If you’re a beginner witch or an experienced one, your BOS is one of the most important magickal tools you could have. It can contain all the notes and spells you’ll need, plus any references. If you’re unsure on how to make your own, I’ve created a basic guide that can help.
First thing you need to do, pick a method to keep your info in. A popular method is using a three-ring binder so you can rearrange the pages as necessary (you might want to use page protectors so you don’t get candle wax or anything else on your pages). You can also use a notebook, a composition notebook - your choice.
You’ll need a title page! It can be as simple or as fancy as you want it to be. Remember that your BOS is a magickal tool and needs to be handled with care. Many witches simple put “The Book of Shadows of _____.”
If you’re a witch in the Broom Closet and you don’t want people reading your BOS, use a magickal alphabet (Theban or Celtic Ogham are some choices), or you can use your native alphabet. Writing in a fancy alphabet may look pretty, but may be difficult until you’re fluent.
So, aesthetics aside, what goes in your BOS?
You’ll want to add the Laws of your Coven or Tradition. It’ll just serve as the do’s and don’t’s of what YOU (unless you’re in a Coven) believe you should and should not do. There has to be a line at some point, right?
If you’ve been initiated into a coven, add your ceremony in your BOS. If you’re a solitary witch, add a dedication to your Goddess(es) and/or your God(s). This can be a long essay about why you’ve chosen those deities, or it can be as simple as “I, ______, dedicate myself to the Goddess today, February 13, 2016.”
Don’t forget your Gods and Goddesses! Add pictures, stories, myths, legends, anything you can/want about your deities into your BOS.
Correspondence tables are every witch’s best friend. From Moon Phases to Color Meanings, Stones, Crystals. Magick relies heavily on symbols, but it does you no good if you don’t know what they mean.
Sabbat Ritual rules and other rituals should also be added. You don’t want to show up to a public ritual doing the wrong thing.
You can add your Herbs too. After all, different herbs do different things.
If you’re into divination, adding your notes here can be very helpful.
If you have any favorite sacred texts or need them for your coven, put them in your BOS for easy access.
Kitchen Magick is great! Add your magickal recipes in here (unless you have a magickal cookbook).
Last, but not least, your spell workings! Add your notes, your changes, your outcomes, anything that will be useful for future needs!
Of course, you do not need to add every last bit here, its just a guideline in cae you’re stuck on what to put inside your BOS.
Hope it was helpful! Blessed Be-
