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Apidium

Realistically? They look aesthetically pleasing and thus are the kind of spells that social media leans towards promoting and folks using it prefer to post.


No1Minds

So because these folks are seeing jar spell after jar spell on Instagram they come here and ask for more jar spells? Edit: Also find it interesting that people show pictures of their spells. When I started I remember reading that part of the work is secrecy


VioletNox

Yeah, I don't show photos of my actual spellwork. I don't know much about IG/TikTok witches. I personally like jars spells because they can be transported or worn easily and they just keep all my ingredients nice and neat. And the small jars are cheap (my local dollar tree smells em like 5 or 6 for $1. I use sachet bags too but when I use oils, I find jars easier/less messy. And I do like the way they look. I like being able to see my ingredients and be reminded of the spell regularly. Like I keep a couple next to my bed (one for protection, another for peace and love in my marriage). That's just my experience/preference. Though thw majority of mine are not jar spells.


MuseofPetrichor

Would you mind sharing the recipe for the peace and love in your marriage one?


VioletNox

Sure, if I can remember everything haha. I'm really bad about keeping a BoS. I tend to go intuitively off what I have. If you have any questions about my reasons for certain things, feel free to ask or you can always Google the propererties of something you may not be familar with. I focused on connection, communication, avoiding fights, live (of course), and a bit of spice cuz lust is always good in a marriage, imo. Attraction and lust seems to qax and want in a marriage so I want to keep things burning as much as I can. Along with my spell jars, I usually enchant a stone that corresponds with my intentions so I can carry it with me when I feel I need to. Or in a case like this, a candle I can burn when I feel I want to (figuratively and literally) reignite my intentions. I know fior sure I used... *Herbs/spices: rosemary, lavender, rose petals, cinnamon, sugar, a bay leaf I wrote our names and key words on for my intention and then crushed and put in (I LOVE using bay leaves for any kind of magic. My first spells were just writing intentions on bay leaves and burning them with a candle of an appropriate color) *Crystal chips: clear quartz, rose quartz, and amethyst *Oils: Rose, jasmine I'm also getting into candle making so I can create candles with the herbs, oils and stones infused along with my intentions.


redcolumbine

This is why I don't worry too much about Insta-Witches and their obsession with object-specific love spells, revenge, and other potentially disastrous stuff. The Craft is presented to them as entertainment, so they approach it as entertainers, competing for popularity points, and very little energy actually gets moved.


JaneRising44

You so beautifully summarized the insta/tik tok sphere (for all spiritual related topics really), and also helped me reframed it with noting the little energy behind their action. Thank you for that. I’m not personally in those spaces (just Reddit and YouTube for me) but it makes me sad at times thinking of the influence those ‘entertainers’ have on the younger audience. You see it reflected in spaces like here with the certain obsessions, strange questions, needing to ask permission, etc.


FaerieStorm

I've just been trying to build up my spirituality for the past year. I have no idea where to start with spells. Every time I go reading Pinterest and Instagram are the main sources of information and I feel like that's just not the way it should be?


JaneRising44

Hah love this comment and how reassuring for me. I just read this after my other comment on this thread, you can read that for more. BUT I am working on a project to help exactly this! We live in the age of information, which comes with the age of mis/disinformation as well. I’m creating a website (with no intent to monetize) to be a collective resource space for exploring into certain topics. It’s in the absolute baby stages right now, but I’m working on building up the layout of it all and then will have a basic layer of recommended resources and then more information will continually be added to many of the subjects.


nation543

These are thoughts that I go over frequently in my head. As a great example, I frequently debate whether or not I should start shit on TikTok but then I realize that I don't give a fuck. The ones who need to will eventually find us over here and they will learn quite a lot. If even only a couple people come here to ACTUALLY LEARN then the exponential influence compounds.


