Spells can be done in such a wide variety of ways. You can anoint candles or burn notes on paper. You can cut open cow tongues and sew them closed. You can chant, dance, sing, and even offer things like sacrifices or offerings. A unique way i enjoy spell casting is through spell jars. These wonderful things make spells portable, and work wonderfully as gifts. Satchels work well too, but the jar is just less messy if your working with finer ingredients.
My go-to lately has been a “Calm Amid Chaos” jar. Lavender for peace, a pinch of salt for protection, and a tiny gear charm to help things keep turning even when I’m exhausted. I seal it with a whispered “hold me steady,” because some weeks, that’s all I need from the universe.
Different Types of Jars
Glass isn’t always an option okay? Toddlers shatter them, or the cat. We don’t need any more added chaos. Honestly, plastic plant tubes from the dollar tree work AMAZING. And you can find little cork tops to seal them shut if needed. I’ve even used plastic test tubes from a kids science kit before. IT DOES NOT MATTER. Don’t have anything pretty? You can use last nights spaghetti jar if you absolutely need to. The craft is YOURS. Its forgiving. If you do have a little spare change and some free time (what’s that?) you can always go to a thrift store and peruse for old jars or bottle or anything really that works as an ingredient holder with a lid. For my spell jars right now I’m actually using a huge kit of mini glass tubes I acquired before having kids that keep getting discovered on a back shelf in my room, so I’m trying to get them created and out of my home for the sake of tiny glass shards versus my kids toes.
Honestly, spell jars have been my saving grace lately. Between two fall festivals, a pair of class parties, three trunk-or-treats, a Halloween festival, a field trip, two parent-teacher conferences, picture day, a psych appointment, and somehow cramming in my middle child’s birthday and his separate party, I’m tapped out. My calendar looks like it’s possessed.
That’s where these little jars come in. They don’t demand hours of chanting or a silent altar space that my kids won’t immediately invade. They’re quiet magic; small enough to do between loads of laundry or while waiting for cupcakes to cool. When everything feels like it’s spinning out of control, there’s something comforting about sealing intention inside glass and calling it done.
Jar Prep
So if you watch the clock app, you can see a lot of people use an incense stick to cleanse their jars. I just mimic that usually. I’ve definitely used a huge smudge stick before. I’m sure you could also use water and invoke cleansing but some of them are hard to dry out. i also saw the other day someone used a paper towel roll as a jar. Id be careful how you cleansed that one… fire or water = probably a really bad idea. But really its that simple. Ive even seen people cleanse it with a bell, or chant, or even a crystal. Just cleanse it with intention.
MIX MIX MIX
Like ive said previously, I like to get herbs that have their use labeled on the front of them, or ive labeld the jars myself. I grab all the ones i need for whatever spell I’m making. Protection for protection, love for love, you get the jist. Same goes with my crystals. Don’t forget your salt! If you have the extra time (yeah right!) you can layer them really pretty. If not, just dump a bit in until it feels right. Ive also written my intention on a small peice of paper and placed it in my jars before to give it more ‘stregnth” so to speak. As ive said once and ill say a million times MIX WITH INTENTION. That is your key. Give the jar and ingredients the energy you want returned from it. You can put all the herbs in that jar you want, but without intention it has no purpose.
Seal the Deal
Now there’s a variety of ways to do this too. I’ve places a candle ontop of the jar and just let it melt all the way down, I’ve used a wax sealer, and for things like toilet paper rolls you could use staples. I wouldn’t recommend wax for that one, but maybe some glue? You are locking your intentions in. Sounds kinda backwards right? Well yes and no. You dont want your intention leaking out all over the place, and you really dont want someone elses intention getting into it. Also you dont wanna spill it everywhere and make a mess of the beautiful work youve made.
Thats It – Thats the Spell
Youve made it. All done! Now you can decide based on what ‘jar’ you used where to place it. You can place it in a specific corner of your house, or over a doorway. I’ve hidden some in my car or my purse before. Just don’t do that with glass… Dont ask me how i know. Bad memories.
But alas, the beauty of spell jars is how forgiving they are. You don’t need an aesthetic altar or moonlight ceremony. You just need intention — and a few minutes of peace between the school chaos and the next sugar-fueled event. For me, that’s enough to feel like I’ve reclaimed a tiny spark of magic in all the madness. If you’ve ever made your own spell jar drop some info in the comments and help another witch out. What was your favorite ‘jar’ to use?
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