Grimoire Prompts - Tumblr Posts
A Whopping List of 160 Grimoire Prompts and Ideas
Alrighty, everybody, I’ve been working all day trying to compile this list together and it came out to be a staggering 160 prompts and ideas for your grimoire! Some of these are pretty vague and others are quite specific, but this is only to help you guys more with filling up your grimoires! So buckle up and get ready to go!
(Btw since this post is SOOOO long it’ll be hidden :’) )
Keep reading
special ideas for your grimoire
a signature page: what is special for you. Signature herbs, smells, tools etc.
an ancestral chart: get to know your ancestors!
local lore about witches: are there any stories about witches in your town/area?
the history of your city: how was your city founded? are there any links to magic/the occult?
sabbat altar pages: especially good for hidden witches, if you cannot build an altar just draw an altar in your grimoire!
honouring a witch you admire: make a page about your favourite witch (real or not) - their story and why they are important to you
energy drawings of yourself: whether you can see/make them yourself or if they are from others
correspondences and lore about the first five plants you find when walking out of your house
Starting a Grimoire📙
Ok so somebody asked for some tips on starting their grimoire so here’s this long ass post for anyone who needs it.
You do not need some big fancy notebook it can be a really cheap one or it can be online or in a scrapbook/binder
Ideas of what to put in your Grimoire
🌹~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~🌹
🌌Table of contents
🌌A page about you, your birthstone, fav herbs/crystals to make it more personal
🌌Types of magick
🌌Types of witches
🌌The history of magick/witches in your country or local area
🌌About the deities you worship if you worship any
🌌Local myths/legends of interest
🌌herbs and their magickal properties
🌌 Candles and their magickal properties
🌌Essential oils and their magickal properties
🌌Crystals and their magickal propererties
🌌Gemstones and their magickal properties
🌌Runes
🌌Sigils
🌌Casting a circle
🌌Spells and how to cast them
🌌What days/times are best for casting spells
🌌Zodiac signs
🌌Moon phases
🌌Familiars
🌌Altars, what they are and what you need to set one up
🌌Moon water
🌌Sun water
🌌Banishing
🌌Binding
🌌Cleansing
🌌Grounding
🌌Spirit work, how to do it and how to stay safe
🌌Put protection sigils over the Grimoire to keep it safe and hidden
🌌Planets and their relation to magick
🌌Sabbats
🌌Witch terminology 101
Organizing a Grimoire
🌹~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~🌹
🍁This isn’t needed, if you prefer the write as you go method that’s fine.
🍁For those of us who prefer to have it organized a table of contents is a must.
🍁Try and plan what your going to write down when. If it helps write down in a notebook or in your book of shadows every idea you can think of putting in your grimoire and number them.
🍁It’s ok if it’s not ‘perfect’ chances are this is your first grimoire so not only is ok its natural to make a few mistakes here and there
🍁Write in pencil if you don’t like crossing out mistakes or using tipex
🍁The key thing to remember is that it doesn’t need to look ‘Tumblr perfect’ as long as you understand it
witches, let’s talk spell books.
this is such a huge part of our craft, and i think its about time we talk about it.
a side note before we start, there is an amazing video that personally inspired me by a witch (herspeak) that you can watch here! i will include some of the information she gives in her video in this post for those of you who don’t have the time to watch!
first off… grimoire? book of shadows? whats the difference? what on earth even is a book of mirrors?? wait… there’s even more??
well first lets quickly talk about the different types of books!
grimoire: a textbook of magick, a reference book filled with anything you desire or need to remember (lists, correspondences, how-to’s, spells)
book of shadows: for wiccans/pagans, this can be seen as more religious, but it is typically more known for its personal/spiritual journal aspects (religious or not); some may use it for references also
book of mirrors: a book of reflections, for recording experimentation and its results including successes and failures (some like to keep their book of shadows pure with only successes)
book of light: a book used usually by wiccans/pagans that is used by eclectics, referring to light as knowledge; used for notes and information often to be shared whereas a book of shadows is personal and private (sort of makes me think of a less organized/personal grimoire)
the tree: a seax-wica (an anglo-saxon paganism) version of a book of shadows
book of ways: a devotional book for wiccans/pagans
(of course all of these things are up to further interpretation!)