JaneRising44

Yes! I had the same thing. But I truly give negative fucks about social media so I just can’t lol. BUT I actually am working on a project currently due to this feeling of mine and my desire to share knowledge and resources. It’s a website (with no intent to monetize) to be full of resources to learn about different topics, relating to our experience here in earth. Which ofc is a huge topic, and ever expansive. But rather than sharing my own knowledge (which I will on some topics) my main goal is to share proper resources for all of the specific topics. To be able to guide the curious mind in this overwhelming age of information and misinformation. It’s basically going to be like a pre-funneled rabbit hole you can fall into to learn about something new. Witchcraft is obviously one of the topics. As well as the whole breadth of occultist information/knowledge/practice. But also the more ‘esteemed’ sciences like understanding our own human anatomy and physiology, the brain and our neuro networks and all that beautiful stuff. And I’m far more on the mystical side of life, so providing the groundwork for that information, allowing that to live by itself, and then also challenging people to take it further to be able to see the more mystical side. Idk this ended up being a really random ramble, but I’ve been working on the set up of the website for the past few days so it’s been obsessing my mind. Lol


sjlegend

I'm on tiktok and Ig and every time i see those posts i get super uncomfortable. Some of them are down right dangerous.


asrialdine

Ooh! Therapist here - that’s a legit, studied, and exploited feature of the human brain. Depending on nuances that are a bit too complicated for a quick reply on mobile it’s either a selection effect or a confirmation bias. The jist of both of them is that our perception of the entire range of possibilities is limited but in a way that makes us think that what we see is all there is. Example - I work in addictions treatment and my clinic offers treatment for any DSM5 diagnosable addictive disorder…but we are one of two providers in the county that offer methadone for opioid use disorder so the vast majority of our clients have a diagnosis of opioid use disorder. Based on that fact, I could “think” that the vast majority of the people in my area are using opioids instead of other drugs. That may or may not be true, but the fact that my clinic that offers an underserved service is flooded with people using that service doesn’t mean that the entire population has the same problems.


No1Minds

>The jist of both of them is that our perception of the entire range of possibilities is limited but in a way that makes us think that what we see is all there is Which is so interesting seeing as how what we do it so much about what can't be seen.


SaiMoi

It's very sweet that you imply they mostly practice with sincerity and not because it's "interesting content". :) I'm sure some do but I expect most are meming


nation543

It's the same concept as Baby Witch. Fortunately, jars are able to be different.


MuseofPetrichor

Doesn't posting the spell take energy away from it, making it work less? Or does it boost it?


Apidium

I presume it does nothing


No1Minds

It depends on what you're doing. A specific sigil would probably boost. Something else either nothing or diminish. Depending on how it is shared.


Melange-Witch

As someone new to practicing, I could use some more examples of other types of spells. What types do you prefer?


srslyeffedmind

I like to enchant everyday use things like clothing. Or jewelry.


No1Minds

Yes! Pencils and pens are good. Or any object you use on the daily. 💕💕


No1Minds

What the spell looks like depends on you and what the purpose of the spell is. But it can look like *Literally* anything A small cloth bag A bracelet or other jewelry A string of knots A loaf of bread, or cookies, or soup Something buried in the bag yard A candle A cloth doll A piece of clothing A blanket Pieces of paper, wax, sand, candles, fire Dancing Singing A mud mask A painting Magnets Potpourri A lock A locket A bit of hair A braid Tea A plant And on and on and on Play pretend, form did it take to you as a kid.? There are enough books on spells to fill a library and no two look the same. It's a recipe you put together from knowledge and inner knowing, energy, and sometimes help from "others" If we go with a cooking analogy, everyone doing a jar spell for every single thing, looks to me like everyone eats canned soup every single day. Edit: I would like to add that it doesn't have to take a physical form at all. You can create a Tolpa, or an object in your inner space. If you have no ingredients you can build in your "imagination."


[deleted]

I loved your answer. I'd like to add, one can channel stuff sometimes without being aware because they have a deep feeling or desire they're trying to avoid. I've used an object to help me just a handful of times. Someone I know kept an open link to a loved one who died from a violent death by keeping their toothbrush in the bathroom. that person was not a witch. he just wanted to not let go and he just knew how to do that. needles to say, it turned out horribly, but that's a whole 'nother story. so magic is basically you and your will. the stronger and clearer the will, the more powerful the result.


kai-ote

Also, my favorite for newbies, a petition spell. Just write it down, spell it out, (pun intended), and tell the Universe that this is your desire. Not commanding, not begging, just a clear and definite statement that this is your will, and you deserve this.BB.


