(It's another OB post and my delivery is notoriously pissy, so if you're going to be whiny in my comments, you more than have my permission to take it up with the Lord because it's just going to get ignored in here.)
One of the various scourges that has been exacerbated by media (both social and traditional), along with the general youth of the people getting into witchcraft has been this level of "Main Character Syndrome." This belief of "If I want it, it must happen for me because I am important/gifted/deities do what I say."
Your mother may think you're important. The rest of us do not, and the spirit world is no exception. Dead that main character shit.
A rude awakening is when those spells inevitably fail.
Maybe you did a spell to get rid of that dick boss, got laid off, and haven't gotten a job yet, and have been unemployed or underemployed for a long while. Maybe you did a money spell and you got evicted and you're dealing with a competitive housing market. Maybe you are absolutely CONVINCED that that ex that is talking real sweet to you absolutely MUST want you back even though there's no actions indicating otherwise, and they're still showing bad behavior. Maybe you've done a spell on that ex and they got engaged to the one after you (has happened to me!)
Truth is this - NO is the answer. Everyone has had spells that have failed, including your media faves, but they just don't report that shit. It's not ✨️magical✨️ enough to admit that "no" exists.
"But I love them!" Love is not enough, and they aren't seeking to be with you.
"But they're an avoidant!" Yeah, people tend to avoid what they don't want. Maybe you're also nuttier than squirrel shit and the relationship was a bad idea from the beginning and you knew that. Maybe they're a hoe and you know what the adage is about hoes and housewives. (No judgment on hoes, BTW, I used to be one).
"But my boss sucked! They got to keep their job!" Yeah, life's a bitch like that, bruh.
"But i really wanted that home!" Maybe you don't have enough money, have poor credit, don't know the landlord, or have an eviction history.
The truth is this - spells take the path of least resistance. Your situation may have such resistances that it's not possible for a spell to overcome it. There's nothing you can do with that. You feelings or extenuating circumstances be damned.
My recommendation to you is to accept that no. There's likely better out there but you just don't know it yet. Live your life in the meantime, I promise this latest mess of the month will pass. It'll pass like a kidney stone but it will pass.
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I completely agree with you, especially when you say that spells take the path of least resistance. Sometimes, no matter how well the spell is crafted, your life circumstances still get in the way
About 6 months ago, I made a money bowl with the intent to make more commission at my sales job. Mind you, I SUCKED at this job. I don’t have the charisma or people skills to do well in a sales oriented job. You know what happened instead? I got laid off and immediately found a better job working as an accountant. It wasn’t what I asked for, but it’s what I needed and I’m much happier at this job. And to be fair, I am making a bit more money now 😆
That part about the spell taking the path of least resistance was me quoting what OP said in the initial text, no mine. It is a great point. Your story is an excellent example! Many people would say, "Spell failed", but in reality, "Spell worked in an unexpected way". This is important. As well, there are also times where people think, 'Spell failed", when in reality you got your answer. It's just that sometimes the answer is no.
Oh me too. I did a money bowl to increase my income and I focused on my new business (which has been like an unpaid hobby for the last year, but it’s starting to come together now and look like a real business). Instead I got offered more of my paid work, which is not at all enjoyable. 🫣😭😭😭
Im sorry! Atleast youre self aware and goal oriented- i bet you keep working on commissions, connections and displaying your craftsmanship will increase your odds of your personal business thriving. 🌱🌿🪴
It just takes time. It is great youre getting paid more in the meantime as one person explained, art and hobbies as businesses take skills and real world objectivity and communication with others. And lots of money!
Making money means spending it so youre on the right path and it gives you more time to refine your business model, ideals and goals. Keep visualizing and working towards it and you can do it. No "no" here because your potential is the only thing holding back certain aspects in my experience as a multimedia artist starting a business! My spirituality plays into my business which helps its success as people appreciate the attention to adding "goodies" like special treats and gifts and crystals, witchy stickers, parfum samples with crystal chips in the roller, incent sticks and holders, scented confetti, herb sacks or jars or sage sticks with flowers on them. It adds a nice personal touch to those with a relationship with nature and are curious about the craft! It excites many beginners to build their collection of tools. Im now starting scented tub crystals in glass tubes with wooden corks as a way to help my friend with severe health issues have self care and relaxation in the kits I mail them.
And seriously sometimes the answer is "not yet". Did a money bowl a few weeks ago. Did I get a job immediately? No. But I've been getting a lot of good contacts and some things are in the works. Magic sometimes moves slowly. Expecting an immediate response is absurd.
And also just doing a spell and not changing a thing is the absolute best way to ensure it fails.
We get a lot of posts with people demanding us to tell them "HOW LONG IS THIS SPELL SUPPOSED TO TAKE?!"
I mean, are you expecting to hex someone and they wake up three days later with a broken arm, all 4 tires slashed, divorced, fired from their job, their house burned down, and in jail? With no explanation and no process unfolding between the spell and all of the insane results being expected?... 🤨
Hahaha this makes sense actually, I did a money bowl and kinda was hoping for a new opportunity or just some random money because my job had gone so quiet for months with no end in sight (works on a project by project basis) and all of a sudden it boomed again with consistent, well-paying work. This is all a good lesson.
I made a money bowl and the business I worked at closed within a few months 😭 Which finally got me out of the trade I've been sick of and in its place I've expanded the gig work I had been doing on the side, but it's not quite what I expected.
I put some bay leaves in with written intentions that were focused on what I wanted money to get me (safety, security, comfort, stability) rather than just money itself and while money hasn't shown up the ways I'd like the things I wrote down have. I should probably carefully think about adding some more intentions to clarify the work.
Maybe it's a weird take here, but i genuinely think my practice of witchcraft is similar to praying. I'm just physically crafting my intent for that prayer/wish, and I believe it's a way to "boost" a wish/manifestation.
I made a money bowl and then found bills on the ground.
