Mr. Humphreys and His Inheritance | Tony Scull | 1976
A Pleasant Terror: The Life and Ghosts of M.R. James | Clive Dunn | 1995
Children of the Stones | Peter Graham Scott | 1977
Blade Runner | Ridley Scott | 1982
Witchfinder General | Michael Reeves | 1968
Against the Crowd: Murrain | John Cooper | 1975
Beasts: Baby | John Nelson-Burton | 1976
The Blood on Satan’s Claw | Piers Haggard | 1971
Wake Wood | David Keating | 2009
A Field in England | Ben Wheatley | 2013
To the Devil a Daughter | Peter Sykes | 1976
A Photograph | John Glenister | 1977
Blade Runner 2049 | Denis Villeneuve | 2017
Kill List | Ben Wheatley | 2011
Cuadecuc Vampir | Pere Portabella | 1971
La tempesta (Short) | Pere Portabella | 2003
No al no: Visca el piano! (Short) | Pere Portabella | 2006
Count Dracula | Jesús Franco | 1970
The Wicker Man | Robin Hardy | 1973
The City of the Dead | John Llewellyn Moxey | 1960
Whistle and I’ll Come to You | Jonathan Miller | 1968
Whistle and I’ll Come to You | Andy De Emmony | 2010
The Stalls of Barchester | Lawrence Gordon Clark | 1971
A Warning to the Curious | Lawrence Gordon Clark | 1972
The Devil Rides Out | Terence Fisher | 1968
Curse of the Crimson Altar | Vernon Sewell | 1968
Quatermass and the Pit | Roy Ward Baker | 1967
Doctor Strange |
Scott Derrickson | 2016
The Witches | Cyril Frankel | 1966
The Witch | Robert Eggers | 2015
Simon, King of the Witches | Bruce Kessler | 1971
Lost Hearts | Lawrence Gordon Clark | 1973
The Treasure of Abbot Thomas | Lawrence Gordon Clark | 1974
The Ash Tree | Lawrence Gordon Clark | 1975
Mark of the Devil | Michael Armstrong / Adrian Hoven | 1970
The Lair of the White Worm | Ken Russell | 1988
La sorcière (AKA The Blonde Witch) | André Michel | 1956
Häxan | Benjamin Christensen | 1922
Witchcraft Through the Ages | Benjamin Christensen | 1968
Hausu (House) | Nobuhiko Ôbayashi | 1977
Bold = Top Ten
Some notes: “Folk Horror” was the starting point and underlying theme of my Halloween viewing which dominated October this year. Aside from a short dip into the Dracula story (prompted by Second Run’s Blu-ray release of Cuadecuc Vampir) I set off into films and TV concerning secret Pagan communities and ancient horrors hidden behind seemingly charming bucolic scenery like The Wicker Man, Robin Redbreast, Kill List, The Blood on Satan’s Claw, and even some urban sci-fi folk horror in Quatermass and the Pit. On the one hand this led into a more general genre of films featuring covens, black magic and witches, and on the other a revisiting of the BBC’s Ghost Stories for Christmas adaptations of M.R. James’ stories, set distinctively in British landscapes.
BTW Marvel’s Doctor Strange wasn’t an official part of my Halloween watch list, it was a coincidental lending by a work colleague, but I guess at least it fitted in thematically!
Your Book of Shadows (BOS), is a very sacred, personal tool used to store valuable information you’ll need in your tradition, whatever it may be. You will come across a lot of knowledge on your journey and so it’s a great idea to start a journal of sorts to keep it all organized for reference in ritual, spellwork, and any other spiritual work. In this post you will find a basic method to help you get started in making your own BOS. Don’t let anyone tell you there’s only one way to make your BOS - use what works best for you!
SOME HISTORY
Gerald Gardner claimed to have produced the first Book of Shadows and is believed to have coined the term. Of course, many belief systems and individuals have been recording magical and spiritual experience far before his time.
