The Book of Shadows is one of the famous grimoires within the magical community, but it belongs specifically to the realm of Wicca.
The original Book of Shadows was the founding book of Wicca, the pagan religion founded by the British occultist Gerald Gardner in the 1950s. He claimed that the knowledge within it came from a secret coven of witches that continued to follow a fertility religion from ancient times. It was basically a cookbook of spells that had worked for those magical practitioners.
This spawned the modern Book of Shadows, which is like a Grimoire but less formal. Rather than claiming to record ancient magical wisdom, it is a personal diary in which witches and other magical practitioners can record the spells that they have developed or discovered and that have worked for them. It is believed that these books can be passed down between practitioners and added to over the generations.
Gardner’s original, handwritten, leather-bound Book of Shadows was found in his personal papers after his death and subsequently formed the basis of many published versions. Many subsequent Books of Shadows have been produced and published.
How to Create a Book of Shadows
Practitioners are encouraged to create their own Book of Shadows as part of their practice. It should be treated as a personal diary where you record your own magical experiments and spiritual experiences.
Consider the following tips for creating yours:
1. Choose a Book That Inspires You – Magical practices often depend on you feeling inspired, so you might want to choose a book for your Book of Shadows that inspired that part of your spirit, rather than a simple notebook. It is not necessary, but it is part of getting yourself in the right headspace.
2. Handwrite Your Book – There are plenty of people who choose to keep their Book of Shadows digitally, but handwriting your book, as the process of physically reading and writing, can help you feel more personally connected to the content.
3. Research Existing Books of Shadows – Spend time looking at other Books of Shadows and researching spells for inspiration about what to include and what kind of format you might like.
4. Write Down What You Do and Results – You can treat your Book of Shadows a bit like a science experiment notebook. When you choose to do a spell, write down in detail where you found the spell and how you conducted it, and also the results. This will help you discover what works for you.
5. Copy Magical Resources – Copy important resources that you think you will refer to repeatedly into your book, such as color correspondences for candle magic spells, which you can refer to regularly.
6. Include Things That Inspire You – As well as logging your magical experiments and resources, include art, texts, and anything else that inspires you and feeds into your philosophy and beliefs.
7. Commit to Spending Time with Your Book of Shadows – Commit to spending time with your Book of Shadows as your personal repository of magical knowledge. Spend time updating it, reading and revising its content, and connecting with it as an important object in your practice.
The Gardnerian Book of Shadows
Below is a general outline of what can be found in the Book of Shadows that was among Gardner’s papers, summarized according to Gardner’s own sections.
Casting a Circle
This section explains how to create a magic circle for ritual use. It introduces the use of an athame to draw an energetic circle. It also says that the circle should be consecrated with salt and water. The ritual includes an invocation of Aradia and Cernunnos and a final summons of the four cardinal points:
“I summon, stir, and call thee up, thou Mighty Ones of the East, South, West, and North.”
Drawing Down the Moon
Gardnerian Wicca is structured around a hierarchy that includes a high priestess of the coven. This section explains how she stands in front of the altar to call down the moon, including the following incantation:
“I invoke and beseech Thee, O mighty Mother of all life and fertility. By seed and root, by stem and bud, by leaf and flower and fruit, by Life and Love, do I invoke Thee to descend into the body of thy servant and High Priestess [name].”
Following this ritual, the Magus must give the fivefold kiss, kissing the feet, knees, womb, breasts, and lips of the priestess.
The Charge
This section explains how to call on the divine, which is essential for all initiation rituals. The ritual calls on multiple goddesses:
“Listen to the words of the Great mother, who of old was also called among men Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Diana, Arianrhod, Bride, and by many other names.”
Initiation: First Degree
Gardnerian Wicca involves three degrees of initiation, and this section explains initiation into the first degree. The initiate is required to respond to questions with the phrase “perfect love and perfect trust.” (This will be familiar to fans of The Craft (1995)). The ritual includes the coven leader holding a sword to the initiate’s breast and asking:
“O thou who standeth on the threshold between the pleasant world of men and the domains of the Dread Lords of the Outer Spaces, hast thou the courage to make the Assay? For I tell thee verily, it were better to rush on my weapon and perish miserably than to make the attempt with fear in thy heart.”
