How Do You Keep Your Records?

[Lunatari]

Just a question, how do you keep your records? How do you refer to it (Grimoire, BoS, etc.)?
 
Do you use binders, folders, notebooks, custom-made books, etc.? Do you write it by hand or use computers?
 
How long have you been working on this? Do you have more than one?
 
Does it have any organization?
 
How much would you say you have invested in it? What is contained within it?
 
Do you (or would you) let another copy it/use it?

 
i just call mine ''the book'' .. I always found any-other name a bit to fantasy tbh... and I like the sound of ''the book'' for to me it is just that and it's simple.
it's handwritten and the cover is made from parts of my old favorit book (when it broke) and new pieces... i like it got that sentimental value over it, makes me feel like its extra tied to me.
I only have one and when it's some day full i'll add new pages.
I wouldn't let anyone ells borrow or copy it - if something specific in it can help another i might let them, but not the full book and only if its a person close to me.. to me ''the book'' is very personal.

[Jenett]

Just a question, how do you keep your records? How do you refer to it (Grimoire, BoS, etc.)?

I keep general notes about day to day work via online tools - in my case, LiveJournal/Dreamwidth, which allows me a nuanced level of sharing. (Some things are private, some things are shared with a small group of people, some things are shared with a larger but known group of people.) I've found that having to explain things to people who are outside my head is very helpful in a range of circumstances, and that having the magical work in amidst other things going on in my life makes it easier to see the larger context.

(By this, I don't mean full notes on ritual or magical work - but a "I did a prosperity working here [short summary]. and here's why I did it that way." or "here's a divination reading, and what I think - anyone seeing stuff I'm missing?" sorts of stuff.)

Deeply personal things (major ritual experiences, like initiations, aspecting work, etc.) are saved as indidivual text files on my computer.

Working materials - ritual texts, reference materials, etc. are currently scattered in several different places, but my plan is to combine everything that I'm either using or might reasonably use into one place (probably written by hand, but I'm contemplating typing), and then collecting supplementary material into computer files.

(For example, I have a lot of material from my training - about 2" of paper - that is not a regular part of my personal practice, but which I want to be able to pass along to future students in the tradition, at least potentially.)

I'll be collecting the ongoing material I use into a field journal from Tom Bihn, which has the advantage of being portable, refillable, and so on, while being a bit nicer than an ordinary binder. (And a bit more flexible when propped on the corner of an altar...) I also have a formal BOS for coven work (with only group-specific info - the circle cast, information on specific rituals, etc.) in it that's in a wire bound sketch book.
 

How much would you say you have invested in it? What is contained within it?

Almost all the actual information that I need is in multiple places (or readily available from others in the tradition, if something happened to my computer and backups.) That said, it's important to me to have a clear copy of a fair amount of material, as part of my responsibilities toward supporting and maintaining the tradition.

(My personal stuff, I'm a lot more flexible about: it's in my head, or I can recreate it easily, after all.)
 

Do you (or would you) let another copy it/use it?

 
Some of the trad material is oathbound, and a lot of the rest is not very useful without background knowledge. (For example, the text of our circle cast by itself is only about a third of what happens, and our written versions generally don't mention either the physical gestures involved in detail, or the visualisation/imagery that goes with it.)

So, on average, probably not, unless they were a current student of the tradition.

I use an old fashioned three-ring binder with college-ruled, loose-leaf paper and sometimes printed materials. I call it a Grimoire (as that's what I was taught to call it). I do have organization, but I'm trying to separate things and begin using more than one three-ring binder, one for wortcunning, one for spells/rituals, one for meditations/dreams/visions, one for divinations, and one for Deity/Spirit workings/info.
 
I've not been working at it long but I've had it in mind for a while. Also, I do try to write it by hand and then sometimes I will print something out to make it look nicer.
 
I would not let someone copy or use it. I would give them the information they need and then go from there, but I would never let it pass into another's hands.[/QUOTE]

[CozyWitch]

I would not let someone copy or use it. I would give them the information they need and then go from there, but I would never let it pass into another's hands.

Since you and I are the only ones I recall from this thread who choose not to let others view their personal records but give them the information they need . . .
 
Why do you choose to do so, Jenett?
 
Personally, my energies are bound in my records. If another were to infuse it with their energy, all the energy that I've worked so long to create would be somewhat tainted and/or reset, although not entirely.
 
My records are the most personal to me, just like my tools. They are MINE. To let another use or touch them would be blasphemous to me. Also, my tarot I'm not so worried about because I constantly cleanse them. But I do have a deck that may be used in ritual work only.

[Aubrey_Rose]

Just a question, how do you keep your records? How do you refer to it (Grimoire, BoS, etc.)?
 
Do you use binders, folders, notebooks, custom-made books, etc.? Do you write it by hand or use computers?
 
