{"id":21538,"date":"2020-01-01T01:10:45","date_gmt":"2020-01-01T05:10:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/?p=21538"},"modified":"2020-01-11T13:34:06","modified_gmt":"2020-01-11T17:34:06","slug":"peeking-in-the-shadows-crafting-a-book-of-shadows-and-light-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2020\/01\/01\/peeking-in-the-shadows-crafting-a-book-of-shadows-and-light-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Peeking in the Shadows: Crafting a Book of Shadows and Light"},"content":{"rendered":"

Top Picks and Ideas for Starting Your BOS: Part One<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n

Last month we began the exploration of what should be considered in selecting the perfect book. This month I\u2019d like to share some of my top picks for journals and some ideas to get started….<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Just to reiterate…<\/i>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I have MANY journals that have at one time or another served as my BOS. I went through the phases of using a very traditional looking BOS. This was the look of \u201cwitchiness\u201d a la movies and imagination; this was my novice witch look. The next phase was using whatever was handy and could be sourced readily as inspiration flowed. These were typically composition books, quick pick spiral lined notebooks of all sizes, sketchbooks and more. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Now, my selections are a combination of these phases. I love large leather rustic looking journals and often decorate them to personalize. There are also many lovely pre-formatted journals labeled as Book of Shadows available online. I\u2019ve ordered a few of these, but they generally do not have enough pages. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a visual tour through some of my top picks. Many are available on Amazon or Etsy. If you do an online search, and select the \u201cimage\u201d tab you\u2019ll see that there is great variety in what is considered suitable for a book of shadows. I\u2019ve not included links to the images because this \u201csearch\u201d should feel intuitive and the cultivation of a trust that the journal that will serve you well will find you. Trust me, this is true regarding all magickal pursuits. One of your considerations is whether you prefer lined or unlined pages, or perhaps a combination of the two. I like to have some pages that are not lined to draw geometric patterns or glue an inspirational photo or graphic on to. And, there are many times when I choose to write in a diagonal pattern and unlined paper allows for any type of directional pattern. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Book of Shadows by Cassandra Eason<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Pine Wood Book of Shadows<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

Unformatted, Blank Journals<\/b><\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Pentagram Writing Journal<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Book of Shadows: Lg. Blank<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Book of Shadows: Elemental Pentagram<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Multi-Use:<\/b><\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Simple Book of Shadows<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Coloring Book of Shadows: Planner for Magic by Amy Cesari<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Tree of Life Leather Journal<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Triple Moon Goddess Journal<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Large Vintage Blank Journal<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Pathfinder Rustic Journal<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Leather Chakra Book of Shadow Journal<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Pentagram Leather Journal<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

So, your homework for this month is to go journal shopping. Go back and review the questions from last month and take some time to really think through what you want. Then set the intention of attracting the right book. Remember, your book of shadows is an extension of you and your practice. It holds your secrets, your trials and errors, your successes and your discoveries. It is your companion on the Path and becomes a trusted resource and friend.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Sources:<\/b><\/u><\/span><\/span> <\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Etsy and Amazon and browse Barnes and Noble for some beautiful journals.<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Next Month:<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Starting Your Book of Shadows: Part Two<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/a> Check out my review for The Book of Light and Shadows by Lucy Cavendish<\/a><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

***<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

About the Author:<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Robin Fennelly\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span>is a Third Degree Initiate within\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>The Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span>\u00a0and serves as High Priestess of\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>C<\/a>oven of the Mystic Path<\/a><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/u><\/span>, the 12th Coven\u00a0within the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition. She teaches\u00a0and facilitates\u00a0classes for the Pagan Experience Study Group that\u00a0serves as foundation for membership within\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>Coven of the Mystic Path<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Her spiritual journey is strongly rooted in both Eastern philosophy and the Western Magickal systems from which she has formed a core foundation that is diverse in knowledge and rich in spiritual practice.\u00a0 A life-long learner, her practice has evolved from the classical and philosophical teachings of books, practical experience and enrichment of this knowledge\u00a0base by attending workshops of various spiritual traditions presented by master teachers.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Robin formally came to the Wiccan path in 1994. Following practice as a solitary for 2 years, she dedicated to\u00a0Oak and Willow Coven of The Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition in November of 1996. She received her\u00a01st, 2nd and finally 3rd degrees within the Assembly Tradition and has served as High Priestess of Oak and Willow since Samhain of 2001.
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