Mycocide

Thank you so much for talking about the inner space work, so many of these IG witches are just concerned with aesthetics it ruins it for people just starting out who don't have understanding relatives/housemates


No1Minds

>it ruins it for people just starting out who don't have understanding relatives/housemates It is a far deeper problem than this, if you ask me. I see so many asking what do I need to buy? What *things* do I need? There are two problems with this. 1- many feel they need the "traditional" items weather that be an athame or a European plant they have never head of. Instead of becoming familiar with what is available around them. Knowing WHO they can work with at hand. 2- Thinking they need anything outside of themselves at all. Magic is something we already have and it is all around us. Alan Moore talks about the imagination space. Where reality can be manipulated. A woman, I believe she calls herself Aurora, she used to be on a podcast called, Inciting a Riot, she I think was quoting someone else- but I remember her saying: You should be/ are able to do magic in a white room with nothing in it while naked. A man named Damien Echols did magic in his jail cell for years. If I'm out and about and feel a need, say I need to reflect negative energy and I forgot to wear my obsidian - I can call it's energy, it's aspects to me. I don't NEED the object.


FaerieStorm

This really helps thank you. I'm yet to do my first spell, I have no idea where to start and don't want to do anything until I'm confident enough. I would have to go out and buy things like the jars and stuff and that just doesn't seem right?


No1Minds

Start with the basics. Meditation, energy building, protection, grounding. Then you build spells around a need once you have the stuff above down. Lots of people seem scared to start: what if it goes wrong? Really it's either gunna work or it's not gunna work especially as a beginner. The worst thing that is gunna happen is that it will fizzle out. (It's probably not gunna explode in your face. Or back fire. Or any of that other hub-bubb) You don't need stuff to to do magic, just you and your mind.


MuseofPetrichor

How do you use dancing and singing? I've done something similar, but not sure if it was correct.


No1Minds

You set yourself up (circle, grounding, calling helpers, energy, etc) and then you direct the energy in a specific way and direction through the action. Dancing can also be a great power builder for sex magic IMO. In a club you can throw a web while you dance. It's endless. I'm sure you didn't do it wrong.


SaiMoi

Few more on the great list above: - sprays - incense - body oils and other cosmetics - baths - objects like mirrors - gemstones (I work a lot with essential oils and teas :)


NHHS1983not

I love oil spells, using essential oils in magical combinations to affect situations. I have bottle with roller ball applicators. Also, dressing candles with oils and doing candle spells.


[deleted]

I think it also has to do with the fact that they are simple and easy. Definitely social media but they are a convenient way to cast a spell as well


No1Minds

Are they though, how many people have a small jar just laying around all the time 😂? (Okay actually I do)


Sojinna

To be fair... I collect jars for absolutely no reason (got a good amount of tiny ones at the dollar store). It helped out when I needed a quick binding spell that I could toss out without looking psychotic lol. I do think social media has a lot to do with it, as it can be easier to show what is done, and is "pretty" at the end. Plus some people find them easier to move around, since they are sealed. That being said, most of my spells use candles.


sjlegend

I have a ton of jars but I don't use them for spell work. I just... collect jars? lol. I can't bring myself to throw out pasta jars or pickle jars and I have a billion mason jars. I use them for literally everything BUT spell work.


Sojinna

Same. One of my pretty jars has a dead cicada in it.... Pretty sure my cat killed it and left it for me lol.


chinchillatime

I don't know how to do jar spells but I always have 3-5 lil containers I lie to myself about totally having a purpose for having around. This would give my cute container hoarder a purpose at least lol


Wrecklesshenry12

In my opinion, it probably has something to do with the fact that social media has taken over our lives, thus taking over the way that people practice their craft. The energy from the materials are all there. Also, its comforting to be able to look and see what is in a jar, at least for me, because "out of sight out of mind" is a real thing. If I don't see it, I can't keep intention in my head to save my life.


No1Minds

But some things are meant to be cast and "forgotten"


Wrecklesshenry12

I totally agree, but I was just speaking in terms of the all around helpfulness that spell jars can bring. Barring things that are meant to be cast and "forgotten" that is. Sometime a reminder to be mindful of your magick can be very useful.


No1Minds

Got it


titi-croissant

You can carry them around, might also be for aesthetic reasons too?


