Creating A Book Of Shadows :)

1. 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! Whatever you select, your title page should include your name. 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. 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. While a spell looks beautiful written out in flowing Elvish script or Klingon lettering, the fact is that it’s just hard to read unless you’re an Elf or a Klingon.
   When it comes to the contents of your personal BOS, there are a few sections that are nearly universally included.
   
3. Laws of your coven or tradition: 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.
   
4. 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, Willow, dedicate myself to the Goddess today, June 21, 2007.”
   
5. 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.
   
6. 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 years’ worth of moon phases by date in your BOS.
   
7. Sabbat 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.
   
8. Other rituals: 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.
   
9. Herbs: Ask any experienced Pagan or Wiccan about a specific herb, and chances are good that they’ll expound on not only the magical uses of the plant but also the healing properties and history of use. Herbalism is often considered the core of spellcasting, because plants are an ingredient that people have used for literally thousands of years. Put together a section in your BOS for herbs and their uses. Remember, many herbs should not be ingested, so it’s important to research thoroughly before you take anything internally.
   
10. 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.
    
11. 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.
    
12. 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.
    
13. Spell workings: 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, make sure you also leave room to include information on when the working was performed and what the outcome was.
    
14. 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.
    
15. You may want to use one notebook for information copied from books or downloaded off the Internet, and another for original creations. Regardless, find the method that works best for you, and take good care of your Book of Shadows. After all, it’s a sacred object and should be treated accordingly!
    

What is a Book Of Shadows (B.O.S) :)

The Book of Shadows (BOS) is used to store information you'll need in your magical tradition. Many Pagans and Wiccans feel a BOS should be handwritten, but some use a computer to store information as well. 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. Copy spells and rituals into your BOS by hand – this will not only transfer energy to the writer, but it also helps you to memorize the contents. Make sure you write legibly enough that you’ll be able to read your notes during a ritual!

Ethical Magic

Wicca magick is ethical as long as the Wiccan Law is followed:

An It Harm None.
That's not quite as easy as it sounds. Even beyond actively wishing to hurt someone, or manipulate someone into doing what you want, magick can have consequences you don't anticipate.
For instance, casting a spell to bring you lots of money could make you rich, but maybe through a source you'd never want. The death of a loved one or a serious accident is probably not what you had in mind.
That's why safeguards are necessary. Thinking through the possible consequences and stating with absolute clarity exactly what you are manifesting are critical steps in the spell-crafting process.

Real Magick?

Magick is another word for transformation, creation, and manifestation. Wicca magick is a tool we use to act on the subtle - or energy, or quantum - level of reality.

The quantum level is the causal realm. It is the subtle influences at the quantum level that decide which way reality will go.
So if you want to manifest something into ordinary reality, you start by stimulating the quantum realm to favour that potentiality.
That is real magick in action.
Science has known since early in the last century that the material world is made up not of matter, but of energy. And while matter is fairly stable, energy is very fluid.
So it is difficult to build a house or job or lover with your bare hands if the causal realm hasn't already foreseen these things, but it is much easier to create an energy wave that will lead to a house or job or lover coming to you. (Of course, you still will need to use your body to manifest them.)
That's what real magick is all about.
In magick we transform our reality, and ourselves, to match our choices.
And of course, Wicca Magick is a key component to the Wiccan religion.

Dandelions!

Dandelion Tea for bloating. Dandelion has been found to stimulate mucus membranes, sooth the digestive tract, absorb toxins from the bowel, help friendly flora to thrive and inhibit unfriendly bacteria. Eating dandelion regularly has a reputation of relieving diabetes.
Dandelion is helpful for people who suffer from allergies, eczema and other skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, gout, rheumatism, gall stones, metabolic disturbances, bone disorders, low blood pressure, poor circulation, ulcers, anemia, halitosis (bad breath), constipation, malignant tumors, colds, lowering cholesterol, cardiac edema, heart burn, swollen glands, hot flushes, and as a sleep inducing night cap. Dandelion is a herb with fat metabolising properties. For weight loss several cups of dandelion tea can be sipped daily, adding 1-2 tablesp. of cider vinegar to each cup. Therapeutically, dandelion can be used as leaf or root tea, a tincture, or the fresh leaves blended with vegetables or fruit juices. An infusion of 1 teasp. of root to 1 cup of water may be prepared and taken freely (several cups a day). Sweeten with honey if desired. 5-6 fresh leaves to 1 cup of boiling water, left to steep 5-10 minutes, can be used similarly. A wash to relieve inflamed eyes and also applied to facial blemishes is made with dandelion leaves, stems and flowers. The white sap from the stems placed on warts several times a day will be a powerful way to tell them to shrivel and disappear.