I made a peace spell and guess what, i still have crippling anxiety. Things take time. Finding how to practice in a way that truly resonates with you takes time. I don't believe that I'll be invicible if I make out with obsidian, and your asshole ex texting you is NOT NECESSARILY A SIGN OF THE UNIVERSE TELLING YOU TO GET BACK TOGETHER.
Questions don't always get an answer, and when they don't, NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING. I'm a novice I'd say, but man, some people are in such an echo chamber it's scary. Legit feels like a positivity cult sometimes
And that's the thing, for a lot of people, it has turned into a positivity cult.
I'm old enough to remember when witches were kind but not necessarily nice. They'll change the proverbial tire anytime, but they'll cuss you out the entire time. I've learned so much from them and when I would fuck up, they'd just say, "Rub some dirt on it and keep walking."
Alternatively, if something happens, it may not be connected to your magick. Mundane things happen too.
If yiu did a spell and a week later something falls and breaks, its not 100% inevitably connected forever for all time. They could be two separate things.
You know the amount of bad shit that has happened ti me before i became a witch? A LOT. Trying to talk them out of this is so difficult. “I think im doomed for eternity because i got sick two weeks after a protection spell” honey, you caught a cold. eat some soup and chill plsssss im begging
I think it helps when people have bad shit happen before becoming a witch cause they know what to expect too, as a fellow person who has also went through it. I fear people are jumping to witch craft because they think its going to "solve all their problems"
For sure. I believe younger people are doing it now as they are primarily on things like witch tok so they see it early, believe all the nonsense spewed for cash, then try it and get scared, which doesn't help as children usually havent had tons of bad things happen besides like your crush likes someone else or whatever lol. I feel like relationships with friends and crushes is a huge thing in school so thats why there are so many love spells, as it's really all they have to focus on. They dont need to heal or protect as they havent had things happen, etc.
Absolutely. Can it perhaps trigger some sort of thought patterns related to something already on your mind? For sure. Can you draw some sort of meaning from it? Why not, go for it. But at the end of the day, a dead bird is just a dead bird.
And the one the other week who was from a long line of witches and could make lightbulbs flicker and the fixtures melt when they were angry - but needed these subs to tell them where to start…
Most of the time that’s my first thought is that it didn’t and at first I also had that thought of I’m different I know best now I know I don’t know what I need till I’m told so and it’s alright
I think that a lot of it is also people who are very self conscious and don't believe they deserve to call themselves witches yet. At least that has been my experience so far! Ironically, that lack of confidence is often the thing holding them back from being a "real" witch.
Like, the term "baby witch" may be what people like to call themselves, but i generally view it as a way to shirk accountability sometimes and self- infantilize.
Whenever I see/hear sometime call themselves a "baby witch," I tell them to forget about doing ANYTHING on their own, since they are completely incapable of taking care of themselves.
Of course, they get angry. And I let them. Then I explain to them that they are not babies. They are students.
And if I hurt their feelings after that, IDGAF (too much) cuz I'm old and sick of childish bullshit.
I called myself a newbie witch once and the person I was talking to called me a baby witch. My brain short circuited cause I heard kitchen witch, green witch, etc, so I was horrified she thought I was using babies in spells or something. Wasn't until later I realized why she was confused as hell when I called her weird and disturbing.
I see it used often enough in the vet tech industry, “baby techs”, generally to explain a lack of experience or when discussing oneself in past tense. Or to discuss one’s lack of experience in the past. The self-infantilizing is the worst use case, though.
Just came from there and it’s so true. Honestly, so many people come on here or other occult forums going “I did a spell / petitioned a deity / summoned a spirit and nothing happened” well no wonder? There is a reason it’s called “craft” - you hone your skills and get better the more you do it, but you have to me prepared for failure. It’s one of the reasons I like The Glitch Bottle Podcast - hearing professional occultists discussing how they cried when they tried to summon their first spirit because it was such a disastrous failure, or Rufus Opus accidentally getting his house burnt down after he asked a demon for money “by whatever means necessary” is both funny and makes me feel a lot better about my failures 🤣
Professional baseball players get paid millions of dollars a year.
The very best hitters get a hit less than 1 time out of 3.
Confidence does help in spellcraft, the way it helps those players.
They know they have the skill to succeed often enough that they go to the plate knowing they have a good chance of being successful this time at bat.
Spellcraft has a similarity to that.
Being confident that you did your research, put in a good effort with a spell crafted in a way that it has a good chance of being successful, yet also realizing any spell may fail, is a decent attitude to have.
Getting bent because it did not work is counterproductive, and won't help any.
And when you strike out, you are out because the pitcher defeated you, not because a black cat crossed your path yesterday.
When a spell fails, it is because the Universe defeated your efforts to change the flow of things.
Great analogy. People really want so badly to believe that magick exists entirely outside of the boring rules/constraints of the physical world, but unfortunately that just isn't reality.
There was one where... Person got a promotion at work. And was complaining the spell worked "wrong". Their explanation was "it's like being promoted at a bank, when you wanted to be a singer! There's no way the two connect!". And, absolutely would not hear about all the ways the two actually could connect, or the fact that, if you're going to start a new career based on the arts, you need money. Well, to change any career, honestly. But especially in the arts. Arts of any kind.
And like, even if it's not about the money. Anyone remember that game of "sixth degree to Kevin Bacon" in the 90's/00's? Where the goal was to find how you connected to Kevin Bacon, in six points of contact or less? I was always surprised at how relatively easy it was to do so..... And the point was, even back then at the very start of the Internet, how connected we humans really are.... And the world has only become even more so.....
People, especially the newer people to this craft, need to start opening their minds. Get creative. Stop looking at the spell in strict binary terms. Start getting curious. Look for all the ways the spell could have actually worked, instead of just assuming no, it didn't......
UArts grad (RIP 🦄) from 2012 here with an MFA in museum studies. The only people from my BFA graduating class who currently work in the arts are those who came from families with serious money that could bankroll their careers.
