Magick: Creating a Book of Shadows

A Book of Shadows, also known as a Grimoire, Craft Glossary, or Living Book, is a personal journal or workbook that practitioners of neopagan arts compile, that can comprise of rituals, spells, glossaries, symbols, mantras, affirmations, and so forth. Composing such a journal is a very personal activity that evolves as your practice does. Here are the opening pages and sections of our Living Book that you can borrow from in framing your new one! Fancy bound books are gorgeous, but also prove hard to edit. We recommend getting yourself a nice binder, dividers, and maybe even some sheet protectors. Its inconspicuous, durable, and easy to modify throughout your journey.


Section I, Introduction
Dedication Page 
A dedication page is an opening page where you can list your intentions, goals, beliefs, or purposes for your Book. You can also include a Book Blessing, Warning or Binding phrase.

"I place my faith in and accept as my doctrine a personal pathway to cultivating inner peace, manifesting powerful intentions, and nourishing my mind, body, and spirit.

If this book is discovered, in whatever format, it should be known that its contents were never intended for eyes other than its author and that it should, respectfully, be closed."

Vows & Rights
List objectives or vows that you strive to live by. These are the morals and guidelines of your private practice.


"I will strive to be: a protector, a refuge, a home & a haven. I will give gifts, guard ethics, enhance patience, work with effort, enter into concentration, analyze with wisdom & study skillful methods, all for the welfare, benefit & happiness of all sentient beings. To be respectful, humble, contented & grateful. 

I will strive to retain: right perspective, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness & right concentration. 

I will strive to cultivate: generosity, virtue, renunciation, wisdom, diligence, patience, truthfulness, determination, compassion & serenity. 

I will strive to refrain from: self-indulgence, praising myself or belittling others, harming living creatures, taking that which is not given, false speech, harboring ill will, associating with the foolish & keeping poor companions. 

I will strive to encourage others to: do good, rejoice in one's prosperity, not in one's misfortune and praise those who speak well for themselves.

Beliefs, Deities, Spirits, & Guides
List and define anything that you believe in or wish to commune with, whatever form that takes. Give mention to any Gods you believe in, worship, or whose archetypes you appreciate or want to invoke.

"I believe the soul is defined as the collection of an individual's memories, will, spirit, karma, and conscience."

I believe that guides are spirits or essences, perhaps in the form of animals, either sought out or by, which aid an individual in speaking, acting or otherwise moving in one's chosen path or direction."

Chants, Prayer, & Meditation
List on this page any favored methods of your practice. This section can easily grow to include many pages or poems. Perhaps include tried-and-true ones or common prayers always read at the beginning of your craft or group work.

"Meditation is any form of a family of exercises in which a practitioner can train their mind to self-induce a mode of consciousness to actualize a desired benefit. Meditation is generally an introspective, personal practice, that individuals do alone or in groups. Prayer beads or other ritual objects are commonly used during meditation. Meditation may involve invoking or cultivating a feeling or internal state, such as compassion, or attending to a specific focal point, goal, chakra or color."

Magick and Energy
This page is a good exercise to identify what Magick means and look likes to you. What agick should be used for and what it should not.


"I believe that magick is an invocation through various craftwork to broadcast the energies associated therein for the purpose of manifesting a desired outcome. Often put as, "change that one wills." Magick is intuitive and unseen in nature. It should only be used to promote benign intentions and to banish the ill will of others. It should never be used to inflict harm or punish others.

I believe that energy is the vitality associated with living things, the vibrations of auras, stones and inanimate objects, and collections of thoughts, desires or intentions. I believe that energy is transferable and infectious."

Reasons to Rite
Work. Money. Education. Goals. Banishing. Materials. Friends and Family. Health. Legal Matters. Love. Home. Travel. Emotions. Cleansing. Communication. Blessing.

Section II, Glossary, Correspondences
Preferred Symbols, Planets, Sigils, Elements, Herbs
Allow yourself an entire section to collect your favorite symbols and associations. This section can include planetary signs, astrological or alchemical symbols, angelic scripts, magical alphabets, runes, herbs, and so on. This is your index or glossary of energies and associations. Greco-roman mythology is the most prevalent, but dare to branch out into the mythologies of Egypt, Germany, Japan, and so on. For Herbalism, check out the PDF of Scott Cunningham's 'Magical Encyclopedia of Herbs' also in our links and sidebar.

"Hera (Juno) - Roman symbol for the goddess, that is used for the asteroid Juno. The symbol reflects her penchant of peacocks."

Almanac, Holy Days, Wheel of the Year
Pagan calendars with Sabbats, moon phases, and other historical observances are available online. Check our links page or sidebar for sites with printable material. Keeping a current almanac is crucial in planning out your month and completing crafts with the changes of the moon and seasons.
Winter's Edge, Samhain – November 1, Witch's New Year, The Commitment
Brumal Solstice, Midwinter, Yule – December 20-22, Day of Longest Night, The Fortification
Spring's Edge, Imbolc – February 1, The Quickening, Enduring the Winter
Vernal Equinox, Midspring, Ostara – March 20-22, First Day of Spring
Summer's Edge, Beltane – May 1, The Celebration of Life
Estival Solstice, Midsummer, Litha – June 20-22, Day of the Longest Daylight, The Purification
Autumn's Edge, Lammas – August 1, The Harvest
Autumnal Equinox, Midautumn, Mabon – September 20-22, Thanksgiving
Section III - Journal, Dreams
It's a best practice to keep scratch paper to record thoughts, dreams, insights, or intuitions. This is a great place to sketch images, symbols, or sigils you create. You can leave this section open if you free meditate with music, so you can jot down anything you uncover. In this space, you can also scribe daily mantras, affirmations, or things to manifest.

Section IV-..., Rituals, Spells, Crafts
Lastly, the following sections should be the spells and rituals that you borrow and create for your practice. You can divide your sections by particular disciplines you're studying or working with (astrology, tarot, runes), by different schools of magick (candle, hoodoo, lunar), or by purpose (peace, love, binding).

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for our book, please write us in the comments go! Stay tuned for our favorite spells and rituals.

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