Book of Shadows
Wiccan sacred text
A Book of Shadows is a personal journal used in Wicca and other modern witchcraft traditions to record spells, rituals, spiritual reflections, and magical knowledge.
Each practitioner typically creates their own, building it over time as a working grimoire: She copied the protection spell into her Book of Shadows.
The term was popularized by Gerald Gardner, founder of Wicca, in the mid-20th century.
Volume containing magical instructions
- tomeSubstantial scholarly volume
- codexAncient bound manuscript
- manuscriptOriginal text before publication
- parchmentTreated hide for manuscripts
scroll · folio · handwritten · secret · hereditary · personal · copied · inherited
Assembly of witches
- pentacleEncircled five-pointed star
- altarSacred ritual table
- chaliceOrnate ritual drinking vessel
- wandThin ceremonial stick
cauldron · besom · Gardner · Alexandrian · initiation · degree · tradition · craft
Accessible to few
mystical · supernatural · magical · metaphysical · ceremonial · hermetic · theosophical · gnostic
Magical utterances or intervals
- ritualsCeremonial repeated practices
- recipesInstructions for preparing dishes
- correspondencesMutual relations or similarities
- herbsPlants for seasoning
crystals · moon phases · dreams · visions · symbols · sigils · runes · prayers
Performing magical incantations
- ritualCeremonial set of actions
- invocationCalling upon higher authority
- incantationSpoken magical formula
- divinationForetelling through mystical means
scrying · conjuration · banishing · blessing · cleansing · meditation · visualization · chanting
spellbook
Volume containing magical instructions
- tomeSubstantial scholarly volume
- codexAncient bound manuscript
- manuscriptOriginal text before publication
parchment · scroll · folio · handwritten · secret · hereditary · personal · copied · inherited · entries
coven
Assembly of witches
wand · cauldron · besom · Gardner · Alexandrian · initiation · degree · tradition · craft · priestess
esoteric
Accessible to few
forbidden · mystical · supernatural · magical · metaphysical · ceremonial · hermetic · theosophical · gnostic · initiatory
spells
Magical utterances or intervals
- ritualsCeremonial repeated practices
- recipesInstructions for preparing dishes
- correspondencesMutual relations or similarities
herbs · crystals · moon phases · dreams · visions · symbols · sigils · runes · prayers · invocations
spellcasting
Performing magical incantations
- ritualCeremonial set of actions
- invocationCalling upon higher authority
- incantationSpoken magical formula
divination · scrying · conjuration · banishing · blessing · cleansing · meditation · visualization · chanting · grounding
- witchcraftwitch, spell, spellwork, witches, spells
- occultwitchcraft, sorcery, necromancy, black magic, tarot
- occult magicconjuring, summoning, invocation, evocation, incantation
- occult objectsOuija board, crystal ball, tarot cards, voodoo doll, amulet
- Grimoiresgrimoire, spellbook, Red Dragon
- Mystical TextsKabbalah, Sefer Yetzirah
Book of ShadowsBible
Christian sacred writings
catechism · Torah · Quran · Book of Common Prayer · church doctrine
book, shadow, books, shadowy, bookish, shadows, booklet, overshadow, bookcase