How long have you been working on this? Do you have more than one?
 
Does it have any organization?
 
How much would you say you have invested in it? What is contained within it?
 
Do you (or would you) let another copy it/use it?
 
I use an old fashioned three-ring binder with college-ruled, loose-leaf paper and sometimes printed materials. I call it a Grimoire (as that's what I was taught to call it). I do have organization, but I'm trying to separate things and begin using more than one three-ring binder, one for wortcunning, one for spells/rituals, one for meditations/dreams/visions, one for divinations, and one for Deity/Spirit workings/info.
 
I've not been working at it long but I've had it in mind for a while. Also, I do try to write it by hand and then sometimes I will print something out to make it look nicer.
 
I would not let someone copy or use it. I would give them the information they need and then go from there, but I would never let it pass into another's hands.

 

I keep all of my things in a plain three ring binder. I don't really call it anything except "my book" Its all hand written (mostly because I am too lazy to type it up)!! I have dividers in it so its all sectioned off, one section is for divinatin, another for spell work, another for notes about things I have learned about various herbs and colors and crystals, etc. I'm pretty protective of it, I don't even let my boyfriend look into, although, I would be more than happy to share any knowledge with him, I concider My book to be very sacred, and personal to me and my spiritual journey. I might be willing to share it with a a child, if I ever have one interested in practicing, or maybe with a student (if I ever learn enough to teach). But for the average Jo Shmoe, its off limits.!

[Shawnee]

Just a question, how do you keep your records? How do you refer to it (Grimoire, BoS, etc.)?
 
Do you use binders, folders, notebooks, custom-made books, etc.? Do you write it by hand or use computers?
 
How long have you been working on this? Do you have more than one?
 
Does it have any organization?
 
How much would you say you have invested in it? What is contained within it?
 
Do you (or would you) let another copy it/use it?
 

 
I've been using a three ring binder with dividers for a few weeks. Right now the only one labeled is for FlameKeeping. I plan on adding correspondences, divination, dreams and other things I have in notes and on the comp.

I don't think anyone would want to copy right now lol. However in the future if someone was truly interested I wouldn't mind sharing the knowledge I've accumulated. The truly personal stuff would be well personal.

[diana_rajchel]

Just a question, how do you keep your records? How do you refer to it (Grimoire, BoS, etc.)?
 
Do you use binders, folders, notebooks, custom-made books, etc.? Do you write it by hand or use computers?
 
How long have you been working on this? Do you have more than one?
 
Does it have any organization?
 
How much would you say you have invested in it? What is contained within it?
 
Do you (or would you) let another copy it/use it?
 

I have a combination of electronic and analog material. I have a print-out book with rituals I repeat often, and then online I have what I think of as my "lab notes." I've actually made a template in Word that helps me with spell/ritual planning and shopping, along with dates, times, repetitions, and references to any books I pulled material from. When I find myself going back to a ritual/spell a lot, I add it to the analog book for easy reference.

[AthenaiiseSofia]

Just a question, how do you keep your records? How do you refer to it (Grimoire, BoS, etc.)?
 
Do you use binders, folders, notebooks, custom-made books, etc.? Do you write it by hand or use computers?
 
How long have you been working on this? Do you have more than one?
 
Does it have any organization?
 
How much would you say you have invested in it? What is contained within it?
 
Do you (or would you) let another copy it/use it?

 
Let's see... I have five different books. I am a bit of an organization freak. =) I have one Celtic-designed book that I put my spells in, a blue Persian-esque one for my prayers, and a tarot book. Then I have my black book of miscellaneous information, such as color symbolism and astrology notes. And lastly, my commonplace book, where I put my random research. I love to research and write, so I slowly work on them all constantly. I keep them really organized, everything grouped together and in order by what I refer to most.

I would probably only let someone copy it or borrow it if they were close to me or part of a study group or coven or something. To be honest, part of the reason I've been working so hard to collect info is so that when I have children, and if they choose to follow the Craft, then they have the resources I didn't.

[SkylarB]

Just a question, how do you keep your records? How do you refer to it (Grimoire, BoS, etc.)?
 
Do you use binders, folders, notebooks, custom-made books, etc.? Do you write it by hand or use computers?
 
How long have you been working on this? Do you have more than one?
 
Does it have any organization?
 
How much would you say you have invested in it? What is contained within it?
 
Do you (or would you) let another copy it/use it?
 

 
I have a few different journals where I write down my thoughts and feelings after any meditations, energy work, or dreams.  I HAD a big black three-ring binder that I sectioned off and put in different info such as my favorite way to cast a circle, a couple spells I did that I knew I'd want to do again, information on color meanings, etc.. This book is like my ultimate reference book. But I just got that down from the attic after not using it in many years and it is all yucky from melted candles. The pages are saveable, but I'll be buying a new binder very soon!

