This book is a living entity. It cannot be captured in a single language, nor does it fit the framework of a standard narrative. Like the soul itself, it follows no straight line from A to B, but moves in circles and spirals. As you journey through Book of Shadows, you will notice four currents flowing together: the images (collages), the poetry, the prose, and the titles. Do not view these as separate fragments, but as threads in a mythical tapestry. The symbols you encounter act as the glue binding the past, the present, and the timeless. They invite you to leap through time, to turn back the pages, and to look again. A Shamanic Journey On the surface, you read the raw struggle of a man dealing with trauma and memory. But look deeper, and you will see that this battle is, in reality, a shamanic journey. A descent into the underworld of the psyche. On this voyage, you will stand face to face with mythical gods and archetypes. They are the guardians of the thresholds we all must cross. Sometimes they appear as monsters amid the chaos; other times, as silent guides in the mist. They challenge you not to look away, but to move straight through the shadow. From Chaos to Wisdom Know that the storms in this book serve a purpose. The chaos is not the end; it is the crucible in which lead turns into gold. The fight with demons does not lead to bitterness, but to a profound, quiet wisdom. Everything eventually converges in the final chapter, the Wheel of the Year. There, you will see madness give way to clarity, and the wild sea come to rest in the insight of eternal cycles. This book is an invitation to join that journey. To meet the gods, to fight the battles, and to find the peace that waits on the other side. Dare to get lost, to find yourself again. Max van Eck