Book or loose leaf system?

[Hazel]

One thing I regret , is that my Grandmothers Book of shaddows was thrown away, Granny could not write common English but her written word and pictures told their own story, I agree there is a lot of info that used once I will never use again, but that does not mean that My grand children will not use them in the future. but we do not know what our own future may bring and need.Not knowing at the time what the book was I was amazed when I accidently came across it to find pressed leaves and flowers of herbs and drawings of a pestle a label from Olive oil bottle to show how to make an ointment, or medicine along with a stick type drawing of where to apply it on a person eg for gout stick man would have big red swollen foot.


As for the internet. I tend to use Google search and keep to it, but When I return to find it again even saved in book marks, I can never find it again. although the actual page I have saved is there I can no longer look in other pages because they have gone so annoying so now I copy all revelent info into my Hard drive but as Jim says even that is not trusty, so it must go into the book of shaddows safest place.

sorry for my rant Jim but felt you needed a little nudge there lol

B.B.
Hazel

[Skywalker (Deceased)]

My apologies to all and sundry here. I forgot, for the moment, that there is much in the Craft that can and should be noted down and passed on and that the Book of Shadows is the appropriate place for that.

I was speaking from my own Soto-shu tradition of Zen Buddhism which characterizes itself as a "transmission outside the Scriptures" and therefore beyond words. This is why I have said, in other posts, that the Craft is a mirror for my Path. It illumines the Way when I am feeling my Path by intuition.

Thank you, Hazel, for nudging me.

Brightest Blessings,

Jim

[Morwenn]

Take all the time you need to copy your book Hazel, there's no rush. By the way, I love the description of your grandmother's Book! It should be as simple as that.

I agree with Jim that a Book should only contain what is absolutely yours - what defines you.
In my book in have included only those writings that define me, like my credo - where I define myself as a hermit. It further also describes the path that I follow: a religious recluse, inspired by so many things but nowadays mainly by the life of St. Francis who loved and cared for all living things.

My book further contains local folklore and recipes, eg. of the bread I used to bake with that special local butter, and the recipe of a very special type of pancakes, only available in the heart of winter in the Flemish Ardennes.

Further: a lip salve, a breast salve, some tried herbal tea remedies, dried leaves from my beloved haunted forest, pictures (and stories) of the statue of the werewolf that was said to roam the same forest.

Also the history of the magical and annual circambulation to protect the town from evil. The procession is now made with the remains of a Christian saint but it has obvious pagan roots...

There are so many simple but unique and meaningful things you can include in your Book. The internet is a great source for research. But what would indeed be the use to make a book full of information printed out right from the internet?

blessings,
Morwenn

[Hazel]

Hi Morwenn,

I agree with you about the using some of the things from the internet, I do not print out and put it in my book but I carefuly select things that can aid and back up what I do need, as a healer it is handy to have knowledge of something else or information on something you do not have and have found out, I also find that there is a lot of historical information on the history of witchcraft that I like so for that reason I pick out parts that have certain meaning for me, and anyother research I have need of. I write fiction so I need info for that, I was basicaly generalising.

B.B

Hazel

[Morwenn]

Hi Hazel,

I was generalising too

I just meant to say that it's someting most people do.

blessings,
Morwenn

[lucian]

My BOS doesn't even exist, physically anyway. It lives in the mystical realm of Google Drive and I summon it with my tablet/laptop/smartphone. I tend to work in only candle-light, mostly at night, so I find it very helpful to have a screen that is self-illuminated and easily navigated by touch.

[Morwenn]

As I think about it, my previous book testified first and foremost of my love for one special place in the world...

Anyway, I 've started all over again and I have finally worked out how I'm going to organize my Book . I have decided to split up the material that should go into the book into 5 subdivisions:

Everything that is related to my personal spiritual path goes into my personal compass section: a thick A4 book adorned with many color pencil drawings and heaps of handwritten text.

The almanac part (a 12 month calendar) contains the wheel of the year and it goes into as many thin A4 notebooks (12).

The 'mapping your locality' part contains folklore and local history.

Recipes for healing consists of herbal remedies and my stone medicine.

The last notebook is used to collect local seasonal recipes.

And the good thing is that all these thin notebooks (except for the compass section) can be sewn together to make one sturdy book in the end. How about that ! I'm quite pleased with this solution, although it did take some time to figure it out.

I'll also start working on my tree wheel again.

Blessings,
Morwenn

[Helen]

I use a combination of an A4 ring bound notebook and a ring binder, and coming to the end of my latest book has me re-reading the older books today. I wrote some very insightful stuff, right from the beginning of my journey - although I didn't always know it at the time
I stapled in pictures, photocopied sheets, all sorts. I have lots of stuff written by "Bonnie" who was a very lovely member at the old forum, very generous with her knowledge. I have no idea where or how she is now - but reminded of her today I send my blessings to her path.

Blessed Be friend..
Helen
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