Gypsy Crossroads :)

Crossroads are considered sacred in almost all magical traditions. A crossroads is a universally accepted place to hold rituals, leave offerings, or dispose of items you wish to be rid of.

It is believed that Hecate rules over the three-way crossroads. She can see the past, present, and future. It is said that if you should approach a three-way crossroads at night, you would hear her black dogs howling. Her altars have been erected at such places for centuries.

The four-way crossroads are considered to be powerful because all four directions meet at one point. Dirt, rocks, and sticks gathered from such a crossroads are said to have powerful spiritual connections, albeit tricky ones to master. In Greek myths, Oedipus met his fate at the crossroads. From the Yoruban people we have Legba (a god known for his clever tricks) ruling the crossroads.

The strength of Ellegua lies at the crossroad. He is the remover of obstacles. An offering of twenty-one pennies and three candies left at the crossroad will prompt him to be kind and remove the roadblocks in your life.

Ancient people were afraid of what it meant when one direction met another direction. All manner of folklore is available concerning the crossroads. Fairies are said to hang out there, along with gouls, ghosts, and goblins. Even the Christian Satan is said to roam the crossroads.

Times Square in New York City is known as the "Crossroads of the World." A true urban crossroads is any intersection where 3 or 4 roads mead and then continue outward unobstructed for eight city blocks in each direction. If any one path is blocked by a dead end, a cul de sac, or a park, it is not a true crossroad.

Metaphysically, a crossroads is a place of sacred transformations, a metaphor for transformational points in our lives, and relate to time and choices.  It is a place to go to unblock your path.

Crossroad Mayhem

Universally, the Crossroads is a place of spiritual power, but also danger, where ghosts, malevolent fairies, the old gods and goddesses of Europe and Africa, as well as devils are thought to lurk. The Crossroads, that place where two roads intersect, now exist everywhere, of course, but forks in the road weren’t as commonplace in the ancient world.

            The Indian god Bhairva was said to guard the Crossroads at the edge of each town which were often littered with stone phalluses and statues to represent him as the watcher of boundaries between worlds and to honor opening doorways to new information from other places.  In Germany, the Crossroads are called Geisterwege or “Ghost Roads.”

The Goddess of the underworld and sorcery Hecate (also the “Queen of Ghosts”) held dominion over the Crossroads in Ancient Greece. This probably originated from her older role as Goddess over the wilderness and unclaimed areas. The Greeks often placed offerings of “Hecate cakes” at the Crossroads to the Goddess, sometimes marked by a single candle so Hecate could find her way in the dark and evolved into candles on birthday cakes.

            In Africa, the Crossroads gods are varied and they go by many names such as Eshu, Legba, Ellegua, Ndumba, Pomba Gira and Nzila as those who open the way to the powers and teach wisdom.  Hoodoo practices of the Mississippi Delta rely heavily upon the mystical and sometimes maligned powers of the Crossroads.  Hoodoo associates the Crossroads with the Devil. However, the Hoodoo Devil is not exactly the same as the traditional Christian Devil. Instead, the Hoodoo Devil is more of a trickster spirit, wise and crafty but not really evil, more like a friend who has also gone down the wrong path.

            Populations who are brought up on Hoodoo believe the Devil hangs out at the Crossroads, waiting for the right person to come along, to strike the right bargain, so he can steal the person’s immortal soul in exchange for a favor.  

In the Crossroads ritual the bargain that is usually made is to learn a skill such as to play a musical instrument superbly, throw dice, sing, public speaking or preaching, and most popular to win in any kind of gambling. During the ritual, whatever object is wished to be mastered, the guitar, banjo, deck of cards or dice are brought to the Crossroads at midnight, or just before dawn for three to nine nights in a row.  Certain animals should appear, such as a bear, a black dog or cat, to let the person know his spell is beginning to work. On the last visit a large black man should materialize. The black man (not dark-skinned, but completely coal black) will ask to borrow the object brought to the Crossroads.  He will then demonstrate how to properly use the item. When it is returned, the bearer will then be gifted with almost supernatural powers when it comes to the object, winning all games or becoming the greatest musician in the town and beyond.  But often the person who sells his soul to the Devil at the Crossroads for sudden wins will often die tragically, or will have his winnings quickly taken away.