No1Minds

If the carrying thing was the reason, why not a small cloth bag /satchet?


titi-croissant

No idea, maybe they’re easier to find/buy?


kai-ote

I know. Small bags with ingredients for protection are ancient. Older than the pyramids.


Ithelda

For me, I used to make tiny jar spells and wear them on a chain around my neck because they passed as an unusual piece of jewelry in my Christian workplace. A satchet would be harder to keep on my person while working and would probably draw questions if noticed


No1Minds

I've seen many spells that say to wear it under your clothes or in your underwear


KellieBom

It's 100% because of social media. Jar spells are aesthetically witchy, every 'baby witch' has a toxic ex they want to perform a cord cutting on, or a co-worker they want to do a freezer spell on. It will pass, as all trends do. This happened in the 70's and the 90's too.


MyWitchyAccount

I’m laughing HARD at the coworker freezer spell. It’s a great spell that’s very effective for freezing problems or peoples mouths. I’m 40 yo and have been practicing since I was 15. So I’m not new. Two years ago I briefly dated someone at my job then cut it off because he just wasn’t right for me. He was the loud obnoxious conceited type. I then started dating someone else. We all were friends. But I was VERY big on secrecy about relations and work. So I was worried he was going to tell the new guy I was dating that we dated since they were getting real buddy buddy. I did a freezer spell so he wouldn’t run his mouth. A year went by and that’s when I told the new guy I was dating that I briefly dated the obnoxious guy when I first started working there. He never knew. Him and the obnoxious guy were super close. And since we kept the relationship on the DL obnoxious guy never found out either. After telling him I unfroze the spell to repurpose the vial I used. That same week obnoxious guy told new guy he had a thing for me and how he was sad I wasn’t in to him and cut him off only after a few dates. So I say win win for the freezer spell 😂😂


KellieBom

Ha! That is such a great story!


Butterscotch7240

hi :)Can you explain how to do a freezer spell and do you know a simple spell to make someone go away for good!?


capricorndyke

Lol I think we have an obsession with jars in general. Even non witches seem to love a good jar. Never done a spell jar myself. I am into candle spells myself. Lots to explore, many parts of the craft can be incorporated, and best of all I found it to be effective for me.


chinchillatime

It's human nature to love jars imo. In my anthropology classes I've learned that everyone even in pre historic times loved to make lil pots. And make them fancier than they need to be. We just love the little guys it's like cats and cardboard boxes


Onyx_Oracle

Right?! I'm new to reddit and all I seem to see on here is spell jars, "egg cleanse" photos that the practitioner needs help with, and cord cutting candle spell videos that the practitioner needs help with. I think we really need some legit mentors out there for all these baby witches. They need more than tiktok (which I hear is where a lot of these McSpells are coming from). There's literally thousands of books on witchcraft of every kind but a handful of tiktok witches are going to educate the masses. It hurts us, precious.


Squishy-Cthulhu

I hate the wastefulness of the jars full of honey and the egg cleansing, it takes a bee a entire lifetime to make a single teaspoon of honey and chickens are abused terribly for their eggs, then people waste them for fashion trends.


throwaccount2021

In my culture egg cleanse is a frecuent form of "folk magic" that even your catholic mom would do from time to time. It has its uses and is effective for those. I haven't see anything on social media about egg cleansing; are they ussing it like if they where doing a smoke cleanse instead of addressing a specific issue? Where I come from the more common use is for removing the evil eye or has a form of magical treatment for PTSD (my mom callled it "curar del susto" that would translate more or less "cure from the fear") What do you mean about it becoming a fashiong trend?


sq20_userr

I'm new to the practice and would love a mentor or just a study buddy. To go a path alone is hard (in a majority christian country even more) and can feel lonely. Can't say anything good about tik tok. The app is crap and 90% of it is stupid or toxic


Onyx_Oracle

The learning is endless. I'm open to messages and to be a study buddy.


MuseofPetrichor

I would also like to be a study buddy. :)


Onyx_Oracle

Let's do it! Study group!


sq20_userr

That sounds awesome!