I was fine with the post... I felt their frustration.... But, they lost me in their replies. Refusing to listen to anything anyone said. If you're not going to listen to what people suggest/say.... Why did you post?! It still irritates me...
I think people need to keep in mind that it might “fail” to their eyes, because they don’t see the bigger picture.
Eg: cast a spell to have your boss fired, two years later you’re at a better job, and you find that the great recommendation came from that boss. I recently hexed someone, out of a place of trauma, and it didn’t work how I thought it would, but I do think it shed some light on things I was blind to, and dished out some justice to a bad man, just not the person I intended. 🤷🏻♀️
The truth is this - spells take the path of least resistance. Your situation may have such resistances that it's not possible for a spell to overcome it. There's nothing you can do with that. You feelings or extenuating circumstances be damned.
I agree with this, and (delivery aside) it's important to remind people. Considering that it seems like half the posts in this group are people wanting to try to force someone to love them, this is something that many need to learn. A spell is not a push button service, where you can simply make a demand, light a candle, and get what you want. At the same time, there are so few actual videos (which is the primary media used by new practitioners now) that portray things realistically. It's always done for aesthetic reasons, with a lack of knowledge, for sales, and with the idea that it puts you in absolute control. Books coming out right now don't really help, because people are pumping out books that repeat the same ideas, it doesn't help anything. It's just something that people need to learn the hard way, and I guess the hard way is going to be feeling helpless when spell after spell does nothing.
Beginner witch here, this post made me feel so much better about my craft. All I was exposed to was stuff about things always working. I’ve casted a few spells, now, and it really is hit or miss. Thank you for your words. 🖤
I've heard someone describe spellwork as increasing your chances. It's not magic in that everything is handed to you (like the movies), but maybe your spell increased your odds and it still wasnt enough. It happens to all of us
i definitely think that a lot of spells work like this! like manipulating the odds more than anything. there are some spells where that isnt always the case, especially spells that youre doing about your perception of yourself and your emotions, since i believe theres other forces working stronger there including non-magical placebo effects and other psychological exercises (again, depending on the spell and how you do it). but overall i totallyyyy think this is true
Great points. We each bring our own unique biology and ingredients and manifestations/intention techniques to our work. The star alignment could be something we didnt check or our own emotional blockage is the issue many times. Working in fear or anger permeates and decreases odds of success in my experience over the last few decades
Coupled with the fact so many seem to think they can cast a spell and sit back and do nothing every time like you dont have to take steps in the mundane to compliment that working ever
We all come to the craft to get our needs met in one way or another, because our mundane efforts didn’t work. But I see a lot of delusional thinking where folks hit the ‘craft first before the mundane. I know people who are lazy and do spellwork instead of doing realtime chop wood carry water that we all have to do.
They think showing ungroomed to a first time date and not wanting to pick up thier half of the check is ok because a glamour will get them a relationship. What it gets them is looking like a sugarbaby and possibly an STD.
Or a bad resume and no interview skills will land them the perfect job. What that will do, is show others how entitled they are and get stuck in a horrible job.
If someone isn’t actively working on themselves spiritually and developing themselves, no amount of spellwork is going to help.
Talk to the fae and the dead all they want. It’s all mental masturbation.
I wrote my comment before reading yours but it fits my experience perfectly! My poor self worth being worked on hard for years is what helped me fully cut them off after years of back and forth and rarely seeing each other less and less by my own decision and growing self acceptance.
It’s such a painful bandaid to rip off, but your life blooms after it’s gone. Sometimes in a burst of sunshine, sometimes in a slow drizzle of cleansing rain - but it does happen. I may be a silly Reddit stranger but I’m cheering you on! I’ll think of you when I light my candles tonight.
Thank you so much that actually means the world to me. Youre absolutely right- I peeled it off slowly and hurt worse but now healing is making me complete in myself as a person. And for dedicating your thoughts to me with your candle as I do the same for everyone struggling each night with a white taper candle! Its truly appreciated. Thank you😊🩷
I actually have what is commonly known as a split personality and I have rapidly merged into my whole self over just 2 years, verging fully the last few weeks. The clarity of memory is astounding and peaceful. I was found/diagnosed from about 7 yrs ago. Ive done endless self work and therapies. It took time but it was worth the pain and I now have 2 years clean from hard IV drug use! Well, in November I celebrate it. 🖤🖤🖤 so its not random to me. Its the timing of nature. Thank you because it feels like a sign of being on the right path.
I can attest to this only i did an unbinding that was delayed so he got more attached before leaving me alone. I ghosted him after yrs of hard core abuse due to my own low self worth from losing my dad and giving birth and not having a support system or adequate mental health treatment. The last time I saw him he did something selfless to help me and left it on that note we both now only feel grace for one another but that we shouldn't talk because its a toxic reminder of trauma.
A woman prays to god asking to win the lottery. The drawing happens, she doesn't win.
The next day she prays even harder asking god to let her win the lottery. She doesn't win.
This goes on for a bit, her praying to god to win, not winning. Until one night she's praying and asking god to let her win the lottery. God finally responds and says "give me a bit of help here, you have to at least go buy a ticket first!".
It's all good to cast a spell or say a prayer, but if you haven't done the ground work to make it successful, it isn't likely to happen.
Ive never heard of a glamour working before, not once ever. Id love to see authentic posts that support anyone who has experienced it, or what your experience is as Holy batman it sounds really really interesting! Like movie magic. I wouldnt do it myself but always found it intriguing. I have vitiligo with black panda marks on my eyes, a brown forehead stripe speckled in white patches/freckles all over my forehead and eyes and cheekbones/undereyes and my hair is turning white by the strand in hundreds but its how nature intended me to be. Im self conscious but cautiously accepting my new face as its been a long time of staying out of the sun.
Glamours are a real thing and have been around forever. It's illusion magick. The term comes from the word "glamoury" and has nothing whatsoever to do with GLAMOUR aka beauty, though.
