RIP to all the beautiful Book of Shadows that could’ve been. RIP To the faux leather bindings. RIP to the rough edges of the parchment paper. RIP to the ink of an expensive pen that I would’ve bought for the occasion.
We talk a lot about intention in the witchcraft community. If writing on a physical Book of Shadows had been a spell, it would’ve failed. I had all the intentions to do it, but I didn’t have the time. And when I did, my exhausted carpal tunnel hands gave out.
Time and ability aside, the titanic amount of information and study I needed to write down was intimidating. My spells, family spells, my mentor spells, divination, an encyclopedia of herbs, correspondences, safety precautions, ancestral work — whew.
This is why I opted for a digital Book of Shadows via Notion. The most practical reason for turning to tech for help is that I type faster than I can write legibly. It’s also easier to edit and organize if I make a mistake or need to go back to add more information or context.
As a bonus, I could integrate elements that would be impossible in a physical book. I added a Spotify playlist that gets me in the spell-working mood. I created databases to keep an inventory of my herbs and enchanted garments and to keep track of witchy books I want to read.
Best of all, this is a Book of Shadows that I carry in my pocket. My wortcunning notes, familial tips, and current active spells are available on my Notion app.
I still recommend having physical resources. Living in the 2020’s means flirting with the edge of a digital stone age. Platforms are here today and gone tomorrow. So keep your books and keep your practice alive in the physical world any way you can. But if there’s a tool out there that can make your practice easier today — however fleeting today may feel — we might as well use it.
If you would like to see how a digital Book of Shadows can help you, I created a Notion template that you can duplicate and customize for your own practice. I included the database of books and other resources so you can skip writing about the basics and go straight to your practice. You can purchase the template here.
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