Why Your Spells Don’t Work

You set your intention. You had all the correct correspondences. You even timed your spell with the appropriate moon phase. And yet – no results. What gives?

Failed spells happen to the best of us, and for a variety of reasons. But a spell gone wrong doesn’t necessarily mean that magic isn’t real or that you’re bad at witchcraft. Magic is complicated, and there are a lot of reasons it might not behave the way you want it to. Here are some of the most common causes of ineffective spells:

1. Lack of real-world follow through

Magic is meant to be used as a tool to supplement your mundane efforts – not as a substitute for them. How can you expect your job hunting spell to bring in results if you aren’t applying for jobs?

Magic does not exist in a vacuum, and it can’t make something out of nothing. If a spell doesn’t bring you the desired result, make sure that your non-magical actions are aligned with what you are trying to manifest.

2. What you’re trying to manifest isn’t a realistic possibility

Wait, what? Isn’t magic supposed to be, well… magic? Shouldn’t you be able to ask for whatever you want and get it? Yes and no.

Magic is simply a way of directing energy. Magic can’t defy the natural laws of the universe. It can’t make something happen unless it was already a potential possibility.

If your intention is unrealistic for where you are right now, try splitting it up into a multi-step process. No spell is going to make you a billionaire overnight, but magic could help you get hired at a better paying job… and then get promoted… and then get offered a profitable side gig… etc. Starting small and working your way up is always going to produce stronger results, because you laid the foundation first.

3. Your intention was either too vague or too specific

Whether you use written petitions or spoken incantations, clearly stating your intention is an important part (maybe THE most important part) of any spell or ritual. A good intention is specific enough to get you the results you want, but open enough to let those results manifest naturally.

Let’s say you do a money spell, and your intention for the spell is simply, “I have more money.” If you find a penny on the ground the next day and pick it up, technically that is more money than you had before. A better alternative would be to use an intention like, “I have enough money to buy ___,” or “I have enough money for everything I need and want.”

Using an intention that is too specific creates the opposite problem. Let’s say you want to manifest a scholarship to a specific school. You do a candle spell with the intention, “I have been chosen for the John Smith Scholarship at Jane Doe University.” But maybe the John Smith scholarship had already been awarded by the time you did your spell. Maybe there’s another scholarship at the same school that would be a better fit for you, or maybe you’re eligible for a grant that would make tuition more affordable. A better intention for your spell would be “I have enough financial aid to easily and affordably attend Jane Doe University.”

Magic always follows the path of least resistance, so you want to make sure that your intention is specific enough to give your magic a clear direction, but open enough to allow it some flexibility.

4. Lack of focus/concentration

We all know the struggle. You’ve been planning this ritual forever, and it’s finally the full moon, but you’ve got a really full schedule today. If you hurry, you can probably squeeze it into the thirty minute window between school and work, right?

If you say a few quick words and burn some incense before you head out the door in the morning, that totally counts as a spell, right?

Not so much. Rushed, lazy, and/or half-assed spells rarely, if ever, work. Spells revolve around the raising and direction of energy, and that requires two things: a clear intention (see above) and intense focus on that intention. If you don’t have the time/energy/mental capacity to focus, it’s best to take a break, have a self care day, and come back to your spell some other time.

5. You’re subconsciously blocking your own results OR you did a spell for someone else who isn’t open to it

I decided to lump these two together, because they’re different variations of the same issue.

Whenever you are doing magic on yourself, it’s important that your mindset is aligned with your intentions. You can do love spells all day long, but if deep down you don’t believe that you’re worthy of love, that belief is going to block your spells from working. This is why mindfulness, psychology, and self care are all such important parts of a successful witchcraft practice. It’s also why I recommend doing the mental work before you sit down to ritual.

If you did a spell on yourself, or are trying to manifest something for yourself, and it just isn’t working, I highly recommend setting some time aside for journaling and meditation and asking yourself 1.) if this is really what you want, and 2.) if you truly believe that you can have it.

The whole mindset thing gets even more tricky when you’re doing magic on behalf of another person, because their energy is also at work in the situation and could be at odds with yours. For example, if you do a spell to help a friend land a job, but that friend believes that they’re totally underqualified and could never get it, they probably won’t get the job even if you did everything “right” in your spell.

This should go without saying, but it is extremely unethical to use magic to mess around in someone else’s head. Even if you think you know what’s best for them, they need to be open to it. If someone is blocking the spells you do on their behalf, all you can do is try to be supportive and find other ways to help them out.

