You're new to the craft, and you don't know where to begin!
Confining as they may be, we find comfort in labels. If you can just figure out which kind of witch you are, gain a sense of where you belong, then you can figure out your next move. Green witch? Kitchen witch? You can even go with eclectic, which means a little bit of this, a little bit of that... but just how much of "this" and "that" do you choose?
You're overwhelmed. I get it.
Your bank account cringes when you realize there are so many tools you suddenly need! Crystals, Tarot cards, pendulums, herbs, candles-- which ones, what do they mean, how do you use them?
The information online is endless and discordant. Perhaps you try joining online forums or Facebook groups and you discover that everyone has a way, but is it necessarily your way? It's starting to feel a little cramped in your brain. You need to siphon off some of the stimuli, somehow.
As happy as it makes me to know that there is no "right" way to go about it, it's also infuriating because I appreciate a little direction. If I don't know anything about anything, that includes where the start line is.
Start with a Book of Shadows.
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| My first! |
The Book of Shadows is, first and foremost, a journal. I know firsthand how therapeutic journaling can be, but don't take my word for it. Read more on why it's a good idea to keep a journal, witchy or not, but chances are you are already aware of how useful journaling is to focus, free, or heal the mind.
Before you pick out your journal -- whether it's a 50-cent composition book like mine or a lovingly leather-clad tome with creamy, thick, faux-aged pages -- make peace with this fact:
There, I said it.
It doesn't matter if you think you're too anal-retentive to have a "messy" BoS. Get over it, or you -- like me -- will just hold on to blank books for years, too afraid to put your pen to the page, overcome with fear that... what, exactly? It won't look neat? You'll write down something silly or nonsensical?
A Book of Shadows is private, whether you're in or out of the broom closet. Therefore: who cares what it looks like? No one but you is going to see it. I like to think of the mess on the pages as a "transference" of sorts. Better on paper than in my head!
You have obtained your book (or even a 3-ring binder, if the flexibility of moving things around appeals to you). You're still apprehensive as to how to begin. OK, not a problem!
Make your book yours. I spend some time decorating the covers. Then, I like to honor my book with some "front matter." For my first BoS, I included a poem:
For another, I created a kind of mood board, where I glued images that I felt represented my "vibe."
Many witches recommend writing a protection spell on the first page! Here is an example (but feel free to dip into word witchery to create one of your own):
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| Ah! I love that it looks like a vase! :-) |
Try to make writing in your BoS a daily activity, even if it's only for a few minutes. Here are some ideas to kickstart your entries:
•Pick up a book on the craft that looks interesting. Go with your gut for this one, just make sure it's targeted toward beginners. I can recommend an accessible book like The Modern Guide to Witchcraft: Your Complete Guide to Witches, Covens, and Spells, but again: go with what looks good to you. Read some reviews! Purchase your book (please, please, from a small business). Take notes in your BoS, but also respond to your notes! Write down what you thought, or why this feels important to you!
•Write down your dreams as soon as you wake up. Sketch images from your memory. Research their symbolism. Write it down.
•Copy a recipe for a simmer pot. Not only do they cleanse your home, they simply smell amazing-- definitely improves the energy around you! Research the metaphysical properties of herbs (for example, rosemary is great for purification and protection... throw a few sprigs into your pot and meditate on its potential effects in your home!).
•Draw a daily Tarot card (or do a daily spread) and write down what you see, what it makes you feel, what it could represent. Compare your interpretations to the theory (but beware, there are endless interpretations to the cards, and yours are no less valid than anything online or published).
Once you get into the habit, you might even find yourself needing to keep several journals simultaneously (such as one for Tarot, one for spells, etc.), so if you have the burning desire to compartmentalize and super-structure your research, go for it!
If you absolutely need to separate your emotional responses to/experiences with your practice from the theoretical stuff (let's say you need a custom reference book that you can turn to if you need to look up a particular spell for a specific reason), then you, my friend, need a Grimoire... but more on that at a later date!
Have fun letting loose with your Book of Shadows!
Blessed be!
-Mercy
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