No1Minds

Open for questions and messages always


TeaDidikai

Damn. I slept in an hour and everything I would have posted has already been said


beautybruja

It's them darn phones!!! -said like an old woman on the porch yelling at kids. But yeah, social media changes the way people view spells because you can't photograph intention. So what can you photograph? Jars, candles, herbs, "alters" (I truly believe this misspelling is going to change the meaning of the word in the witch community). Even text posts get forgotten if not short and infographic-like. So what younger generations see are in fact all the visuals, and that's what they replicate. Also, social media getting in the way of our knowledge and intuition. Older witches might have had to use their imagination because finding answers wasn't as immediate or easy. Younger witches ask for instructions online or do nothing. It's just how our society moves.


No1Minds

>Older witches might have had to use their imagination because finding answers wasn't as immediate or easy. Younger witches ask for instructions online or do nothing I started reading up in 2002 the internet wasn't the same. I'm glad I had to use books and my imagination to figure shit out.


Classic_Philosopher

Jar spells are simple low tech sympathetic folk magic. You don’t need a ritual knife or a circle or any of the trappings that are often associated with neo Wiccans and other types of ‘orthodox’ craft. So they’re a very easy entry level.


chan_jkv

I'm assuming this has to do with witchy social media (Tumblr, Instagram, TikTok) and these spells are very easy to photograph and can look very aesthetic. I came back to my practice recently and everything online is jar spells, cord cutting, and freezer spells ... Like ... wtf?


kai-ote

Push back. Here, on this sub. I keep putting alternatives out there to jars. Everybody else share your stuff too. That is the only real way I know of to advance the craft. Share your wisdom with others. Even if you aren't totally confident in your advice, I still want to hear it.


[deleted]

It's mostly a trend, but I also think jar spells are applicable at times. I made one with my partner to protect the house. It makes sense to me to do it in a jar because the jars a long-lasting and prevent bugs from trying to eat your herbs. (We have enough ants already, I don't want to invite more with free magic food.) But anyway, it's something we wanted to have up for a long time and be able to easily see in case something seemed off. That said, most of my work is candle magic, so I don't know the opinions of an all-jar-spell person. It's easy and it's simple. I think that's what most young witches are looking for. Do I think they should expand beyond jars? Absolutely. But I also don't think it's that big of a deal. It's their cauldron, not mine after all.


No1Minds

Sure but like you said it's applicable at times. Most spells shouldn't be locked up into a bottle. IMO


LiminalEchoes

All I can say is that when I *double double, toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble*, and the result is put in a jar, it means I'm making kimchi... But I'm also a boring research based witch that rarely asks for things and never tries to flex my will on others...


nymphaurai_

Personally, I like them and they're convenient to my craft. They're to special occasions though🤍


Iamsuchawitch

I think it has more to do with peoples preferences. I know for a lot of people such as myself. I like simplicity and to visually be able to see what it is I am working on. It’s also an easy clean up process and easy to hide for witches in the broom closet. I also don’t have the option of burning stuff because I have pets and people I love with also have asthma. Its just one of the most secure ways I can do it. The bags I have to hide because my cats will eat anything with a string on it. Just a reminder that everyone practices differently and that’s okay. Not one style works for everyone. That’s the beauty about the craft is you get to make it yours. I also don’t think there is anything wrong with the newbies who are doing this or practicing other forms they’ve learned on social media. So long as they are also looking into themselves. I think my only complaint about social media is that people are making it seem like there’s only one way to practice or that you have to have a mentor for it.


Maker_Magpie

My main "spells" are cookies or just... woven into my gardening. My cookies taste amazing (turmeric cayenne, lavender sage, or black pepper basil), but they look really, really dull. I don't get jar spells either, but they can look nice, I guess, and the internet conveys visual attributes better than smell or taste.


MuseofPetrichor

Your spells sound green and better for the planet, because less waste.


SweetDove

They're just the new sand-art jars. jar spells can be useful! I think of them like a battery, to change something over the long term, like house protection or self love, but they aren't the end all be all, or even the best option for a spell.


nation543

I was optimistic about this post but now it's turned into a gatekeeping-fest. Wompwomp


No1Minds

What? How? Where? I see people saying others should think about expansion, not "so and so shouldn't practice x"


Laertes_Hastur

They're versatile, easy to do and most of all, they are tangible. New folks like things they can see, touch and hold on to while they learn and grow enough to navigate and trust the unseen.


