Grace Cavanaugh ~ Co-Editor in Chief
Recently, I have been poking around on WitchTok, or people on TikTok who are witches, to see if they have any advice for someone interested in what they do. I could spend hours watching people on WitchTok talk about different spells, gods, and not trusting the fae.
One thing that always stuck out was when they talked about their Grimoires and Books of Shadows. I wondered what a modern witch would have to write about, besides spell recipes and the like. Turns out, it is a lot.
For those that do not know, like me, there is a difference between a Grimoire and a Book of Shadows. A Grimoire holds general knowledge and is usually passed down in families from witch to witch, but anyone could use it. A Book of Shadows is more personal, though, and is specialized by the witch using it.
For example, a Grimoire could contain an herb, where and how it is grown, and what it can be used for. A Book of Shadows would also have that information, but it would add things like if the witch found the herb useful or not, what spells or mixtures they used it in, et cetera.
I stumbled upon a very helpful TikTok witch, @suburbanwitchery, who made a video about what kind of things you can put in a Grimoire or Book of Shadows.
Moon phases are suggested so you can keep track of what to do on what phase, and if there are any special moon phases coming up, like a super moon, blood moon, or wolf moon. It is also helpful so that you can know, at a glance, what ingredients to gather or what spells need to be done during specific moon phases.
Knowledge about crystals are another thing that you should keep in your Grimoire or Book of Shadows. Writing their meanings and uses down can help you remember them and keep track of the crystals you have and the ones you need to get.
Candles and their colors are also important things to write about. Like crystals and Tarot, color usually matters, and different colors mean different things. Like with crystals, if can help you remember what they mean, which you have, and also which you use the most.
Of course, recipes for spells, mixtures, tinctures and what have you are also essential in anyone’s Grimoire or Book of Shadows. You can keep track of ingredients, order, if it has any special needs like having to be boiled under a full moon, and if it worked for you or not.