Tree of Life Leather Journal, 10" x 13"

The Tree of Life is one of the oldest images we draw, its roots in the depths and its branches in the heavens, the trunk standing in the world between. This is the large format: a 10 by 13 inch journal in hand-tooled goat leather, embossed with the tree and closed by a latch. Inside are 360 lined pages, room enough for years of a practice.

It is made to become a Book of Shadows: the working book where a practitioner keeps spells, rituals, correspondences, dreams, and the turning of a practice over the years. Its size and its lined pages suit long, steady writing, the kind of book you keep open on a desk or altar rather than tucked in a bag.

Key Features

• Tree of Life on hand-tooled goat leather. The tree embossed by hand into a sturdy goat-leather cover. The art is the heart of the book, for practitioners drawn to the tree's themes of growth and connection.
• Large 10 by 13 inch format. The biggest of the Tree of Life books in the shop, a substantial volume that sits open on a desk or altar.
• 360 lined pages. The only lined edition in the family, with ruled pages for those who prefer to write in straight lines and want room for years of entries.
• Latch closure. A latch holds the book shut between sittings. Smaller unlined editions, a 4.5 by 6.5 inch and a 5 by 7 inch, are also available for those who want something more portable.

Product Details

• Dimensions: 10" x 13"
• 360 lined pages
• Hand-tooled goat leather cover, Tree of Life embossed
• Latch closure
• Sold as a blank book for writing, drawing, and ritual record-keeping

The Spiritual Significance

A Book of Shadows is a witch's working book, and despite the old-world weight of the name it is a fairly modern tradition. Gerald Gardner's mid-twentieth-century Wicca formalized the practice, with each initiate copying rituals and lore by hand into a book of their own. Its ancestors are the older grimoires such as the Key of Solomon, but the idea of a personal, hand-kept book of one's craft belongs to living modern witchcraft.

The Tree of Life appears in culture after culture, a sign of how deeply it speaks to people: the Norse Yggdrasil whose roots and branches bind the worlds, the Etz Chaim of Kabbalah mapping the descent of the divine, the crann bethadh of Celtic lore. In each it is an image of interconnection and growth, the living link between earth and sky, root and crown. On a book this large, with 360 lined pages and room for years of writing, the tree is a fitting cover for a practice meant to deepen and grow.

How To Use

1. Cleanse it first. Pass the cover through cleansing smoke or leave it in moonlight overnight to clear the handling it has been through before it becomes yours.
2. Dedicate the first page. Write an opening dedication, naming what this book is for and the growth you mean to track in it.
3. Keep your craft in it. Record spells and their results, ritual outlines, correspondences, dreams, and the questions you are working through. A Book of Shadows is most useful when it is honest.
4. Tend the book. Close the latch to keep it shut, store it away from damp, and condition the leather occasionally so it lasts as long as the practice it holds.

Pairs Well With

• Steampunk Pen and Calligraphy Set: a dip pen for writing entries with more ceremony than a ballpoint allows.
• Dragon's Blood Ink by Espiritu, 1 oz: the traditional red ink for consecrated writing, sigils, and petitions in the book.
• Parchment Paper by Espiritu, 3" x 4": loose petition and spell papers to write and tuck between the pages.
• Sage and Frankincense Smudge Stick: cleansing smoke to consecrate the book before its first use.
• Tree of Life Amulet: the same emblem worn or hung by the altar, tying the book to the rest of your practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between this and the compact Tree of Life Journal?

This is the large 10 by 13 inch book with 360 lined pages, made for long writing at a desk or altar, and it is the only one in the family with ruled lines. The compact Tree of Life & Triquetra Journal is 4.5 by 6.5 inches with unlined pages, and there is a 5 by 7 inch Green Tree of Life in between.

Are the pages lined or blank?

The 360 pages are lined. This is the ruled edition of the Tree of Life family, for practitioners who prefer to write in straight lines. If you want unlined pages for mixing script with sigils and sketches, the smaller editions are blank.

What size is it?

It measures 10 by 13 inches, a large, substantial volume meant to sit open on a desk or altar rather than travel in a bag. The page count and size suit it to long-term, in-depth record keeping.

Is the cover real leather?

Yes, the cover is hand-tooled goat leather with the Tree of Life embossed into it. Because each book is finished by hand, the grain and tooling vary a little from one to the next.

Do I have to use it as a Book of Shadows?

Not at all. It is simply a beautiful blank book. Many keep it as a Book of Shadows or grimoire, but its size and lined pages also suit a long-form journal, a dream record, or a sketchbook for someone who loves the symbol.