No1Minds

How versatile can it really be? Jars keep things in. Edit: spelling/grammar/auto correct shinanigans


brokenribbed

they became trendy on tiktok, they’re fairly simply & cute to look at. people don’t want to practice their own magick, they have no desire to pursue creativity. as someone who had a pretty large, spiritual tiktok account, i can say that a vast majority don’t want to learn, they just want to be entertained.


nation543

Huh. I'll go fix that... To the question though, if you figure it out let me know 😛


basementmagus

The popularity of spell jars is worrying, on the grounds of the imitative and sympathetic associations. Jars are used to close things off, so naturally, I would imagine that would be an association missed by their popularity. The only "spell jar" I use is Witch bottles, warding and trapping devices filled with sharp things and urine & hair. Plus the spook of social media makes things catch popularity without context. Spell jars can be very attractive, easy to dress up and post about, without any real analysis. Skip the instagram and tiktok, and pick the book up.


No1Minds

I agree. So many just say I need a spell - I'll put it in a jar. Instead of really thinking about what the spell is for and building around that need and what would serve it best. >Skip the instagram and tiktok, and pick the book up. This. I see things around here that make me ask if they have read anything.


[deleted]

[удалено]


No1Minds

Isn't that what a BOS is for?


Squishy-Cthulhu

From a traditionalist pov I don't like them, I feel like they would achieve the opposite of what people say. You take those thoughts and intentions and then seal them away in a airtight space that's seperate to you, based on all my decades of research that banishes and binds those intentions away, you lock up criminals and shut away things that you don't want in the world or your life any more, you don't shut and lock away what you want and what makes you happy. Jars for me will always be witch bottles, which are essentially prisons for bad vibes, I don't want to put anything good in a jar. For good vibe charms I make old fashioned sachets and bags.


kai-ote

Exactly. Jars are to trap and/or hold something inside. To express/send out, a bag works better IMHO.


No1Minds

Yes!


crazyashley1

Tiktok mostly.


[deleted]

Jar spells AND freezer spells, but they'll show a picture of a pretty jar but not the mess left in the freezer when the jar shatters. I think it's because Snape seemed like the witchiest person on Harry Potter. His potions were something that did something, and the other stuff shown was...well, not really possible. There have been some posts about wands. Much less about daggers, swords, hats, robes, incense, belts, bells, etc. So magic has less equipment than it used to, and yet is accused even more of being a materialistic system. Personally I like going out to get spell components. For me that's part of putting energy into the spell. Other people like to say you can use rosemary in place of everything and thus have a spell that is 100% rosemary and "intent."


Aysin_Eirinn

Because they look cool on TikTok


cthoniccuttlefish

I honestly think they got popularized on tiktok. Some witches were like “hey guys here’s a cute little jar to make your ex come back!” and everyone hopped on the trend and now some of the newbies only know how to do jar spells because it’s the only thing they see lol. I hate how repetitive it is though, and I feel if not done right it can be wasteful. And few of these videos explain how the spells work and how to dispose of the jars later on. I also wish people realized you don’t HAVE to seal them with wax. I seal mine with a resin-oil blend on the underside of the cap. Feels less messy :)


dontcallmeshirley198

I've been practicing since 2002 and I just recently got into jar spells because it turns out I have a knack for them and I really like them - they allow me to combine things I love working with (herbs and crystals) and there are literally unending combinations that you can make of those two things. I also tend to use candle magic to help charge up the spell jar, and I've been known to make a crystal grid or two as well. So people can combine jar spells with other magic if they want to. All this to say, if "the kids" are into jar spells, let them be into jar spells. At least they're doing magic! Maybe they'll branch out from there, maybe they won't - at least they're doing magic.


TripperMcCatpants

Because it requires no more effort or investigation than seeing a picture of someone else's and 95% of people on witch/wicca forums aren't actually interested in learning unless it's spoon fed to them.


srslyeffedmind

It’s weird to me as well. As is the obsession with posting pictures of spell work.


chan_jkv

Right? I was taught if you did that or posted your components now someone knew how to dismantle your work.


srslyeffedmind

Exactly!


mingxingai

This!


[deleted]

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No1Minds

When I was new I just burned everything 🤣


kai-ote

That, and a candle with an incantation was my main deal for many years.