I also have a lot of things saved on my computer, but anything that I want to keep forever, I write down in my book. I titled it my Book Of Shadows... but since I'm solitary, I never really called it anything. I'm thinking with a new cover, I'd like to think of something else to call it, but not sure yet what. I want to call it something unique and creative.

I was reading something earlier today, actually, that talked about people scrap-booking their BOS. They decorated all the pages in their BOS just like other people would make their family photo album scrap books. I thought that was kind of interesting and I might think about doing that. I enjoy that type of craft, and I want to end up with a really nice looking "book" that I can pass down to my kids and my grandkids, when I die ... even if they choose not to follow. I don't think I'd make the pages too fancy, but a few embellishments here and there would be nice, IMO. I am a visual person, so I like things to look "pretty" instead of just plain.

I would share portions of my book, like one specific spell, or my list of color meanings, but I would never hand my book over to someone. I wouldn't let the person hold my book either, I'd either type up the info and email it to the person, or re-write it for them and hand them the piece of paper. Since most of the stuff I have in there are taken from something else, but with my personal spin on it, I have sometimes just emailed the person a copy of the original item.

[VickyRose]

Just a question, how do you keep your records? How do you refer to it (Grimoire, BoS, etc.)? Do you (or would you) let another copy it/use it?

Right now all my records are in a massive jumble in a small binder and duotang and saved on my computer. But I have finally decided to set aside some money to get a beautiful book to keep all my things in. I am going to be ordering a custom-made book from a lady, so it is going to set me back a couple hundred but I consider it a very worthwhile investment.

I think I'm settled with the definition of a grimoire being more of a place to stash referential information that could potentially be shared with others, and a book of shadows being more a place to keep personal records that you would not want to share and other private information.

For now, I am planning on keeping both referential information and personal records in the book I will be purchasing, but perhaps in the future I will put aside some more money to divide the two. We'll see.

Do you write it by hand or use computers?

I'm not sure yet how I will organize everything once my book has been made and sent to me, but I figure I will probably use a mixture of the hand-written and the printed. I prefer handwritten where possible (it is more personal on a physical and spiritual level), but I find writing for more than a minute difficult due to nerve damage on my writing hand and, as such, it's not only painful but can be very untidy.
 

How long have you been working on this? Do you have more than one?

I've compiled things for several years, although a portion of it was destroyed.
 

Does it have any organization? How much would you say you have invested in it? What is contained within it?

I can be very anal-retentive, and so it will definately be organized in the best way I can conceive. So far I have a collection of recipes, excerpts and quotes, prayers, chants, referential charts on a variety of topics, information on divination techniques, meditations, mythological tales and information about different gods, seasonal crafts, charms, spells, history bits, etc. as well as journalled pieces.

[Asch]

Just a question, how do you keep your records?

I have a blog where I keep information/posts that I'll need to use for my ADF Dedicant's Path work when I submit it. I also use it for general musings. I do have a physical book I use as well for more general/random/personal thoughts.

How do you refer to it (Grimoire, BoS, etc.)?

I don't really refer to either as anything in particular. I suppose strictly speaking the physical journal would be more of a BoS and the Blog more of a Grimoire.
 

Do you use binders, folders, notebooks, custom-made books, etc.? Do you write it by hand or use computers?

The physical journal is more for random thoughts and dream recording (I don't dream often so I make a point of recording the ones I recall). I'm also transcribing a ritual so I can read from the journal rather than loose pages. The journal is a Moleskine cover and lined insert from www.oberondesign.com.
It wasn't horribly expensive for what it is (I have one of their more standard journal covers with the unlined journal, I've had it for roughly 15 years, took it all over the world with me and it has aged beautifully) but it was a decent hunk of cash.
 

How long have you been working on this? Do you have more than one?

Not long at all.
 

Does it have any organization?

Not specifically. The blog is organized of course by headings and I try to title posts in a way that makes them easier to organize and isolate information when I refer back to them.
 

How much would you say you have invested in it? What is contained within it?

Eh, see above.
 

Do you (or would you) let another copy it/use it?

Totally. In fact my blog is public. The journal I wouldn't mind a close friend/colleague/grovemate/etc viewing and perhaps copying things from that he/she/they might find of use but the contents are definitely not for general consumption.

[LeaLynne]

Just a question, how do you keep your records? How do you refer to it (Grimoire, BoS, etc.)?
 
Do you use binders, folders, notebooks, custom-made books, etc.? Do you write it by hand or use computers?
 
How long have you been working on this? Do you have more than one?
 
Does it have any organization?
 
How much would you say you have invested in it? What is contained within it?
 
Do you (or would you) let another copy it/use it?
 