Because the Crossroads is land that belongs to no one it is an area that invites ghosts and other creatures that might not belong in the natural world such as vampires and demons. In Eastern Europe it is thought that vampires carry their shrouds to the Crossroads looking for fresh victims. Malefic fairies are also believed to haunt the Crossroads looking for lost souls to lure into the half-lit world of the Fairyland.

 In England, gallows were built at the Crossroads where the condemned were later hung. This was done to confuse their ghosts, in case they decided to return and revisit those who took their lives. Suicide victims were also sometimes buried at the Crossroads so their spirits would not search for those who had wronged them in life. It was thought the four directions of the forked path would confuse them, to keep such restless souls from “walking.”   Certain routes were used for funerals and called “corpse way” and sometimes “corpse cross.” Part of the funeral ritual was to rest the coffin at the Crossroads before heading on to the graveyard.

            Some have suggested this is because the Crossroads form a Christian cross. But belief in the powers of the Crossroads predates Christianity by at least 1,000 years and occurs in cultures that are not Christian. India may be a source behind the European tales of the Crossroads when the Sanskrit-speaking Rom people, otherwise known as Gypsies, spread their legend and lore about the Crossroad’s occult powers. These European and African beliefs later informed Hoodoo practices and Voodoo rites in the United States.  Ritual sweeping was also done at the Crossroads and become associated with witches.  A few hundred years ago, the Irish thought witches met at the Crossroads to celebrate their sabbats.

The Roman god Mercury (or the Greek god Hermes) known for his slippery wit, deft intelligence and fertility also lorded over the Crossroads.  The Greeks erected phallic statues at the Crossroads to honor Hermes (or Mercury), the god of travelers and to note the place were information was exchanged.

Sulfur :)

Sulfur is a Fire stone associated with the Sun, perhaps because of its light yellow color, and with Saturn, because of its scent (and because sulfur burns down borders).  Sulfur is used for protection as well as banishment (although I have seen it listed as an ingredient for raising negative spirits as well).  Sulfur gives its name to one of the three alchemical principles (Salt, Sulfur, Mercury).  It goes into Crossing Powder and more mundane explosives, like black powder.  Sulfur burns with a blue flame and the famous sulfur smell.  Its fumes are used to preserve dried fruit, to clean winery vessels (makes a great fungicide), and to form the atmosphere of Io, but if you fumigate a closed space with it, get everything alive out of there first.  It is an irritant to mucus membranes. Do NOT use this substance to treat Valley Fever; it won't work and could seriously harm you. I have Flowers of Sulfur, which is a lab grade fine powder produced by sublimation. If you don't want to deal with sulfur or are allergic to it, try using garlic instead. Garlic contains various sulfurous elements and has similar magical purposes.  

Salt and It's Uses!

Protection Against Psychic Phenomena
Salt has always been used as protection against psychic attacks, and to disable unwanted psychic phenomena.
Ordinary salt may be sprinkled across thresholds and around the perimeter of dwellings, inside and out;
Salt mixed with sand is used for forming magic circles;
Rock salt crystals can be added to "medicine pouches", carried in pockets or worn in a small bag about the neck.
Sprinkling salt around someone's bed protects from unwanted night time visitors and reduces the likelihood of unwanted spontaneous OBEs.
Please note: Salt dampens/draws ALL psychic energy forms - it doesn't distinguish between "good" or "bad" psychic energies. For active magicians and priests, it is therefore to be handled with care so that it doesn't inadvertently dampen their abilities and disturb their magical works. On the other hand, salt can be very successfully used to counteract overactive psychic emissions, such as in very young gifted children who are experiencing unwanted psychic phenomena, teenagers and women in menopause *temporarily*.