His first draft was initially known as “Ye Bok of ye Art Magical” (renamed The Book of Shadows in 1949) It was believed that there existed a Sanskrit book of divination which explained how to foretell things based upon the length of a person’s shadow. This is believed to be where Gerald Gardner came up with the name “Book of Shadows”.
Gardner told his early students in the Brickett Wood coven that the Book of Shadows was a personal cookbook of spells that have worked for him personally, and that they were welcome to copy from it, and to add or remove material as they saw fit.
Traditionally, the Book of Shadows was always hand-written by the individual, and a common custom for new initiates into a coven was to hand-copy the teacher’s Book of Shadows exactly as it appeared, and then later to add their own material as they progressed in the craft. Some Wiccans keep two Books of Shadows: one book of core rituals which does not change, and from which new initiates copy; and another coven book for ritual use, which is different from group to group and may contain much added material, some of it traded between covens. Today, however, with the advantages of technology, they are often typed and photocopied, or even computerized onto discs or websites.
In modern Eclectic Wiccan terminology, a Book of Shadows is more of a personal magical journal rather than a traditional text, and it exists to record rituals, spells and their results, and other magical information of an individual or coven, and is not normally passed from teacher to student.
METHODS OF CREATION
1. TRADITIONAL: To make your Book of Shadows, begin with a blank notebook. A popular method is to use a three-ring binder so items can be added and rearranged as needed. If you use this style of BOS, you can use sheet protectors as well, which is great for preventing candle wax and other ritual drippings from getting on the pages! You can also utilize the sheet protectors by leaving page numbers blank on your paper pages and using a dry erase marker on the sheet protector to write down the page numbers on both content and the table of contents to easily keep things organized and rearrangeable.
2. DIGITAL:
Keep in mind that as our technology is constantly changing, the way we use it does too - there are people who keep their BOS completely digitally on a flash drive, their laptop, or even stored virtually to be accessed by their favorite mobile device. A BOS pulled up on a smartphone is no less valid than one copied by by hand in ink onto parchment. We’re all on the go pretty much constantly, and if you’re someone who prefers to have your BOS immediately accessible - and editable - at any time, you might want to consider a digital BOS. If you choose to go this route, there are a number of different apps you can use that will make organization easier. If you’ve got access to a tablet, laptop, or phone, you can absolutely make a digital Book of Shadows!
3. DIGITAL + TRADITIONAL: You can also design your pages digitally, print them off, and organize them in a handbound journal or three-ring binder. This is my preferred method because it’s quick and pretty. If you aren’t artistically inclined, there are premade BOS pages available for print-off on Pinterest.
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR BOOK OF SHADOWS
When it comes to the contents of your personal BOS, there are a few sections that are nearly universally included.
1. Your Title Page
Your title page should include your name (or magical name, if you see fit). Make it fancy or simple, depending on your preference, but remember that the BOS is a magical object and should be treated accordingly. Many witches simply write, “The Book of Shadows of [your name]” on the front page.
2. Laws of Your Coven or Tradition (Beliefs)
Believe it or not, magic has rules. While they may vary from group to group, it’s a really good idea to keep them at the front of your BOS as a reminder of what constitutes acceptable behavior and what doesn’t. If you’re part of an eclectic tradition that doesn’t have written rules, or if you’re a solitary witch, this is a good place to write down what you think are acceptable rules of magic. After all, if you don’t set yourself some guidelines, how will you know when you’ve crossed over them?
This may include a variation on the Wiccan Rede, or some similar concept.
3. A Dedication
If you’ve been initiated into a coven, you may want to include a copy of your initiation ceremony here. However, many Wiccans dedicate themselves to a God or Goddess long before they become part of a coven. This is a good place to write out who you are dedicating yourself to, and why. This can be a lengthy essay, or it can be as simple as saying, “I, [your name], dedicate myself to [insert deity] today, [insert date].”
4. Gods and Goddesses
Depending on what pantheon or tradition you follow, you may have a single God and Goddess, or a number of them. Your BOS is a good place to keep legends and myths and even artwork concerning your Deity. If your practice is an eclectic blend of different spiritual paths, it’s a good idea to include that here.
