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Book of Shadows A Book of Shadows, or BOS, is a book of spells, rituals, and other magickal makings of a person who works magick. I use the spelling of magick with a ‘ck’ to distinguish it from magic, which is nothing more than tricks and sleight of hand. Magick is the end result of energy manipulation to obtain a goal. Anyone can ‘do’ magick, but usually it’s done by a pagan of some non traditional religious or belief system path. The term, Book of Shadows, probably started back in the time of the burnings and persecutions. To keep secret their use of ‘magick’ the people would hide their books and journals in closets, walls, and anyplace that would keep them out of sight of other people who may use them against the owner to cause them harm. One of the first rules about BOS, left over from those times, is to not share them with others. A BOS can be made out of anything, notebooks, binders with loose leaf paper, journals, or anything that you can write on or keep record of writings, pictures, and other things that you would want to record and save. You can even create one online in a blog or online journal. You can even make one out of word documents and keep in a folder labeled ‘BOS’ on your computer. Really, whatever works for you best is what you should use for a BOS. In this book of shadows are kept the spells and rituals you create. It is a method of keeping things so you won’t forget them. You will be able to refer back to it when you want to do the same thing later. Anything that is special to you is kept it in as well. Observations of any kind can be kept in them, too, as well as recipes for oil blends, incenses, and herbal blends that you make yourself. In a coven setting each coven has its own coven BOS that pertains to that particular coven. Usually, only the High Priestess or High Priest are privy to the contents, but sometimes other coven members may be allowed knowledge of its contents. Every coven is different and they all have rules about their use of the BOS. For someone who practices alone, a solitary, the BOS is a private book of their own personal spells and rituals. Each magick worker has their own method of practicing and in this regard each BOS is special and known unto only them. You can also have more than one BOS. I have several for different things and reasons. I have binders full of papers that I have collected for years from different places. I have notebooks with different things I have written down. I even have a folder on my desk top that I put things I find on the Internet until I take the time to either print them off or put in a binder or folder or to copy them down in long hand in a journal. There is some thought that writing them down in long hand puts your intent into them, but whatever you feel is right is going to be okay. Don’t be afraid to create a book of shadows that works for you. Once you get started on your path you are going to want to keep a record of everything that you learn and create. Buying books that contain this kind of information is good, but there’s nothing like making your own ‘book’ to give you a good feeling about yourself. Blessed Be!
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