Witchy Record Keeping; What To Do With A Grimoire/Book Of Shadows/ Etc.

Witchy Record Keeping; What To Do With A Grimoire/Book of Shadows/ etc.

In my practice, the most important tools are my Book of Mirrors and Grimoire. Record keeping is very crucial to my witchcraft practice. Emphasis on mine, some people find they don’t need to keep records on their magickal information. I feel I need to keep track of where I am in my practice and have it for the future should I ever want to look back.

Witchcraft is deeply personal to each Witch, or your practice is I mean. I find it important to keep records as we are so prone to change we have to keep in mind our past and present to move into our futures. So, here we go.

What’s The Difference?

What is the difference between a Grimoire and Book of Shadows? Well, based in the dictionary there is one, but these words have adopted a different meaning to different people.

Technically speaking, a Grimoire is for spells whereas a Book of Shadows is like a magickal diary or journal. It holds all the other information for your practice.

There is some overlap and some blurring of the lines for some people, and it isn’t required you have both or either. You can really call it whatever you want, there’s no rules to it.

I don’t use a Book of Shadows anymore. My first book was a Book of Shadows but I have since moved on to call my new one a Book of Mirrors. I have a friend who calls hers a Book of Ursa Major. You can call your witchy book whatever you like.

What Should It Look Like?

What do you want it to look like? Ok, I know there’s a big thing with the witch aesthetic to have a beautiful leather bound journal. Yes, my old Book of Shadows is leather bound and so is my Grimoire. But my Book of Mirrors is a blue binder I bought at the store with some cool dividing insets and some covers I made.

You can do whatever you want! You want that leather bound journal, save up for it! You want some old notebook? Go for it! Want to do it electronically? You do you! It’s whatever works for your practice. The only reason I used leather bound for my first Book of Shadows was because it had been a gift from my grandparents. I already had it.

Do what makes you happy and also what you have available to you. There’s nothing wrong with using a notebook or binder, actually I find the binder really useful in keeping things sorted.

Use what you have, it doesn’t have to be fancy.

Where To Start?

I always make a cover page when I start, some people will put a blessing spell in the front, and if you’re Wiccan you can put the Wiccan Rede on the first page if you so please. The reason I make a cover page is to give it an introduction, to write down my book and know this is something important to me. If you want, go in and start writing spells in it. I do recommend you do a blessing spell on it. Just to ensure it is protected and will give you inspiration.

Book Blessing Spell

Take three crystals and put one at the top and two by the sides of the book, you sit with the bottom of the book facing you.

Lay your hands on the cover and recite

“Book of Shadows made to hide,

Book of Light made to guide.

It is you and I, mighty book,

To discover the secrets others overlook.

So mote it be, my good friend.

May we be there till the end.”

How To Fill My Pages?

How do you want to fill the pages? With spells, obviously, but you can include a myriad of other things. Are you a kitchen witch? Put your favorite recipes in there! A green witch? Fill with information about plants! Worship Gods and Goddesses? Put their stories and correspondences in there!

It is to be made by you and no one else. Below are some extra prompt ideas.

Prompts

Ancestor Dedication

Tarot Guide

Personal Correspondences

Symbols Guide

Tool uses

Secret messages

Maps

Flower or herb pressings

Your own art

Stories from your astral travels/ dreams/ nature walks

Your hopes and dreams

Anything Else?

Because this book is made to keep records of where you are in your path, try and date everything. Also every now and again write down your beliefs, what gods you follow or don’t follow, what you believe about the universe, what you believe about magick, etc. Talk about the why and how of your practice.

Most of all, enjoy what you’re creating. Your Book of Shadows/Mirrors/Light/Whatever You Call It is all about you and your practice. Make sure it’s fun and make sure it’s a reflection of you.

This might be one of my longest posts yet but it’s something that’s really important to me. I want other witches to know their practice is their own and everything they do it in belongs to them.

Blessed Be!

🧚🌧️Rain Fairies🌧️🧚

🌧️ Szepasszony is a beautiful Hungarian fairy, clad in a white rob, with long golden hair. She dances in rainstorms and showers of hail; she casts a spell through rainwater, dripping from the caves to make a puddle on the ground- she then has power over anyone who steps into this puddle, Szepasszony is seductive, and not always benevolent.

