I have been in exploration mode the last couple of months. I took some time out over the summer to rest and explore. One thing that came rushing to the forefront is my love of journaling. I have shared about my nature journaling, which I find so rewarding, but I also love many other kinds of journaling. Recently, I have been inspired by to create a Book of Shadows type of journal that records what I have been learning. For those new to Paganism, a Book of Shadows is a book where you store mangical information for easy reference. Many are simply practical, but they can also be beautiful and a lof of fun to create.

My original intention was for it to be about my studies into Anglo Saxon Paganism, but as I have gone along it has become more playful and creative and I am enjoying just adding to it as I feel to, creating pages that feel inspiring and joyful, with information I feel I will come back to again and again. If you like the style of the journal, here’s how I created it.

To create this journal, I bought a basic dot grid Moleskine journal. I glue the pages together in pairs to make them more sturdy and so the paint and pen doesn’t bleed through. I then use water colour paints and a big brush to make messy coloured backgrounds. I make the colours a bit “dirty” by adding lots of brown. This makes the pages look aged and worn , which I love. I pay particular attention to the edges and add a few flicks of paint to make it look textured. The paint I’m using it Koi Water Colors in the set of 12. It’s a great travel size if you want to take your paints out and about.

I then use papers to add some designs to it. Mostly I’m using the Book of Shadows Junk Journal Kit and Ephemera which has some really beautiful papers in it. I rip the paper into different shapes and stick them down with glue. I then use some more watercolour brown paint to colour the edges and add some shadow. Keeping to a colour theme and choosing papers that have a similar or complementary feel to them looks good to me. I am trying to have a nature based theme so that it relates to the subject matter in my journal.

Then I add headings with Posca pens, and the text of the pages with a waterproof black Uni-ball pen. These pens are so great to use with watercolours as they are waterproof and won’t bleed once the ink is dry, even if you paint over the top of them. Makes for great layering effects.

I’ve really enjoyed setting up my pages first and finding some lovely designs for them. Then later I will see how the page is speaking to me and see what subject matter I’d like it to have. So far, my pages have had the following themes:

  • Acknowledgement of Country
  • The Anglo Saxon Runes
  • What is Drýcræft?
  • Tree Wisdom of the Runes
  • Midsummer
  • Old English Words
  • The Three Ancestors

There are so many more possibilities. I have often struggled to get started with a Book of Shadows or Grimoire for my spiritual work. My perfectionist tendencies often have me just starting at the blank pages and not getting any further, but the process of decorating the pages first has really helped me to get going. Also being kinder to myself and reminding myself that it doesn’t have to be perfect. Enjoying the process is so much more important!

I hope this blog gives you some ideas and inspires you to create your own Book of Shadows or other creative journal for your spiritual journey. If you’re interested in any of the products I’ve mentioned, it would be awesome if you’d follow the Amazon Affiliate links I have included here on the page so that I can keep creating more content like this for you. You can also take a look at the Amazon Links section of my website for more products I love and recommend. 🙂