Initiation: Second Degree
When entering the second degree, the initiate takes a new name, given by the leader of the coven. The ritual includes the invocation:
“Repeat thy new name after me, I, (name), swear upon my mother’s womb and by mine Honor among men and among my brothers and sisters of the Art, that I will never reveal to any at all any of the secrets of the Art, except it be to a worthy person, properly prepared, in the center of a Magic Circle, such as I am now in. This I swear by my hopes of Salvation, my past lives, and my hopes of future ones to come, and I devote myself to utter destruction if I break this, my solemn oath.”
Initiation: Third Degree
The third degree was a more intense initiation, which included being tied to the altar and struck lightly to invoke the appropriate state of mind.
Cakes and Wine
This section explains that the Athame represents male energy and the cup female energy. It also says that ale and mead were used in the olden days, but today it is cake and wine.
Sabbat Rituals: November Eve
The invocation on this date acknowledges that the veil is thin between the world and the living and the dead at this time of year.
“Dread Lord of the shadows, god of life and the giver of life. Yet is the knowledge of thee the knowledge of death. Open wide, I pray thee, thy gates through which all must pass. Let our dear ones who have gone before return this night to make merry with us. And when our time comes, as it must, O thou the comforter, the consoler, the giver of peace and rest, we will enter thy realms gladly and unafraid, for we know that when rested and refreshed among our dear ones, we shall be born again by thy grace and the grace of the Great Mother. Let it be in the same place and the same time as our beloved ones, and may we meet and know, and love them again. Descend, we pray thee, upon thy servant and Priest (name).”
Sabbat Rituals: February Eve
This winter sabbat focuses on rebirth following the months of winter in the northern hemisphere.
“Dread Lord of death and Resurrection, life and the giver of life, Lord within ourselves, whose name is Mystery of Mysteries, encourage our hearts. Let the light crystallize in our blood, fulfilling us with resurrection, for there is no part of us that is not of the gods. Descend, we pray thee, upon this thy servant and Priest (name).”
Sabbat Rituals: May Eve
This sabbat introduces brooms as a witch’s tool for clearing out the cobwebs and welcoming in the summer.
“On do not tell the priests of our arts. For they would call it sin, for we will be in the woods all night, conjuring summer in. And we bring you good news by word of mouth. For women, cattle, and corn: The sun is coming up from the south, with oak and ash, and thorn. I invoke thee and call upon thee, O mighty Mother of us all, bringer of all fruitfulness, By seed and root, by stem and bud, by leaf and flower and fruit, by life and love, do we invoke thee, to descend upon the body of thy servant and Priestess here.”
Sabbat Rituals: August Eve
“O mighty Mother of us all, Mother of all fruitfulness, give us fruit and grain, flocks and herds and children to the tribe that we be mighty, by thy rosy love, do thou descend upon thy servant and Priestess (name) here.”
On Chants
This section discusses the importance of chants and how many have been lost from ancient times. It explains a focus on vowel chanting.
To Help the Sick
This section emphasizes greeting people with joy and helping those in need, where possible. It suggests that simply sharing positive energy can be a source of healing.
The Scourge and the Kiss
This section suggests binding the feet, knees, and wrists tightly to retard blood flow. Then you should scourge 40 or more times to make the skin tingle, and then invoke the goddess:
“Hail, Aradia, from the Amalthean horn Pour forth thy store of Love. I lowly bend before Thee! I invoke thee at the end, When other Gods are fallen and put to scorn. Thy foot is to my lips! My sighs inborn Rise, touch, curl about thy heart. Then spend, Pitiful Love, loveliest Pity, descend And bring me luck who am lonely and forlorn.”
You can then ask the goddess for help. It also explains how to make an anointing ointment:
“… take some glazed pans filled half full with grease or olive oil. Put in one sweet mint, marjoram in another, ground thyme in a 3rd, and it you may have it, patchouli, dried leaves pounded. Place pans in a hot water bath. Stir and cook for several hours, then pout into linen bags, and squeeze grease through into pans again, and fill up with fresh leaves. After doing this several times, the grease will be highly perfumed. Then mix all together and store in a well-corked jar. Anoint behind ears, throat, armpits, breasts, and womb.”
