A book containing beliefs, rituals, Witchcraft laws and ethics, herbal and healing lore, incarnations, chants, dances, spells, divinatory methods, and miscellaneous topics that serve to guide Witches in their Craft and religion.

There is no one general or definitive book of shadows for Witchcraft; each tradition may have its own standard book of shadows, which can be added to or adapted by each coven.

In addition to this, individual Witches may add their own personal material. Until recent times the book of shadows was kept in secrecy. However, some Witches have gone public with their books over the years.

Traditionally, it was held that only one book of shadows was to exist in a coven, and kept by the high priestess or high priest. However, this rule proved to be unfeasible, so now, generally, each Witch have their personal copies.

It was customary that the Witch’s copy had to be hand copied by the Witch from the copy of the high priestess or priest.

As with all things changes do occur; now days it is not uncommon for a copy of the book of shadows to be copied from a computer floppy disk.