🌧️ She is a powerful sprite, who delights in the energies of storms. However, each rainstorm brings a host of elemental sprites in the air within and surrounding the storm. It is a shame to shrink from contact with the rain, for raindrops can awaken your spirit and refresh your soul.

🌧️ Rainbows are much associated with fairies. It is at the end of the rainbow that the Leprechaun most often hides his pot of gold. The rainbow is a bridge to the Otherworld, from where the rain fairies come. The Norse people call the rainbow Bifrost, and said that it was a route to Asgard, the home of the gods.

🌧️ Rain not only makes the plants grow, but also brings more subtle blessings. Welcome the rain fairies, and let them wash clean your life.

🌧️🧚 SPELL TO ATTRACT A WIND SPRITE 🌧️🧚

Method: You will need windchimes and some ribbon. Windchimes of bamboo will invite a gentle, thoughtful sprite who will encourage reflection. Crystal chimes will attract a highly evolved sprite to help you achieve greater detachment. Metal chimes will attract a creative sprite who can help you achieve change.

Choose a breezy day and hang your windchimes securely in an open window. Close your eyes and visualize the gifts you want from your sprite.

Lean out the window slightly so the breeze blows on your face and say: “Wind sprite flying light and high, I call to you, draw nigh, draw nigh. My chimes a home for you shall be ever welcome,ever free”.

Listen for a special tinkle from your windchimes to tell you your sprite has arrived. Welcome this being by tying the ribbon to the upper string of the chimes, being very careful not to restrict their swaying and tinkling. Thank your sprite for being present. Whenever you feel in need of gifts from the wind sprites, stir your chimes and let a fresh breeze blow into your heart and mind.

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v-gorre

3 years ago

Basic Protection Spray

Hey there Witchlings, today I want to share with you what I used for my protection spray! Remember, you can always substitute, add, or remove any ingredients that you want! You do not need to follow spells to the T, you can make them your own!

What you need:

A spray bottle

Water

Cedar

Garden Sage

Dandelion

Steps:

Fill your spray bottle with water.

Add your herbs

Make sure your bottle is tightly sealed and then shake that motherfucker up

Spray as needed until you feel safe.

Cedar, Garden Sage, and Dandelion are all typically associated with protection!

I hope that you've found this to be useful :)

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v-gorre

4 years ago

Rating Sabrina on its Witchy Accuracy

Recently I’ve been binging the new season of Sabrina on Netflix and I definitely have some things I want to share. I thought it would be fun to analyze this show a bit and look at the way they choose to portray certain historical elements of Witchcraft and Paganism. Firstly, obviously this show is not trying to be historically accurate and that’s totally fine. I actually really love how campy and ridiculous this series is. And of course if they tried to accurately portray modern witchcraft the show wouldn’t be nearly as exciting. Though, I do find it fun that they did bring in some historical elements of witchcraft and that’s what we’re going to go over today. SATANIC WITCHES?