Other (Rare) Reasons for Failed Spells

If a spell goes wrong, it will almost always be for one of the above reasons. But maybe you did everything “right” – you did the mental work first, had a strong, realistic intention, put lots of focus into your spell, and followed through in real life – and you still aren’t seeing results. There are a couple of other things that could be blocking your spells, but they’re very uncommon so I’m not going to talk about them in as much detail. These may be things you want to look into if you really, genuinely can’t think of any other cause.

It’s possible that another witch has done magic that cancels out or blocks yours. This is not common, and it does NOT mean that someone has cursed you. It could be as simple as two witches unknowingly casting spells with opposite intentions, which end up cancelling each other out. (For example, maybe two different people both cast a spell to get the same job. Obviously, they can’t both get that job.) This is why it’s never a bad idea to incorporate a protective element into your spells to block outside interference.

There is a very, very remote possibility that someone has placed a curse on you specifically to block your magic. However – and I cannot stress this enough – this is VERY uncommon. If you were cursed you would know it, or at least know that something was very wrong in your life. If you feel like you have been cursed or hexed, I recommend looking into uncrossing spells, which are specifically designed to undo negative magic.

It’s also possible that a higher power is intervening. This doesn’t necessarily have to be a deity, although it certainly could be. Most witches believe in some form of fate or destiny, and it’s possible that your spell didn’t work because what you asked for is not in alignment with your destiny. In these situations, really the only thing you can do is surrender to the bigger picture.

🌙 Making Moon Water 🌙

🌙 how do i make moon water?

get some water, leave it out under the moonlight, for as little as an hour to as long as all night, as long as it feels charged. bottle it before it touches direct sunlight, keep it in a shadowy place.

🌙 what can i use moon water for?

moon water is called for in a lot of spells, but it can also be used in potions, cleansing, bath spells, anything you might need the moon’s power for.

🌙 does it have to be done during the full moon?

it can be done during any phase, but keep in mind, each phase will rend different properties. full moon water will have different magical properties than moon water made during the new moon or a quarter moon, or a waxing or waning moon. here’s a quick guide on each phases’ meanings

🌙 what can you put it in and what can’t you?

you can put herbs in it if you like, i would avoid putting crystals in it because that can damage them and make them dissolve and it could make the water toxic, etc. most edible herbs are fine though!

🌙 does it need direct moonlight at all times?

it does not need to be direct moonlight constantly, after it’s charged, if you don’t need to recharge it unless you can’t feel its energy anymore.

🌙 does being in the sun negate the moon water’s magic?

according to some witches it doesn’t, but according to others being in the sun will make it sun water, or sun&moon water. ultimately this is up to you.

🌙 there’s light pollution/something blocking the moon, will it still work?

thankfully light bounces off stuff, including the moon’s! it might not be as possibly potent as you could make it, but in which case you could leave it out a little bit longer.

🌙 can you use snow/rain/storm/etc water to make moon water?

you can use whatever kind of magical water you want to make a combination of waters, snow-moon water, storm-moon water, etc. however, keep in mind it may give the moon water a bit of an extra magical quality.

🌙 do i have to use a clear bottle/jar?

if the light can shine through it, it’ll work. you can make it with whatever kind of bottle you like as long as the light can touch the water in some ways.

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moss-pond

8 months ago

A Zine About Lady Aphrodite And Transsexualism As An Offering For Her :)!

A zine about Lady Aphrodite and transsexualism as an offering for her :)!

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moss-pond

6 years ago

Lady Adelina!

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moss-pond

8 years ago

Crystals that are NOT suitable for placing in water / making gem water

This list will explain common stones that are either toxic to use for drinking in gem water or stones that are soluble in water. :)

Alunite: Non toxic but soluble in water

Anglesite: Toxic and slightly soluble in water

Arsenopyrite: Potentially toxic

Azurite: Harmful

Azurite-Malachite: Harmful

Azurite-Pseudomalachite: Harmful

Bunsenite: Toxic; allergen; avoid skin contact

Calomel: Possibly hazardous to health

Cerussite: Toxic

Chalcanthite: Harmful; easily soluble in water

Cinnabar: Very toxic!

Cinnabar-Opal: The cinnabar stored in the opal is toxic

Crocoite: Toxic

Cuprite: Harmful

Durangite: Potentially toxic

Eclipse Stone: Limestone with orpiment, toxic

Eilat Stone: Harmful

Erythrite: Potentially toxic

Fiedlerite: Toxic

Fluorite, Antozonite variety: Potentially harmful

Galenite: Toxic and slightly soluble in water

Gaspeite: Harmful; allergen; avoid skin contact

Greenockite: Toxic

Halite: Not toxic in small quantities, but dissolves easily in water

Iron-nickel Meteorite: Harmful; allergen; avoid skin contact

Jamesonite: Potentially toxic

Lemon Chrysoprase: Potentially harmful; allergen; avoid skin contact

Lopezite: Very toxic! Hazardous even through skin contact

Malachite: Harmful

Millerite: Toxic; allergen; avoid skin contact

Minium: Toxic

Nickeline: Toxic; allergen; avoid skin contact

Olivenite: Potentially toxic

Orpiment: Toxic

Proustite: Potentially toxic

Psilomelane and Pyrolusite: Harmful

Pyromorphite: Potentially toxic

Rauenthalite: Toxic

Realgar: Toxic. Store in dark, securely locked place.

