Welcome to one of my Sea Magic series posts, Sea Magic: Book of Tides. Here I’ll be explaining what a Book of Tides is, how it differs from other magical journals, and how you can begin your own.
First off, lets talks about what a Book of Tides is.
A Book of Tides, much like a Book of Shadows, is a record of a witch’s magical journey. It can be a book of spells, rituals, correspondence charts, personal thoughts, etc. A Book of Tides, however, differs from a Book of Shadows because although it is a magical book for witches, it is specifically a magical book for Sea witches.
Where did this term first come from?:
I’m not exactly sure, but I would have to assume this term was first used / came from seawitch.org. Although Sea magic is not necessarily a new practice, it is oftentimes a solitary one, so there is no real “official” book or other source with information set in stone for us Sea witches to gather information from bestowed unto us from a renowned Sea witch that can say this and this is that or this is because of that, and so on. So it’s a bit hard to pin point where a term such as a BOT comes from.
How does a Book of Tides differ from a Book of Shadows?:
Depending on the witch, a Book of Tides may not be all too much different from an ordinary Book of Shadows. However, no Book of Shadows is the exact same from one another. A Book of Tides hints at feel towards Sea magic, and a Book of Tides may be completely dedicated to a Sea witch’s experience in practicing Sea magic. (To understand what I’m saying in further detail, scroll down to my Book of Tides Table of Contents options below).
Do I have to call my magical book a Book of Tides?:
No. Even if you’re a Sea witch you do not have to call your book a Book of Tides. You can call it a Book of Shadows or whatever you want, honestly. I personally prefer the term Book of Tides since I feel it better reflects my practice more. I also love the sound of it, too.
Where can I find a Book of Tides?:
There are some wonderful etsy shops that make and sell blank Book of Shadows that you can use as a Book of Tides. My personal favorite options are from the shop OddSoul. (The owner even has books that are Sea and Mermaid themed!) You can also look for ordinary journals that have Ocean / Mermaid / etc covers.. Oryou can even get creative and make your own by gluing seashells, sea glass, glitter, plastic mermaid/fish scales, pictures of the Ocean or beach as a cover - etc.
What goes in a Book of Tides?
As I’ve said before, no two Book of Shadows/Tides will be the same and a Book of Tides does not have to consist of only Sea magic related topics. But if you want to have a book for your Sea magic practice specifically, you can add any of the following contents:
A Book Blessing
Charge of the Sea Goddess
Charge of the Sea God
The Sea Witch Tradition (A introduction to what Sea witchcraft is to you).
How you started practicing Sea Magic
A list of Sea Gods & Goddesses
Information on Sea Fetches (magical ocean bound animals that help aid in your practice).
Information on entities such as mermaids, nymphs, and so on.
Your Altar, Shrine & Tools
The Tides
Moon Phases
The Winds (and information on weather magic if you practice it).
Lighting candles, incense – etc. Anything in shades of blue, green, or white is acceptable and relates to the Ocean, but any colors of your choosing will also do. Seashell candles or incense burnt in certain seashells is also an acceptable option. (Please refrain from burning candles or incenses around flammable objects).
Flowers.Especially flowers that share some association with the sea - such as Rosemary, but any flower will do. (Please don’t deal with plants unless you know what you are using in regards to the possibility of anything being poisonous).
Saying – or singing – prayers, chants, songs, poems – etc.
Sigils, runes, or symbols in the sand. Such as making a symbol near the seashore and allowing the tide to wash over the symbol.
Finding things washed ashore and putting them back into the Ocean. Such as a seashells, seaweed, or a seahorse. (Please be careful when dealing with living things, such as refraining from collecting a seashell homing a hermit crab. Don’t touch any animal washed ashore that could harm you).
Seashells. (If you find that you have too many seashells that you’ve collected over time and don’t have any particular use for them, take them back to the beach).
Pouring libations onto the sand.
