This is the name given by modern witches to the book in which they write their rituals, invocations, poems, charms and spells. Witches copy from each other's books that which appeals to them, and things which have been learnt from experience, so that in practise no two books are exactly alike.

Those that belong to a coven also copy the coven rites in this book. Individual art work and other decorations also individualise the book of shadows. The cover can be of wood, leather, cloth or paper. Usually protection runes, the owners magical name and their covens name and symbol is written or carved on the cover or first page. Some witches use runes through out this book, others use magical alphabets to write down their spells, initiations and specific parts of rites, you may do as you wish there is no set rule. An old rule of covens with regard to written material of this description, is that when anyone died their book was burned. The reason for this, from the old days, was to save embarrassment to the persons family.

A written book was proof enough to accuse a person of witchcraft and as the latter was popularly supposed to run in families ,with the discovery of such a book whole families including babies were burnt at the stake. Friends and neighbours became suspect and many people were tormented and eventually killed due to such a find.

The book of shadows has been named such because its contents can only be this world's shadow of the realities of the other world, the one of magic and the beyond one of gods and their elemental helpers. In modern covens this book can be passed on within the family or to a favourite student / apprentice or coven member if the person never marries. It is up to each of you to decide what will become of your magic books, tools robes etc. and make the arrangements through word of mouth and a legal will as to what must be done with them after you go through transition, this includes other books such as; mirror books, dream books, herb books, circle of stones books [crystal, gem and stone magic] and any bought occult books.