Bay leaves are often used in manifestation rituals by writing a wish, affirmation, or desire on the leaf and burning it. You may have heard it called a bay-leaf manifestation ritual or "manifesting with bay leaves."
I use them a little differently: to set my daily intentions.
Here’s how I use bay leaves for daily intention setting.
What You Need for a Daily Intention Bay Leaf Ritual
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One whole, flat bay leaf with enough space to write — this gives you room to write your intention without trying to squeeze everything onto a tiny leaf.
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An ultra-fine point marker — the smaller tip makes it easier to write neatly and fit more words on the leaf.
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A fire-safe bowl or dish — to catch the bay leaf ashes.
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A lighter or matches — to light the bay leaf when you are ready to begin the burn.
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Tweezers or a bay leaf holder — to safely hold the bay leaf while it burns.
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A safe, well-ventilated place — choose an area where you can burn the leaf safely and away from anything flammable.
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A cup of water — keep it nearby as a basic fire-safety precaution.
Because I use the bay leaf for writing, I prefer leaves that are large, whole, relatively flat, and sturdy enough to write on without cracking.
That is one of the reasons I created INTENTION // bay leaves with the writing experience in mind.
If you want to know more about the leaves themselves, I wrote separately about why INTENTION // bay leaves are made for writing.
How to Do a Bay Leaf Intention Ritual
Step 1: Choose Your Intention
Before you write anything, ask yourself:
What deserves my attention today?
Your answer might come from how you want to feel, how you want to show up, something you are working toward, or a larger vision you want to stay connected to.
For example:
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I choose peace today.
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I choose to trust myself when I speak.
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I choose to make decisions that support the business I am creating.
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I choose to give my attention to what matters to me.
Sometimes you already know what your intention is before you sit down. Other times, it comes to you in the moment.
Choose something that feels important enough to keep coming back to as your day unfolds.
Step 2: Write Your Intention on the Bay Leaf
Once you know what you want to focus on, write it on the bay leaf.
You can keep it simple and write one intention, or you can fill the leaf with several statements that all center around the same thing.
If I am working with one intention, I sometimes repeat it across the leaf:
I choose peace.
I choose peace.
I choose peace.
Other times, I use the space to build around one focus. If my intention is abundance, I might write:
- I choose to be open to abundance
- I recognize opportunities to increase my income.
- I choose to manage what I already have with care.
- I am grateful for the abundance growing in my life.
The main thing for me is keeping the leaf centered around one focus, even if I write several different statements.
And if you have more to say, use the back. That is one of the things I love about having a larger bay leaf made for writing.
I often use “I choose” because I like the way it emphasizes active choice, but you can use affirmations, gratitude, manifestation language, or whatever wording feels natural to you.
Step 3: Read What You Wrote
Before I burn the leaf, I spend a little time with what I wrote.
So read your intention aloud, sit quietly with it, visualize, pray, breathe, express gratitude, or simply think about what the words mean to you.
This part can reflect your own beliefs and personal practice.
The point is to give the intention your full attention before burning the bay leaf.
Step 4: Burn and Watch the Leaf Transform
Using a bay leaf holder or long tweezers, hold the leaf securely over your fire-safe bowl. I like to grip it near one end and light the opposite tip so I can watch the fire move across the leaf.
I also keep holding the leaf with the holder as it burns rather than immediately placing it in the bowl. That gives me another moment to stay connected to what I wrote and watch the leaf physically change form.
I think of this part as a transformation. The leaf carrying what I wrote is physically changing form right in front of me.
If the flame gets too close to the holder or becomes difficult to control, place the leaf in the fire-safe bowl and allow it to burn out there.
Step 5: Release the Intention
Once the leaf has burned down in the bowl, I let the remaining embers burn out.
I like to sit with it for a moment and watch the glow slowly fade. For me, this symbolizes the release.
The transformation has already happened. Now I am allowing the physical ritual to come to an end.
I do not rush this part. I let the last ember fade, let the smoke clear, and naturally allow the moment to close the ritual.
Step 6: Honor Your Intention
Look for small ways to honor your intention through the choices you make, the way you respond, and the things you give your attention to.
If you wrote:
I choose peace today; you might pause before reacting during a difficult conversation.
If you wrote:I choose to grow my business, you might follow up with a customer, publish something, make an offer, or complete one task that supports what you are building.
The point is to remember what you chose and notice the opportunities you have to honor it throughout your day.