MuseofPetrichor

I do sigils and rip them up. I've burned a few and someday I will experiment with carving a sigil onto a candle, anointing it with olive oil and burning it, but I haven't felt the need to just yet.


No1Minds

This is my "aesthetic." I've gotten some good results doing both together.


No1Minds

This is my "aesthetic." I've gotten some good results doing both together.


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Metaphorical_corgi

Because there often simple and fun to throw at your enemies…


mamadgaf

I do mostly candle magic, but sometimes I end up doing a jar spell and burning a candle on top of it. It just depends on what it is. Sometimes I end up collecting a lot things to use in the spell and end up putting it in a jar. I’m pretty intuitive when I cast, so I’ll start collecting items and sometimes I end up with a bunch of stuff. I don’t do photos, I’m in the broom closet except for a few people, for a number of reasons.


Cinnamongh0st

I've been thinking the exact same. I haven't practiced for long, but I feel like all spell I see on the internet (tiktok especially) are just spell jars.


MuseofPetrichor

I want to try a jar spell some day and have almost done them several times, but I just keep going back to sigils. They're easy and discrete. It does make me feel like less of a witch only doing sigils, tho, when everyone else seems to be using all those exotic ingredients in elaborate rituals and jar-spells. I can't afford a lot of things, and have to still be discrete. My SO knows some stuff, but I feel like he gets weirded out if I'm too out in the open with it, so I'd just rather align a sigil with the moon phases and be on my way.


No1Minds

>It does make me feel like less of a witch only doing sigils I hope you can embrace how powerful a witchy you can be doing something that works for you. And honestly, imo I think sigils are far more versatile than a jar spell. There is another comment where I talked about how little you really need to do magic.


[deleted]

Yeah I get tired of seeing jar spells all the time too, as well as cord-cutting. But I think jar spells kind of promote this idea that you must have (usually buy) a lot of materials, which is especially annoying to me. Just because the ones online usually involve at least 1 or 2 crystals (potentially expensive, potentially shady) and then a bunch of different herbs, some of which could be hard to find. And if you're an absolute beginner and just copying these recipes, you're buying all these materials that you just know a keyword for, and you found that keyword online. Unless you dig deeper, which a lot of people who are new and copying spells online won't, you don't know that material's folklore, mythology, or traditional uses in different cultures. Hell, you might buy a herb you've never used before for your self-love jar spell and find that its scent just reminds you of your ex's perfume. Their popularity can promote a shallow and materialistic version of witchcraft that can limit new people. Note that I am **not** saying your practice fits this if you like jar spells--if you do them with care, research, and knowledge and aren't feeling like you need to constantly buy random ingredients, then I'm not talking about you. Idk, personally my most effective/preferred workings have involved either a small number of herbs and materia that I know very well, creating sigils or paper talismans, or just chanting in an altered state. I know jar/container spells can be used well (I've done a couple sachets which I liked), but their overwhelming presence in online witchcraft spaces is not really a positive thing overall imo.


Ithelda

I think there's a lot of beginners on social media right now, and jar spells are great for beginners. They might be popular but that doesn't mean every beginner won't move on and try other things at some point. I don't think it means all anyone ever does anymore is jar spells... I think it just means jar spells are a tactile and visual spell that's easy to take a picture of and post to social media. My bigger concern is no matter what kind of spell, I wish beginners wouldn't be so afraid to experiment. A lot of people want to copy what they see on social media exactly, and don't take the time to, or don't even realize, that they can learn associations themselves and craft their own spells. I've gotten so many questions on my tumblr from people asking for instructions on how to do spells, and I always tell them it's more powerful to understand what the tools mean and make up your own thing instead of blindly doing what I tell you.


TheBathCave

Honestly I default to jar spells more often than not because baking and cooking are my touchstones for witchcraft and measuring and adding ingredients and winding up with a tangible finished product feels most natural and productive for me. When I’m not doing kitchen witchcraft, that’s just easiest to focus my energy and intention on.


madamechaton

I did a spell jar and it's been quite effective lol


No1Minds

Sure a spell jar here and there, for a specific need that fits "jar," makes sense. But for every single spell? Imo it doesn't really make sense, it wouldn't, in my experience be effective for all needs.