The First Page Every Witch Needs in Their Book of Shadows

How to Craft a Statement of Core Beliefs That Protects & Grounds Your Practice

My Statement of Core Beliefs is the first section in my Book of Shadows. That's how important it is.

Whether you're exploring witchcraft and spirituality after leaving organized religion or not, you're carrying your core beliefs with you. The nature of the universe. Past lives. What happens after death? You have opinions about all of these things. And these opinions will determine where you begin your spiritual journey and the spiritual teachers you will listen to...for better or worse.

Your Core Beliefs Statement serves as your spiritual anchor. It's about knowing where you stand before new information floods your consciousness. Always approach teachings with an open mind, of course, but if you don't have a solid foundation on the beliefs and values that are important to you, anyone will have the power to spiritually manipulate you.

Your Statement of Core Beliefs also clarifies the intention behind your magic and will evolve alongside your practice. Unlike static dogma, this is a living document meant to be revisited and revised annually as you grow.

To begin crafting yours, start by answering these foundational questions and prompts in your Book of Shadows:

Cosmology: Mapping Your Universe

Examine how you perceive the forces behind magic. Do you work with deities, or is magic an impersonal energy to you?

What are your thoughts on concepts that some people consider to be universal spiritual laws, like karma or the Rule of Three?

Consider your beliefs about time. Do you see the past and future as fixed or malleable through ritual?

Ethics: Drawing Your Lines

Define your non-negotiables. What practices will you never engage in, whether hexing, love spells, or other ethically gray areas?

How do you personally interpret the principle of "harm none" and will you even follow it?

Most importantly, what red flags would prompt you to leave a coven or teacher immediately?

Sources of Truth: Your Spiritual Compass

Identify how you discern truth in your practice. What physical or intuitive signs confirm messages for you?

Outline your process for testing new beliefs. Maybe it's through lunar cycles or tracking synchronicities?

When exploring historical sources, what methods do you use to vet them for bias or inaccuracies?

Spotting Your Vulnerabilities

We all have weak spots where outside influences creep in. When respected practitioners contradict your experiences, how do you navigate that tension?

Reflect on where you’ve compromised to fit into spiritual communities versus where you’ve held firm.

What criteria must a teacher meet before you trust their guidance?

From Abstract to Tangible

Now, transform these reflections into something tangible:

1. The Living Framework

   • Deities/Forces: Name the divine energies or impersonal forces you engage with (if any).

   • Afterlife: Describe beliefs about ancestors, reincarnation, or other post-death concepts.

   • Community Standards: Note your stance on coven oaths, solitary practice boundaries, and teacher accountability.

   • Revelation: List how you receive messages or would be okay with receiving messages (dreams, divination, nature signs).

   • Tools: What objects are sacred to your practice? and

   • Ritual: Describe your ritual style. Is it structured or spontaneous?

   • Holy Days: What days are sacred in your practice? Do you celebrate the Sabbats? Perform rituals around the lunar cycles? Do you celebrate any personal anniversaries?

   • Lineage: Acknowledge who influences your practice. It could be family traditions or authors and mentors.

   • Gatekeeping: Define who accesses your knowledge and why.

   • Symbols & Triggers: Identify meaningful sigils, runes, or sensory cues (e.g., incense for prayer).

   • Evolution: Note past beliefs you’ve outgrown and how you reconcile cognitive dissonance.

     
     

2. Sigil Creation

   Design a sigil encapsulating your core belief system. This is meant to be a visual mantra to charge and revisit.

Protection Through Practice

Treat this document as a spiritual contract. Refer to it when joining covens, taking classes, or exploring new magic. Does this align with my current beliefs, or have I evolved? Revisit and revise annually. Annotate changes.

Step 5: Write the Statement

Now it's time to consider all the information from above and craft our Statement of Core Beliefs. I have a suggested template below, but please make it your own!

I, [your name/magical name], walk a path guided by [noun: intuition, the moon, ancestors, chaos]. I believe magic is [adjective: wild, structured, fluid, divine], and my power comes from [source: the earth, my breath, the cosmos, my rage]. I honor [deity/spirit/concept: Hekate, the Universe, my shadow self] but trust no authority blindly, not even theirs.

My magic is rooted in [value: justice, healing, curiosity, rebellion], and I will never use it to [action: control others, ignore my ethics, act from fear]. When doubt creeps in, I return to [anchor: my tarot deck, the river’s voice, my own two feet].

This is my truth… for now.

(Because a wise witch knows [noun: growth, knowledge, practice] changes everything.)

And that's it! This exercise should help you boil down the beliefs that are core to who you are as a person, which will determine how you grow in your spirituality. I hope this was helpful!

For a more philosophical discussion on how defining your core beliefs can shape your entire spiritual journey, check out the conversation on Medium.

A printable version of this guide is included in the Digital Book of Shadows Notion Template.

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