Choices, choices, choices, decisions, decisions, decisions, what to buy for that special friend for their birth day, what to buy for for your colleague who is changing jobs? These are the dilemmas that many of us have faced and that have at times created an unnecessary level of stress and anxiety. So if faced with this situation, here is a unique, thoughtful, beautiful and luxurious gift idea; a Zen (Chinese) Wishing Pot! What exactly is a Zen wishing pot? What do they look like and how is this a great gift idea? The below explores what a Zen wishing pots is, how they work and what t is it that makes them a why gift idea for anyone.
A wishing pot is generally a small lidded bowl (hardly ever will you find a wishing pot that is larter then an ordinary cooking bowl at home) that can be made from various materials, but the traditional wishing pots are made from three main materials; ceramic, stone or porcelain. It should be no surprise to find some of the wishing pots fitted onto base which will enable easier storage and display, and another not so surprising factor may be to find that some wishing pots may have a bamboo lid, all still fitting in with the traditional methodology, in particular if the lid is made from bamboo as in the Chinese culture, bamboo is a symbol of good luck, strength and longevity.
So whats the best way to make a wish, to give it all the luck in the world to make the wish come true? Although there are not many instructions and there is no ‘wrong’ way of making a wish, some directions are useful. It is best to write the wish down on a small scroll (generally accompanying the wishing pot) or piece of parchment paper, roll it (not recommended to fold) up and place it in the wishing pot. After closing the lid, place your wishing pot in a favorable location, perhaps a sunny window or side table. It is recommended to place the pot in owners favourite place as it prospers good luck and is believed to bring good fortune.
A few other hints and tips are also said to help the wish come true. One of the suggestions is that the actual pot be painted with traditional Chinese symbols as it is believed to bring about good fortune. To add creativity, personalization and that touch of luxury to your gift, you either do this yourself, or provide paints and brushes for the gift recipient to decorate the pot as desired. Another great idea is to place items pertinent to a specific wish inside the pot. For example a lucky charm or token are also believed to bring good luck and prosper the chance of the wish coming true. On the other hand, if you know that your recipient has been wishing for something for a long time, you can add little figurine’s to resemble this wish as a part of the gift. If say for example, you know that your recipient has been wishing to buy a home, it would be a great idea to place a little house figurine inside the pot when gifting, this is believed that this increases the chances of the wish coming true.
An important fact to remember is that it is a customary belief that a wishing pot can only grant one wish at a time, “wish keepers” can also help future wishes come true. Each new wish should be written on its own scroll, added to the pot and be given plenty of time to manifest before any other wishes are added. This is a great option for someone with lots of dreams and hopes for the future.
A gift like this can really show your personal, caring unique and luxurious side, really bringing to the surface that you are care about not only the gift receiver’s birthday/special day, but their future, their dreams, hopes and wishes. This is a unique and luxurious, yet thoughtful gift that wont brake anyone’s budget and that comes with a sentimental element. Chinese wishing pots are now more and more easy to find can can generally be bought at your local new age gift store, hippie markets and/or Zen shops. So when thinking what to by someone and want to send a message of caring make sure to give some thoughts to a Chinese wishing pot.
