Wish Jars: A Simple Practice with Deep Symbolic Power
In an age where mindfulness, intention-setting, and symbolic rituals are increasingly embraced as part of emotional and spiritual well-being, wish jars have emerged as a popular tool for personal reflection and manifestation. Sometimes called intention jars, blessing jars, or hope jars, these simple vessels filled with handwritten wishes, goals, or affirmations offer a tactile way to focus attention and desire.
Though wish jars are largely a modern practice, they draw on longstanding cultural traditions of writing desires, offering intentions, and ritual containers used in spiritual and religious contexts around the world.
A wish jar is typically a glass or ceramic container into which individuals place small slips of paper bearing hopes, wishes, goals, or affirmations. Some people add decorative elements like crystals, herbs, candles, or symbols aligned with their wishes. The jar can be sealed, revisited regularly, or emptied at a significant time (e.g., New Year's Eve or a birthday).
The act of writing a wish and placing it in a jar provides a moment of clarity and focus, helping to externalize inner desires and reflect on one’s priorities. While there is no standardized ritual, the intention behind the practice is central.
The practice of writing down goals and wishes has psychological merit. According to research by Dr. Gail Matthews at Dominican University, individuals who write down their goals are 42% more likely to achieve them compared to those who do not (Matthews, 2015). This supports the use of wish jars as a form of embodied intention-setting.
Additionally, research into symbolic self-completion theory suggests that physical acts—like writing, storing, or displaying one’s goals—can increase motivation and reinforce a coherent sense of self (Wicklund & Gollwitzer, 1982). Placing a written wish in a designated container can thus serve as a symbolic commitment to one's future.
Cultural and Historical Connections
Though the term “wish jar” is modern, the concept of ritual containers for desire and prayer spans many cultures:
In ancient Greece, people left inscribed offerings or "votive tablets" at temples to seek healing or favor from the gods.
In Judaism, placing written prayers into the crevices of the Western Wall in Jerusalem is a centuries-old practice of bringing one's desires before God (Ben-Dov, 1985).
Japanese Shinto and Buddhist traditions include the writing of wishes on wooden plaques (ema) which are then hung at shrines for divine attention (Kuroda, 1981).
In folk magic, small containers or “spell jars” have long been used in European and Afro-Caribbean traditions to attract prosperity, love, or protection (Harper, 2009).
These examples suggest that the idea of capturing wishes in a vessel is a universal human impulse: to give form and focus to intangible hopes.
Modern Uses and Benefits
Wish jars are now used in a variety of wellness, spiritual, and therapeutic contexts:
Journaling alternatives: People who struggle with keeping a full journal use wish jars for brief, meaningful expressions.
Gratitude or memory jars: Some modify the practice to record daily blessings, memories, or kind words, which are revisited at year’s end.
Therapeutic settings: Counselors and educators use wish jars with clients or students to encourage hope, resilience, and goal-setting (American Counseling Association, 2020).
Family rituals: Families may co-create wish jars during seasonal holidays or life transitions to build collective meaning.
How to Create a Wish Jar
Choose a jar – Any clean container will do: glass, ceramic, or decorated to suit your style.
Write your wishes – Use small slips of paper and focus on clear, heartfelt desires or intentions.
Place them in the jar – Optionally, add symbolic items (crystals, herbs, tokens).Set a ritual or revisit time – Decide whether you’ll open your wishes at the end of a year, a full moon, or let them remain sealed.
Reflect – Take time to read past wishes and note what has changed or manifested.
The wish jar may appear to be a simple craft or novelty, but it reflects a deeper human need to dream, articulate, and ritualize desire. Drawing from both ancient tradition and modern psychological insight, it offers a meaningful way to turn inward, focus intention, and envision possibility. Whether for spiritual growth, mental health, or creative play, a wish jar reminds us that our inner world deserves time, space, and reverence.
Works Cited
American Counseling Association. (2020). Creative interventions: Hope and intention practices in counseling. https://www.counseling.org
Ben-Dov, Meir. In the Shadow of the Temple: The Discovery of Ancient Jerusalem. Harper & Row, 1985.
Harper, Damian. Magical House Protection: The Archaeology of Counter-Witchcraft. English Heritage, 2009.
Kuroda, Toshio. “The Development of the Kenmitsu System as Japan’s Medieval Orthodoxy.” Journal of Japanese Studies, vol. 23, no. 2, 1981, pp. 233–256.
Matthews, Gail. (2015). Goal setting and achievement: Empirical study of written goals. Dominican University, California.
Wicklund, R. A., & Gollwitzer, P. M. (1982). Symbolic Self-Completion. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Make a Wish Jar with Me
The Wish Jar: Crafting the New Year with Sound and Ceremony
Mystics and healers have long understood that human intention is a powerful force in both the physical and energetic realms. But co-creating with the Universe requires more than just a vision board—it’s an art. In this immersive Sound Spa experience, you’ll explore techniques to get grounded and centered, gain clarity about your desires, and get inspired to take meaningful action toward manifesting what you need and want.
Event Highlights:
Grounding and Centering Techniques: Learn how to anchor yourself energetically to build a strong foundation for intentional creation.
Clarity and Inspiration: Explore ways to clarify your desires and align with the energy of inspiration to take meaningful action.
Intention Jar Creation: Craft personalized intention jars using herbs, oils, and stones as a powerful foundation for your wishes and desires in 2025.
Sound Healing: Enjoy soothing, therapeutic sound from a wide variety of instruments, including crystal singing bowls, gongs, and chimes. Delivered by an experienced Sound Therapist, the sound is intuitively tailored to your needs.
Spa-Like Comfort: Relax in a serene environment with massage tables, anti-gravity chairs, blankets, and cushions to enhance your comfort and experience.
Benefits:
Harness the Power of Intention: Learn practical tools to consciously create what you need and want in your life.
Energetic Alignment: Balance and align your energy to support your goals and desires.
Creative Manifestation: Take home a custom intention jar to serve as a tangible reminder and energetic anchor for your aspirations in 2025.
Relaxation and Renewal: Experience deep relaxation in a spa-like setting, allowing you to leave feeling rejuvenated and clear-minded.
What to Bring: Journaling supplies to document your insights and intentions.