I use an old fashioned three-ring binder with college-ruled, loose-leaf paper and sometimes printed materials. I call it a Grimoire (as that's what I was taught to call it). I do have organization, but I'm trying to separate things and begin using more than one three-ring binder, one for wortcunning, one for spells/rituals, one for meditations/dreams/visions, one for divinations, and one for Deity/Spirit workings/info.
 
I've not been working at it long but I've had it in mind for a while. Also, I do try to write it by hand and then sometimes I will print something out to make it look nicer.
 
I would not let someone copy or use it. I would give them the information they need and then go from there, but I would never let it pass into another's hands.

 
I currently have about five composition note books that I simply refer to as my sounding board.....and several computer files including recipes shopping lists for said recipes and notes on spells i want to try....other than that I have a large file in my firefox bookmarks labeled simply magic.
Someday I will have the money to buy my self a nice pretty decorative book to keep it all in but it will probably still be rather unorganized...

[celestialwolf]

Just a question, how do you keep your records? How do you refer to it (Grimoire, BoS, etc.)?
 
Do you use binders, folders, notebooks, custom-made books, etc.? Do you write it by hand or use computers?
 
How long have you been working on this? Do you have more than one?
 
Does it have any organization?
 
How much would you say you have invested in it? What is contained within it?
 
Do you (or would you) let another copy it/use it?

 I keep a digital and a hard copy version of my Grimoire (Journal). The hard copy is just a printed out version, stuck in a sturdy binder with page protector sheets. I keep a pencil inside to make notes as I need them. Ironically, for the Equinox, I ended up using my iPad instead of my hard copy after feeling I should use it instead. I guess they wanted a better look at it? lol. Mine is organized by subject and I've been working over 10 years on it. It'll never be finished as we ourselves never stop learning.

[sephira]

Just a question, how do you keep your records? How do you refer to it (Grimoire, BoS, etc.)?
 
Do you use binders, folders, notebooks, custom-made books, etc.? Do you write it by hand or use computers?
 
How long have you been working on this? Do you have more than one?
 
Does it have any organization?
 
How much would you say you have invested in it? What is contained within it?
 
Do you (or would you) let another copy it/use it?
 

 

 
I took those blank journals, the 8 x 10 ones, you get at any online store and turned one into an Herbal, one into a BOS with little organization to the outside eye, and one into a spell book only that has no organization, but part of my fun is hunting for a spell and if I don't have one already made up or there isn't one I can't borrow from and tweak, I make one up and in it goes to the spell book. I have used scrapbook making supplies to these journals and it has been so much fun making them that I get excited when it's time to add a new spell to the tome.  I have tiny, neat hand writing so I have invested a lot of time and energy into putting these tomes together, but I wouldn't have done it differently if I had the chance to.
I have let my friend peruse all of my books, but I would NEVER let anyone borrow them. They are far too precious to me to stray too far from my home and be greedily gobbled up by someone else's eyes and mind! Looking at them in my home is different though. Does that make sense?

[FinchLove]

Just a question, how do you keep your records? How do you refer to it (Grimoire, BoS, etc.)?
 
Do you use binders, folders, notebooks, custom-made books, etc.? Do you write it by hand or use computers?
 
How long have you been working on this? Do you have more than one?
 
Does it have any organization?
 
How much would you say you have invested in it? What is contained within it?
 
Do you (or would you) let another copy it/use it?
 
I use an old fashioned three-ring binder with college-ruled, loose-leaf paper and sometimes printed materials. I call it a Grimoire (as that's what I was taught to call it). I do have organization, but I'm trying to separate things and begin using more than one three-ring binder, one for wortcunning, one for spells/rituals, one for meditations/dreams/visions, one for divinations, and one for Deity/Spirit workings/info.
 
I've not been working at it long but I've had it in mind for a while. Also, I do try to write it by hand and then sometimes I will print something out to make it look nicer.
 
I would not let someone copy or use it. I would give them the information they need and then go from there, but I would never let it pass into another's hands.

 

I have a medium-sized, black moleskine notebook I use as a BoS. I have it organized by topic right now, and since it's all hand written, most of the sections still have some blank pages so I can add more as I do more. Plus, the moleskine in particular has a great built-in pocket in the back cover that is incredibly handy for storing little nick-nacks and tokens.

[Micheál]

Just a question, how do you keep your records? How do you refer to it (Grimoire, BoS, etc.)?
 
Do you use binders, folders, notebooks, custom-made books, etc.? Do you write it by hand or use computers?
 

When I first started I used a binder, so I could remove and add things at will. I bought a blank book at Borders when it came time to copy my first BOS, which I ended up keeping as is, without adding anything. I bought two other books like it at Waterstones, one you could call a grimoire, that I copy down certain rites before I memorise them, stuff I've written, adorations I like, e.t.c. The other one is my magickal diary that i use for magickal workings&meditations, where my mood, exact time, weather, astrological occurrences, e.t.c of the time is recorded as well, and I usually go back and follow up with results.