Why I Like Using Bay Leaves for Daily Intentions
What I like about this intention-setting ritual is how much of your attention it asks for in such a short amount of time. You are holding the leaf, writing on it, reading your words aloud, watching the fire move across it, noticing the scent, and then watching the last embers fade.
All of those little moments give you several ways to connect with the intention you chose.
And the ritual itself can still be very short. Even a few intentional minutes can create a moment of focus before you move back into everything else happening around you.
When to Do an Intention Bay Leaf Ritual
When I first started manifesting with bay leaves and using them in my rituals, I usually reached for them to attract something specific into my life.
As my practice evolved, I started using them to set my daily intentions. I especially like doing the ritual in the morning, before I get too busy. It gives me some time to myself to decide how I want my day to go before everything else starts competing for my attention.
You can also use the ritual at moments that feel like a natural beginning, reset, or point of reflection:
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In the morning — to set an intention for the day
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At the beginning of the month — to choose what you want to focus on for the weeks ahead
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At the beginning of the year — to set an intention for how you want to move through the new year
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On a new moon — to focus on a new intention, beginning, or direction
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On a full moon — to set an intention around release, closure, or letting something go
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When starting a new habit or project — to stay connected to how you want to approach it
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When you need to feel grounded — the act of holding, writing on, lighting, watching, and smelling the bay leaf can give you a few minutes to slow down and bring your attention back to the present moment
You do not have to wait for a special date. I use the ritual most often in everyday life, and I return to it whenever I want to be more intentional about my choices.
What to Notice After Setting an Intention With a Bay Leaf
After the ritual, pay attention to the small ways your intention comes back to you throughout the day.
Sometimes the first thing you notice is simply that you remember your intention more often. You may remember the words you wrote at a moment when you need them or catch yourself making a choice that supports your intention.
You may also find that you want to do the ritual more often. The ritual itself can start to feel creative and enjoyable.
For me, that is part of what keeps the ritual interesting. Over time, you may find yourself looking forward to seeing which leaf you pull and how you want to use it that day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Do You Do With the Ashes?
Once the ashes are completely cool, you can dispose of them, release them outside, or save them.
During a longer practice, you can collect them and release them together at the end of the month or during another moment that is special to you.
How Often Can You Do the Ritual?
You can use the ritual daily or whenever you want to consciously choose where to direct your attention.
I especially like doing it in the morning, before the day has much opportunity to pull my attention elsewhere.
You can return to the same intention for several days if it still matters, or choose a new intention as your focus changes.
If you want to build a longer practice around one larger goal, I created a 30-day bay leaf ritual using one larger intention and supporting daily intentions.
Do I Have to Burn the Bay Leaf?
Burning is part of the way I practice the ritual because it gives transformation and release a physical form.
You can also choose to keep the leaf with you as a reminder, or place it somewhere safe, such as in your journal or on your altar. There are many ways to use bay leaves, and burning is only one.
What if the Bay Leaf Does Not Burn Completely?
If the bay leaf does not burn completely, I take that as a moment to pause and spend a little more time with my intention.
When this happens, I usually say my intention aloud again, think about why it matters to me, and relight the leaf if I can do so safely.
I like to think of it as getting a little more time with what I chose.
The leaf does not have to burn completely for the ritual to be meaningful.
Can I Use Bay Leaves From the Grocery Store?
Yes, you can use bay leaves from the grocery store for a bay leaf ritual. However, be aware that they may be crumbled or broken, as they are packaged for cooking, not writing.
The leaves I use to write my intentions are INTENTION // bay leaves. They are Cinnamomum tamala, commonly known as Indian bay leaf or tejpat.
I prefer them for this ritual because their larger surface gives me more room to write, and I choose leaves that are whole enough to use as a writing surface.
Try the Daily Ritual With INTENTION // Bay Leaves
INTENTION // bay leaves are the full-size Indian bay leaves I use for this practice. Each pack includes 30 leaves selected with writing in mind.
Set it. Release it. Honor what you chose.
About Me
I’m Shamonique Mattox, founder of INTENTION // bay leaves.
I developed this daily intention-setting practice as a way to help people stay connected to what they choose, even when life gets busy. My work explores the relationship between intention, attention, ritual, and action, and how simple physical practices can help keep a vision present in everyday life.
Learn more about why I created INTENTION // bay leaves or explore more of my writing at Shamonique.com.