Recharging & Renewing Spell Jars: When, Why, How
I’ve shared several posts about how to create different types of spell jars, but what happens after? You make the jar, maybe carry it with you, or place it on your altar...but for how long? To be honest, I often forget that certain jars are still around. I personally think that if you’ve forgotten about a jar, the spell is done, its energy is depleted, and it’s probably time to recharge it or dispose of it. There are many ways to recharge or dispose of a jar, and different reasons why each one might be right for you.
Recharging should only be done if you feel that you are still connected to the jar and that the original spell is still needed. You can recharge a jar by simply meditating, focusing on intention, and re-sealing (adding more wax). If there is no connection to the jar, and the spell is no longer needed, then it’s time to dispose.
The disposal method I hear about the most is burying. I believe this comes from the very old practice of making witch bottles, with certain witch bottles being buried in the outermost part of a property in order to absorb any evil or negative energy before reaching the house. I personally do not believe this is the best way to dispose of a spell jar. First, you’re disposing not setting the intention to bury and absorb, and second, it’s not very good for the environment. I think people gravitate towards this option because they feel opening a sealed jar is wrong, but if the spell is complete and your connection is gone, it’s back to just being a jar. My preferred method is to open, empty, cleanse, and re-use. I feel that the jar has power because I gave it power, so if I feel that power is gone...then let’s get the jar ready for another spell!
First, unseal the jar. You can either melt the wax off (this method is messy and can be dangerous if the flame gets near the cork), or you can scrape the wax off and replace the cork.
Once it’s unsealed, take the contents out (pour, use a toothpick, etc).
Now, I like to bury or burn (or both). If you feel like you need to give these items back to the earth, bury them (no need for a box, just sprinkle and cover with dirt). If you feel like you need to get rid of the contents fully, burn them (you can save the ash to make black salt, or bury them).
Now it’s time to cleanse. This can be done with incense, herbal smoke, salt bath, bells...whatever cleansing method you prefer. I like to first wash the jar in a salt bath, let it air dry, then cleanse with incense or dried rosemary. Now your jar is cleansed and ready for new energy and a new spell.
