According to Wikipedia a Book of Shadows is:
A Book of Shadows is a book containing religious texts and instructions for magical rituals found within the Neopagan religion of Wicca. Originating within the Gardnerian tradition of the Craft, the first Book of Shadows was created by the pioneering Wiccan Gerald Gardner sometime in the late 1940s or early 1950s, and which he utilised first in his Bricket Wood coven and then in other covens which he founded in following decades. The concept of the Book of Shadows was then adopted by other Wiccan traditions, such as Alexandrianism and Mohsianism, and with the rise of books teaching people how to begin following Wicca in the 1970s onward, the idea of the Book of Shadows was then further propagated amongst solitary practitioners unconnected to earlier traditions.
In non-traditional or “eclectic” forms of Wiccan or Neo-pagan practice, the term Book of Shadows is more often used to describe a personal journal, rather than a traditional text. This journal records rituals, spells, and their results, as well as other magical information. This can be either an individual or coven text, and is not normally passed from teacher to student. In many cases, this kind of Book of Shadows is an electronic document (disk or website) instead of a hand-written one. Some reserve the Book of Shadows for recording spells and keep a separate book, sometimes called the Book of Mirrors to contain thoughts, feelings and experiences.
My Book of Shadows (BoS) is a work in progress, and much more like the “eclectic” definition. I started out with a really cute hard bound journal, but quickly realized it doesn’t let me organize the way I want to. I purchase a plain 3 ring binder and have been working on migrating everything over. I love my first one, its cute and fits my personality, so I will probably keep using it for notes and such and just transferring everything over.
I have so many pages that aren’t even written down yet, stuff that is saved on my computer or password protected blog pages. I am hoping to have all of this written down by the Summer Solstice. Wish me luck on that task. I have everything in there, lunar calendars, correspondences for days, spells, results, meditation thoughts. Anything and everything that I may want to remember.
What does your BoS contain? Is it a physical or electronic one? Pros and Cons to each?
My Witchy Walk 