3. Witchy Bullet Journal Spread Ideas for Beginners: Simple Pages to Start With

Begin soft. Begin small. Begin in a way that actually supports you. (This is Part 3 of a series on Using a Bullet Journal as Your Book of Shadows).

Here are links to the rest of the posts in this series:

How to use a Bullet Journal as your Book of Shadows

How to Start a Witchy Bullet Journal (even if you’re not arty or organised)

Witchy Bullet Journal Spread Ideas for Beginners: Simple Pages to Start With

Witchy Goal Setting in Your Bullet Journal: A Practical, Magical Approach

Witchy Trackers, Planners & Collections: How to Use Your Bullet Journal Without Burning Out

Preparing Your Bullet Journal as a Sacred Book of Shadows: Creating Space for Your Magic

There’s also a FREE Printable Guide to Using a Bullet Journal as Your Book of Shadows, more details at the end of this post.

 

One of the biggest mistakes I see new journalers make — especially those stepping into magical practice — is this:

They set up everything.

Dozens of spreads. Complex trackers. Elaborate headers. Sabbat layouts they’re not even sure they’ll use. It looks beautiful — for a moment. And then… nothing.

The pressure to “keep up” creeps in. The pages stay blank. And eventually, the journal gets left behind. Not because anything was wrong with them, but because the setup didn’t match where they truly were.

Let’s do it differently.

Let’s begin gently.

In this post, I’m sharing some of the simplest and most meaningful spreads to begin your witchy bullet journal. Nothing overwhelming. Just a few soft places to start — so that your journal becomes something you want to return to. Not a performance. A practice.

✦ Start with Intention

One of the most powerful pages you can include at the very beginning is a letter to yourself.

It might be titled:

Why I’m Starting This Journal

or

A Blessing for the Pages Ahead

You could write about:

• What you’re hoping to explore or invite in

• Where you’re beginning from (emotionally, spiritually, magically)

• What you’re curious about or longing for

• A note to your future self — to read back later and see how far you’ve come

We often forget our starting point. Having it written down gives you an anchor — a moment of self-witnessing you can return to when you’re in a different season of your journey.

 

✦ Daily Check-In Spread

This doesn’t need to be fancy. Just a little space in your journal that welcomes you back.

It might include:

• A date

• A quick tarot or oracle card pull

• A one-line mood note

• A “what’s alive for me today?” question

• A gratitude moment

• A moon phase or energy note

You’re not a bad person if you miss a day. You’re not failing. You’re human.

If you skip brushing your teeth or having a shower one day, you don’t decide you’ll never do it again. You just pick it back up. Journaling — and magical practice — are the same.

You can return at any time.

The page will still be there.

✶ If you’d like more support building a gentle journaling habit, I created a course called Sacred Pages that guides you into a steady, nourishing rhythm of practice — without pressure or perfection. 

✦ A Tracker You’ll Actually Use

If you want to include a tracker, choose one.

It could be:

• A moon phase tracker (and how each phase feels for you)

• A daily draw log (for tarot or oracle cards)

• A cycle tracker (for menstrual or energy rhythms)

• A habit tracker with just 2–3 things you want to stay close to — not a giant list of “shoulds”

You’ll quickly notice what supports you and what doesn’t. That’s part of the learning.

If a tracker makes you feel guilty or overwhelmed? Bless it and let it go.

 

✦ Create Space for What Calls You

This is where you can gently bring in spreads that feel exciting — but without the pressure to do everything.

Some ideas:

• A spread for signs and synchronicities

• A log for rituals, dreams, or spellwork

• A seasonal wheel or sabbat reflection (if it feels relevant)

• A spread for your favourite crystals or herbs

• A collage page with your current inspirations, intentions, or magical tools

If you’ve seen a beautiful spread online and you want to recreate it — do it. Just be mindful not to overload your journal with pages you think you should have.

Your journal isn’t a checklist. It’s a playground. It’s a sacred mirror.

 

✦ You’re Not Behind

You’re not behind if you skip a week.

You’re not behind if your tracker only has three filled-in days.

You’re not behind if your sabbat page is blank because you didn’t do anything special this time.

You’re not here to impress. You’re here to connect.

Let your journal be a space where you are free — to try, to change, to begin again. That’s where the magic is.

✦ A Final Blessing for Your Beginning

May these pages be a soft place to land.

May they hold your questions, your spells, your scribbles.

May they grow with you, just as you are growing.

And may they remind you — again and again — that your practice is yours.

 

✦ Are You Starting Your Own Witchy Bullet Journal?

I’ve created a beautiful, practical guide to help you begin — whether you’re brand new to bullet journaling or looking to weave more magic into your pages.

Using a Bullet Journal for Your Book of Shadows is a free printable resource that walks you through the basics and gives you a little bundle of cut-and-stick elements to help you get started.

It’s gentle, non-prescriptive, and rooted in real practice — just like your magic.

You can download it for free here. https://www.jessicaandthemoon.com/products/using-a-bullet-journal-for-your-book-of-shadows-a-free-printable-guide-to-begin-your-witchy-journaling-journey

Warmest Blessings on your path

Jessica