back in the day when witchcraft was more ruled by covens, only one spell book was required for each coven, but now that witchcraft is often a solitary and/or personal path, witches are often encouraged to have their own! most witches will have either a book of shadows or grimoire. some witches will have both, and some will have one book that includes the aspects of both and call it one or the other.
let’s start with the basic thing nobody talks about… the book itself!
what should you use? well first off, you don’t need some big, expensive, and fancy leather book straight out of hocus pocus. if its so fancy that you aren’t going to work in it, don’t use it! you could use…
a sketchbook
you could make a book (a traveler’s notebook is a great idea)
an online book
a binder and insert pages
an old thrift store book and paint over the pages
you could even write and paint on paper and paste all over your walls and work space and make a room your ‘book’
you could choose something that relates to your field of magick if you have a defined one, get creative!
make sure your book a reflection of you. but remember, we are what makes books come alive. reading is what makes languages have purpose. without you there to read it, your book is meaningless. the connection between you and your book is beyond special from the first moment you begin working!
so where on earth do i start? if you already have one, what’s holding you back from working more?
well what interests you? if you don’t know yet, here is a wonderful masterpost of types of magick! find what you like, what sounds cool to you, what resonates with you, research it! (maybe make an entry about it and your discoveries!)
once you know your interests, don’t waste time on things you aren’t interested in. if you don’t care about herbal magick, don’t write down a seven page list of all herbs and their properties. i personally had to retry creating a grimoire a few times in order to learn that lesson.
so how do i bond and grow comfortable with my book? how do i create a connection? how do i give it my personal touch?
do what makes you happy.
create your own aesthetic. maybe ask friends around you what your aesthetic seems to be if you don’t know yourself. don’t follow that big ole leather book stereotype unless you like it. if you do, another great idea for aging your pages are coffee and tea stains on your paper.
sleep with your book under your pillow! bond with it like you would your tarot deck. carry it around throughout the day. let it become a companion.
your book isn’t just a place to write about your craft, infuse your craft! if you like lunar magick, bathe it in moonlight. if you like herbal magick, spray your pages with an herb and water mix.
don’t stress about organization or a table of contents yet. you can put an index at the end when you know you’re done. its your book so you’ll probably have a sense of where things are anyways, but if you’re forgetful like me, use some labelled bookmarks!
in fact, don’t stress about it at all if you can! your book shouldn’t stress you out. mistakes happen. keep negative energy away. you and your book are a conjoined, powerful force! you can paste over pages, paint over them, or even just rip them out. in the wonderful words of herspeak in the aforementioned video, nothing is special until you say it is.
remember, it might take a couple tries to get it right, and that’s okay! you might have to make a couple throughout your lifetime to hold all the knowledge you learn, so no worries.
don’t just copy and paste other peoples’ information into your book, that isn’t how you learn. take note of things that are important to you. are you memorizing or understanding? allow yourself to understand. if it shines and you find it important, write this information in your own words and in a setup you enjoy.
you don’t have to be an artist to make a beautiful book! your book is already beautiful, unique, and magickal because its yours!
here’s some ideas for pages in your book!
correspondence lists. i definitely think color correspondences are important for just about every witch! what do these things mean to you? how do they make you feel and what do you relate them to? do this with other things you find interesting!
devote a page to your sun and moon sign or maybe you and your partners signs and how they interact.
create a protection sigil just for your book.
make a page about your totem animal/spirit animal. please don’t appropriate these terms though, you can also use daemon, patronus, eomkin, or even just your personal corresponding animal.
you could make a page for each holiday, its history and dates, and add a paper pocket into the page filled with recipes.
you could collage things that make you think of a deity you like whether you’re secular or whether you participate. if enjoy and appreciate a deity, give em a page! if you worship or work with one or many, dive in much deeper and show how that relationship affects you.
paste in pictures from books or parts of posters that show what magick means to you.
practice spirit work? draw the spirit! collage the spirit. find art that makes you think of the spirit and pop it in there.
press plants you find, tape them in, bring a little greenery into your book. label them if you like. give them your own names if you don’t know your plants well.
write your dreams out, decorate in a way that feels right, use colors according to how it made you feel.
draw out the ingredients you want to use in a spell/potion/oil. dab a bit of the creation on the page.