Salt For Purification

With salt's extreme ability to draw away remnants of psychic energy, including "ghost manifestations" of many different kinds, salt has always been used for psychic clearing and for purification.
Magicians and priests routinely prepare for ceremonies by taking a bath which contains salt as one of the main ingredients;
Magical objects and crystals are cleansed by immersing them in salt water;
Bowls of salt may be placed into a room to absorb negative energy or psychic energy disturbances;
Food and objects can be purified by adding a small amount of salt, or placing a small amount of salt nearby;
Throwing salt is generally regarded as a device to clear the aura of a person or an environment of leftover psychic energy.
A box containing salt can be used to purify anything that is placed upon it;
Crystals placed on a bed of salt or on a salt box require less, or no clearing at all.

Salt, Water & Fire Spells

As salt absorbs psychic energy, it can be used to transfer or transmute a wish or spell to the higher powers by first making the spell, then throwing the salt into the fire where it burns up and in doing so, releases the psychic charge into the higher dimensions.
The most basic form of this type of spell is to hold a little salt in the hand, make a wish, and then throw the salt into the fire.
In the same vein, salt can be thrown into water - a well, a river and into the sea and can be used to carry wishes, or take away burdens, clear attachments from the aura. It is an immensely flexible system with a hundred and one uses.

Salt & Healing

Just a small amount of salt added to healing brews, potions and lotions of any kind will serve to "take care of the other realms" and extend the effectiveness of said brew, potion or lotion into the psychic dimensions - something that modern medicine and medications lack altogether.
Salt is of course a major practical part of our bodies and our health; too much salt however can reduce psychic activity and make it harder to perform psychic tasks. This is one of the reasons why in the olden days, magicians and priests used to fast and drink only pure water prior to major ceremonies. It is interesting to note that having a good flow of salt in and out of the body is extremely important to the full functioning of a magician or priest, both on the physical levels as well as on the metaphysical levels.
Regular bathing in salt water is a first class prophylactic to all manner of psychic disturbances as well as being good for the physical body; in this way, salt is a simple introduction and a bridge between the physical and metaphysical realms for beginners.

A Simple Example Of A Salt Spell - Spiritual House Clearing

This simple magic ritual demonstrates some of the main points of using salt. It is easy to do for anyone, and makes a big difference to a home, and its occupants, but most of all to the magician who performs this spell.
1. Find a beautiful glass bowl of any size. In psychic workings, the physical size of an object really does not matter - a huge bowl won't do any more than a small one. Psychic energy absorption is not like filling a suitcase!
2. Fill the glass bowl with salt - simple cooking salt or pretty rock salt, it matters not.
3. Place the bowl with the salt near the hearth of the home - the center of the home. In some houses, that is in the kitchen; in other homes, it can be the sitting room, or perhaps a den where everyone gathers. You know where your hearth is.
4. Leave it there for three days.
5. On the third day, take the bowl and the salt somewhere where you can release both the physical salt as well as the psychic attachments it has absorbed. You can throw this salt into a river, or a fire, or simply into a sink with the tap running. As you empty the bowl (you can do this a handful at a time), tell the salt about your worries and troubles and your fears, your negative thoughts. It will take those as well and while you're there.
6. Re-fill the bowl and replace it near the hearth.
7. From now on, empty the salt bowl once a week to keep your home free of harmful energy under normal circumstances; or more often if there is extra stress, as you feel is right.
You will notice a distinct improvement in the atmosphere of your home within a few days.

Voodoo

Many superstitions also related to the practice of Hoodoo developed within the Voodoo tradition in Louisiana. While these superstitions are not central to the Voodoo faith, their appearance is partly a result of Voodoo tradition in New Orleans and have since influenced it significantly.

• A lock of a girls hair brings good luck.
• If you lay a broom across the doorway at night, a witch can't come in and hurt you.
• Having a woman visit you the first thing on Monday mornings is bad luck for the rest of the week.
• Don't borrow or lend salt because that is bad luck.
• If you sweep trash out of the house after dark you will sweep away your luck.
• Don't shake a tablecloth outside after dark or someone in your family will die.
• To stop a Voodoo spell being placed upon you, acquire some bristles from a pig cooked at a Voodoo ritual, tie the bristles into a bundle and carry them on you at all times.
• If a woman sprinkles some salt from her house to yours, it will give you bad luck until you clean the salt away and put pepper over your door sill.
• If a woman wants her husband to stay away from other woman, she can do so by putting a little of her blood in his coffee, and he will never quit her.
• If a woman's husband dies and you don't want her to marry again, cut all of her husband's shoes all in little pieces, just as soon as he is dead, and she will never marry again.
• You can give someone a headache by taking and turning their picture upside down.
• You can harm a person in whatever way you want to by getting a lock of his hair and burning some and throwing the rest away.
• You can make a farmer's well go dry by putting some soda in the well for one week, each day; then drawing a bucket of water out and throwing it in the river to make the well go dry.

