writing so you could spread the word). Whichever way you see it the writings would probably be in a Runic text and wouldn't make sense to most of us anyway.
So how do I start my own Book of Shadows journal thingy then?
You can of course use any book you like, after all it is only a collection of your thoughts and stuff. When you get a bit more into it and your collection grows then you may think you are ready for something a bit more elaborate. Just take your time and think about what you want in it. Most of all make it personal to you, remember no one should see inside, so just let yourself go and who knows where you'll end up. Just remember to come back down to earth every now and again, someone might miss you.
And of course remember, probably the best Books of Shadows in the whole wide world are available at WWW.FromTheShadows.Co.UK. (Had to get the plug in just one more time.)
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