Scorodite: Potentially toxic

Sphaerocobaltite: Harmful; allergen; avoid skin contact

Stibnite: Harmful

Tetrahedrite: Potentially harmful

Ulexite: Non toxic but slightly soluble in warm water

Valentinite and Senarmontite: Harmful

Vanadinite: Toxic

Wulfentie: Potentially toxic

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moss-pond

6 years ago

doses_of_style

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moss-pond

6 years ago

avengers + text post meme

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moss-pond

8 years ago

🔔 BELLS IN WITCHCRAFT 🔔

Bells might just be the earliest form of superstitious practise that I remember. My baba attached three sakura-patterned suzu bells on my schoolbag as a kid, purportedly for good luck and protection from evil spirits – and Japan is far from the only place to have associated bells and bellringing with mystic practise. They’ve been used worldwide to ward off evil and carry messages – and in a more metaphysical sense, sound is the movement of energy through substance. Sounds have the potential to work powerful magic.

Here are some of the ways I’ve found utilising bells to be helpful to my craft. While I’m more likely to use traditional suzu type bells, your own background, path and culture will likely have its own types of bells – and as ever, bells can be ornate antiques or they can be a bottle cap in a tin can, as long as they’re used with intent.

GETTING STARTED

🔔 As with so much of the craft, if you’re new to the witching bell, it’s a matter of exploration and experimentation. Get a “feel” for what works for you and the specific bell you’re using.

🔔 It’s good practise to ensure that the bell itself is cleansed, warded and protected – you don’t want anything nasty tapping into that power. All witching tools can do as much harm as good, intentional or accidental.

🔔 A good way to begin incorporating bells into your craft is infuse them into any typical ritual that you’re comfortable with, or even just a prayer or moment of contemplation at your altar if you have one.

🔔 Give the bell a soft ring while focusing on the energy it’ll ripple and move, try to track the movements it creates and what it touches. The tone it’s sending out. The most primal and versatile use of the bell – and what many of the below come down to – is simply another manner of physically channelling energy, giving it shape and direction.

PROTECTION

🔔 “Passive” bells such as windchimes or small bells attached to belongings you don’t want disturbed are a starting point. They will scare off some forms of spirit all by themselves, especially if appropriately blessed, charmed or enchanted. Or cursed.

🔔 Gently tolling can draw energy into a ward or circle you are forming and enforce its protective properties, or for a simple cleanse, letting the sound travel to every corner of the area you are protecting. It’s a little more “cutting” than a smoke or incense cleansing, which I view as more “gentle” forms of cleansing. Both have their uses.

🔔 Harder tolling is, in my opinion, one of the most powerful ways in which to enforce a banishing – however, it’s best to you know what you’re doing with the bell before you go bashing it about.

DISCERNMENT

🔔 Bells can have quite the effect on your perception and awareness. Ringing and then stopping, listening to the silence left in its wake, can bring you new perceptions or make things you’d previously missed obvious. Let it attune your mind and senses to something new, whether that’s in your thoughts or something with a little more presence. Visualise travelling with the sound, taking heed of the energies it touches and disturbs. Take note of the echoes – you’ll learn what they mean with experience.

🔔 A set of windchimes can let you know if something is passing through or if there’s some unusual energy afoot – and, yes, it may also just be letting you know that it’s a particularly breezy day, but that’s witchcraft for you.

CONJURING

🔔 This can be as simple as calling good energies to witching tools, spell jars, tarot decks, crystals, altars and shrines, your favourite teddy bar, anything at all.

🔔 With spirit work, it can truly help to magnify your “calling”. This can range from gently bringing your latest offering to the attention of your friendly neighbourhood house spirit – all the way to trying to catch the attention of something more. Be mindful, however. As I said, I consider bells pretty powerful tools and a call that’s too loud is not good spirit work practise for the spirit worker’s own sake. It can really help coax something out of hiding if you’re gentle with it, though.

COMMUNING

🔔 Some use bells to mark the beginning and end of a ritual, and I’ve read that in Wiccan practise an altar bell can be used to invoke the Goddess, although as a non-Wiccan, I’ll welcome corrections on that if I’m wrong.