As a teacher of esoteric and magickal studies\u00a0she has used Energetic Anatomy, Tarot, Astrology, Hermetic Qabala, Eastern Philosophy, and Numerology as the foundations of her diverse selection of workshops and writings for more than 25\u00a0years. Exploration of varied energetic protocol has been the focus of her work for some time now and the information gained through direct experience informs all of her magickal and spiritual work.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Robin\u2019s writings have been featured online, and in print Internationally.\u00a0 She has authored several books incorporating her unique style of writing making use of poetry, prose and pathworking to enhance the concepts presented.\u00a0 She has taught extensively throughout the Pagan community, including Sacred Space Conference, Spring Magick, Between the Worlds Interfaith Conference and Free Spirit Gathering Festival this Summer. Her most recent project is hosting an online blogging community entitled The Pagan Experience.<\/p>\n

Robin is the owner of\u00a0Holistic Embrace<\/i><\/span>\u00a0<\/i><\/span>providing services for mind, body and spirit such as Tarot readings, Astrology reports, Spiritual Guidance\u00a0and other related offerings.\u00a0 She lives in Eastern Pennsylvania and her life is blessed by a 40+- year marriage, five children and the opportunity to work in the field of public education. <\/span><\/p>\n

Robin\u2019s Books<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Inner Chamber, Vol. 1 It\u2019s Written in the Stars-Astrology<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Inner Chamber, Vol. 2 Poetry of the Spheres-Qabalah<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Inner Chamber, Vol. 3 Awakening the Paths-Qabalah<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Light of SELF: Consciousness, Spiritual Practice and Learning to Breathe<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Magickal Verse: A Collection of Poetry and Prose<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A Year of Gaia: The Eternal Cord<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Elemental Year: Aligning the Elements of SELF<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Temple of the Sun and Moon: Luminous Devotions<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Sleeping with the Goddess: Nights of Devotion<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A Weekly Reflection: Musings for the Year<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Magickal Pen: A Collection of Esoteric Writings<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Enchanted Gate: Musings on the Magick of the Natural World<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

For more info: <\/span><\/span><\/span>http:\/\/www.robinfennelly.com\/books.html<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n

Robin\u2019s Website:<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span> www.robinfennelly.com<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n