The Priestess and the Sword
This section says that when the priestess is invoking the male god, she should be holding a sword to represent male power.
The Warning
This section explains the importance of keeping a book of shadows, which should be a personal record of your magical works. Each member of the covern should have their own, which may involve copying from the books of more advanced practitioners.
Of the Ordeal of the Art Magical
This section explains that binding increases mental perception while sourging increases inner vision.
The Eightfold Way
This section explains the eightfold path to enlightenment:
- Meditation or Concentration
- Trance and Astral Projection
- Rites, Chants, Spells, Runes, Charms, etc.
- Incense, Drugs, Wine, etc.
- The Dance and Kindred Practices
- Blood Control
- The Scourge
- The Great Rite
It also outlines Five Essentials to this path:
- Intention
- Preparation
- The Circle
- Purification
- Consecrated Tools
To Gain the Sight
The grimoire suggests deep meditation, sometimes with fasting and flagellation, to gain visions. This should be done within the magical circle with incense, especially hum mastic, aromatic rush roots, cinnamon bark, musk, juniper, sandalwood, ambergris, or patchouli. It says not to be discouraged if it takes several attempts.
Power
Power can be drawn from the body and used by the skilled, but if it is not done within the magical circle, the power dissipates quickly. It suggests that mild substances can be used to help invoke the power. It comments that in ancient times, priests used blood sacrifices to control their power. The power exudes rapidly from the blood, rather than slowly from the body, in the modern method.
Properly Prepared
This section suggests that the practitioner should kneel naked before the altar, bound to inhibit blood flow to induce a trance state.
The Meeting Dance
This section describes a dance in which the members of the coven form a chain, one behind the other, with hands on the waist of the person in front, alternating man and woman. The first person then goes down the chain, kissing every person of the opposite gender, and so on.
To Leave the Body
It is explained that you must have gained “the sight” before you can try to leave the body. In a trance, try to push yourself out of the top of your head mentally. You will feel yourself drawn out of your body through a narrow opening and will find yourself standing beside your body. From here, you can wander, stay close at first until you have mastered the skill. To return to your body, think of your feet. Do this with a tutor when learning.
The Working Tools
At the time, there were no magical supply stores, so the book explains how to make magical tools from what is available. It suggests borrowing an Athame from another practitioner to mark your tools with symbols such as pentagrams. It suggests using a knife with a white handle rather than a sword, and making a source with eight tails with five knots in each tail. It explains consecrating your tools before every use.
Skyclad
It says to practice naked from the beginning so that it becomes natural and not a distraction. It ensures that nothing blocks the energetic flow.
A Revision of the Casting Procedure
This section suggests a chant when establishing the magic circle:
“I conjure Thee, O Circle of Space, that thou be a Boundary and a Protection and a meeting place between the world of Men and that of the Dread Lords of the OUTER SPACES, that Thou be cleansed, Purified, and strengthened to be a Guardian and a Protection that shall preserve and contain THAT POWER which we so earnestly desire to raise within thy bounds this night, wherefore do I bless thee and entreat thee to aid me in the endeavor, in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos.”
“I Invoke and beseech Thee, O mighty MOTHER of all life and fertility. ‘By seed and root, by stem and bud, by leaf and flower and fruit, by Life and Love, do I invoke Thee’ to descend into the body of thy servant and High Priestess (name).”
“Mother, Darksome and Divine, Mine the Scourge and Mine the Kiss, The Five-point Star of Love and Bliss; Here I charge ye in this Sign. (Opens out Arms to pentacle position)
Bow before my Spirit bright (All bow) Aphrodite, Arianrhod, Lover of the Horned God, Queen of Witchery and Night.
Diana, Brigid, Melusine, Am I named of old by men, Artemis and Cerridwen, Hell’s dark mistress, Heaven’s Queen.
Ye who ask of me a boon, Meet ye in some hidden shade, Lead my dance in greenwood glade By the light of the full moon.