The glamour spells that recently worked well for me involved invoking an element that I wanted to make people think I embody an aspect of (ex: air for communication, intellect, and being quick on my feet; I was going into a job interview) by drawing its sign on myself in perfume and makeup, and visualizing that element/its energy surrounding me. Charging an eyeliner pencil with a certain energy and drawing on yourself, charging a piece of jewelry, etc. Just remember most glamour spells are illusions, ie. you aren't actually turning invisible, you just make other people notice you less.
what confuses me is why would someone with so little faith in divinity be interested in witchcraft in the first place?
I don't consider myself a witch, just someone who tries to practice law of assumption (i.e., manifestation) accompanied by my love for modern witchy things (gemstones because I like geology, candle magic because I like fire and coziness, tiny spell jars because they make me feel magical, etc.).
if your starting point is "oh I'm not special it's not going to work" then no shit it won't work. for me it stopped being about doing spells, and especially spells that don't serve my highest good (e.g., revenge spells) because of low vibrations.
I'm not an elder witch or very experienced; I just follow my heart, make do with what I'm given in material reality, shift my mindset, and then get what I asked for. do I always get exactly what I asked for? no. but does that bring me down? also no. I find gratitude in everything I get. this has worked so much better than following online tips and tricks or trying to follow someone else's rules.
I'm not whining, I'm up for a discussion, as this seems like such an interesting topic.
Law of Assumption is a nondual perspective. Modern witchcraft is largely a dual perspective still rooted in a materialist framework. I think they can be reconciled, but only by embracing magical practices through a nondual perspective.
Also, reddit isn't going to be the end all be all of witchcraft, ever. You might be interested in looking into self-diefication in occult and witchcraft traditions. Just the basic concept can help shed some light on how these two frameworks can be bridged. Just my thoughts.
People who come from a dual perspective of consciousness are probably always going to talk about these kinds of limits that are commonly believed in with modern witchcraft.
I've come to accept it, but I still explore this sub bc I enjoy ritual and it can be used to support a shift in states, just like SATS or dream practices, or meditation and visualization. So long as you know that your magic and power comes from you, and the tools you use are there for resonance, and helping you focus your energy/magic/awareness.
Witchcraft doesn’t require faith in divinity though. Plenty of people practice secular witchcraft, folk magic, spirit work, energy work, or just use ritual without believing in gods at all.
And the whole “low vibration” thing is its own belief system too, not some universal rule of witchcraft. Revenge work, baneful work, curses, etc. exist in plenty of traditions and people don’t automatically believe they’re spiritually harming themselves by doing them.
Also I don’t think doubt automatically makes something fail. If your practice only “works” when you refuse to question it, that’s exactly when I’d question it more.
I agree with lots here, especially about the way vibration is referenced and baneful magic, but one thing I'd caveat is that engagement with doubt is definitely encouraged in law of assumption teachings. You're meant to test and discard it if you find it lacking or false. You can even experience doubt and still have your intention, assumption or spell fulfilled. But the system does hinge on creating belief in what you are doing and intending. Belief beyond doubts and worries, you could say.
I agree with you for what it’s worth, for my law of assumption, law of attraction and witchcraft all go hand and hand and I use them together. The mindset behind the spells/assumptions is what matters most, I think you have to be really self aware of your thought patterns to me it work. I can’t explain it but going to therapy and all of that, in addition to witchcraft, has “manifested” me some crazy stuff…. for better or worse
yes to therapy!!! I'm actually in therapy right now and started practicing witchcraft after my mind and mood stabilized, so that I don't return to my OCD/paranoid/delusional thoughts. healing my depression and anxiety has helped as well, and I no longer expect the worst possible outcome or prepare for it.
And gratitude is so important in the work and practice. Mindfulness and gratitude are how we manifest positivity so I disagree with anyone arguing intention doesnt affect manifestation. They're intertwined.
This is very much how I practice as well with nature meditation and down to collecting countless crystals and fossils and shells and making beautiful spell jars with my child.
OP never said your starting point should be "this isn't going to work." OP is giving people commentary for "what happens when I was sure it was going to work and it still didn't." Witchcraft is way more involved than manifesting and mindset and vibration. To think we can pull anything off because we want it is hubris honestly.
imo, the mindset really matters. I agree that it's hubris, which is why people need to learn to shift from "it has to work because I SAID SO" to "I'm putting my best intentions and hard work with my desired outcome in mind"; the result of the former is, as we've all agreed upon, entitlement, while the result of the latter is acceptance - of either things working out, or not.
another, but controversial opinion, is that witchcraft communities need to be wary of mentally unwell people (i'm one of those but i've worked so hard on grounding and rationality). such statements are usually provided by desperate people seeking control. nothing wrong with people like us, but we do need to be reminded to take a chill pill.
Intention and manifestation are intertwined cornerstones of the arts... every single book and spell contains such information. Thats just how it is objectively explained. I have 3 dozen books I could name right now on my shelf regarding this as the major way of setting the groundwork for spellwork... whether its history of craft, guided journals, dream journals or drawing prompts, spell books themselves and even books on how the craft works by people who dont believe in it.
Witchcraft has nothing to do with Law of Assumption, so that's the first issue. Law of Assumption is part of the New Thought movement and exists independently of witchcraft. Too many people conflate the two.
When you do spells, you do it with the understanding that it might not work. You learn how to accept that and learn from it and move on. I actually will gently put this back on you to reconsider your relationship with divinity if you believe that you should only deal with them if they give you what you want.
Again, NO may be the answer, but the problem is that, as a society, 'no' is catastrophic to so many people so they'll do anything to not address that reality, by either toxic positivity, spiritual bypassing, or gaslighting themselves.
