Why Your Spell Didn't "Work"

I don't think there's a witch out there who hasn't, at one time or another, had a spell "fail" them. And it's not because that witch didn't want their intention to manifest badly enough, or their patron deity didn't wish them to fulfil their desire - though that can certainly be a fear. Most of the time, when a spell "fails", what we see as failure is actually something part of a larger picture that just isn't visible to use yet. This article is going to explain that larger picture.

If you haven't read the "How to Create A Spell" blog post, I suggest that you give it a read before you have a browse of the below content - only because it will make more sense as to the process of spell crafting that I refer to. I'll give you a quick reminder, just in case you don't have time to read another post.

PARTIAL SUCCESS

Creating a Spell: Quick reminder

1. Find your intention with the 4 Tier approach (or 4 questions)

     What is your desired outcome?

     What desired feelings do you wish this outcome will create?

     What has led you to wish for this desire to manifest now? 

     What (loose) timeline do you wish to have this outcome/feeling manifest?

2. Set and Focus your desire 

3. Send out your desire into the Universe

Manifesting the emotional desire, but not the physical desire

If you crafted your spell using the above formula, you will already be aware of the emotional aspect of your spell - the feelings you wish that your spell will create once it manifests. The reason this part of a spell is important to consider when crafting, is that it is possible that your desired outcome is the only thing/way you can see to solve the issue that has arisen to lead you to want to manifest this desire. However, your deity, the Universe, Nature - whatever power you believe in - has a larger scope and can see more possibilities to achieve the true object of your desire.

For example:

1.   A witch might create a love spell with the hopes of attracting a partner.

2. The desired feeling they wish to manifest is one where they feel wanted, appreciated and understood. 

3. The reason they are setting this intention now is because they have recently broken up with a partner and they have started to feel lonely. In the relationship that has just ended, most of their time was spent with this ex-partner and now they are no longer in their lives, there is a noticeable gap.

4. The next few weeks.

In this witch's case, they would ideally want to have this intention manifest as finding a partner within a couple of weeks. When this doesn't happen, they believed that their spell failed. However, by using the Four Tier approach to create their spell, the witch is also aware that there were two goals - and whilst the first physical manifestation of a partner was not met, the emotional goal was.

Why might this have happened?

Well, firstly the Universe might see there is an ideal partner out there for them, but their path is not yet ready to align with the witch's. However, within the next few weeks, the Universe could put steps in place to attract a friend with whom the witch might gain those feelings of being wanted, appreciated and understood. Their emotional goal will be met, and their physical manifestation might still take place - just not in the timeframe the witch originally wished for in their spell.

Alternatively, it's possible that the Universe saw the witch's true desire wasn't a partner at all.  So soon after getting out of a relationship, the witch might actually not have want another partner. What they sought was those feelings they stated in the second tier, but they hadn't figured out a way to manifest that contentment separate from being in a relationship. This is when the Universe might step in to manifest the emotional desire whilst  entirely ignoring the physical desire.

A lot of spell work and desires stem from an emotional need/desire, even if sometimes the initial intention appears to be in the physical realms of having something, a partner, more money, better house, etc. That is why focusing on your intention is key and the 4 Tier approach can help you understand each motivation behind your spell. You must dive down deep into your psyche to understand the true desired outcome you wish to manifest to go past the realm of the physical world. 

Many witches who don't follow this approach might not see the "successes" of their spell as they only focus on the physical manifestations rather than the emotional ones. Next time you try a spell, attempt using this 4 Tier approach to find your true intention and see if you notice any emotional manifestations the next time your spell "fails".

Freewill & Life's Journeys 

Another reason your spell might have failed is that what you required the Universe to manifest would interrupt the path a person's life was already on - one that they weren't ready to leave yet for the purpose of their own self-discovery and growth - or would infringe upon a person's freewill.

Attempting to persuade someone away from their own freewill goes against the Natural order of things and the ethics of witchcraft. Just as forcing a person to stray from their own life's journey and development for your own personal gain is damaging.

To return to the above example: a witch wants to manifest a partner, and has listed specific attributes they want this life partner to have. Attributes that would be needed to have a perfect match and live a happy life together.

The Universe might be able to find that perfect partner who holds each of the attributes stated within the witch's spell - but it won't happen for another year as they are still in the process of their own personal journey and have more life experiences and growth to become that ideal. Yet, the witch wanted this partner to manifest within the next few months.

Instead, the witch's energy might bring a partner towards the witch who holds most or some of those qualities within that timeframe. This can be considered a failure: your spell didn't work as you wanted it to. In this situation, a witch might accept this partial success, or try again to manifest the partner they want. It is entirely dependent upon the witch to accept either one of those outcomes. A witch couldn't be blamed for accepting the partner who appears sooner, as they have no guarantee when their "perfect" desired partner might manifest. 

