got my very first book of shadows today and am sure how i start it - any help would be great thanks:-)
2006-12-25 10:44:41 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Wicca is a truly paticipatory, individual religion. Your book is exactly that; YOUR book. As well as participating in wicca, I have found a second meaning to my primary statement; wicca has participated in my life (and vica versa) such to the extent that I am entwined with my religion, with earth, the universe and everything. At one. 'Spells' are not so important in wicca as our energy and intention behind said spells; In your quest to know the Gods, take long walks beneath trees. Study flowers and plants. Visit wild and natural places and feel the energy of the goddess and god directly - through the rush of a stream, the pulse of energy from an old oak's trunk, the heat of a sun-warmed rock, through you. Faniliarizing yourself with deities comes most easily through actual contact with such power sources. Once you are truly at one with the power within and all around you, writing your book of shadows should flow naturaly and effortlessly from you.
As my religion is a part of me, as I am a part of my religion, I have opened my book of shadows with things that are important to me; (part of the crede) - 1) I do whatever I want so long as I harm no one, (and as I struggled with self harm before finding wicca) contained within this is a second, unwritten rule - do nothing that will harm yourself. These is more than survival. It also ensures that I'll be in good condition to take on the tasks of preserving and bettering our world, which leads me on to 2) We each have a responsibility to make the universe a better place by increasing the sum of good. And there is no better place to start than oneself and one's local habitat in however small a way. leading me straight into point 3) stiving for the good; 'Live your life as if you were going to repeat it eternally' ~ Nietzsche. If repeating life eternally would be hell (or indeed anything other than a pleasure) you are living it wrong (another one of my personal rules; live the best possible kind of life so that repeating it would eternally would not be hell).
Think of life as a narrative of which one is oneself the aither, the maker of the story of your life; putting some shape to it, having goals and aims, and adhering to chosen ideals and principles that inform one's outlook. Satre said that one should not live as a character in a novel because true narratives have beginnings, middles and ends, and therefore one is pressuposing the end - in the sense of the termination of life, making one in effect live like a dead person. But Satre's view is wrong; to live for ends means to live for goals, not termination.
2006-12-25 11:43:43 · answer #1 · answered by tasha 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I suppose everyone has different things, unless you follow a particular tradition, in which case someone can tell you.
The first page of mine describes the story of my beliefs up to the day I started the book.
I think one of the most common ways to start is something along those lines. Even if it's just a couple of paragraphs, having something that says what you believe at the beginning of the books seems to be important to a lot of people.
Another idea would be to collect things that inspire you and put them in the front of the book. They could be quotes, drawings, photos, anything that you feel a connection with. It's one of my favourite sections of my book and I keep adding to it.
But don't forget that this is your book about you and your experiences. The things you put in it should mean something to you, so don't feel that you have to put something in because someone said so.
It's an exciting time when you make a start on a new book, have fun with it! :)
2006-12-25 11:05:22 · answer #2 · answered by Poppy 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The date and some for of "mission statement". What brought you to this point in your life and why you want to continue in your studies. These will give you a reference to go back to in later times so that you can see how you have changed.
You might also want some invocation of the Lord and Lady to protect and guide your thoughts and studies.
The main thing is to make it personal.
Congratulations and Blessed Be.
2006-12-25 11:52:50 · answer #3 · answered by Brian W 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Within these pages are held the thoughts and machinations of 'Vaz'. If invited, go freely ahead friend and learn from the shadows herein. If uninvited, reseal the covers and go no further ... or fall under pain of just retribution.
Assuming that it is such a book as I believe it to be.
2006-12-25 10:54:11 · answer #4 · answered by vaughndhume 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Making a bunny or eagle is relatively simple. However, if you follow the instructions in this book you will be able to perform "Napoleon at Waterloo," "St Valentines Day Massacre," and "The Dating of Joyce Arkwright."
2006-12-26 03:09:33 · answer #5 · answered by waycyber 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
What's a book of shadows?
2006-12-25 10:47:39 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Do a quote. This one might apply nicely.
"Some day the piecing together of seemingly dissasociated things will open up such terrifying vistas of reallity that we shall either go mad from the revelation, or flee from the light into the piece and safety of a new dark age." -H.P.Lovecraft
2006-12-25 10:47:29 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
Write your vows to the God and Goddess and then write a short invocation to the both of them. This will bless the book and serve as reminder to you of the importance of the rede. Blessed be sister!
2006-12-25 10:54:59 · answer #8 · answered by Maria Isabel 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
When looking deeper into the spiritual realm, i see three sets of spiritual eyes looking back. My skin prickles. I'm alive with excitement. Who is that? I'm scared.
How' that?
2006-12-25 11:14:25 · answer #9 · answered by nomisthgiwd 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
write the one thing that you believe the most in. only write it in quote form. mine is do what thou will if it harms none, (part of the crede).
2006-12-25 10:49:43 · answer #10 · answered by sarah 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