Creating a Womb Wish Box

As a childfree woman by choice, it can be hard for me to relate to the idea of procreation, pregnancy, and motherhood that is often present in stories, especially mythologies surrounding the divine feminine.

On some levels, I’ve often felt that it’s a cop out when people overemphasize the fertility aspects of the Goddess and feminine identity. When fertility is approach with such a literal perspective that it excludes any women who choose not to or can’t have children, I think it becomes more detrimental than helpful as a spiritual symbol.

However, there are some beautiful and vital qualities that are often associated with the womb or motherhood—nurturing, growth, creation. They’re important attributes (for both men and women), and it would be equally detrimental to ignore them and the womb altogether.

This year, in preparation for my second annual yoni party, I decided I wanted to do something that honored the symbolism of fertility without resorting to the trite reference to physical pregnancy or childbirth (in other words, something I, as a child-free woman, could relate to as much as a mother could).

I came up with a womb wish box.

It’s pretty simple, building off of the idea of a standard wish box. Any box will do, but I chose to use an oval one. I painted it red, mostly because that’s the acrylic paint I had but also because red feels very feminine to me. It’s the color I associate with sacred sexuality, which is the first step to sacred creation.

Paper Mache boxes are inexpensive, easy to paint, and make for some wonderful “gift wrap” that also functions as gifts themselves.

After sealing it with a thin coat of mod podge to prevent the pain from scraping off or bleeding onto other things, I glued a ribbon uterus to it.

Okay, it’s really an upside down triangle with two pieces coming off the sides, but it looks enough like a uterus to pass in an artistic way. The scalloped ribbon created more of a uterine effect than straight-edged ribbon.

I added two little crystals as the ovaries, and voila! A uterus to nurture my hopes and dreams in. It’s a simple project, with a beautiful way for me to honor the creative potential of my body.

My own completed wish box, ready to be put on my altar.