In Voodoo spells, the "cure-all" was very popular among followers. The cure-all was a Voodoo spell that could solve all problems. There were different recipes in Voodoo spells for cure-all; one recipe was to mix jimson weed (Warning: due to the toxicity of Jimson Weed, it is not advised for unskilled practitioners to create) with sulphur and honey. The mixture was placed in a glass, which was rubbed against a black cat, and then the mixture was slowly sipped.
The Voodoo doll is a form of gris-gris, and an example of sympathetic magic. Contrary to popular belief, Voodoo dolls are usually used to bless instead of curse. The purpose of sticking pins in the doll is not to cause pain in the person the doll is associated with, but rather to pin a picture of a person or a name to the doll, which traditionally represents a spirit. The gris-gris is then performed from one of four categories: love; power and domination; luck and finance; and uncrossing.

How To Create A Spell - Part 1

1. What is your intention behind casting the spell?
Are you looking for love, or do you want a new job? Do you want to heal a sickness of yours? Decide what you want and get as specific as possible. For example, if you want to get over a cold, focus on what good health looks and feels like. It's more powerful to say, "I want to have clear sinuses, and lots of energy!" than to say, "I want to feel better."

2. What "tools" do you need?

"Tools" refers to "props" and symbols of your desires. You can use various essential oils (they are powerful tools - they help our unconscious minds focus and center, and some people believe they help invoke spirits and energies), gemstones, colour therapy, Goddess invocation, Runes, Tarot Cards, herbs... again, the possibilities are endless.

You can also use little models or items that represent your desires. For instance, if you are casting a spell for more money, have some change there with you.

3. Decide when and where you'll cast your spell

It is recommended that you keep you spells private. This keeps your energy focused on your task, and also keeps unwanted energies from coming in and disturbing your spell. Think about it: if you are in a public park casting a spell, people will naturally be curious. They will look at you and wonder and think about what you are doing. It may even cause some people to be afraid. Do you need that kind of energy around something so personal and important to you?
Many spell-casters like to perform their spells in nature. This may not be possible, so just be sure to make your spell-casting environment safe, secure and inviting to yourself. Maybe you have a special room, or space in your home. Find a calm, quite space and you'll do fine.
Some people like to cast spells during the full moon, because they believe there is more healing energy available to them. Sometimes we just can't do things at exactly the right cosmic time and that's OK. The important piece here is intention. You can choose to cast your spell any time - whatever works best for you.

4. But what do you say and what do you do?

First of all, mentally cast a bubble around you and the space you're in. This is a protective bubble that will keep only good energy moving in and out. Say that - that the bubble is a protective one. Light a candle.
Secondly, ask that your guides/angels/animal spirits/you-fill-in-the-blank be with you. Thank them for joining you, for protecting you, and for adding their energy to your spell.
Thirdly, (and hopefully you've written this ahead of time, or at least made notes about what to say), ask the Universe/God/Goddess/You-fill-in-the-blank to hear you and to take your words and desires and manifest them physically. Describe in detail your desires.
Lastly, thank the Universe/God/etc. and your guide/angel/etc. for hearing you. Offer a token of thanks and blow out your candle, thus closing the circle and ending the spell-casting.
And that's it! Easy! But again, you can create long or short spells, or ones that you do with someone else. Have fun with this process!

Behind The Blog

Name: Haley Mariah Thornbrue a.k.a Vesperella Abijail Delano Dunkan (or Ruby Jo') :)

Birthday: August 29, 1995

Half-Sister: Tayler Marie Thornbrue (Delaine Dunkan) or (Anna Amelia)

half-Brother: Douglas Wayne Thornbrue

Step-brother: Quinton Chandler Churning.

Best fran: Victoria Ann Whaley (well...) or (Lilith Bela)

Song: SpaceBound. S&M!

Religion: Christo-wicca!

Belief: All things are possible if you just believe :)

I believe in mermaids and werewolves and all things magic.

I'll be sixteen in two months, :)

Woot woot! <3

Ask questions I'll answer them.