Pursing an interest in the Ocean. Buy/Check out books at a local library on anything Ocean related.
Picking up litter at your local beach. Not littering / picking up any litter anywhere, even if not near the Ocean helps the environment as a whole.
Purchase an Ocean / Mermaid themed Oracle or Tarot deck - or practicing any divination methods that involve the Ocean, such as Sea Scrying, Seashell Runes, etc.
Decorate an area in or outside your house with Ocean themed decor. You can decorate your room, bathroom, or garden with seashells, driftwood, etc.
Please always be responsible when offering anything at the beach. Don’t leave any litter behind - even if it’s not your own - and use biodegradable objects. Leave nothing but your footprints.
A simple sea spell to help strengthen an existing bond between you and another. Be that of a friend, family member, significant other, or even a deity.
Please do not do this with a person in mind whom you don’t share a bond with. Nor should this be done for someone you do or have had a bond with but doesn’t want the bond between you two anymore.
If you feel that this spell led to an unhealthy relationship between you and another person, break ties with you and that person, take the shells apart and get rid of the wax. It’s important to focus on good, positive vibes between you and the other person(s) involved while doing this.
Please also always be careful when working with candles! Never leave a lit candle unattended, and don’t do this spell near any flammable objects.
Materials:
Two cockle shells that are roughly around the same size.
Three different color candles that are of your own choosing, depending on what kind of bond it is that you want to strengthen. [One of each candle represents you, the other person, and the kind of bond you’re focusing on. For instance, if you want to strengthen a bond between you and a friend, then choosing the color yellow – since yellow is sometimes symbolic to friendship – to represent the bond itself would suffice]. Taper candles, or just using melted wax in general, would probably be best for this.
Instructions:
After choosing the colors of all three candles that you want to be used as representations, set aside each half of the cockle shell apart.
Light the two candles that represent both you and the other person with your intentions in mind.
Take one of the candles and tilt it over one half of the seashell long enough to get a few drops of wax in the shell.
Then take the other lit candle that represents the other person and do the same as the previous step, melting the wax on top of the first and combining the colors together.
Once you’re done with the previous step, put the other half of the seashell on top of the one with the wax in it, then take the third candle that represents the bond and use that wax to seal the seashells together.
Note: Although this spell can be used to help strengthen relationships, it can really be used for all purposes. Say you’re in a rut and could use some extra money. Choose a candle that represents yourself and a green candle to represent wealth. Melt the two candles together in the seashells and then seal it with the green candle wax again.
This spell can also be used as an offering to a sea deity, which is something that I’ve done. When I did this for Amphitrite and myself, I used a dark shade of blue to represent her and a lighter shade of blue to represent myself. I then sealed the shells together with the dark shade of blue candle wax, which represented our bond, the Ocean and my practice overall.
Place Moon Snail seashells around your home (in corners, on tables, or windowsills) to promote inner peace and protection for you and your household from unwanted energy.
A simple sea spell for protection when traveling over a body of water.
Materials:
One tumbled Aquamarine* [or a pendant, ring, bracelet, etc – anything you have that’s aquamarine will do].
Two offerings to the Merfolk, a sea deity, or the Sea itself. A simple offering should be left both before and after you travel. Both of the offerings can be the same thing.
Instructions:
Leave an offering to the Ocean when you can before doing this spell. The offering can be given either at the beach or at home. After you’ve left an offering, hold your piece of Aquamarine in your hands before traveling and focus on the intent that you have for it. While focusing on the intent of this spell, say to yourself (optional):
As I travel through the winds and above the waves,
Keep everyone safe during this upcoming journey.
Once done with this spell, carry the aquamarine with you or wear it during your travel. Leave your second offering to the Ocean once you’ve reached your destination. Give thanks towards the Sea and Winds for bringing you to your destination safely. Also be sure to always take proper safety precautions when traveling.
*Aquamarine was worn by sailors who believed that possessing it while sailing would help protect them from harm during their voyage.
