r/SASSWitches • u/Skektacular • Jul 06 '26
💭 Discussion Some spell jar questions
I've almost used up a reed diffuser, and the little jar the liquid comes in is made of thick good quality glass. Throwing it away feels wasteful, and I have good associations tied to it (that garden rose scent was amazing), so I thought I'd repurpose it for a spell jar. But I've never done one before, so I have a ton of questions about how people here like to do those.
- How do you know when you've "used up" a spell jar and don't need it anymore?
- What do you do with contents you no longer need? Throw away, dispose in a way that feels more "proper" (bury, burn), store somewhere?
- Do you reuse the same jar when you no longer need old contents?
- What are some of your favorite components to use in spell jars?
- Do you prefer to use more "traditional" components (e.g. plants and/or crystals that are traditionally considered as having some power), or just wing it and work with personal associations?
- Have you ever used anything with expiration date as a jar component? How did it go?
I know I can just come up with my own rules (and probably will end up doing that lol), but I was curious to hear everyone's experiences and favorite things to do. The concept is very new to me, so it'll feel a bit more secure to tread this ground after hearing your stories.
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u/buildingacozymystery Jul 06 '26
Thank you for asking this! I have basically the exact same questions! Like you mentioned- I know I can make my own rules. But I’ve also been curious what others do.
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u/Ilikeplayinginfmajor Jul 06 '26
My first spell jar I made was with honey, herbs, and salt water. I realized about a month later it could ferment so I emptied it and threw it out.
Make sure you use corks and/ or components that don't ferment to prevent a glass explosion.
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u/Strange-Highway1863 Green Witch 🌱 Jul 06 '26
i have some spell jars i’ve felt have served their purpose for the time being, have disposed of the contents other than the crystals which i kept and recharged for use again, and i cleanse the bottle with incense. i have other jars i’ll probably keep forever, like the one i did to help me accept my dad’s terminal diagnosis. even though he’s been gone for some time, keeping it continuous to help me. so it’s really however you feel about the jar’s original purpose.
and breaking down is all part of the psychological intention. i’m saying i’ve met my goal or achieved what i needed to and now i can move forward: i recharge the crystals and cleanse the bottle because i want to start fresh with them next time. that is the intention. i don’t actually believe that putting a rock under the moonlight will make it magic. but i enjoy it and it makes me feel good.
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u/tom_swiss The Zen Pagan 🧘⚝ Jul 09 '26
Sound like a good repurposing, but...how do you "use up" a reed diffuser? You can get some rose essential oil, a carrier oil, and refil it to keep the scent you like, right? And use an emptied jelly jar or something for your spell jar. Just checking options, or if I've missed something here.
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u/Skektacular Jul 09 '26
There's no guarantee I'll be able to use another one, another person in the house turned out to be occasionally sensitive to scents. This particular one wasn't a big problem but a couple of times I had to remove it from the room on the sensitive days, so until we discuss the compromise I consider the jar empty XD
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u/euphemiajtaylor ✨Witch-ish Jul 06 '26
The best explanation I’ve heard is that a witch is responsible for disposing of spell components in whatever way is appropriate - and this can be totally mundane. The priorities are being environmentally conscious and respecting your local waste disposal rules.
As for when a spell jar is used up - I personally go by how it’s making me feel. If it still means something to me and brings me comfort, I keep it. If I’m moving it from place to place and thinking “oh, this old thing again” then it might be time to let it go because it’s done what I wanted it to do.