🔔 In my experience, very simple forms of communication via bell work a lot better than anything too complex – “come here” and “stay away” have already been covered, and other than that they can serve as greetings or signals of a start or end of some practise or ritual, the opening or closing of a door, etc.

🔔 They can also serve as a warning or a litmus test regarding spirits, a signalling of your presence and awareness, lack of fear, or willingness to defend – but be prepared to deal with whatever responses these garner.

BINDING

🔔 Bindings are where you most often see that famous (clockwise) circular motion of the bell, embodying the meaning of the spell. This can be a simple binding to seal a spell or charm or enchantment, or a spirit-binding.

🔔 Personally, spirit-binding is something I do as little as possible simply due to my beliefs holding the autonomy of spirits in very high regard. However, sometimes situations arise that call for it, and I’m aware that not all bindings are unwilling. Far from it – and some spirits are dangerous when unbound.

🔔 As an animist (believing that all things, including inanimate objects, contain a spirit of their own), I consider gently nudging a spirit back into its physical form a sort of semi-binding, and that can be useful.

I’ll leave you all with a note that I am an urban apartment-dwelling witch through and through, so I understand that we can’t all be jangling away at all hours. I myself have a glass windchime in my front window that makes a distinct but muted sound when disturbed by passers-through, and highly recommend wooden ones also. I also only use my small and relatively quiet suzu bell for my crafting – one given to me by my baba herself.

Feel free to add any of your own findings, and happy tolling.

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moss-pond

7 years ago

Reblog if you think transgender people are NOT a burden

And you hate trump

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moss-pond

8 years ago

🌸 Edible Flowers & Witchery 🌸

As a chef-in-training I love to use flowers in my cooking so why not witchcraft too! Flowers add a splash of colour, taste, and a little bit of whimsy. People have been using flowers in cooking all the way back to the Romans and ancient Greeks. Many cultures today still use them too; Indians use roses and Italians use artichoke flowers. The tastes also vary! Some add spice and others a sweetness.

Eating Flowers Safely

Eat flowers you know are definitely edible - if you’re uncertain look in a reference book.

Eat flowers you have grown your self or are consumption grade. Nurseries and florists commonly use pesticides on the flowers.

Do not use flowers you have found at a park or near the edge of a road as they may be contaminated by car pollution and pesticides.

Only eat the petals and remove the pistols and stamens before eating.

To keep the flowers fresh place them on a wet paper towel and keep them in the fridge for up to 10 days.

If your flowers wilt put in some ice water.

Flowers and Their Properties

Allium - Depends on which variety but means the same as the herb- All the flowers in the allium family (leeks, chives, garlic, garlic chives) are edible. Flavours go from leek to garlic. All parts of these plants are edible.

Angelica - Inspiration/protection - The colours of the flowers range from lavender all the way to a deep rose and have a licorice flavour.

Bachelor’s button - Love - Grassy flavour. Dont eat calyx as it is very bitter.

Basil - Success/banishing - Very similar in taste to the basil leaf but milder in taste.

Borage - Courage - flowers are a lovely blue colour and they taste like cucumber.

Calendula - Love/joy - They taste spicy and have a vibrant golden colour.

Carnations - depends on colour but usually healing - Petals taste sweet but the base is very bitter.

Chamomile - Peace - They have a sweet flavour much like the tea.

Chervil - Joy - The flowers are very delicate and have a slight anise flavour.

Chicory - Success - Slightly bitter and good for pickling.

Chrysanthemum - Relaxation - Come in a variety of colours and flavours which range from peppery to pungent. Use fresh.

Citrus - Depends which type of citrus but generally joy - Some of the flowers in the citrus family are edible (orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, kumquat). They have a sweet flavour and have a very strong taste.

Clove - Protection/Manifestation - They are sweet with a touch of licorice.

Dill - Protection - The lovely yellow flowers taste like the leaves.

English daisy - Luck - They are very bitter.

Fennel - Confidence/Protection - Beautiful yellow flowers with a licorice taste much like the herb.

Fuchsia - Love - They have a lovely tangy taste.

Gladiolus - Strength/Beauty - Quite bland actually.

Hibiscus - Beauty - Tastes like the tea with an interesting tart cranberry flavour.

Hollyhock - Ambition - Bland but are very pretty.

Impatiens - Motherly love - Dont have much flavour but are nice for decoration.

Jasmine - Romance - Have a nice sweet taste so they’re nice in sweet dishes.

Lavender - Relaxation - They are sweet and spicy and are great for both sweet and savoury dishes.

Lemon verbena - Beauty - The small white flowers taste like lemon.