BOS cleansing, charging, dedication ritual ideas????

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 11 Aug 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Momof6	11 Aug 2002
Merry Meet, Just wondering if anyone here has a ritual that they'd like to share for cleansing, charging, and dedicating a new BOS? I think I have what I am going to do, but I'd love very much to have any input of what you do as this may spark something for me. I posted an intro a few months ago and post off and on but should do a brief re-intro since I am asking a question. I am a 33 year old mom of six. Currently at-home full time (my last year home full-time). Former public school teacher. I'm studying with the Order of the White Moon and am in my second degree of studies there. It is a eclectic Order focusing on the feminine Divine. Anyway, I finally found a BOS that is just right for me and am ready to get it all ready to go. I have been waiting for the waxing phase so I will be doing this soon. Any special ideas would be appreciated :) Hugs and Bright Blessings, Momof6

Strega	11 Aug 2002
Nice to meet you, Momof6. :) You can pick up your BoS and visualize it being cleared of any negative energy. Then visualize positive energy in the form of a strong white light flowing through your body to the BoS. Once you feel the positive energies have been absorbed, say something to the effect of: "I bless and make sacred this BoS. I charge it to assist me in my work. So mote it be!" P.S. You can do this under the light of a Full Moon... to let the BoS soak up the energy of the Moon.

Diana	12 Aug 2002
What is a BOS?

catlin	12 Aug 2002
Is the BoS your Book of Shadows?

Pollux	12 Aug 2002
OH MY!!! And they teased me because I didn't know what a "fruit" was... :P Book Of Shadows Diana, you never told US... What is your religious persuasion? I know I could look up at that old thread... maybe I will. There is some discussions about WHY it is called BOS. Shadow bocasue most of a witch's works are made in darkness, at moonlight mostly. Or because the rituals and spells and charms and what not are simply a SHADOW of the real thing, just written letters opposed to the lived experience... Or Book Of Shadow after the Sumerian Magic Treatise... Is there any other possibility, I was wondering? =============================== Back to the main question, I don't have one yet, but I like the idea of a specific place to put it, and of Full Moon revision plus qick cleansing (incense). After all, it will be YOURS, and no one else will touch it - so I don't think you should fear any infuences or affections or else... Anyway, I know of BOS with Runes and Symbols scratched as magic seales to ward off - a smple triskele might do, for example - or with herbs abd stone sewed inside the cover. I am looking forward to hearing other methods and suggestions too, since I think it is time I got my first BOS started. EDITED TO ADD - Catlin you are always quicker than I am! UFF! :( And it took so long to write I didn't even notice... I thought i had provided a good distraction for you! (;) *LOL*)

catlin	12 Aug 2002
Never mind, Pollux, I am usually faster than other folk (maybe due to my vampiric ancestor - the Bloddy Baroness from Hungary), but back to the BOS: as mine is still "in progress" the charging and dedication processus is still a bit ahead. I think I will do this in a Samhain night once my BOS is compiled. I love Samhain and I think it will be most appropriate for the BOS of an addict of Morrigan.

Pollux	12 Aug 2002
I was thinking of Yule instead... Or the first New/Waxing Moon of the new year. The Dedication is WAY WAY WAY ahead of me too... I will write down the Rede though (I should be hunting for a version I like), and ramble for some pages about what it feels like for me, what I believe and bla bla bla... :) OH!!! PECULIARITY! :D My BOS will be bilingual! Left page English, Right Italian! :D

Momof6	12 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Strega Nice to meet you, Momof6. :) You can pick up your BoS and visualize it being cleared of any negative energy. Then visualize positive energy in the form of a strong white light flowing through your body to the BoS. Once you feel the positive energies have been absorbed, say something to the effect of: "I bless and make sacred this BoS. I charge it to assist me in my work. So mote it be!" P.S. You can do this under the light of a Full Moon... to let the BoS soak up the energy of the Moon. Jenni, Thank you for the full-moon suggestion! I really like that. Moon energy is so powerful! Bright Blessings, Momof6

Momof6	12 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by catlin Is the BoS your Book of Shadows? Catlin, Yes, it is a blank book and is my BOS...I'll finally be able to get all my loose papers and things in my head organized! *lol* I don't trust my memory too well so it was high time that I finally found the correct book to write everything down. I'm one of those who creates most of my spellwork and ritual but I will also put some of the things I have learned from the Order I study under into my BOS....except for initiations as I don't want anyone to ever see/read those. Hope that made sense :) **Edited to add that I have another response to our different methods re: BOS...(below) Hugs and Bright Blessings, Momof6

Momof6	12 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Diana What is a BOS? Diana, The explanations already given are wonderful ones! I have friends who call their Book of Shadows by slightly different names.....like "Book of Light"; "Book of Shadows and Light"; "Book of Wisdom" etc..... I think whatever suits the individual person. I also keep chants, prayers, meditations, recipes for sabbats, words of wisdom, and anything else important to my spiritual path in my BOS. It is a very sacred, personal, and special spiritual book. I'm eclectic in my spiritual path so my BOS reflects that. At least it will contain/reflect that...*lol*...right now, I have things scattered all over on individual papers and memories in my head! Bright Blessings, Momof6

Momof6	12 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Pollux Back to the main question, I don't have one yet, but I like the idea of a specific place to put it, and of Full Moon revision plus qick cleansing (incense). After all, it will be YOURS, and no one else will touch it - so I don't think you should fear any infuences or affections or else... Anyway, I know of BOS with Runes and Symbols scratched as magic seales to ward off - a smple triskele might do, for example - or with herbs abd stone sewed inside the cover. I am looking forward to hearing other methods and suggestions too, since I think it is time I got my first BOS started. EDITED TO ADD - Catlin you are always quicker than I am! UFF! :( And it took so long to write I didn't even notice... I thought i had provided a good distraction for you! (;) *LOL*) Thank you very much Pollux! Wonderful thoughts. Bright Blessings, Momof6