The first interesting thing about this series is that the witches in the show are Satanic Witches. This is quite a bit different from other tv shows that are inspired by lighter forms of witchcraft, like Charmed for example. I think the way that they chose to portray Satanic witches and their worship of the dark lord is a super fun part of the show as it shows a type of witchcraft that you usually don’t see in pop culture. So, did Satanic Witches who worship Lucifer actually exist in history? Today there are a small handful of people claiming to be Satanic Witches, though historically we don’t have much evidence for this kind of witchcraft. This might be surprising as the most commonly known historic events featuring witchcraft are probably the witch trails in Europe and America where people were killed for supposedly worshiping the devil. In reality, the vast majority of the people killed were not witches and definitely not satanic witches. Most of the people who admitted to worshiping the devil were only saying so because they were being tortured at the time.The witch trials as a whole was mostly an excuse for the church to kill off a bunch of protestants, any “undesirables” in society, and anyone who might be still holding on to Pagan traditions. Now, that doesn’t mean witches didn’t exist in the past, they definitely did but hardly any of them would have been practicing Satanic Witchcraft. So while this aspect of Sabrina is super fun, it’s not really based much in history. THE CUNNING One of the characters in the show has something called The Cunning. In the show this means that she is a seer and can gain information psychically that others cannot. Historically there are many accounts of women who are considered seers or able to see the future. The most famous historical seer is probably the Oracle of Delphi, but each culture has their own version of this practice. But why in the show did they use the term, The Cunning? I find this interesting as it connects with a group of historical magical practitioners called The Cunning Folk. While the Cunning Women and Men would not have called themselves witches, they were practicing a form of witchcraft. This magical tradition started in the Medieval period and was mostly focused in Britain. Many of our surviving historical spells and witchcraft traditions come from these people called the Cunning Folk. They used spells, charms, and talismans for a variety of services for their community such as protection, locating missing people and property, helping to heal others, and telling the future. In the most recent season Roz speaks with her deceased grandmother who tells her that her family could not call themselves witches because they were good Christians. This is interesting because similarly the Cunning Folk considered themselves to be Christians and they even often used bible verses in their spells and charms. I’m not sure if the producers knew this about the Cunning Folk when creating this show but I think this detail is kind of interesting. The Green Man & The Wicker Man In Season 3 of Sabrina, they come across a group of Pagans trying to resurrect the Green Man. Historically, the Green Man is a fascinating and mysterious Pagan deity. He is primarily interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, represented in the cycle of growth each spring. In Sabrina they try to resurrect the Green Man by creating a giant humanoid effigy, more commonly known as the wicker man. Then they try to sacrifice a virgin, in this case Harvey, by putting him inside of the wicker man. The Green Man and the Wickerman are not really related historically though we do have some accounts of a wickerman being created. One of the most popular accounts of pagan human sacrifice comes from Julius Caesar during his conquest of Gaul where he reports to have seen the burning alive of victims in a large wooden effigy. Though considering the Celts were his enemy at the time it is possible he exaggerated some details. So, while it’s likely that some human sacrifice occurred among the Pagan Celts and Anglo-Saxons we don’t really know too many details and it’s likely that the violence was probably a bit exaggerated. As a side note, the whole representation of Pagans in Sabrina was definitely a bit ridiculous. And I find it weird that shortly after the Pagans are defeated, the Satanic Witches stop worshipping the dark lord and start worshiping the Greek Goddess, Hecate. So even though the Pagans were their enemies in the 3rd season, in the 4th season they kind of become pagans themselves. FINAL THOUGHTS In general, I think this show is super fun and even though they’re not aiming for historical accuracy, I do like how they at least tried to incorporate different aspects of witchcraft & paganism in the show. So, in general I would give this show a 2/10 on historical accuracy. Though if I were to rate the show as a whole, I’d probably give it a 7/10 because it’s super fun and enjoyable to watch.

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v-gorre

4 years ago

Almost halfway done with the Phoenician alphabet oracle. There are 22 letters/cards in total and I’ve worked 16 deities into it (the Phoenician, Canaanite and Mesopotamian gods are so heavily syncretized through both geography and time that it was a challenge to choose among all the figures and portrayals, but the full list is below the cut:

Czytaj dalej

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v-gorre

4 years ago

vine tarot

by ‘holly sweet’ on redbubble

five feet apart cus theyre not gay

oh my god they were roommates

i wont hesitate, bitch

THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELLS YOU

its wednesday my dudes

(no associated catchphrase)

a potato flew around my room

i have the power of god AND anime on my side

MY POOP IS COMING

~got a red dress on tonight, dancing in the dark in the pale moonlight~

(no associated catchphrase)

(’take on me’ opening notes)

(no associated catchphrase)

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v-gorre

3 years ago

canola in bloom

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v-gorre

4 years ago

PSA - Will It Summon Demons?

Things That Are Not Likely To Summon Demons And Spirits Into Your Home:

Practicing a pagan religion

Practicing no religion

Skipping religious services

Disobeying your parents

Disobeying oppressive religious rules

Reading books about other religions

Reading books about witchcraft

Casting most types of spells, including hexes

Practicing divination

Reading tarot cards

Owning crystals

Having deity statues

Maintaining an altar

Adopting a black cat

Owning or wearing a pentacle or other pagan symbol

Playing with Ouija or other talking boards

Putting up fantasy or non-Christian artwork

Celebrating pagan holidays

Celebrating Halloween

Watching scary movies and TV shows

Reading horror novels

Playing tabletop RPGs

Playing LARP games

Playing video games

Reading fantasy books

Reading comics and graphic novels

Listening to heavy metal music

Dyeing your hair

Dancing

Swearing

Drinking

Dressing however you please

Having tattoos and piercings

Engaging in premarital sex

Being queer

Being trans

Participating in activism for progressive social causes

Things That Might Summon Demons And Spirits Into Your Home:

Literally summoning demons and spirits into your home

This has been a Public Service Announcement.

