My Books of Shadows
Okay Witches! I thought I would let you dive into a look in my Book of Shadows! Or in this case Books of Shadows. I have a few. Guess what? That is okay! BOOM! You can have more then one spiritual book for yourself. Like come on you will eventually run out of room, it's just going to happen. You can even designate a theme to each Book of Shadows you own. I have three for all of my Tarot work. Another two for all of my spells and experiences that I have had. And a new one for my dreams. (Especially after Theresa Reeds Twitter post about sleep. I had a few weird dreams and I should probably start writing them down!) You can even do one for just crystals, plants, earth magick, water magick, or whatever that you want! There are so many ways you can create your book of Shadows too.
You can create it to be nothing my artsy, like drawing out the spells and recipes, or creating it to be so extravagant that you have a regular old tome, like from Charmed! Anyway you would like to create your book of shadows is up to you. It is your experiences, insights, and inner workings on paper. Never hurts to record them to review for something that happens later.
So the first two Book of Shadows I have, are pictured to the right. One is a regular old black book. I had gotten that book as a great deal at an art supply store. I got it with 2 larger ones. The larger ones, I have the one for just my art. And the other, I am currently using for my Tarot Book of Shadows. These ones are compiling all my spells and anything associated with my Craft and Practice. Any new insights and observations, and directions on how to do the spell. This book I felt the need to be random, I do like to have my thoughts neat and organized when it comes to this, but I thought it would be a little fun to do something different. So I got random! Wherever there was free space I put a spell and sometimes I even drew a picture and colored it. I mean why not!? Now the other book , the one that looks like it came from Ancient Egypt itself, granted there's a tree of life engraved on it, but it looks Ancient right!? I plan on making it like the Book of Shadows from Charmed, by creating an "index" by basing it in "sections" for what spell I want to utilize. I like to have my thoughts neat and organized on occasion. Now the black book is full of spells. I have spells galore! I have noticed that I have a lot of protections spells and enchantment spells in this one. Even Reiki! Especially since I am a Level 2. I felt the need to add all the symbology and practice of Reiki in my Book of Shadows, since it is a part of me.
In the other one my end goal is to have some botany in that one. What magickal herb does what. Yup, yes sir, I plan on trying my hand at herb craft. Let's hope my green thumb comes through finally and I not kill the poor plant babies! I will say I need to do some research into that some more because I want to make sure I am tending and cultivating them well for them to flourish. I don't want a sad or mentally disturb plant on my hands! Got to make them happy campers!
The next set of fun books I am making is the Tarot Book of Shadows. I have two of these. Above is a picture of their glorious, sexiness. The one that looks like another blast from Ancient Egypt is a journal that someone made. I found the little gem from a vender at the Pride festival in Findlay, Ohio of all places. She had the most beautiful collection. But this one is the one that called to me and I am glad I got it! This has helped me get to start out on my Tarot journey. This one I dedicated to a daily tarot drawing. As you can see, it's almost full!
I used this journal in regards to trying to get to know the cards better. I would draw the card. Start describing what the card looked like and write down any words or phrases that just started to pop into my noggin. I then grabbed the guide book out and do comparisons. What did I pick up from just looking at the card versus what the guide book was saying. The guide book at least lists some generic meanings into the card. Most of the time I noticed that I picked up some of the same things from the guide book. Now other times, I picked up on more messages out of the cards. I made it a generic daily pick as much as possible, but it also gave me some more clarity out of my day.
In tarot there really isn't any wrong way of interpretation of the cards. There is a basic set up for each card, but ultimately your intuition is what will pop out those needed messages. This is where I journal them. From what I gleaned out of the cards is that my day is that lesson the card presented to me at the time I pulled it forth! It really is amazing what your intuition can accomplish. Just got to watch that ego! Don't let that jerk put on the cards what you want to hear and only give you what you need to hear. You have more clarity then what you realize. With a little practice!
Now my big black book is where I do most of my learning for tarot. In here I get to write down generic meanings for each card, all the colors, symbols, numbers, etc. This is where I put all of what I learned out of activities and reading that I have done in tarot. I even do my spread practices in there. I have recently been doing a unlocking archetypes pathway by 3am Tarot. (https://www.3amtarot.com/unlocking-archetypes and follow on Instagram @3am.tarot) This has given me SOOO much insight that I could just cry with the clarity. It is hard work, but worth it! You get to choose what Major Arcana out of the Tarot and do exercises, and ritual work with it to get to know that archetype better. You can choose out of the 1 to 21 cards, I chose the Emperor. Mainly because I struggle with my Masculine side. I wanted to get to know that side better and what I can do to get in touch with it a little more. You got to have balance! Everyone has a masculine and feminine energetic side to them. So why not explore!