Coven of the Mystic Path, ASW: <\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span>www.covenofthemysticpath.org<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/u><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Top Picks and Ideas for Starting Your BOS: Part One Last month we began the exploration of what should be considered in selecting the perfect book. This month I\u2019d like to share some of my top picks for journals and some ideas to get started…. Just to reiterate…. I have MANY journals that have at one time or another served as my BOS. I went through the phases of using a very traditional looking BOS. This was the look of \u201cwitchiness\u201d a la movies and imagination; this was my novice witch look. The next phase was using whatever was handy and could be sourced readily as inspiration flowed. These were typically composition books, quick pick spiral lined notebooks of all sizes, sketchbooks and more. Now, my selections are a combination of these phases. I love large leather rustic looking journals and often decorate them to personalize. There are also many lovely pre-formatted journals labeled as Book of Shadows available online. I\u2019ve ordered a few of these, but they generally do not have enough pages. Let\u2019s take a visual tour through some of my top picks. Many are available on Amazon or Etsy. If you do an online search, and select the \u201cimage\u201d tab you\u2019ll see that there is great variety in what is considered suitable for a book of shadows. I\u2019ve not included links to the images because this \u201csearch\u201d should feel intuitive and the cultivation of a trust that the journal that will serve you well will find you. Trust me, this is true regarding all magickal pursuits. One of your considerations is whether you prefer lined or unlined pages, or perhaps a combination of the two. I like to have some pages that are not lined to draw geometric patterns or glue an inspirational photo or graphic on to. And, there are many times when I choose to write in a diagonal pattern and unlined paper allows for any type of directional pattern. The Book of Shadows by Cassandra Eason Pine Wood Book of Shadows Unformatted, Blank Journals Pentagram Writing Journal Book of Shadows: Lg. Blank Book of Shadows: Elemental Pentagram Multi-Use: Simple Book of Shadows Coloring Book of Shadows: Planner for Magic by Amy Cesari Tree of Life Leather Journal Triple Moon Goddess Journal Large Vintage Blank Journal Pathfinder Rustic Journal Leather Chakra Book of Shadow Journal Pentagram Leather Journal So, your homework for this month is to go journal shopping. Go back and review the questions from last month and take some time to really think through what you want. Then set the intention of attracting the right book. Remember, your book of shadows is an extension of you and your practice. It holds your secrets, your trials and errors, your successes and your discoveries. It is your companion on the Path and becomes a trusted resource and friend. Sources: Etsy and Amazon and browse Barnes and Noble for some beautiful journals. Next Month: Starting Your Book of Shadows: Part Two   Check out my review for The Book of Light and Shadows by Lucy Cavendish   *** About the Author: Robin Fennelly\u00a0is a Third Degree Initiate within\u00a0The Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition\u00a0and serves as High Priestess of\u00a0Coven of the Mystic Path, the 12th Coven\u00a0within the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition. She teaches\u00a0and facilitates\u00a0classes for the Pagan Experience Study Group that\u00a0serves as foundation for membership within\u00a0Coven of the Mystic Path.\u00a0\u00a0 Her spiritual journey is strongly rooted in both Eastern philosophy and the Western Magickal systems from which she has formed a core foundation that is diverse in knowledge and rich in spiritual practice.\u00a0 A life-long learner, her practice has evolved from the classical and philosophical teachings of books, practical experience and enrichment of this knowledge\u00a0base by attending workshops of various spiritual traditions presented by master teachers. Robin formally came to the Wiccan path in 1994. Following practice as a solitary for 2 years, she dedicated to\u00a0Oak and Willow Coven of The Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition in November of 1996. She received her\u00a01st, 2nd and finally 3rd degrees within the Assembly Tradition and has served as High Priestess of Oak and Willow since Samhain of 2001. As a teacher of esoteric and magickal studies\u00a0she has used Energetic Anatomy, Tarot, Astrology, Hermetic Qabala, Eastern Philosophy, and Numerology as the foundations of her diverse selection of workshops and writings for more than 25\u00a0years. Exploration of varied energetic protocol has been the focus of her work for some time now and the information gained through direct experience informs all of her magickal and spiritual work. Robin\u2019s writings have been featured online, and in print Internationally.\u00a0 She has authored several books incorporating her unique style of writing making use of poetry, prose and pathworking to enhance the concepts presented.\u00a0 She has taught extensively throughout the Pagan community, including Sacred Space Conference, Spring Magick, Between the Worlds Interfaith Conference and Free Spirit Gathering Festival this Summer. Her most recent project is hosting an online blogging community entitled The Pagan Experience. Robin is the owner of\u00a0Holistic Embrace\u00a0providing services for mind, body and spirit such as Tarot readings, Astrology reports, Spiritual Guidance\u00a0and other related offerings.\u00a0 She lives in Eastern Pennsylvania and her life is blessed by a 40+- year marriage, five children and the opportunity to work in the field of public education. Robin\u2019s Books The Inner Chamber, Vol. 1 It\u2019s Written in the Stars-Astrology The Inner Chamber, Vol. 2 Poetry of the Spheres-Qabalah The Inner Chamber, Vol. 3 Awakening the Paths-Qabalah The Light of SELF: Consciousness, Spiritual Practice and Learning to Breathe Magickal Verse: A Collection of Poetry and Prose A Year of Gaia: The Eternal Cord The Elemental Year: Aligning the Elements of SELF Temple of the Sun and Moon: Luminous Devotions Sleeping with the Goddess: Nights of Devotion A Weekly Reflection: Musings for the Year The Magickal Pen: A Collection of Esoteric Writings The Enchanted Gate: Musings on the Magick of the Natural World For more info: http:\/\/www.robinfennelly.com\/books.html Robin\u2019s Website: www.robinfennelly.com Coven of the Mystic Path, ASW: www.covenofthemysticpath.org<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":208,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10004],"tags":[10376,10057,10926,10928,10927,10934,10931,10077,10484,10929,10935,10933,10932,10054,10286,10930,10053],"class_list":["post-21538","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-monthly-columns","tag-best","tag-books","tag-books-of-shadows","tag-choice","tag-choosing","tag-explore","tag-journal","tag-magick","tag-making","tag-options","tag-perfect-book","tag-planning","tag-questions","tag-rituals","tag-secrets","tag-shopping","tag-spells"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21538","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/208"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21538"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21538\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21555,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21538\/revisions\/21555"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21538"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21538"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21538"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}