5. Correspondence Tables
When it comes to spellcasting, correspondence tables are some of your most important tools. Phases of the moon, herbs, stones and crystals, colors – all have different meanings and purposes. Keeping a chart of some sort in your BOS guarantees that this information will be at the ready when you really need it. If you have access to a good almanac, it’s not a bad idea to record a year's’ worth of moon phases by date in your BOS.
6. Sabbats, Esbats, and Other Rituals
The Wheel of the Year includes eight holidays for most Wiccans and Pagans, although some traditions do not celebrate all of them. Your BOS can include rituals for each of the Sabbats. For example, for Samhain you may wish to create a rite that honors your ancestors and celebrates the end of the harvest, while for Yule you may want to write down a celebration of the winter Solstice. A Sabbat celebration can be as simple or complex as you wish.
If you’ll be celebrating each full moon, you’ll want to include an Esbat rite in your BOS. You can use the same one each month, or create several different ones tailored to the time of year. You may also wish to include sections on how to cast a circle and Drawing Down the Moon, a rite that celebrates the invoking of the Goddess at the time of the full moon. If you’ll be doing any rites for healing, prosperity, protection, or other purposes, be sure to include them here.
7. Divination
If you’re learning about Tarot, scrying, astrology, or any other form of divination, keep information in here. When you experiment with new methods of divination, keep a record of what you do and results you see in your Book of Shadows.
8. Sacred Texts
While it’s fun to have a bunch of new shiny books on Wicca and Paganism to read, sometimes it’s just as nice to have information that’s a little more established. If there is a certain text that appeals to you, such as The Charge of the Goddess, an old prayer in an archaic language, or a particular chant that moves you, include it in your Book of Shadows.
9. Magical Recipes
There’s a lot to be said for “kitchen witchery,” because for many people, the kitchen is the center of hearth and home. As you collect recipes for oils, incense, or herb blends, keep them in your BOS. You may even want to include a section of food recipes for Sabbat celebrations.
10. Spell Crafting
Some people prefer to keep their spells in a separate book called a grimoire, but you can also keep them in your Book of Shadows. It’s easier to keep spells organized if you divide them up by purpose: prosperity, protection, healing, etc. With each spell you include - particularly if you write your own rather than using someone else’s ideas - make sure you also leave room to include information on when the working was performed and what the outcome was.
11. Other Ideas
Check this link for other ideas on the subject matter to incorporate into your BOS (or a premade one you can purchase.)
OTHER HELPFUL TIPS
Many Pagans feel a BOS should be handwritten, but as technology progresses, some use their computer to store information as well. Don’t let anyone tell you there’s only one way to make your BOS - use what works best for you!
Bear in mind that a BOS is considered a sacred tool, which means it is an item of power that should be consecrated with all of your other magical tools.
If you’re going the traditional route, make sure you write legibly enough that you’ll be able to read your notes during a ritual!
Please keep in mind that one does not have to practice magic or even be Pagan in order to create a BOS. One can simply record their spiritual journey and experiences.
You can also call it something else if the ‘Book of Shadows’ term makes you uncomfortable.
What format should you use? Some witches are known to create elaborate Books of Shadows in secret, magical alphabets. Unless you’re fluent enough in one of these systems that you can read it without having to check notes or a chart, stick with your native language.
The biggest dilemma with any Book of Shadows is how to keep it organized. You can use tabbed dividers, create an index at the back, or if you’re really super-organized, a table of contents in the front. As you study and learn more, you’ll have more information to include – this is why the three-ring binder is such a practical idea. Some people choose instead to use a simple bound notebook, and just add to the back of it as they discover new items.
If you find a rite, spell or piece of information somewhere else, be sure to note down the source. It will help you keep organized, and you’ll start to recognize patterns in authors’ works. You may also want to add a section that includes books you’ve read, as well as what you thought of them. This way, when you get a chance to share information with others, you’ll remember what you’ve read.
