B is for Book of Shadows

A Book of Shadows (aka BOS) is place to keep all the information about your personal spiritual path and practices. Since everyone is different every BOS will be slightly different. Some believe it should be handwritten while others are more modern and use databases on the computer. Some use pre-made scripted ones bought at the bookstore or their local occult store. I've even heard of someone using an index card/recipe box method. Some use a mix. And you are not limited to one book if you so wish! Have one for each topic if you want. Regardless, a BOS is very personal in my opinion.
So what goes in a Book of Shadows? Anything you want, according to your spiritual path! Some use it only to document and journal rituals and tarot readings. Some use it to keep track of herbs and lore. For others it is just a magical journal. Put in it what is personal to you to help keep those things that are sacred to your spiritual path in one place.

I have had several versions and am not done yet. I want to ultimately create something I can pass on to my own witchlet.  I have included a description of the basic core of my belief. I paste into it words of inspiration and empowerment. Being a rather green or kitchen witche (who would have thought THAT of me) I have a chapter for the sun cycles, each turn of the Wheel of the Year, with traditions, associations, prayers, and personal practices and memories that go with each. I have explanations of the moon cycles and what each phase represents and is good for. I include the rare spells I have done, why, and what the outcomes were. I include pictures that connect me with my spirit and whatever topic the page covers. Some are hand drawn and some are clippings from magazines. Regardless it is decisively me.

Here are some pictures.

It is a leather cover from a journal I got at Barnes and Nobel many years ago.
I can remove the journal book and add whatever I want into it.
The Tree of Life is special to me, hence the decision to use this as a cover.

Inside I have a computer printed copy of a mediation and a picture of a skeleton
on the section for what I now consider the Start of Winter
 (soon to be changed to a new title), also known as Samhain.