Lesson #3 - BOS

Ok - here is the assignment for Lesson 3 - Creating Your Own Book of Shadows.  I have to say that this assignment irritated me a bit only because I feel that it should of went along with Lesson 1.  When completing this assignment it just felt to me like this and the first lesson should have maybe been done together or this one first -something.

1- Make a list of ten "statements of belief" which you would like to incorporate into your Book of Shadows.
a) My path is Wicca - eccentric
b) I have an affinity for the Goddess but no particular one
c) Harm None
d) Walk Softly on the Earth
e) Knowledge is a important - we never cease to end our learning
f) I am important
g) Everything has a purpose in this time
h) I have strong Native American Ancestry and I need to tap into that and learn from my elders
i) My family is important to me and I am their teacher as much as their friend
j) Everyone comes into our lives for a reason or a season and we need to learn from that and accept it

2- How do you plan to compliment your Book of Shadows with Journals, if you are not using Journals, how will you record things which you might want to copy to the Book of Shadows?
I personally do not know if I will incorporate much from my journal.  (as stated in Assignment 1 I do keep a journal and it seems to be a melting pot of all the journals that were listed in that lesson).  I do make notes in my journals of drawings, things that interest me and websites and I will incorporate those into my BOS if those are things that I truly feel go with my path and what I am trying to put together.

3- Would you like your Book of Shadows to be passed down to your descendants? How would you create your Book so that your tradition can be carried on?
I would like my BOS passed down ot my children.  I do know that as a Wiccan it is my responsibility to not only show my children my path but others as well (even those that I do not agree with) and allow them to chose the path right for them when the time is right.  For me passing down my BOS is not necessarily so much about them learning from my path or trying to make it their own (they may choose to be Wiccan but may follow a different path than I do or may not necessarily agree with the things that are “right” for me) but it is more about them gaining a better understanding of who their mother was.  I feel that as a parent (and a child of a mom) our children never tend to understand us or know what makes us tick because they do not get to see that point but through journals and my BOS my children will be able to gain a better knowledge of the woman they call mom.  Plus if I am doing it right as a parent they should be making and have their own BOS which would be a record of their personal beliefs.

4- How would you like your Book of Shadows to be decorated? Have you chosen any themes or colours which you would like to use? What items will you use to decorate the Book?
I do think that my BOS will have a specific theme or be decorated in one exact way.  I am very eccentric in my path and believe that my BOS will demonstrate that as well.  I will not sit and “plan” out pages of my BOS but rather complete pages as I am moved using the specific items / decorations that I am moved to use when completing a specific page.

5- Have you thought about the cover of your Book? Have a look online and choose a symbol or design. Tell me what you have chosen and why?
Please see below #6 as I have put these 2 questions together as I feel they are closely related.

6- What is the Cover of your Book made from (or what kind o cover will your Book have) Are you able to design the Cover yourself? If so, how will you do this?
ANSWER FOR #5 & #6 - My BOS is an 8x8 scrapbook.  It is one that I had laying around the house and was drawn to when I began my BOS.  It is a strange green color (not quite green - not quite blue - not quite a mix of the two) and is a fabric cover.  Although I can not necessarily change the outside of my BOS I do plan to alter it by drawing on and adding embellishments.  I want to draw a symbol that has a strong meaning for me (which is also on my title page as well as tattooed on my wrist) … it is a basic pentacle with a trinity knot within it.  The pentacle is the symbol of my path (as a cross is for a Christian) and the trinity knot inside helps me to connect not only to the Maiden - Mother & Crone but also to Mind - Body & Spirit (both of which are meanings of the Trinity Knot).  As I said I will embellish it and such as I am moved to do so.

7- List ten things you will put into your Book of Shadows.
a) Title Page - Has BOS on it & my symbol as well as my name
b) Blessing Page - this is a generic blessing that I found and liked so I included it in my BOS - around the edges I drew swirls
c) Wiccan Rede - Full Version
d) Page Dedicated to the Goddess
e) Dedication once I have dedicated myself to the practice
f) Moon Phases
g) Tides
h) Hand Fasting Ritual once I have written and we have taken part in 2012
i) Information on Sabbats & Essabats as we celebrate them (including correspondences for them / appropriate food / menus / crafts / decorations / and anything else I feel needs to be recorded of them)
j) Elements
k) Correspondences
l) Prayers / Chants / Poems / Writings
m) Deities
n) Rituals and Spells that I have done
o) My Morals / Principals - one of the main reasons I consider myself eccentric because I do not follow one set of morals / principals completely but rather mix and match those that feel “right” to me
p) Tips that I have found interesting
q) List of what is in the book for reference
r) My totem animal
s) Astrological information
t) Personal astrological information (like charts and such that pertain to me)
u) List of books I have read and any information that I find relevant
v) Craft instructions
w) Divination I have Done
x) Quotes I find interesting
y) Sketches of the environment
z) Whatever else I come across and know that it has to be included in my BOS

8- Do you have a Patron or favourite Deity? Which one? Create a page for this Deity for your Book of Shadows. If you dont have any materials just now to create a page, sketch a plan of the page. Upload a photo of your page. If you do not have a Patron Deity yet, research and choose a Deity for this exercise. If you cannot get a picture uploaded, describe the page to me.
I do not have a specific patron or deity.  I honor the Goddess and all her many facets.  I actually have a page in my BOS already dedicated to the Goddess … … it is a page with multiple drawings of her and inside her body I have drawn items that I feel she represents in her many facets.  Along with the drawings there is a prayer to the Goddess.  Throughout my path if I am drawn to a specific patron or deity I will then do a page dedicated to them and add it to my BOS.

9- Where will you store your Book of Shadows?
Although I know that a BOS is to be kept private and only for my eyes I do not necessarily agree with that.  I guess that is why my BOS sits on my desk with my Life Journal.  I feel that if my kids pick it up and want to look through it they should be able to as well as if they are so inclined to draw a picture in it then it is meant to be in my BOS for a reason.  To me my BOS is similar to that of a Bible for a Christian and you do not hear them saying that they place their bible in a drawer covered with a silk cloth protected from the elements and their children.  A bible is out and well worn because of their beliefs - to me that is exactly what my BOS should repersent.

10- Suggest one thing which could be included in your Book of Shadows which was not listed in the lesson.
Moon Phases - I do not feel that this would fall under the category of Correspondences and is very important for the moon is a powerful force in my life.
Tides - again I do not feel that this falls in the category of Correspondences but can be very important when working in magick