Lunar Lore

Don't let your Book of Shadows lose momentum, keep the energy rolling through its pages. I try not to keep any individual section too heavy.

Timing is pretty important, we have done a lot to over complicate things. Take the next page and break down Lunar timing.

Example:

The New Moon
Don't be afraid of the Dark, embrace it. Many believe that the New Moon should be taken as a time of rest. However, the new moon is a useful period for growth, for starting new ventures, new beginnings. Also love and romance, health or job hunting. It is a great time of increasing Magick and Rebirth. The best time to plant gardens and trim your hair.

Now this might not be a good example (I wrote it quickly), but you could use poetry:

Lady of the Night
Spinning like the gamblers coin
Dark then light and dark again.

As the dark orb rises
Sparks dance in minds and hearts
Inspiration, growth and renewal.

Waxing poetic in the sky
Life springs, all grows
Hair and Herb and Hope.

Swelling, Silver is the Mother
Birthing her light into the world
As the tides reaching the land.

Waning and pulling like a bowstring
Launching power like arrows
Repelling the unwanted.

It is possible to mince your words and still capture the intent.

You'll want to capture, New Moon, Waxing Moon, Full Moon and Waning Moon.

If you would like to contact me personally for Q&A you can always comment or for private consult my email is listed in my business card, please note that I work at my own pace and you may see your answer in a blog post rather than a responding email. 

Tradition 2: The God

While we have a Goddess we are not Monotheistic, our path is one of balance. Directly opposite the Goddess.

As I stated last week. I do not personally call upon the Gods often. So I will leave giving your iconic duo a face up to you. You need to fill in some information, please do not take this post at face value, research your God:

Great Father

Name: If you are working with a specific God.
Myth: (Such as Mercury, Messanger of the Gods.)
Incense: (Recipe if Applicable) Benzoin
Color: Gold
Tree: Oak
Flower: Iris (The root looks phallic)
Preferred Offering: A Personal Possession (Ring, Crystal, Coin or Blade)
Invocation:

"Ancient God of the forest deeps,
Master of beast and Sun;
Here where the world is hushed and sleeps
Now that the day is done.
I call You in the ancient way
Hear me pray and send Your force down. "

Tradition 1: The Goddess

I don't know how much of this I have discussed, but your Book of Shadows is a reflection of your Shadow Self. It is a Sacred Artifact. The way we are laying it out is much like you would design a Temple.

Still working at the front of your BoS. After you have finished with your section on The Pillars (The Elements) we are metaphorically stepping into a Temple, and at the center of the Temple you will always find the Gods.

Every path has their Pantheon, their Mount Olympus if you will. If you do not have a path or lineage within the Craft these next two pages can stay generic "Great Mother" and "Great Father" images. And if you are at all artistic please draw them how you see them, if not the Gods saw fit to provide us with the Internet, find something you like.

Now I do not personally call upon the Gods often. So I will leave giving your iconic duo a face up to you. You need to fill in some information, please do not take this post at face value, research your Goddess:

Great Mother

Name: If you are working with a specific Goddess.
Myth: (Such as The Birth of Venus, Aphrodite and the Clam.. Not in detail, just a source.)
Incense: (Recipe if Applicable) Ylang-Ylang
Color: Silver
Tree: Elder
Flower: Lotus and Tulip
Preferred Offering: Egg
Invocation:

"Oh Goddess Mother
You are the mystery of Night
Your radiant shine is the Day
Infinite realms cascade within You..

I open myself to your Glory!"

The Pillars

For this section we are going back to the Front pages. I will customarily leave the page immediately opposite my Blessing blank, but this is mostly for aesthetics, and because I have a ridiculous idea that I will one day be a good enough artist to draw a Green-Man there.

On the next Page or two pages that are facing each other. We are going to record the Pillars and by this I mean the Pillars of Witchcraft. These are the anchor points of any Temple, if you don't know what they are then you either need a new mentor or I have a list of books you can read.

If you do not know, they are (stolen from the above link):

To Know: One values knowledge as everything learned is only a part of a larger puzzle. This includes knowledge and understanding of the gods and goddesses and not just by "book learning", but through personal experience; thus it means use. This pillar corresponds to the element of Air, which represents reason, intellect, intuition and wisdom.

To Dare: Be willing to take risks, not go in blindly and without thought. To approach a task boldly, be willing to face mysteries to investigate and experience as well as embrace the mysteries that surround one. This pillar corresponds with the element of Water, which represents courage, emotions and one's heart.

To Will: A deep and heartfelt belief, "If you do not believe you can succeed, you will not succeed". But one should not shy away from opposition of beliefs, but understand and believe what is in your heart. This pillar corresponds to the element of Fire, which represents discipline, one's skills, concentration and drive.

To be Silent: Magick is a gift, thus one should not "brag" or "threaten" others concerning the use of magic. Further magic will lose its potency when spoken aloud to others after the spell or incantation has been preformed. This pillar corresponds with the element of Earth, which represents cleansing and grounding of one's mind.


You don't need much room, this is important because these are principals of the Craft, but also discrete information on how each element ties to your magick. There is no hurry, by all means get your thoughts in order before setting pen to paper on this one.


If you would like to contact me personally for Q&A you can always comment or for private consult my email is listed in my business card, please note that I work at my own pace and you may see your answer in a blog post rather than a responding email.  

The Seal

Picking up where we left off, flip to the back of the last page in your BoS and draw a large Pentacle. Take your time, use a pencil, get it right and then go over it with ink, let the ink dry at least thirty minutes before you go back and erase the pencil lines.

Traditionally, each point of the Pentagram would be marked with a Glyph. I do not follow that path but using the Glyphs is your decision, starting at the top-left and moving deosil: if you want to use alternate or specially created Sigils here is a great site that will give you some instructions.

First is the Waxing Crescent.

Full at the Apex

Then Waning Crescent

Bottom Right Should have a Goddess Symbol

Bottom Left Should have a God Symbol


At the Center should be your personal Sigil. This is unique to you, something only you should know.

Alternately as the Moon is the Goddess's symbol you can replace her symbol in the Bottom Right with your own.

Now what this does is bind the books contents, and make it effectively Sacred Space or an Altar by its self, the only tool that you will ever need, after you have finished learning your path of course.

If you would like to contact me personally for Q&A you can always comment or for private consult my email is listed in my business card, please note that I work at my own pace and you may see your answer in a blog post rather than a responding email.