Holy Shit Indeed

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. 

:)!

Bird Symbolism

So I was looking out my window and saw two birds and the idea of making a list of symbolism associated with types of birds came to mind. My mom always taught me if you see an animal -especially if they are doing something out of the ordinary- you should take it as an omen. So here’s a list of some basic birds, some of the associations are personal but I hope you like it!

Blue Jay-the truth will be revealed, high energy, playfulness, clarity and communication.

Cardinal-hope, joy, good health, some associate them with angels or deceased love ones, passion and warmth.

Crow-often associated with magic and witches, transformation, power, intelligence and mystery. 

Duck-friendships, new friends, happiness, good fortune and protect against negative energies “water off a ducks back” :)

Dove-peace, harmony, joy, love, might be telling you to break away from a toxic situation, think positive, often associated with Aphrodite or Jesus or Angels

Eagle-power, leadership, freedom, adventure, breaking free.

Hawk- common as spirit guides, courage, protection, and awareness. 

Hummingbird- I adore hummingbirds and often associate them with faeries. Creativity, joy, love and beauty. Can be a sign that you are moving too fast in life and need to take a break.

Magpie-Magpies represent duality because seeing them can be really good or really bad, I know it’s confusing :/ Seeing a magpie can be a good luck omen and new oppurtunities will appear. They also represent illusion and trickery, maybe someone is being a two-faced friend to you. 

Owl- wisdom, associated with the goddess Athena, intuition, spiritual exploration, change, observation and intelligence.

Raven- associated with the nordic god Odin, mystery, magic, fae magic, knowledge, mischieve, and can be seen as a death omen (but can also mean change) 

Robin- luck, prosperity, good things will happen, joy and your hard work will soon be rewarded. 

Sparrow- associated with Aphrodite, new love and relationships, fertility, team work, time of productivity and stop procrastinating.

Stork-long life, prosperity, fertility, new life, wisdom, take time to relax, motherhood and luck.

Swan- also associated with Aphrodite and Apollo, gracefulness, beauty, music, poetry, creativity, loyalty, and long lasting relationships.

Vulture-death, cleaning up other people’s messes, renewal, patient, use your resources and be perceptive.

Woodpecker- hard work, take advantage of new oppurtunities, attention, progress and determination.

Tip! If you are repeatedly seeing a certain animal or have a strong liking to an animal it could be a way a spirit guide is trying to get your attention (or that animal is just really common in your area lol )

it's always a good day to complain about English speakers

Tinder but for ghosts and solving mysteries.

MC: THE LION.

*points to Leona*

MC: THE WITCH.

*points to Malleus*

MC: AND THE ABSOLUTE AUDACITY

*points to Crowley*

MC: OF THIS BITCH-

Mary Oliver, from “Evidence”, Devotions

Tarot card combinations

Empress + Ace = childbirth

2 or more pages = Schools, education

4 of wands + Sun = Babyshowers, an amazing family gathering, sometimes weddings

King of pentacles + Magican (if querent is a man or NB) or high priestess (if querent is a woman)= Querent’s money

10 of swords + death = only time death can actually mean death (in my style of reading)

Death + king of pentacles = sudden changes of money

Death (reversed) + king of pentacles = need to change money situation; need to manage money differently

The Hierophant + 4 of swords = a place of worship, church, mosque, etc

My friend wrote this very silly comic, and good friend that I am, I drew it

Beginner Witchcraft - UPDATE

A common post request.

How to begin:

Begin by reading everything you possibly can about witchcraft, plants, other religions, etc.

Take notes on everything you can.

Be creative and use your imagination, look for symbols in your day-to-day lives.  

Re-read your notes and important information,

Do your research.

Make sure you research all paths and philosophies.

Start a consistent meditation and visualization regime.

Find a path you love.

Learn about yourself and your path and beliefs.

Work with your energy and practice harnessing it.

Start practicing your spells after enough research.

Write your own spells and start a grimoire.

Continue reading and learning.                                                                                                                                                                                      

Topics to research:    

Herbalism

Different witchcraft paths

Witchcraft history and its origins.

Different deities in different cultures

Folklore, superstitions,  and wives tales

Mythology from different cultures

The elements Air, Earth, Water, Fire

Basic tools and supplies for the craft

Sabbats and esabats

Witchcraft misconceptions

Nature cycles and lunar phases

Divination

Alchemy

Chakras

Auras

Working with spirits and angels

Tarot

Crystals

Runes                                                                                                       Magickal theory

Spells

Curses - the dangers and how to cast them properly

Sigils

Familiars

Incense

Ways to stay safe when practising

Types of Witches

Cheap witchcraft supplies

Dangers of witchcraft

Solitary v.s Coven witchcraft

Ritual structure

How to set up an altar

Study Nature

Negative energy and how to rid of it.

Candle magick

Astrology

Psychic Practises

Faeries

Protection against harm

Things to practice:

Grounding and centering

Meditation

Casting and closing a circle

Raising, releasing, and visualizing energy.

Record any magick practices, visions, or dreams you receive.   

Spend as much time as possible in nature.        

Listen and observe.               

Practice invoking Gods, Goddesses, and elements.  

Cleansing

Charging

Warding

Keep your grimoire up-to-date

Find a mentor - Someone to help you find your path

Practise staying concentrated

Intent

Remember:

All paths are good paths, do not insult anyone’s path.

You do not need any fancy equipment to practise

You don’t need to practise everyday

Follow your path don’t  let others tell you what to do or force their beliefs on you.

Believe in yourself!

Take care of yourself

Be respectful of others paths and beliefs

Never stop learning

Ask questions

Make lots of friends in the community

Stay safe

Make sure you do not steal from closed religions!

Have fun!

May the moon light your path!

==Moonlight Academy==