Spell books: Good, Bad or Something else entirely? (rituals, creation)

[Gentoo]

We've all seen them, spell books at the local book store usually starting at $15. These have ready to use spells written by someone else ranging from protection, to love, to monetary gain and some may contain hexing.

What do you think of these? Do you use them, or not? Why?

[MaddLlama]

I have one spell book....oh no....wait....I have 3. I don't generally buy them to read the spells and use them right off the page, but I use them for ideas and inspiration. When my creativity seems to have gone to sleep, I often extract certain things from spell books to concoct my own personal working.

I'm generally not a spells kind of girl though, at least not in the way most neo-pagans would think of it. I'm more into devotionals, and creating little amulets and magical items/talismans. So, I don't reference the books much.

I have lots of correspondance books though.

[Azakel]

Yes and No, it all depends on what I'm looking for. The one book I like is the Elemental Encyclopedia of 5000 spells, good history about magic in all culture though out history. I have have book all the way from The Secret Code of Creation, to Healing Alchemy, to The Dark Art, to even the Necronomicon. It all goes down to what you want. Have I gotten book I wish I didn't yes. But I have turn them into something I can take from(being a Chaos Magician is fun). There are some book I would say stay away from but I don't know if I'm allowed to do that...(Burn Them....j/k).

[Guitar's Cry]

I may adopt some of the symbols used if I like them. But generally, I like making my own.

I personally think that the power behind anything comes from the spellbook within. (Profound, eh?! )

[Gentoo]

I have the same Elemental Encyclopedia of 5000 spells book, but it was given to me by a friend, otherwise I wouldn't have given it the time of day. I use it much in the same way as MaddLlama, something more concrete that I can mold into something that's more me.

But in general, I don't like spell books. I think most of them aren't worth the paper they're printed on, and were created by the authors as nothing but a way to make more money.

Besides, I think writing your own spells and rituals make them more personable.

[Blindinglight]

They can be good for a beginner. But like any other religious book, they too can be used like a crutch.

[anders]

Fortunately, there are also spell checkers to be found.

[Mike182]

i flick through them in the book shop for some inspiration occasionally, but i don't buy them. way too much money and i wouldn't follow someone elses lines anyway.

[Isabella Lecour]

I don't buy them. I've looked through them before and found them uninteresting. I rather like collecting folk loreish spells, instead. Most of what's in those types of books doesn't feel genuine to me. Heck half of what I collect is herbal lore.