Dance about mine altar stone, Work my holy magistry, Ye who are fain of sorcery, I bring ye secrets yet unknown.
No more shall ye know slavery who tread my round the Sabbat night. Come ye all naked to the rite In sign that ye are truly free.
Keep ye my mysteries in mirth, Heart joined to heart and lip to lip. Five are the points of fellowship that bring ye ecstasy on Earth.
No other law but love I know; By naught but love may I be known, And all that liveth is my own: From me they come, to me they go.”
The Prose Charge
This section provides a revision of the charge ritual, reflecting that the Book of Shadows is a work in progress, with the practitioner improving rituals as they learn and become more experienced.
Cakes and Wine
A further revision section.
Sabbat Rituals: Spring Equinox
Place symbols of the wheel on the altar decked with flowers and flanked with burning candles. Place the cauldron, containing spirits, in the east, the Magus in the west, the High Priestess in the east with a Phallic wand with a pinecone-tipped wand, or broomstick. The invocation is:
“We kindle fire this day! In the presence of the Holy Ones: Without malice, without jealousy, without envy. Without fear of aught beneath the sun.But the High Gods.
Thee we invoke: O light of life: Be thou a bright flame before us: Be thou a guiding star above us: Be thou a smooth path beneath us;
Kindle thou in our hearts within, A flame of love for our neighbor, To our foes, to our friends, to our kindred all: To all men on this broad Earth.
O merciful son of Cerridwen, From the lowest thing that liveth To the name that is highest of all.”
Sabbat Rituals: Summer Solstice
Place the cauldron on the altar filled with water and wreathed with summer flowers. Form a circle around the cauldron and hold hands.
“Great One of Heaven, Power of the Sun, we invoke thee in thine ancient names, Michael, Balin, Arthur, Lugh, Herne. Come again, as of old, into this thy land. Lift up thy shining spear of light to protect us. Put to flight the powers of darkness, give us fair woodlands and green fields, blossoming orchards and ripening corn. Bring us to stand upon thy hill of vision, and show us the path to the lovely realms of the gods.”
Sabbat Rituals: Autumn Equinox
Decorate the altar with symbols of autumn, pine cones, oak sprigs, acorns, or ears of corn, and there should be a fire or burning incense.
“Farewell, O Sun, ever returning light. The hidden god, who ever yet remains. He departs to the land of youth, through the gates of death, to dwell enthroned, the judge of gods and man. The horned leader of the hosts of air. Yet, even as stand unseen about the circle the forms of the Mighty Lords of the Outer Spaces,. So dwelleth he, ‘the lord within ourselves’. So dwelleth he within the secret seed, the seed of new reaped grain, the seed of flesh, hidden in the earth, the marvellous seed of the stars. ‘In him is life, and life is the light of men [John 1:4],’ that which was never born and never dies. Therefore the Wicca weep not, but rejoice.”
Sabbat Rituals: Winter Solstice
Place the cauldron of Cerridwen in the circle at the south, wreathed with holly, ivy, and mistletoe, with a fire lighted within it. Draw down the moon calling:
“Queen of the Moon, Queen of the Sun. Queen of the Heavens, Queen of the Stars.
Queen of the Waters, Queen of the Earth. Who ordained to us the child of promise:
It is the Great Mother who gives birth to him, He is the Lord of Life who is born again, Darkness and tears are set behind, And the star of guidance comes up early.
Golden sun of hill and mountain illumine the land, illumine the world, illumine the seas, illumine the rivers, Grief be laid, and joy be raised.
Blessed be the Great Mother, Without beginning, without ending, To everlasting, to eternity, I O. Evohe, Blessed be.”
The Eightfold Path or Ways
Clarifies that the purpose is to combine the eight steps into one operation.
First-Degree Initiation
Minor revisions to the ritual, including a circle conjuring chant:
“I conjure thee, O Circle of Power, that thou beest as a Boundary and a Protection to contain the magic power which I will raise within thy bounds. So do I bless thee, in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos.”
Second-Degree Initiation
Minor revision to the ritual, including acting out the legend of the Goddess and the Horned One.