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v-gorre

3 years ago

⭐💎ZODIAC CRYSTALS AND ANGELS💎⭐

⭐ There are a number of different gems and crystals associated in various traditions for birth months with the zodiac signs under which we are born. I will give a more comprehensive list than usual, as I will suggest you also buy your zodiac crystal angel. If none of the birth crystals feel right, substitute a crystal in the color associated with your birth sign. I will describe your crystalline zodiac angel and the special strengths that can be absorbed either from the angel or the associated crystal. Small crystal angels are relatively cheap and are a very potent source of energy and protection. Some crystals are ruled by more than one zodiac sign.

⭐ Buy a small angel for each member of the family- present, absent, and departed loved ones- adding one for each new birth or new older family members in the future. These you can keep in a circle in your crystal place. Add also any angels whose crystalline zodiacal strengths you need, even though they are not your own sign- for example, a moonstone angel for Muriel, zodiac angel of Cancer, to bring quiet sleep. Wear or carry your zodiac stone in a bag of the zodiac color at any time you need strength, protection,extra luck, or healing or want to be noticed in a positive way.

⭐ 1. ARIES, THE RAM: MARCH 21-APRIL 20

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Blood Agate, Orange Carnelian, Polished Gold Chalcopyrite, Diamond, Silver Iron Pyrites, Red Jasper, Rainbow, Gold or Silver Sheen Obsidian, Pink Rhodonite, Red Tiger’s Eye.

PLANET: Mars

ELEMENT: Fire

RULING ANGEL: Machidiel (or Malahidael), warrior angel with sparkling golden-red halo and wings.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Self-confidence, Strong Identity, Innovation, Assertiveness, Action, Courage.

COLOR: Red

⭐ 2. TAURUS, THE BULL: APRIL 21- MAY 21

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Pink Andean Opal, Green Chrysoprase , Pink Mangano Calcite, Emerald, Jade, Rainbow Moonstone, Rhodochrosite, Rose Quartz, Pink Tourmaline.

PLANET: Venus

ELEMENT: Earth

RULING ANGEL: Asmodel or Ashmodel, Angel of beauty surrounded by pink rays, creating what is of worth.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Persistence, Patience, Reliability, Loyalty, Practical Abilities, Stability, Lovers of beauty.

COLOR: Pink

⭐ 3. GEMINI, THE HEAVENLY TWINS: MAY 22- JUNE 21

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Agate, Alexandrite, Yellow Calcite, Lemon Chrysoprase, Citrine, Yellow Jasper, Labradorite, Opal, Lemon Quartz.

PLANET: Mercury

ELEMENT: Air

RULING ANGEL: Ambriel or Ambiel, the messenger and travel angel wearing colors of early morning sunlight

ANGELIC CYRSTALLINE STREGTHS: Excellent Communication Skills, Adaptability, Scientific/Technological Aptitude, Curiosity, Intelligence, Versatility.

COLOR: Pale Yellow/ Gray

⭐4. CANCER, THE CRAB: JUNE 22- JULY 22

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: White Coral, Moonstone, Opalite, Pearl, Satin Spar, Selenite, Cloudy or Milky White Quartz, Clear Topaz.

PLANET: Moon

ELEMENT: Water

RULING ANGEL: Muriel, the silvery and pearl-robed healer angel with her magic carpet of dreams.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Sensitivity, Kindness, Imagination, Homemaker, Nurturer (especially of children), emotional security, ability to keep secrets, quiet sleep.

COLOR: Silver

⭐5. LEO, THE LION: JULY 23- AUGUST 23

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Amber, Fire Opal, Fire Quartz, Rainbow Quartz, Red Spinel, Ruby, White Sapphire, Sardonyx, Sunstone.

PLANET: Sun

ELEMENT: Fire

RULING ANGEL: Verchiel, the golden joy bringer who is surrounded by sunbeams.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Power, Courage, Generosity, Nobility, Idealism, Leadership, Protection of the weak, Ability to perform creatively in public.