As of now, I am on day 3, because I have been so busy with other things, but it has opened me up to better understand how tarot can work. Spreads are like stories that are being told and each card can lead you not only through the story but also how they can relate to each other and help out each other. So for example, the Emperor and the arcana next to him, which is the Empress and the Hierophant. What story do they tell and what can they all learn from each other? Things like that! If you have want to up your Tarot game I strongly advise running on over to her website and have at it! You don't need to do the three that are offered, the Magician, the Emperor, or the hermit. You can do any of the major arcana, even the fool! Your knowledge will expand with all the cards by taking the pathway of that particular arcana. Super fun!
I have also journaled in this book to on my journey with the book called Tarot for Troubled Times by Theresa Reed. (Ihttps://www.thetarotlady.com/tarot-troubled-times/) have not completely finished the book but I have added into my small book of shadows and this larger black book some of what I have learned. In the smaller one I added some more information on cleansing, psychic vampirism and how to shield. The other, larger book I added spreads from the questions that were presented from the book. I mean you got to be able to heal yourself to heal others! But I will go into more detail on that journey later. Don't want to get too ahead of myself! I just can't help but nerd out!
So lastly, pictured below, is the last of my designated Book of Shadows. If you know me well enough you will know why this was a must have purchase with no disregard to any finances. Why? Because it is my favorite Tim Burton movie of all time, The Nightmare Before Christmas. Pretty sure it is weird that I had a crush on a skeleton man, but that is what therapy is for right...? I saw this hand made beauty and I had to have it. Ironically it was in the same place as my Horus Egyptian handmade book of shadows, at the Findlay Ohio Pride festival. It has real paper inside the book like my tree of life book pictured above. I cannot wait to use it! I honestly have not thought about what I want in this book, but I am leaning towards a hodge podge of knowledge. I know I will run out of room in the little black book of shadows eventually so why not have a next step book. I am so going to have to make it pretty on the inside and show off my lack of artist talents! Can't wait!
So if you want to try out the 3am Tarot Unlocking Archetype pathways, I strongly encourage you to try it out. It is hard work and it is totally okay if you don't do the days back to back. I am on day 4 now, but technically I should be on day 6. That is okay! Take your time. She has a lot of inspirational exercise for you to get in touch with the archetype of your choice. Just feel it out and choose which one you want to try out. Which ones energy you want to tap into. I bet they will teach you a few things about yourself you have yet to learn! I know mine has! And feel free to also check out the Tarot Lady's book. It is a fantastic guide to help you understand your Shadow side. And, again, I will go in more depth with you later on my journey in that book! I might even make a post about my journey with my Archetype! We shall see. I hope you all stay safe, and healthy! Blessed be!
Posted by: Sean Eblin, the War Witch
Copyright
You can create it to be nothing my artsy, like drawing out the spells and recipes, or creating it to be so extravagant that you have a regular old tome, like from Charmed! Anyway you would like to create your book of shadows is up to you. It is your experiences, insights, and inner workings on paper. Never hurts to record them to review for something that happens later.
 |
| 2 Books of Shadows |
So the first two Book of Shadows I have, are pictured to the right. One is a regular old black book. I had gotten that book as a great deal at an art supply store. I got it with 2 larger ones. The larger ones, I have the one for just my art. And the other, I am currently using for my Tarot Book of Shadows. These ones are compiling all my spells and anything associated with my Craft and Practice. Any new insights and observations, and directions on how to do the spell. This book I felt the need to be random, I do like to have my thoughts neat and organized when it comes to this, but I thought it would be a little fun to do something different. So I got random! Wherever there was free space I put a spell and sometimes I even drew a picture and colored it. I mean why not!? Now the other book , the one that looks like it came from Ancient Egypt itself, granted there's a tree of life engraved on it, but it looks Ancient right!? I plan on making it like the Book of Shadows from Charmed, by creating an "index" by basing it in "sections" for what spell I want to utilize. I like to have my thoughts neat and organized on occasion. Now the black book is full of spells. I have spells galore! I have noticed that I have a lot of protections spells and enchantment spells in this one. Even Reiki! Especially since I am a Level 2. I felt the need to add all the symbology and practice of Reiki in my Book of Shadows, since it is a part of me.
In the other one my end goal is to have some botany in that one. What magickal herb does what. Yup, yes sir, I plan on trying my hand at herb craft. Let's hope my green thumb comes through finally and I not kill the poor plant babies! I will say I need to do some research into that some more because I want to make sure I am tending and cultivating them well for them to flourish. I don't want a sad or mentally disturb plant on my hands! Got to make them happy campers!
 |
| 2 Books of Shadows |
The next set of fun books I am making is the Tarot Book of Shadows. I have two of these. Above is a picture of their glorious, sexiness. The one that looks like another blast from Ancient Egypt is a journal that someone made. I found the little gem from a vender at the Pride festival in Findlay, Ohio of all places. She had the most beautiful collection. But this one is the one that called to me and I am glad I got it! This has helped me get to start out on my Tarot journey. This one I dedicated to a daily tarot drawing. As you can see, it's almost full!