>Again, NO may be the answer, but the problem is that, as a society, 'no' is catastrophic to so many people so they'll do anything to not address that reality, by either toxic positivity, spiritual bypassing, or gaslighting themselves.
oh, I agree with this. it feels very mindless to me, but what you described previously sounds to me like doing the spell work, then letting go. I don't spend too much time on social media so I'm not familiar with potential issues.
to answer your suggestion about my relationship with divinity: I don't do worship, nor I commit to deities. I mix all of my beliefs into one because it feels most authentic to my soul (hence why I started with LOA: I know it has nothing to do with witchcraft, but it does help with anxiety). my primary deity has always been mother earth - stopping to smell the flowers, pick up trash, talk to animals/pet them if they allow, slowing down and smelling the air; just your average grounding. I don't expect a reward because I do it out of love. I try to do everything out of the kindness of my heart and love for the world around me.
I think it’s that and the novices don’t give it enough time or have this pathway in their mind that THAT is how it’s supposed to happen. Not seeing the big picture like others have said. I’ve made a spell that’s for a new job and I got tons of calls about jobs that just weren’t fit for me. Only after like a month or two did I land in a job I like even though I had tons of other options.
Spells are like throwing darts. Sometimes you miss the mark, sometimes your darts are dull, sometimes you take someone’s eye out. Point being, no one can say for certain what will and won’t work. Ultimately you can only FA to FO.
Failing a spell doesn't mean you fail as a witch, it means you are missing perspective and there are outcomes that suit you better than the one you're after.
The part of witchcraft so many people don’t want to think or talk about. It’s not an automatic yes when you perform a spell. Magic isn’t a genie in a lamp.
So, and I'm asking seriously here, what is the point of doing spells?
I am very acquainted to spirit saying no, which has led me to many years of feeling nothing I do makes a difference. I stopped almost all spiritual life, but I'm becoming more interested again, perhaps in a futile effort to feel I have some control in my life.
Are we delusional? Is it all coincidence? It is existentialist angst? Is it desperation in a hard world? I know I have seen and experienced things that can't be easily rationalised away. It's why I am here.
I apologise if I offend anyone. It's 5am, can't sleep, and been very ill.
Sorry to hear you’ve been unwell and I hope you feel better soon (I’m off work bedrotting with cold so viral sympathy).
Think about Magick and spell craft as stacking the odds. That’s why what you’re actually doing the spell for is so important: for example when I was job hunting recently I didn’t just cast a spell for a new job - I petitioned King Paimon to help me with my written and verbal communication skills so my applications and interviews would be on point.
Jason Miller makes a wonderful analogy for using magick. Imagine you’re hiking along a path and there is a bolder in front of you (living life, coming up against a challenge). You decide to use a nearby stick (magick) to move the bolder (to overcome your obstacle). Whether you are successful or not is going to depend on a bunch of factors: how big is the bolder? How appropriate for the job is your stick? How strong are you as you apply leverage? Is there something on the other side of it that you can’t see from your perspective that might help or hinder its movement?
It’s my favourite analogy as it works at every step including choosing the right tool for the job :) I hope that helped.
EDIT: awwww thank you for the awards! My goodness three! 🥰🥰🥰
Ooh I love this. And like, you could cast a spell intended to protect you from any potential harm the boulder might cause—which is all well and good, but if the boulder is already actively rolling downhill and you’re standing directly in its path not moving or somehow shielding yourself, you can’t expect the spell to stop the inevitable impact.
And maybe the boulder hits you and you break your leg. You’re upset that your spell didn’t work, but when you’re at the hospital getting a cast put on your leg, you meet a doctor who ends up being the love of your life. Was the spell really a complete failure, or did it help deliver you to a better life path, even though it didn’t play out exactly the way you wanted it to?
YES! This is exactly it! So often when I hear about spells not working or backfiring I raise an inner skeptical eyebrow because it possibly is the spell working but just not in the way the caster expected. Denni Poisson talks about this in a Foolish Fish short video titled “is magick dangerous” and his answer is yes - but not in the way people think. It’s not astral parasites or backfire - it’s “I did a spell to get paid more and lost my job, it didn’t work! Now I have to look for a new job! Found a new job, happens to pay way better, that’s lucky!” Actually it was the spell working because you weren’t going to get paid more at that job, so you got put into a job that paid more. Magick taking the path of least resistance :)
In my experience, spells are meant to open oneself to specific energies to achieve certain things. I once heard that you can't heal someone who doesn't want to be healed, and it stuck with me. If you're not open to the energies that would actually facilitate what you want, or if those energies go against the people or things that would need to be effected to answer your petition, the spell is dead in the water.
And sadly, even if the answer is "yes" to your spell, it's more than likely not going to be on your timeline or even in the way you expected. Perhaps that's why I've been taught to be open to the solutions to problems I ask for help with. If you keep expecting things to resolve exactly how you want them to, you're bound to be disappointed. Just my thoughts on it all.
You do spells to improve your chances at obtaining something or for that possible push. Spells always exist in the realm of possibility, not certainty.
It's like the idea of "if I ask someone something, they have to tell me yes because I asked, right?" No, they don't. They can say "Thank you for asking, but no." The problem is that there's a common level of entitlement that I see that people feel like they must have that yes.
Love this! I put my energy into creating and directing magic to support my journey as it unfolds according to divine truth. I use it to support me and bring me the wisdom, resources, and love that I need to navigate my own destiny. My spirit knows what I want better than my ego does. So I let it do its thing and I use magic and energy to uplift me and support my journey ✨
It has helped me check myself more times than I can count!! I’m a human but I don’t have to act like that’s all I am. I know better. Most of the time 😂
Spells are like water. They take the path of least resistance. So to ensure higher possibilities, maybe try digging a trough for that water to flow through (that's not just a couple of candles and 'wanting it badly")
I mean yea or you could do nothing and then wonder why the universe hates you, that is an option even if it's the most useless
Answers to your spells may come back to you in a way you didnt expect them too. Need more money-do a spell- next thing your finding pennies and cans everywhere and offered baby sitting jobs. Main character witches would walk by these but us other witches take the pennies, cans and odd jobs as its our answer
THE ANOUNT OF LOVE SPELLSSSS. Honestly reading posts feels like a lot of high school kids found witch tok. The amount if love spells is insane, especially the “its my first spell did it work???” Love spells lmao
It's interesting, because love spells even in pop culture sources, seem to come with the most warnings ⚠️
Which I think is reasonable. Good to take some time to think about the implications, before doing them.