make a page for your familiars. list any spells for them, where you found/adopted them, their breed and things about them, what’s their favorite snack, and if your familiar is cooperative, maybe try to get a paw/nose print!
make a pendulum chart.
find one of those adult coloring books. tear a few pages and stick them in either randomly or maybe in a page about meditation. when stressed, use it as a meditative practice.
chakras, what they mean to you, correspondences, and which you may need to work on. here is a fun test you can take that tells you if your chakras are under-active, over-active, or open.
any fictional/real witches or wizards that stood out to you? why?
write about magickal experiences you had as a child you can’t explain today. what about imaginary friends and were they imaginary?
get geeky. make spells about video games! inspire spells based on favorite characters and abilities or get inspiration from your favorite playable mages! get really creative with this one.
make a page about past lives if you know of any.
what do the elements mean to you? what are your favorites? which do you feel connected to?
stick envelopes in there and put recipes, spreads, all sorts of things in there to save some pages! utilize fold out pages for long chunks of information.
do you cast circles? what do you use? what do you think the energy looks like? the color? the shape if you don’t see it as a circle? draw the seen and unseen.
make a page about your spiritual or psychic gifts. how did you discover them?
make a list of things to research. cross them out as you do.
print out aesthetically pleasing pictures you find portray you and your craft. collage your personal aesthetic/witchy moodboard
i could list on and on, but i hope i’ve given you some creative inspiration! make your book what you want! keep researching and gain inspiration from others if you’re ever lost. feel free to message me if you ever have questions!
happy casting!
Not-so-basic but still beginner friendly BOS ideas
I've seen too many beginner bos idea lists that make witchcraft seem like you have to be a walking encyclopedia to practice. So here's some alternative, arguably more practical bos ideas that are aimed towards the beginners! (No hate to anyone I just feel like beginners could use this)
🍁a page on how to actually physically brew different kinds of tea. Black, white, green, herbal. Include temperatures and times! Bonus points if you include little ritualized steps!
🍁a page on when and how to germinate the seeds of your favorite plants. Bonus points if you include light, water, and soil conditions for best growth!
🍁a page on when and how to properly harvest from your favorite plants.
🍁a page on different plant drying methods.
🍁a page (or a few) on common types of things found in your neighborhood and how to use them. (Examples: common types of stones, pinecones, weeds, shrubs, trees, bottlecaps, pennies, ect.)
🍁a page (or a few) on the staples in YOUR kitchen. What are the correspondences of those things? Can you add Intent into an already present part of your meals?
🍁a page on how to celebrate your solar return/birthday!
🍁a page on different types of infusions. How to make and use them. (Examples infused oils, vinegars, ect)
🍁a page on your reoccurring dreams, or themes within your dreams.
🍁a page for your favorite quotes and guidance you've received, if you do spirit, ancestor or deity work you could dedicate a page of this nature to them.
🍁a page for simple (or advanced) knot tutorials to use in binding spells or knot magic.
🍁a page on wire wrapping techniques, so you can diy your own jewelry, talismans, and tools.
🍁a page on the basics of calligraphy, to be used in your bos or when writing spells.
🍁a page for a laminated (can be done with clear packing tape & some patience) sigil wheel to test out new sigil ideas with dry erase markers.
Things to put in your book of shadows
Of course, only put in your book of shadows/grimoire what you want. If you don't want to put certain subjects in your book then that's fine. It's your book, utilize it how you want. This is just a masterlist of ideas that I've put together. Feel free to add anything else to the list that I may have missed, because there's absolutely no way I included everything.
And for the love of all the gods, if you come across a closed entity or practice, don't try to work with the entity or practice if you're not already part of that group or tradition. You can research it but don't practice it.
