book of shadow or a spell book

Hi all, I just don't think it matters it's back ground of a book of shadow. As in England we call it that anyway and a book that just has spells and rituals is called a "spell book".
I like to have at less one book of shadow as it has all the info you gethered up throughout the years and even if you do not worship the diety, it still gives you all that you've learned and you still can put in your spells, rituals, the 8 sabbats and so on. So you can look back on them if you ever need to.
Also if you keep a book of shdow or a spell book, at less there be records for the future and anyone like your family (that if you have anyone to pass it on to).
The spell book is only for your spells and rituals which you can put in any items and chants etc.

My 1st BoS which is the one that is full up is in a Harry Potter ring binder file/folder, but the problem is that I cannot find them any more. It was good as I can take out just one sheet of paper at a time and then when I'd finished with it; I can then put it back again.

I have seen a book that is black leather and it has 300 pages (but the pages do not come out). It has no writting on it so I can use it for what ever I like.

Best Regards & Blessings!

Originally Posted by goldentimes

Hi All,... I don't know to get another book of shadows or just get a spell book .

What would be the diffidence between them?
what would be the best, another book of shadow or a spell book?
And what be the pros and cons?

I would love to hear from you
Best Regards & Blesssings!

i personally think that the best way to go is to get both, that way you have your personal record and a way to find out spells that you might not have been able to on your own.

Hi Ravenlord, I did thought about that as well and I did get both which I'm finding it a lot better.

Regards & Blessings!

I keep my BOS on the computer for ease of use. I will eventually print it all out and put it in a binder. I don't think there is anything wrong with having more than one volume. The more you learn and grow the more info you collect so I can see it happening.

[EbonyDoe]

Like Ashliew, I keep mine on a flash-drive because my handwriting is horrible. I can use fancy fonts that make it look handwritten and images and make it look nicer than if I tired by hand. I did plan to print it but it's gotten so big I'd have to take it to one of those printing places to do it lol

[miss_vanora]

I have 2. I have my informational BOS with the Wiccan Rede, information about each of the sabbats, moon phases, etc., which is almost filled and I will be creating a Volume 2, and then there's my BOS where I write down all my spells and rituals.

I would agree with the post above! Make a volume two!

[Jenny Crow]

Originally Posted by Occultist

Gardenarian is a religion formed by Gerald Gardner has nothing to do with Magic weaving. Dianic Wicca is intertwined with Gardenarian more worship of the Goddess and feminism, Witchcraft doesnt believe in a diety just the magick user. So I try to stay away from the idea of the BOS..

Gotta jump in here, lol. the Gardnerian Tradition is a tradition formed by Gardner, as you say, however it was based on earlier paths of natural magic but also incorporated certain material from Ceremonial Magic and rites of the Golden Dawn. Dianic Wicca is one of the many offshoots of Gardnerian Witchcraft which focuses on a single Goddess and feminism whereas the Gardnerian trad honours a female and male deity.

Gardner himself was a scholar of magic and the Gardnerian tradition includes and teaches how to perform magic which is an important part of the tradition.

You say Witchcraft doesn't believe in a deity - I'm thinking you mean the practitioners of Witchcraft don't believe in a deity - however, I've met Witches who do believe in a deity and Witches who don't work with a deity.

As far as the BoS is concerned, when it gets to the point of having to start another one you could keep your spells in a separate book, then they would all be together. I have my spells arranged in categories e.g. healing spells, protection spells etc. etc.

Jenny Crow

[norseman]

I tend to agree with my friend, Occultist, Jenny. People need to read Gardner a lot deeper. By profession, he was a P.R./advertising man and was into most arcane practices, occidental and oriental. Wicca was "assembled" from many sources. Gardner worked with Ross Nichol [founder of the largest order of Neo-Druids] . The two of them collaborated over both Wicca and Druidism and both of them were ordained christian priests. He included a down-tuned version of Witchcraft which tends to be side-lined by many wiccans in favour of the "smoke and mirrors" of the rituals.

I don't have a BOS. What I have are "keys" to the doors of my memory architecture. The keys are mostly photographic, although I do keep certain objects [ feathers, pinecones, interesting pebbles, etc] that I pick up on my ramblings. In my opinion, all Craft workings boil down to a three word mantra - Intent-Focus-Will - and, of course, The Quiet Mind.

When it comes to deities, it does amuse me that wiccans do a pik-n-mix of every pantheon known. Craft workers, in general these days, seem to be Ultra-Greens and their deity is characterised as Gaia.
But, at the end of the day, we all follow our own paths.

I heard that some of the more up to date Witches use a Flash Drive as a B.O.S.

I concede that they are quiet small and would need to be kept in a safe place so as not to lose it.

As I write , I can picture in my minds eye a sacred carved Wooden Box , containing a Crystal, An Acorn or Pine Cone a sprig of herbs , A Boline or Athame and a 4 GB Cruzer Flash Drive...(Quiet incongruous, but , I am sure , a sign of the times )

As far a my understanding extends however , it is the content that defines the B.O.S.