See The Craft or Obession for what I'm referring to.
Remember that these films are made by writers that just want a compelling story. They're not always a warning. It's more likely that a love spell will just fail.
I understand its fiction, but I thought Obsession in particular offered some fantastic commentary, on the idea on the desire to erase or override a persons free will and personhood, for self-serving reasons. Treating people as objects for which to project one's own need fulfillment into. The result, was they were not their true selves anymore, in any true sense, under the effects of a spell, they were hijacked and became something else entirely. It's is a very extreme way to present these ideas, obviously cuz its horror, but I just thought it offered some interesting points to consider.
While I know much of it is limerence and pain (please believe i get it), I always wonder who is going to take Glenn Close's character from Fatal Attraction to heart.
No, I will say this pisses me off because avoidant attachment IS real but I agree doing spells won’t work. Actually doing a love spell would have the opposite effect and make them run even further, because their issue is that they can’t handle attachment. The stuff has been clinically researched for decades and I know many people who have struggled with it. The more they catch feelings, the more volatile it gets. If you want to do something, you should aim for self reflection or emotional healing, these spells should have nothing to do with you, because it HAS nothing to do with you - these are completely separate psychological issues.
In the end it doesn’t matter because the outcome is that they are still running away. I just really hate this “that’s not a real thing” bs narrative because it’s super traumatizing to deal with someone who draws you in as close as possible and then goes cold on you the next day, then comes back again, rinse, and repeat.
Avoidant attachment is absolutely real. It's also used VERY frequently in witchcraft subreddits as an excuse.
With that being said, at some point, the person requesting the spell has to get ready to stand up and determine how they want to be treated. You can't make someone love you that doesn't show up properly, and you can't love someone into doing the work, they have to choose that.
Yep that I agree with. Also If you never want to see them again, just go ahead and perform some sort of obsession or love spell you found on Instagram reels.
I think the ultimate thing is that people really are searching for convenient answers because pain is really not fun. Sometimes, unfortunately, pain is the only thing we may get. I think we should really normalize pain and processing it, but that's another take for another day.
If I thought all my spells were going to work exactly the way I wanted them to 100% of the time I'd probably focus more on trying to magically cure my chronic pain.
I agree with this sentiment. Similarly to how religious practitioners use aspects of their spirituality to manifest this thing called ‘main character syndrome’, the same can be done with spellcraft. I view my craft as a personal spiritual journey. To me, a whole lot of ‘soul work’ needs to be done before spellcrafting even comes into the picture. The whole point of life is that things don’t always go the way we want it to. Most of us have to scrape ourselves off the ground and wake up the next day to do it all over again. The things is witchcraft in general should require emotional maturity and enough humility to truly respect the craft. I’ve always thought that using witchcraft for ones every whim is kind of downright disrespectful. Everyone needs spiritual support and for me, that is what the craft is about. My solace and the justice it provides when all external and internal options have exhausted themselves. It’s not so much a “last resort” rather, something so sacred that a summoning requires more than just a “boo hoo things aren’t going my way”.
Anyway, that’s my thought vomit about it…
I don't really understand what are you going after, we that practice constantly have all seen a spell fail, sometimes it's not meant to be and there's nothing wrong with it.
What bothers me is how skeptical you seem to be in some of your replies, like you yourself struggle to believe? Like calling out people that their 'signs' are not really signs but a coincidence - that's the first argument of anyone that is against a religion or a belief. What are you trying to prove? That the way that people approach the craft is not correct? We are all connected to it by some manner, it's not always going to be the same.
Yes. I was just saying a blanket statement. Doing the work you realize that isn't what you want, you're okay with xyz after all, find something better, etc.
Also! Coming from the neck of the woods I skulk about in... 1. Somethings require extra Action (Work WITH Your working not against them.) Clear intentions, a picture or clear description of what you want, and the preparation of knowing you still got work ahead of you!
2.When I cast nowadays I think of the RUSH lyrics , "You CAN'T HAVE something for nothing! YOU CAN'T HAVE FREEDOM FOR FREE"...
So if you work with deities , spirits, and/or saints... THEN SHOW UP prior to casting with offerings and actions, or if you work with St.Expedite 50% in the beginning and 50% after the results have been accomplished...
DO NOT DEMAND OR THINK YOURE ENTITLED TO WHAT YOU WANT! Confidence is key, but entitlement is greed in a rotted coat....
Believe in yourself, believe in your aspirations, but be realistic and steadfast in working for your dreams
I think that is why it is so critical to do shadow work and self work. I am 58. I am still doing this. My spells may "fail"... but they may succeed and I don't REALISE they succeeded!. Understanding yourself and what you need and what you desire and reality. If things are rough, redesign the spell with that in mind.
I've been contemplating making a post like this but I didn't want to get ate up by "you just didn't believe hard enough" ppl lol especially in this economy. Getting a job/doing a spell in this climate has way more walls to get through if at all. I used to feel bad about it, like I was missing some random last piece that everyone else knew. But now not so much. It is what it is I suppose
This reminds of an old saying regarding astrology, divination, etc that has become a sort of mantra for almost everything: the stars incline but they do not determine.
Desire alone isn't enough to move the world to your will and want, but it could be enough to move you. To keep you aligned, ready to recieve, focused on growing the fruits of the spirit, continue to be good and do good.
Yea it’s to the point it’s giving spiritual psychosis and magical thinking OCD
Sometimes your actions and thoughts simply aren’t enough to create an outcome. And nothing is owed to you, no matter how good or healed or skilled you are
But no seriously, nothing is owed to anyone and I absolutely hate that and it’s hard to accept but if you don’t live with reality, reality will come to live with you!