Momof6	12 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by catlin Never mind, Pollux, I am usually faster than other folk (maybe due to my vampiric ancestor - the Bloddy Baroness from Hungary), but back to the BOS: as mine is still "in progress" the charging and dedication processus is still a bit ahead. I think I will do this in a Samhain night once my BOS is compiled. I love Samhain and I think it will be most appropriate for the BOS of an addict of Morrigan. Catlin, I see we do things a bit differently. One of the things I love about the earth based spiritual paths...the diversity is wonderful! In the Order I study with, we charge/cleanse/dedicate our BOS *before* we start putting everything in them. I do agree with Samhain as being a perfect time for dedicating a BOS with the method you use. (having it compiled first) Samhain is also our family favorite. Thanks again for the great responses! Bright Blessings, Momof6

Liliana	12 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Pollux There is some discussions about WHY it is called BOS. Shadow bocasue most of a witch's works are made in darkness, at moonlight mostly. Or because the rituals and spells and charms and what not are simply a SHADOW of the real thing, just written letters opposed to the lived experience... Or Book Of Shadow after the Sumerian Magic Treatise... Is there any other possibility, I was wondering? [/b] I think it was called Book of Shadows as rememberance to the burning time, as you had to keep your practices a secret or be killed, you had to keep your practices in the shadows, hence book of shadows I called my book of symmetry for awhile, a term coined by a friend of mine to allow us to use the BOS abbreviation but we wanted to balance shadows and light hence symmetry but now I call it more often Book of Light, because Im rather open about who i am if they bother to ask. My husband has a large black book with Book of Shadows written on the cover, its totally blank. We've had it for years now, been through a fie and all else. He told me its blank on purpose, there is no shadows in his life, and also that its a major symbol ot him of survival because all it, and we, have been through. So Ill always havve a blank Book of Shadows at my house :) :THP

Pollux	12 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Liliana ... We've had it for years now, been through a fie and all else. He told me its blank on purpose, there is no shadows in his life, and also that its a major symbol ot him of survival because all it, and we, have been through. So Ill always havve a blank Book of Shadows at my house MY Diabate is getting worse... *LOL* DEJA VU' !!!!!! Now at this point a MALE MEMBER (I think) came along, and kept the discussion talking, and I was a bit reproached for something... mh... how odd. Anyway, I chose one of those big books with rings, where you can put pages inside at any point. This way I can go on in many directions without having to worry about copying and recopying over and over things or having to get different books for different things. (for example, the first part will be introductory about me, the craft, the wheel of the year, and so on, but I won't have to end it before starting to write my rituals, or the correspondences, or my journal... I can add things later on, without any problem.) OH!!!! Just occurred to me: do you know how to get paper sheets that look old? Yellowish? I thought of drenching them and then drying them at sunlight, but I still have to try. Any suggestion?

Diana	12 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Pollux OH MY!!! And they teased me because I didn't know what a "fruit" was... :P Diana, you never told US... What is your religious persuasion? Oh Pollux, since you posted those gorgeous pictures of you some time back, I changed my religion. I enlarged your pictures and now they're all over my apartment. I worship them every day and since then my life has improved so much!! :D :* :D

floracove	12 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Pollux Anyway, I know of BOS with Runes and Symbols scratched as magic seales to ward off - a smple triskele might do, for example - or with herbs abd stone sewed inside the cover. magic seales to ward off - a smple triskele might do, Where was your line of consentration going to here Pollux? A Simple triskele might do what? Ward off what... Oh you got me started! I understand the tri part, what is the skele part? (3) (bones)? Enquiring minds want/need to know!

Pollux	13 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by floracove magic seales to ward off - a smple triskele might do, Where was your line of consentration going to here Pollux? A Simple triskele might do what? Ward off what... Oh you got me started! I understand the tri part, what is the skele part? Enquiring minds want/need to know! UFF! Everyone is getting at me because I am not concentrated... It is not my fault... If you knew what I am dealing with... I wonder if you wrote this BEFORE your posts in the "symbols that fascinate" thread... Anyway, for certainty I'll try to reply in a decent way. "Triskele" comes from the Greek. TRISKELION = A structure, something, anything made up with ONE ELEMENT repeated three times, used three times. 3x. Like for your "doodle", floracove: it was made of three "petals" - that in theory should have been the same petal repeated three times. I'll try to draw a decent one and upload it. Anyway, the Triskele is a very strong symbol, of course. Scott Cunningham considers it a Rune (duh!) - probably in the acception of Magick symbol? - and he consider it a PROTECTIVE RUNE. Something you may want to draw, sew, write or visualize on whatever or whoever you might want to protect. In the TV series with Alyssa Milano, the one of the three sister witches (in Italy it is called "Witches" - I don't know about US/UK...), they have a (brass?) Triskele applied to the cover of their B.O.S. - even though they DON'T KNOW (LOL) it is the symbol of the Goddess, but talk of it as "their" symbol, the symbol of the "TRIO" (i.e. the three Halliwell sisters, themselves). HOW PRETENTIOUS! *LOL* I think you might want to draw whatever you please on the cover of your B.O.S. - I have seen some GORGOUS ones online with Pentacles in various designs. The Pentacles as a protective meaning too. Just search for your symbol, and do what you know you must do... ;)

The BOS cleansing, charging, dedication ritual ideas???? thread was originally posted on 11 Aug 2002 in the Spirituality board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Spirituality, or read more archived threads.