COLOR: Gold

⭐6. VIRGO, THE MAIDEN: AUGUST 24- SEPTEMBER 22

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Amazonite, Green Calcite, Green Garnet, Jade, White Howlite, Moss or Tree Agate, Olivine, Peridot, Serpentine, Snow Quartz.

PLANET: Mercury

ELEMENT: Earth

RULING ANGEL: Hamaliel or Hamaiel, angel of perfection, surrounded by misty forest green.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Striving for perfection, Organizational skill, Methodical, Attention to detail, Efficiency, Healing Powers, Ability to persevere a routine but necessary task though to the end, Reliability.

COLORS: Green

⭐7. LIBRA, THE MAIDEN: SEPTEMBER 23- OCTOBER 23

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Blue lace agate, Blue chalcedony, Chrysocolla, Lapis Lazuli, White or Rainbow Opal, Blue quartz, Rubellite/red tourmaline, Blue sapphire.

PLANET: Venus

ELEMENT: Air

RULING ANGEL: Zuriel, the teacher, the pale blue angel who brings calm and reason to any situation.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Harmony, ability to see both sides of a situation, diplomacy peacemaking skills, a strong sense of justice and charisma.

COLOR: Light Blue

⭐8. SCORPIO, THE SCORPION: OCTOBER 24- NOVEMBER 22

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Black and Red coral, hematite, mahogany obsidian, malachite, black obsidian, black opal, black pearl, red spinel, titanium aura, unakite.

PLANET: Pluto

ELEMENT: Water

RULING ANGEL: Bariel, the angel of small miracles, who wears the color of sunset.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Intensity; Religious, Spiritual and Psychic awareness, ability to transform self and situations; the power to start over again or revive a stagnant situation.

COLOR: Indigo, Burgundy

⭐9. SAGITTARIUS, THE ARCHER: NOVEMBER 23- DECEMBER 21

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Orange aragonite, Aqua aura, Azurite, Iridescent bornite or peacock ore, chrysocolla, blue goldstone, goldstone, blue howlite, clear quartz, golden topaz, turquoise.

PLANET: Jupiter

ELEMENT: Fire

RULING ANGEL: Adnachiel or Advachiel, the angel of learning and exploration with bright yellow robes.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Expansiveness, love of travel and exploration, clear vision, seeker of truth, wide perspectives, flexibility, open-mindedness, optimism, enthusiasm, creativity, especially in writing.

COLOR: Bright Yellow

⭐10. CAPRICORN, THE GOAT: DECEMBER 22- JANUARY 20

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Green Aventurine, Bronzite, Fossilized or petrified wood, Red Garnet, Onyx, Rubellite/Red Tourmaline, Smoky Quartz, Tiger’s Eye, Tourmalated Quartz, Black Tourmaline.

PLANET: Saturn

ELEMENT: Earth

RULING ANGEL: Anael or Hanael, the protector and archangel of love and fidelity, surrounded by green, silver, and roses.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Wise caution, persistence regardless of opposition, respecter of tradition, ambition, self-discipline, loyalty, fidelity, and prudence with financial affairs.

COLORS: Indigo, Brown

⭐11. AQUARIUS, THE WATER CARRIER: JANUARY 21- FEBRUARY 18

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Amethyst, Andean blue opal, Angelite, Blue Celestite, Blue Quartz, Sodalite, Sugilite, Titanium aura.

PLANET: Uranus

ELEMENT: Air

RULING ANGEL: Cambiel, tall shadowy watcher or guardian archangel, guards you day and night from your own mistakes as well as external dangers.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Idealism, Independence , humanitarianism, inventiveness, detachment from swings of emotion and prejudices, unique perspective on the world.

COLOR: Dark Blue, Purple

⭐12. PISCES, THE FISH: FEBRUARY 19- MARCH 20

GEMS AND CRYSTALS: Aquamarine, clear aragonite, golden beryl, bloodstone, girosal quartz, pink and lilac kunzite, mother of pearl, ocean or orbicular jasper, watermelon tourmaline.

PLANET: Neptune

ELEMENT: Water

RULING ANGEL: Barakiel or Barchiel, the blue and gold archangel of lightning and good luck, who has lightning flashing from his halo.

ANGELIC CRYSTALLINE STRENGTHS: Evolved intuitive powers, sympathy and empathy with others, weaver of myths, awareness of hidden factors, ability to merge with surroundings, alternative spirituality.

COLOR: Soft white, mauve.