Record keeping

Pagan Kids

Magickal record keeping -

Journal's

Magickal record keeping

This may come as a disappointment for some people, but working magick can involve paperwork! Welcome to the fine art of magickal record keeping. This paperwork is a valuable record of your magickal workings both for you and those who come after you. It also allows you to see your skills developing over time. There are a variety of activities that can be recorded, from spell and ritual preparation, to dream journals, to a personal journal; to the ultimate Witch record, the Grimorie/Book of Shadows (BOS) or Book of Light (Which is increasing with popularity). Spell and Ritual Sheet When you are about to work a spell, it is important to have several elements straight in your head. The easiest way to do this is to write them down. You can rough the spell out on a scrap piece of paper and as you get it to the finished product, why not write it out neatly and put it in your BOS?

Here are some things you might want to include in your spell sheet:
Type of spell/ritual
Date, Day, and time spell/ritual

Name of spell/Ritual (where applicable)
Moon, Astrological, and other Correspondences
Specific Purpose
List of tools and/or ingredients and/or supplies needed
Location
Deities invoked
Step By Step Instructions for preparation and use.

Results/Outcome (if the spell worked, how long did it take, any specific results)

Follow up strategies

You can use magickal alphabets too! click here to find out more...

Book of shadows (Also referred to as a Grimorie or Book of light, and referred to below as a BOS)

Traditionally a hand copied book of rituals, recipes, training techniques, guidelines, and other materials deemed important to a Witch or a coven. Each tradition has it's own standard version of the Book and each Witch's book will be different as he or she adds to it with time from many different sources. Also traditionally, only another Witch should see your book of shadows. (This has changed significantly in recent times with people making their BOS available on the internet, and lifting the secrecy veil so others may share and learn. Many Witches who have an internet BOS may also keep a second book for more personal records - it's what works best for me!!!).

The BOS is best kept organized in topics. These topics may also have many sub topics, and the list is LONG! (Often over several volumes).

Some topics might include:

* DIVINATION - Tarot, Runes, Astrology, Dowsing, I Ching etc

* CORRESPONDENCES - Astrological, herbal, colours, crystals, elements etc.

* MAGICK - Spells, rituals, definitions, as well as candle, moon, crystal & colour magick etc.

* ETHICS

* GLOSSARY & REFERENCE LIST

* MYTHOLOGY - Aboriginal, Greek, Egyptian, Celtic etc.

* SONGS / CHANTS / PRAYERS / BLESSINGS / POETRY

* MAGICAL RECORDS - Of spells, rituals, reading etc. (See above - "Magickal record keeping")

* ANY OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION

It is your book, so organize it in a way that is most easily accessible for you!

Journals

Journals should be kept in an easily accessible and adaptable format, a loose leaf folder or on your PC will work best, then information can be easily categorized for quick reference.

	Personal Journal
	A personal journal is a great thing to keep, whether you are Pagan or not, and can include a variety of things. What happened to you and your family, what was happening in the world, and how did you react or feel about those events. At the end of each year, you can make a list of goals for the coming year and revisit this list at the same time next year to see how you have done. They are particularly useful after a specific event, eg. an esbat or ritual. Try to keep regular entries, whether it's daily, weekly or monthly. You can keep a record of things like: * Thoughts * Words or impressions * Feelings * Moods * Health * Structure & effectiveness * Various cycle phases etc. You may like to record how you felt at different times throughout the event, or just general impressions after. It is all valuable information on what works for you personally.
	Dream Journal
	Again, keep a record in a "loose leaf" format, so the themes or symbols in a dream can be categorized. What should be recorded is feeling, impressions, symbols, and any known influences. Try reading your journal every few months to see if recent events throw light on your dreams. The connection between dreams and our subconscious has been speculated on for centuries. In fact, Aristotle theorized that there is a definite connection between dreams, emotional needs and waking experiences. However, in order to take full advantage of our nighttime movies, we need to keep dream journals that record as much detail as can be remembered. To fully understand our dreams, experts like Carl Jung and Ira Progoff, believe a series of dreams must be examined, not just a single night’s images. To assist in the interpretative process, the following steps are suggested: 1. Date and time your dream. You may find that the dreams you have just before waking have different themes than those right after going to sleep. When you date your dream, don’t forget to include the year. 2. Title your dreams, like The Monkey Attacked the Cow, Airplanes Explode over the North Pole, or Jack Won’t Stop Pulling My Hair. Over a period of time, you’ll probably find recurring themes, like dreams with spiders, or plane crashes, or being chased. 3. Briefly note the day’s events. If you write down any irritations, worries, angers, or heightened emotions you had during the day, you may be able to see a clear correlation between the day’s events and your dreams. 4. Record your dream in as much detail as possible, including the emotions you experienced during the dream, AND the emotions you experienced in recording the dream. Feel free to illustrate your dream, either through a drawing or photograph. 5. List the important keywords from your dream. These might be words like love, hero, flying, snakes, puppies, peace or death. 6. Interpret the dream. Without using devices like a dream dictionary, try to interpret what you feel the dream was about. Was it about being trapped, breaking free, venting strong emotions, taking a journey, or ?? There is no right or wrong answer - so allow yourself the freedom of speculating on a meaning. 7. Look for recurring themes. Once a month, look back through your dream journal, searching for repeating patterns. If you find one, your inner self is trying its best to give you an important message. Don’t forget to look for patterns in your list of important keywords. * Recommended Dream tool: Herkimer diamond. This crystal has unusual scientific properties of this quartz. Herkimer Diamonds have the unique ability to convert one form of energy into another. For example, when pressure is applied to a crystal, energy is released in the form of heat, light and electrical voltage. This is what is known as 'piezoelectricity'. They only grow under water in one area of the world, and their cut & polished appearance is how they occur naturally. They are approximately five hundred million years old. Used here to help remember dreams. You can find out a lot more information easily on the internet. * Recommended book: "A witches book of dreams" by Karri Allrich. * Recommended Website: www.dreamjournel.net