Lesson 7: Record keeping 

Dream Journal
Book of Shadows
Magical Writing

The Dream Journal
Recording your dreams is a wonderful way to keep a written record of what is happening within your subconscious. Dreams are the only time that our subconscious speaks with our conscious mind other than during meditation. By recording what you dream, you can get insight into what is going on both within your body and your mind and soul. Any blank book will work, though many witches choose to write their dreams inside their book of shadows. I prefer to keep a separate book for everything I do, including my dreams. Can't remember your dreams, you say? Keep the book by your bed with a pen. As soon as you wake up, write down everything you remember, even if it is just colors or feelings. Gradually, with practice, you will be able to remember your dreams perfectly as if they were a good movie you had just seen. It is interesting to read your dreams months and even years after you write them. Often, you will not remember what you dreamed or even that you wrote a specific thing down. You can also read them in chronological order this way. It may make more sense when you read them all together.

The Book of Shadows
The book of shadows is a book of all compiled craft information. A witch may choose to do many different things with it. It may be used to contain only spells, or it may contain any kind of notes about the craft. Usually, records of all performed spells are kept within a book of shadows for research. Many witches also include all of the information from their dreams, visions, tarot readings and other divination within their book as well, as a sort of diary of the Craft. The book may be of any color, so long as it appeals to you. My book is black, but that is only because I have not yet put a cover on it. Shadows are the spells and workings of a witch and not actually the real spell with the real energy. The written word is only the “shadow” of the real work and so the book has come to be called a book of “shadows.”

  A book of shadows is also the place to keep detailed accounts of all of your rituals and spellwork. Every time you perform a spell or ritual, you should write down everything that you do and what the events surrounding your spell or ritual are. A good form is written out by Silver Ravenwolf as follows:

Ritual Record Sheet:

Type of Ritual: _________________
Date and Time:_________________
Moon Phase and Astrological Correspondences:____________________________________________
Weather:_____________________________________________
Physical Health:________________________________________
Purpose of Ritual:_______________________________________
Tools and Other Items Required:_________________________________________________
Deities Invoked:_____________________________________________
Approx. Length of Ritual:_______________________________
Results of Ritual:______________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Ritual Composition:____________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

Keeping a detailed journal of all of your spells, rituals and workings will be helpful later when you are trying to determine what does and does not work.

Magical Writing
It is not necessary, but many witches believe that it helps spells to work if they are written in the letters of another language. It is said that it makes the spells more “magical”. I find that it just keeps others’ noses out of my book of shadows and my diary. I have created my own alphabet along with my best friend, also the only other person besides myself who can read it. Below is a link to some different alphabets that you may choose to use: Magical Writing

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