Book of Shadows

Learning Outline


0. Introduction

This course outline is intended for the serious beginner who wishes to enter an intense and complete study of paganism, magic, wicca, and the occult. This is ONLY for those interested in a real self-education. If you're looking for an easy, quick way to gain instant gratification, forget about it. It doesn't exist. Knowledge is a reward you must earn.

There is no answer key, in fact, many of these will have different answers for each person. This is only an outline. You may add to it or change from the suggested route if you would like. Good luck, begin whenever you are ready. DO NOT RUSH. This course is intended to allow for years of learning, if you finish it in a week or two I guarantee you that you barely scratched the surface.


00. Getting Ready to Learn

A) Notebook

1) Have a plain notebook prepared to store research and answers to the questions included in this course outline. Print out this outline if you can and put it inside your notebook.

B) Knowing where to look: Not sure how to find answers?
1) Internet: Search engines and link directories
a) AltaVista
b) Yahoo!
c) Infoseek
d) HotBot
e) SpiritLinks- (Occult)
f) AvatarSearch- (Occult)

2) Books: Check bookstores, libraries, and online bookstores [like amazon.com]
a) Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner (Cunningham)
b) Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (Cunningham)
c) To Ride a Silver Broomstick (Ravenwolf)
d) The Spiral Dance (Starhawk)
e) The Witch's Bible Compleat (Farrar)
f) Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft (Buckland)

I. Ethics

A) The Law of Return: What goes around, comes around.
1) What does this mean to you?
2) How does it apply to your life?
3) How does it apply to your magick practices?

B) Perfect Love and Perfect Trust: It must be maintained between partners.
1) Define "Perfect Love and Perfect Trust"
2) How do you know when to trust someone?
3) Who should you trust, and when should you maintain secrecy?

C) Wiccan Rede: If you wish to become a wiccan, it's important to understand the rede.
1)What is the meaning of the rede?

II. Preparatory Understanding

A) Faith: You must fully believe in magick for it to work.
1) What does the phrases "magic is afoot" and "magic is everywhere" mean?

B) Willpower: Nothing can stop you from reaching your goal.
1) What are some possible obstacles to magick?
2) How can you overcome those obstacles?

C) Privacy: When to talk, when to preserve secrecy.
1) Why should you sometimes keep your magick inention to yourself?
2) When should you tell someone about your practices?
3) How do these rules apply to a coven or group ritual atmosphere?
4) Do you plan to "go public", or practice as a silent solitary?

D) Willingness and Fearlessness: Leave your doubts at the door.
1) Are you ready to walk a path less traveled, and less understood?
2) If you are trying to change religions (ie to wicca or another form of paganism), are you prepared to give up whatever religion you may have been raised in?
3) What fears or trepidations do you have? These must be dealt with before you can go any further.

III. Magick Prep Skills

A) Cleansing
1) Define "cleansing"
2) Define "ritual bath"
3) What is one method for cleansing?

B) Raising/controlling energy- These topics must be practiced and understood:
1) Meditation
2) Grounding
3) Centering
4) Concentration/Focus

C) Visualization of a single goal
1) Practice and understand visualization techniques

D) Casting and opening a circle
1) Why cast circles?
2) Must you always cast a circle before rituals?
3) One method for casting a circle
4) One method for opening it afterwards

IV. Beginning Spellcraft

A) Creating your own spells
1) Why not just use pre-created spells?
2) Create a basic outline for all-purpose spell use
3) Types of magic: research each form of magick and when each is appropriate to use:
i. Spells/Rituals/Rites
ii. Poppets/Dolls
iii. Mojo bags
iv. Potions and philtres

B) Putting it all together: research and understand why, where, when, and how to use various spell elements:

i. Affirmations, chants, and incantations
ii. Color correspondences
iii. Candle magick
iv. Stone magick
v. Amulets, talismans, charms
vi. Timing
a. Days of the week
b. Days of the year
c. Lunar phases/cycles
d. Astrological cycles
vii. Herbs:
a. Meanings and magickal uses of herbs
b. Incense
c. Essential oils
viii. Elements- Know the correspondences, meanings, and usages of:
a. Water
b. Earth
c. Fire
d. Air
e. Akasha
ix. Elemental Spirits
x. Invocations
xi. Tools (ie, athame, chalice, broom, etc)
Do you have to use ALL of these elements in every spell you create? (hint: NO) Explain.


V. Advanced Skills

A) Divination
1) Gain a basic understand of each form of divination:
i. Scrying
ii. Astrology
iii. Tarot
iv. Runes
v. Runesticks
vi. Pendulums
vii. I Ching
viii. Oneiromancy (dream divination)
ix. Tasseography (tea leaf reading)
x. Ovamancy (egg divination)
xi. Bibliomancy (book divination)
xii. Ceromancy (candle wax divination)
xiii. Geomancy (sand or dirt divination)
xivOuija

2) Develop a divining skill
i. Which form or forms of divination interest you most?
ii. Research skill(s) of interest and attempt to practice them
iii. What forms of divination are easiest or more natural for you?

B) Psychic Powers
1) Gain a basic understand of each form of psychicism:
i. Precognition
ii. Clairvoyance
iii. Telepathy
iv. Telempathy
v. Clairaudience
vi. Clairsentience
vii. Telekinesis
viii. Teleportation

2) Develop a psychic skill
i. Which form or forms of psychicism interest you most?
ii. Do you feel you have any natural psychic powers?
iii.If so, research ways to develop your natural skills.

C) Beyond the Body
1) Out-of-Body Experiences
i. What are they? How are they different from astral traveling?
ii.State and summarize some methods
iii. Have you ever experienced this phenomenon? What is it like?
iv. What abilities do you have that you normally don't have on the physical plane?

2) Astral Travel
i. What is it? Compare it to OBEs (Out-of-Body Experiences)
ii. State and summarize some methods to induce it.
iii. Discuss wraths, travelers, and the characteristics of this plane versus the physical and OBE planes.
iv. Have you experienced it? And if so describe it.