I used this journal in regards to trying to get to know the cards better. I would draw the card. Start describing what the card looked like and write down any words or phrases that just started to pop into my noggin. I then grabbed the guide book out and do comparisons. What did I pick up from just looking at the card versus what the guide book was saying. The guide book at least lists some generic meanings into the card. Most of the time I noticed that I picked up some of the same things from the guide book. Now other times, I picked up on more messages out of the cards. I made it a generic daily pick as much as possible, but it also gave me some more clarity out of my day.
In tarot there really isn't any wrong way of interpretation of the cards. There is a basic set up for each card, but ultimately your intuition is what will pop out those needed messages. This is where I journal them. From what I gleaned out of the cards is that my day is that lesson the card presented to me at the time I pulled it forth! It really is amazing what your intuition can accomplish. Just got to watch that ego! Don't let that jerk put on the cards what you want to hear and only give you what you need to hear. You have more clarity then what you realize. With a little practice!
 |
| Tarot for Troubled Times by Theresa Reed |
Now my big black book is where I do most of my learning for tarot. In here I get to write down generic meanings for each card, all the colors, symbols, numbers, etc. This is where I put all of what I learned out of activities and reading that I have done in tarot. I even do my spread practices in there. I have recently been doing a unlocking archetypes pathway by 3am Tarot. (https://www.3amtarot.com/unlocking-archetypes and follow on Instagram @3am.tarot) This has given me SOOO much insight that I could just cry with the clarity. It is hard work, but worth it! You get to choose what Major Arcana out of the Tarot and do exercises, and ritual work with it to get to know that archetype better. You can choose out of the 1 to 21 cards, I chose the Emperor. Mainly because I struggle with my Masculine side. I wanted to get to know that side better and what I can do to get in touch with it a little more. You got to have balance! Everyone has a masculine and feminine energetic side to them. So why not explore!
As of now, I am on day 3, because I have been so busy with other things, but it has opened me up to better understand how tarot can work. Spreads are like stories that are being told and each card can lead you not only through the story but also how they can relate to each other and help out each other. So for example, the Emperor and the arcana next to him, which is the Empress and the Hierophant. What story do they tell and what can they all learn from each other? Things like that! If you have want to up your Tarot game I strongly advise running on over to her website and have at it! You don't need to do the three that are offered, the Magician, the Emperor, or the hermit. You can do any of the major arcana, even the fool! Your knowledge will expand with all the cards by taking the pathway of that particular arcana. Super fun!
I have also journaled in this book to on my journey with the book called Tarot for Troubled Times by Theresa Reed. (Ihttps://www.thetarotlady.com/tarot-troubled-times/) have not completely finished the book but I have added into my small book of shadows and this larger black book some of what I have learned. In the smaller one I added some more information on cleansing, psychic vampirism and how to shield. The other, larger book I added spreads from the questions that were presented from the book. I mean you got to be able to heal yourself to heal others! But I will go into more detail on that journey later. Don't want to get too ahead of myself! I just can't help but nerd out!
So lastly, pictured below, is the last of my designated Book of Shadows. If you know me well enough you will know why this was a must have purchase with no disregard to any finances. Why? Because it is my favorite Tim Burton movie of all time, The Nightmare Before Christmas. Pretty sure it is weird that I had a crush on a skeleton man, but that is what therapy is for right...? I saw this hand made beauty and I had to have it. Ironically it was in the same place as my Horus Egyptian handmade book of shadows, at the Findlay Ohio Pride festival. It has real paper inside the book like my tree of life book pictured above. I cannot wait to use it! I honestly have not thought about what I want in this book, but I am leaning towards a hodge podge of knowledge. I know I will run out of room in the little black book of shadows eventually so why not have a next step book. I am so going to have to make it pretty on the inside and show off my lack of artist talents! Can't wait!
 |
| Nightmare Before Christmas Book of Shadows |
So if you want to try out the 3am Tarot Unlocking Archetype pathways, I strongly encourage you to try it out. It is hard work and it is totally okay if you don't do the days back to back. I am on day 4 now, but technically I should be on day 6. That is okay! Take your time. She has a lot of inspirational exercise for you to get in touch with the archetype of your choice. Just feel it out and choose which one you want to try out. Which ones energy you want to tap into. I bet they will teach you a few things about yourself you have yet to learn! I know mine has! And feel free to also check out the Tarot Lady's book. It is a fantastic guide to help you understand your Shadow side. And, again, I will go in more depth with you later on my journey in that book! I might even make a post about my journey with my Archetype! We shall see. I hope you all stay safe, and healthy! Blessed be!
Posted by: Sean Eblin, the War Witch
Copyright
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