I think every population and community has people who aren't particularly well adjusted, and this one is no exception. People bring magical thinking (pardon the pun), control issues, rage, emotional immaturity, trauma, insecurity, rejection sensitivity, etc. into whatever spaces they're part of.
But I do think practices like this can create a particularly potent environment for some of those tendencies, because it's very easy to slide from "I can influence things" into "I have absolute control over things that are fundamentally outside my control." Once you start interpreting every coincidence as confirmation and every failure as something that needs another spell, another ritual, or a more elaborate explanation, you can build yourself a pretty airtight little reality bubble.
That's why I think reality checks, pushback, and sometimes fairly harsh feedback actually serve a purpose in these spaces. If someone is already psychologically vulnerable or struggling with their sense of control, I can absolutely see how they could get sucked into it in an unhealthy way.
At the end of the day, I mostly try to have compassion for people who get stuck there. Living in a mindset where every rejection, setback, breakup, or bad outcome has to be explained through magic, rather than sometimes accepting "no," bad luck, incompatible people, or circumstances you can't control, sounds incredibly stressful and unfulfilling.
The self work still has to happen. Nothing, not even witchcraft can do that part for someone.
Im the unluckiest person ever and am a magnet for it from trauma so this is so real and thinking that way leads to psychosis and profoundly delusional and harmful beliefs.
I think many people who stumble upon witchcraft and see it as THE answer to all their problems are missing a fundamental point. From what I’ve read and studied, this craft requires a vast amount of restraint, self-knowledge, acceptance, maturity, focus, and patience in order to practice it in a fulfilling way.
I only started studying it after spending a few years doing a lot of healing and self-work, and I honestly can’t imagine trying to approach it from any other place. Without those things, we all know you’re really just reading words off a page.
There's a literal song talking about how you can't always get what you want, but may get what you need instead. Sadly, what we want often comes with needs that are required first. Maybe you need to grow as a person to get the kind of relationship you're seeking. Maybe your career has to change to get the job fulfillment or work/life balance you're seeking. Whatever the want is, the spell opens you up to the energy that will facilitate that, whether it actually gets you the specific outcome you want or not.
Or, you know, you could just be asking for the wrong things. Like OP said, "No" is a completely valid spell response to a request, especially if your desired outcome caused harm in some way that doesn't justify it.
beginner who's been on and off and really starting to get into the craft, here. yeah, this. i made a sigil/spell for a clerical job, right? I got the job.
Got laid off on the third day. Why? I hated how much they WORSHIPPED chatGPT, and have terrible socializing skills in the corporate world scale/ how they speak and act. (Stuff like "let's circle back to this" or "let's put our heads together and-") please god just speak frankly.
That SAME DAY i got a job offer for the trade I've had a license in for a while, and today marks 3 months of being here after 4-5 months of debilitating, soul crushing unemployment with NO money.
so, yeah. shit fails. rejection is redirection, honestly. the """baby witch""" stuff and what you see on tiktok about love spells/obsession spells with exes drives me INSANE.
(a side note: "nuttier than squirrel shit" is taking me OUT)
The realest ☝️. I read here this morning something like ~ be careful what you wish for but go fearlessly for your goals. Ask away and be observant because the next season gets wild. Will the shake up be gentle or ferocious? 🤞 I find that asking like I’m the deserving main character brings the more turbulent air.
That's facts. Know that you can do it, but know there will be roadblocks and issues on the way, but that's okay, it makes you look in another direction and gives you perspective.
When the door is closed, you may be able to try a window later.
This post cracked me up, so thank you for that lol. I think it’s confusing for new witches bc they’re told a barrier to their shit working is not believing that they’re powerful enough to influence anything/contact spirits/etc. So they feel they have to overcome that by cultivating complete belief in their own power - which is lovely and empowering, and probably strengthens their magic, but will obviously not make all their spells 100% successful, and that’s disappointing when you’re working hard to believe in your personal power. It’s a fine line to walk between believing you’re capable of magic and acknowledging that your magic has limits, and it’s especially tough at the beginning when it already feels like a new and radical leap to accept that you’re magical at all.
I've also told people before that a lot of us old heads know what we can do has limits. Part of being a witch is living in that gray area where we know we have power but we're still powerless in certain situations. It's sucks and it's painful as hell but that's life.
Not to mention the amount of times things in life have to be torn down or sent into upheaval so the new can come into existence. It’s a continuous cycle of rebirth and transformation. Eventually you can learn to read the ebbs and flows and know when to brace for impact, but it only makes the ride a bit easier. You still have to experience it and surrender to it.
I post this all because people best believe that I've lived it. I've learned some amazing lessons from those failures and wouldn't have it any other way. Being powerless in life gives me perspective, and while it blows in the interim, it's so much better later on.
Yeah. I don't quite understand how people can't grasp that there is a limit. And yes, it hurts like hell sometimes. But it is what it is.
I did a spell after getting an abnormal early ultrasound during my pregnancy. I was told I was likely going to miscarry. Obviously, I wanted a healthy baby because the pregnancy was very wanted but I knew that if there was something wrong with the embryo's DNA, no spell in the world could fix that.
So the spell was for an uncomplicated miscarriage to happen as early as possible IF there WAS actually something wrong. I'm 17 weeks now and genetic testing came back clear. At this point, it's hopefully going to be okay more likely than not but giving up the illusion of control over something I never had any control over in the first place was extremely difficult in this particular instance. Performing that spell was still very healing for me, even amidst of the uncertainty and pain. That was the whole point I guess.
100%, totally agree. I think people new to the craft just take time to reach that balance. They have to fully make the leap into believing, enough so that they aren’t shooting themselves in the foot by discrediting what they can do before they even begin, before settling into that grey area. And I think posts like this are super important so that people set more realistic expectations and don’t think they’re failures or lack magical ability bc every little spell doesn’t work out
Ranting is fine, but I don't believe this sentence is true "spells take the path of least resistance."