Third-Degree Initiation
Minor revision to the ritual, including the invocation:
“Thou who at moon of night doth reign, Queen of the starry realm above, ‘Not unto Thee may we attain Unless Thine Image be of Love.’
By moon-rays silver shaft of power, By green leaf breaking from the bud, By seed that springeth into flower, By life that courseth in the blood.
By rushing wind and leaping flame, By flowing water and green earth, Pour us the wine of our desire From out Thy Cauldron of Rebirth.
Here may we see in vision clear The Secret Strange unveiled at length, The wondrous Twin-Pillars rear Erect in Beauty and in Strength.
Altar of Mysteries manifold, The Sacred Circle’s central point, Thus do I sign thee as of old, With kisses of my lips anoint.
Open for me the Secret Way, The pathway of intelligence, Between the Gates of Night and Day, Beyond the bounds of time and sense.
Behold the Mystery aright, The Five True Points of Fellowship, Here where the Lance and Grail unite, And feet and knees and breast and lips.”
The Witches’ Chant or Rune
Includes the chant:
Darksome night and Shining Moon, East, then South, then West, then North, Harken to the Witches Rune: Here come I to call thee forth.
Earth and Water, Air and Fire, Wand and Pentacle, and Sword, Work ye unto my desire, Harken ye unto my word.
Cords and Censer, Scourge and knife, Powers of the Witches’ Blade, Waken all ye into life, Come ye as the Charm is made:
Queen of Heaven, Queen of Hell, Horned Hunter of the Night, Lend your power unto the Spell, Work my will by Magic Rite.
If chant is used to reinforce a work already begun, end with this:
By all the power of land and sea, by all the might of moon and sun, What is my will- “So mote it be, “What I do say- “It shall be done.”
Consecrating Tools
To prepare your sword or Athame, use the following chant:
“I conjure thee, O Sword (or Athame) of Steel, that thou servest me for a strength and a defence in all magical operations, against all mine enemies, visible and invisible, in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos. I conjure thee anew by the Holy Names Aradia and Cernunnos, that thou servest me for a protection in all adversities, so aid me.”
The Old Laws
Explains old laws that applied to covens and how they can be applied in the modern context (of 1961).
The Verse Charge
Another powerful spell chant:
“I the Mother, darksome and divine, Say to thee, Oh children mine (All ye assembled at mine Shrine), Mine the scourge and mine the kiss The five-point star of love and bliss Here I charge ye in this sign. (Assume Goddess position.)
All ye assembled here tonight Bow before my spirit bright Aphrodite, Arianrhod, Lover of the Horned God, Mighty Queen of Witchery and night
Astarte, Hecate, Ashtaroth, Dione, (Morrigan, Etain, Nisene), Diana, Brigid, Melusine, Am I named of old by men, Artemis and Cerridwen, Hell’s dark mistress, Heaven’s Queen.
(Whene’er trouble comes anoon) All who would learn of me a Rune Or would ask of me a boon, Meet ye in some secret glade Dance my round in greenwood shade, by the light of the full moon.
(In a place wild and lone) With the comrades alone, Dance about my altar stone. Work my holy Magistry, Ye who are fain of sorcery, I bring ye secrets yet unknown.
(Whate’er troubles come to thee), No more shall ye know slavery Who give due worship unto me, Who tread my round on Sabbat-night. Come ye all naked to the rite, In token ye be truly free.
I teach the mystery of rebirth, Keep ye my mysteries in mirth. Heart joined to heart, and lip to lip, Five are the points of fellowship That bring ye ecstasy on Earth.
I ask no offerings, do but bow, No other law but love I know, By naught but love I may be known, All that liveth is mine own From me they come, to me they go.”
Casting and Charging
Another chant for creating a magic circle:
“I conjure thee, O Circle of Power, that thou be a Boundary and a Protection and a meeting place between the world of men and the realms of the Mighty Ones, A Guardian and a Protection that shall preserve and contain the Power which we shall raise within thee, Wherefore do I Bless and Consecrate thee.”
Forming the Circle
Explains that the circle should have a diameter of nine feet, drawn in chalk. Then cover this line with water and salt, starting in the east and ending in the east.
You can find the full text of the Gardnerian Book of Shadows online here.
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