+ A blessing and/or protection
+ A table of contents
+ About you:
Your current path
Your personal beliefs
Your spiritual journey
Favorite crystals/herbs/animals
Natal chart
Craft name
How you got into the craft
Astrology signs
Birthday correspondences (birth tarot card, birth stone, etc)
Goals (if you have any)
Anything other relating to your personal practice
+ Safety
Fire safety
What NOT to burn
Plants and oils that can be toxic to your pets
What crystals shouldn't be in water, sunlight, etc
Things that shouldn't be put out in nature (salt, glass, etc)
Potion safety
How to incorporate blood safely
+ Core concepts:
Intention and how it works
Directing energy
Protection
Banishing
Cleansing
Charging
Shielding
Grounding and centering
Visualization
Consencration/Blessing
Warding
Enchanting
Manifestation
+ Correspondence
Personal correspondence
Crystals and rocks
Herbs and spices
Food and drink
Colors
Metals
Number
Tarot card
Elemental (fire, water, air, earth)
Trees and woods
Flowers
Days
Months
Moon phases
Zodiac
Planets
Incense
Teas
Essential oils
Directions (north, south, east, west)
Animals
Local plants, animals, etc
Dream symbology
+ Different practices
Practices that are closed to you (some examples below)
Voodoo and Hoodoo **Closed**
Santeria and Brujeria **Closed**
Shamanism and native american practices **Closed**
Wicca and wiccan paths
Satanism, both theistic and non-theistic paths
+ Different types/practices of magick
Pop culture magick
Technology magick
Chaos magick
Green witchcraft
Lunar magick
Sea witchcraft
Kitchen magick
Ceremonial magick
Hedge witchcraft
Death witchcraft
Grey witchcraft
Eclectic witchcraft
Norse witchcraft
Hellenic witchcraft
Animism
+ Deities
The deity/deities you worship
Different pantheons (the main five are Celtic, Roman, Greek, Egyptian and Norse, all open)
Deities and pantheons that are closed to you
Common offerings
Their epithets
Their mythology
Their family
Deity worship vs deity work
Prayers and how to make your own
Deity communication guide
Devotional acts
Ways to get closer to them
+ Other spiritual entities
Angels
Ancestor work
Spirit guides
The fae
Demons
Familiars
House spirits, animal spirits and plant spirits
Other various folklore entities
Spirit etiquette
Cemetery etiquette
Setting boundaries with the spirits
Communication guide and etiquette
Grounding, banishing, protection and cleansing, aka: "Spirit work safety guide"
How they appear to you
Common offerings
Circle casting
+ Divination
Tarot cards
Oracle cards
Tarot and oracle spreads
Pendulum
Numerology
Scrying
Palmistry/palm reading
Tasseography (Tea leaf reading)
Rune stones
Shufflemancy (Shuffling of a playlist)
Dice divination
Bibliomancy (Randomly picking a phrase from a book)
Carromancy (Melted wax)
Pyromancy (Reading flames)
Psychic abilities
Astrology
Aura reading
Divination via playing cards
Lenormand
Sacred geometry
Angel numbers
+ Other types of magick
Candle magick
Crystal magick
Herbalism/herbal magick
Glamour magick
Hexing
Jinxing
Cursing
Weather magick
Astral work
Shadow work
Energy work
Sigils
Art magick
Knot magick
Crystal grids
Color grids
Music magick
Charms, talismans and amulets
+ Spellwork
What makes a spell work
Basic spell structure
What NOT to do
Disposing of spell ingredients
Revitalizing long term spells
How to cast spells
What to put in spells (See correspondence)
Spell mediums- Jar spells, spoken spells, candle spells, sigils, etc
Spell timing
Setting up a ritual
Taglocks: What they are and how to use them
+ Holidays and Esbats
Yule
Imbolc
Ostara
Beltane
Litha
Lughnasadh/Lammas
Mabon
Samhain
The 12 full moons (Esbats)
How to celebrate
Deity specific holidays
+ Altars and tools
What they are
The different types and their uses (travel altar, working altar, deity altar, ancestor altar, etc)
What you can put on your altar
What you use your altars for
Common tools in witchcraft
How to use the tools
Food and drink
Common herbs in recipes
Sabbat recipes
Moon water: What it is and how to use it
Potion bases
Tea magick
How to get your herbs
Foraging
+ Mental health and self care
Bath magick
Affirmations
Burnout prevention
Aromatherapy
Stress management
Mental health coping mechanisms
+ History of witchcraft
+ Dream records
+ How to differentiate between the magickal and the mundane
+ Calendar of celestial events (Esbats, retrogrades, etc)
+ How to dry herbs and flowers
+ What chakras actually are and how they work within Hinduism
+ History and traditional uses of reiki
+ The witches' alphabet
+ The runic alphabet
+ Common witchcraft terms
+ Common symbols in witchcraft
+ Your own witch tips
+ Good witchcraft books and authors to avoid
+ Any online resources you utilize often