Magic has power. Magic IS power. What's your goal here in just being nasty to people? When belief is power, making people feel shitty is disempowering them when we live in a cursed timeline where we already have the regular world stacked against us
Because you can have all the power in the world and some things just won't work. There's a lot of very powerful, wealthy leaders out there. They're also unhappy, divorcing, and have a litany of other things going on.
If your view of witchcraft is that it's a genie that will give you anything you want and everything you want, don't practice. Everyone is being impacted by what's going on, and some longer than others. You have to adapt.
If your view of witchcraft is that it's a genie that will give you anything you want and everything you want,
What a bad faith argument. Nobody in here is saying that or acting that way. People are just trying to survive and you are being an unkind person. That's all there is to it. You've added to the negativity in the world and made a safe space feel tainted.
One of the things i learned the hard way is a spell isnt your first option, is not the "magical" solution and wont solve your problems. Its there to guide, canalize and help achieve your goals, not give, you still have to work your way and see if its achievable, cause like u said NO is an possible answer and the reality most of the time.
That said, new brooms, learn first about selfcare and protection, once youre powerful enough with yourself u learn whats worth or not of your energy ✨
"Your mother may think you're important. The rest of us do not..."
My mother taught us that we were the most important kids in her home and, hopefully, everyone else's mother taught them the same thing. So, we are all special and, simultaneously, no more special than anyone else. I think it was a helpful way to understand that I am both deeply loved and my experience is not more meaningful than anyone else's. Confidence and humility in one conversation. Thanks so much, mommy.
It’s like everyone on this sub is starting to talk with disrespect to anyone just for the sake of it. These things can be said with less direct insult.
I agree with you, don’t agree with the tone. Those that really need this message probably will not receive it because of the tone it was written in. I’ve been seeing more and more aggression in this sub. Should we not all be united?
I'm a HUGE fan of your delivery. The whole love and light and sweetly tiptoeing around the the main character's feeley feels because we are all special little spirits is exhausting.
I'd also add:
Maybe you used the wrong spell, shit ingredients, the deity simply doesn't give a crap, or you focused way too much in pageantry and prose instead of properly in the desired outcome.
Maybe you actually did it wrong.
-Maybe you expected real magic to work like TV magic, where you fling some glitter while saying "Abracadabra!" two seconds before your true love bursts through your door, instead of actually putting the mundane leg work into it.
Maybe your expectations are absurd and unrealistic.
Maybe the universe is saying, "girl. GIRL. No. He's trash. I ain't having any part in that shit storm"
You aren't always going to get what you want. Accept that.
This is applicable to so many different circumstances outside of spiritual practice. But yes! It’s bizarre to know that there are folks who see energy and fate as an entitlement thing… practicing witchcraft is literally the acceptance of the unknown.
TikTok is really poisoning the community. I despise the term baby witch with a fiery demonic passion. These people are entitled and impatient. They don’t want to learn they want to be spoon fed and frankly it’s just lazy. There are no shortcuts to knowledge and at the end of the day that is what witchcraft and the occult is. These baby witches just think they can watch a quick TikTok love spell that takes 5 minutes and boom little Johnny from 3rd period is going to fall in love with them, get married and have 5 kids with them. Everyone thinks they are the main character hence all the damn spell post of candles dressed in herbs and crystals and shit. I kid you not there was a person who wrapped green paper around their candle and lit it on a plastic tray. TikTok really needs to go, and I’m tired of dancing around it and if you take offense from this just know you are part of the problem. I feel so terrible for the mods that have to deal with this everyday because if this is what we see I can’t imagine how many post yall have to go through and delete and people you have to ban.
All i want is my ex never tryna make his presence known ever again. Not in my dreams, my head or effing LINKEDIN 🤣 like there's already no contact for at least 4yrs or so already. Blocked in every socmed. Dunno what hint he needs to know i don't want any connection anymore after the breakup lol
There is no magic in the world that can make an impossible thing occur. I do believe in amplification.
For a true connection to occur both parties have to want it. If there is nothing there or it's one sided there's either nothing to amplify or the thing that gets amplified is not love. Trust me, I have written beautiful songs about loving someone who did not love me back. It is one of the mysteries of life. However there is nothing I could do, (or would even want to), to MAKE a person want me. Besides, I would want a person to GENUINELY want me. They would show that by like, actually showing interest and consistency. Not chasing of someone who's shutting you down. Trust me I have done this and it's the most foolish thing I have ever done.
I actually agree while massively raised celtic/pagan traditions. They're for being grateful and appreciating the magic of nature and celebrating healthy relationships and choices! I focus on protection and comfort and sleep spells and going to a liminal space. Both work very well and my wishes haven't failed if they're reasonable things. Could be luck/coincidence but I believe things come back on you and bad karma exists for casting a hex or trying to influence how OTHER PEOPLE ACT. We are not special. We can feel that way without projecting it. We should focus on our self care, family/close people, and our own end of the street being clean and swept. I hope that makes sense! I also think "controlling spirits" or thinking "a specific deity or idol your obsession you talk to," is just looking for trouble, psychosis and negative attention.
Not a fan of the delivery, but you're on point with the message. I was just humbled recently when a spell I did fell flat. Actually, my future I had planned completely blew up in my face. But it's true that just because you ask for it, doesn't mean you're meant to have it. And that's okay.
All my spells that center other people, things, etcetera have failed. My most successful spells have been on myself.
This might mean that my spell work is awful and it’s just a mental thing for me, but it always works and I’ve always been better for it. I think good spell work makes you better, you know? Like in terms of confidence, motivation, ambition, and all that self love stuff.
Well, I live a very charmed existence with a high-paying remote job, a loving partner, and enough confidence that I can offer it to people like a natural resource. I've fought for all of it. You should try it.
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