I would leave this entirely up to the discretion of the witch. Some witches have a larger faith in fate and the path the Universe/their deity has put them on. Others are not as in touch with their intuition or higher power and may have more debate and anxiety over what path they should choose. Know that if you are one of those witches who cannot say you are certain in choosing the right path that as long as you keep practicing accessing your intuition and you continue to send out your intention to the Universe, the more confident you will become in reading your energy and the energy the Universe sends back.

Short-term Failure, Long-term Success

Setting your intention and sending it out into the Universe isn't a one-time thing. The power of the energy you send out, especially with more complicated spells, continues to weave throughout the cosmos, working in the background to be manifested when the Universe can see the space for the alignment of energies. 

If we are to see this witch's story to the end, (and they weren't one of the lucky few whose intention was able to manifest exactly how they wanted) and the witch did "loose out" on their "perfect" partner, and "settled" for the one presented at the right time, hope for the perfect joining they wanted to manifest isn't entirely lost. 

The witch might one day feel the tug of something pulling them away from this relationship into another direction. This feeling might just be a lingering niggle in the back of their mind, it might accumulate in a moment where they have an "epiphany". However it manifests, this is when a witch has to truly meditate on this feeling as it is most likely the Universe giving you a sign that it's time.

NO SUCCESS

The above examples show some modicum of success in the spell, however, what if your spell didn't work at all. No emotional manifestations, no long term success in the face of short term failure... nothing.

The most important thing to note if this has happened to you is that it is not your fault. Wishing, praying, casting harder, wanting it more, focusing more energy into it, buying more crystals to boost the energy of your spell - it wouldn't have helped and it is not down to a failure in you. 

Magic = intention + energy. 

Your spell is a combination of your energy and your intention, but when you cast your spell you are releasing it into the arms of the Universe, which works with every energy and is designed to be a balanced system. 

Whilst you might not know it, your spell may be working against the Natural order. If you have ever watched a David Attenborough documentary you'll know the Natural word (animal, plant, and sea) all work in harmony with one another. Life and death participate in a cycle that is not evil in its intention when one animal must kill another to survive, or one fungus kills a tree in the process of its own growth. There are many human things, manmade things, in this world that go against the laws of nature. But your spells will not be one of those things. Witchcraft is a natural process, a spiritual practice, and therefore works on the same level as the harmony we see in Nature. 

The most likely explanation for your spell not working is that it would have upset this natural equilibrium, either directly, or indirectly (sometimes you may not know how your spell would have negatively impacted the natural balance of things).

Curing Illness*

This natural balance is particularly important to note if you're ever trying to cast a spell to cure illness: mental or physical. Your intention, your power, no matter how much you might wish to cure your own or someone you know's illness, cannot disrupt the natural order of life and death. Death is not the evil specter that humanity has portrayed it to be - though it is terrifying and feels unfair when one is taken too early, and feels unjust that we can't have life without experiencing some form of loss. Nor is illness intentionally in this world to hurt us. It simply is.

There are some things entirely out of the hands of human beings. Medicine has allowed us to prolong life, save life, but even now there are limits to what succeeds. Sometimes it is simply a mystery as to why some patients don't respond to certain medications that should help them. Many witches in the community (or people of another faith) might like to say otherwise and that their deity does have the power to cure. Just as some witches swear by the healing properties of crystals. However, as much as I try to respect everyone for their beliefs, I do believe that holding those particular beliefs can harm others - either by making someone believe they don't need to seek medical attention, or by putting pressure on a person so that if their spells/prayers aren't answered, then the blame lies on their shoulders.

I have no knowledge of what happens once we die, or why some people die young or suffer in life with illnesses they should never have to endure. Nor will I try to uncover that mystery for I know it's something that no human will ever truly be able to comprehend. I will however reiterate one final time that their cure/life is not dependent upon your spell. You are not responsible if they are not healed. Your spell didn't fail, it was simply a spell that was never able to succeed in the first place.

I hope that this post was helpful enough to give you clarity or peace of mind to explain why your spell might not have worked in the past and I wish you success with your casting in the future.

Blessed Be, 

Diana Greenbird.

Author's Note

I realise in this guide I used the example of love and relationships as the basis for spell work and setting intention. That is not to say I believe a witch's primary focus is love-magic, rather it is the easiest example that comes to mind for me which can demonstrate the aspects of how a spell might fail or succeed in part for it works on both a physical and emotional level.

*If anything in this blogpost related to illness and death has upset you, please know that was not my intention. Quite a few witches will turn to magic as a final attempt to cure the incurable when science has failed them. Just as some might turn away from it, when their spells have failed. Every witch's experience is valid, just as every witch is entitled to their own beliefs on the extent of their power.