My spells never work

[Ilaxilil]

I have been practicing witchcraft for several years and have done a lot of reading on the properties of herbs and stones in particular, along with some history, and have an oracle deck that I use with mixed results (works better when I’m high???) But I cannot for the life of me get a spell to work. I usually try to do money spells, but maybe I’m just too greedy lol? I’m not sure but I think part of my issue might be the “letting it go” portion of the spell because my desires BURN like a wildfire inside me and I have a really hard time letting them go after the spell is cast. I practice chaos magic so I’ve tried working with different deities, which have helped me gain wisdom about myself and the world, but hasn’t really helped with my spells. How can I get them to work?

Discussion

[XOXO-Gossip-Crab]

Something that comes to mind for me is maybe it’s working on getting in an intentional state of mind. You speak of desire running deep- but keep in mind WILL + focus = intent, not DESIRE + focus = intent. Desire is operating from a lack of something, will is something you have. Will is taking action. You need to come from a mindset of “this action that I’m doing right now is me being in control of my circumstance and getting what I want.” Not so much seeing it as “maybe this spell will give me what I want.” See it as an extension of you, not hoping an external force gives you what you want. Also making sure your mundane actions line up with your will as well- our beliefs are strongly tied to our feelings and behavior.

[Forsaken-Hospital929]

It’s because you’re so focused on it not doing it’s job yet, that puts doubt into your intentions, which therefor cause them to be ineffective. You need to be confident and assume it’s going to work and stop thinking about it so much, because when your focus is on lack, you repeat that energy and that is what is attracted to you. The reason being high makes it easier to connect is because it slows your consciousness down and often helps you “forget” the doubt or hindering thoughts.

[lyriumstone]

Start by changing the vocabulary that you use. So instead of saying I wish start saying I am grateful to have

[mikeinthedark]

Fellow chaos magic practitioner here. How do you cast your spells? Are you able to reach gnosis when casting your spells? And it really helps to be able to be able to let go of the desire once you’ve cast your spell. Use that desire as fuel for the spell, but don’t let it interfere afterwards.

[necriavite]

Letting go can be tricky when we get hung up on wanting to see the results right now.

I’ve found appreciative meditation helpful for that, just getting lost in the idea that I am part of everything and everything is a part of me. It brings me into the moments and keeps me from moving past them to hope for the future or back into the past to memeories and regrets. It keeps me present and helps me let go of everything and anything. I just focus on the feelings of each moment, on the connected feeling to everything, on the appreciation of each sensation that reaches me as it comes and goes.

I like to visualize and sometimes I see myself as this little tree just happily weathering the seasons and my roots drink the moisture from the soil and rain, and my bark and leaves take in the sun and the wind plays with my branches. I am no more or less than a tree appreciating its own life. Sometimes I see myself as a stream constantly flowing and renewing itself, cleansing itself over and over as each new moment brings something new down stream, something to see and experience and let flow onward. Sometimes I see myself as a cloud or a gust of air, flowing free and wild, unpredictable and lite, unable to settle on a thought or anything concrete, just changeable and freely mutable in the path of least resistance.

I sometimes use fire as a meditation too, but I find it’s better for active meditation to help with gnosis.

[mikeinthedark]

Well, I’ve found that magic works better with honest desire for change, rather than just doing the spell. Doubt does sabotage most workings.

Do you encode your desires? (Sigil or other techniques)

Other thing that might be worth a shot, especially if gnosis is hard, would be emotional transmutation. Emotions can be energy to fuel spells, but I’ve found that if you take a strong emotion and change it during the casting (desire for money -> satisfaction of having money (imagine what it would be like, that’s generally enough.)) You get a nice bit of energy into the spell. Different approach than gnosis, but still has some punch to it, just have to make yourself believe in the moment.

[EarthchildAdornments]

I find money spells most effective when I apply for specific and somewhat reasonable amounts.

As for these deities, why are you working with them? What is your relationship with them? Are you taking time to understand them on a deeper level or are you just showing up knocking with your hand out?

I had an experience with Mercury one day. I was driving on my way somewhere in a hurry and I had just discovered planetary magick. I boldly declaired that I am Mercury, all paths are open to me and all lights are green. In the next 5 min 3 people almost crashed into me and I hit 2 red lights. So I apologized. I hadn’t thought about the fact that Mercury is also a trickster.

Form a relationship with the energies you work with. Understand why you are doing everything and what you are communicating to the realm of Infinite Possibility with those gestures, ingredients and acrions.

[Graveyardgnome]

Props for staying faithful despite such a lack of results. Have you gone through an initiation, wether through a superior or self-initiated? Knowing your specific belief system and tradition/path might help us point you in the right direction.

[kushgrovebaddie]

I’ve never personally had an issue with my spells failing because I can’t let go of my desire.
Maybe you need to try and figure out why you believe your spells are going to fail if you can’t let go of that desire, and then possibly find a belief path that aligns with how you work better?
At least to me that’s what it sounds like your blockage is: you’re on the wrong path and it’s conflicting with your beliefs and causing you to fail.

I don’t believe (thru personal experience and from pst friends) that you *have to* release your desire in order for a spell to be successful.
I would suggest maybe trying to find a new path if possible. Or just finding a way to use your desire that aligns with your current path better.
*again just my beliefs and opinions and experiences I know everyone has different ones*

[Delicious_Drive_2966]

It can take 20 years to truly start to get to know the craft 10 years if your lucky,keep trying!

[NachtSorcier]

I find spells just meant to get money *somehow* to be generally worthless. Spells to get a job or whatever are much more effective.

[mikeinthedark]

You know, I keep thinking about this, and I started to wonder…

Money spells are common, but if you really look at it, in most cases the desire is actually for an item, or a lifestyle change, or a different job. It’s rarely actually a pure desire for money. If you have so much difficulty letting go of your desire, double check, what is it that you really want?

Also, phrase your spell in present or past tense. “I will get” and the like can screw up your magic, since if the intent is that you will get money in the future, then you won’t be getting it now.

Hope this helps.

[Venustarr_777]

What type of witchcraft do you practice? Everything doesn’t resonate with everyone.

[Queen-Bueno96]

Try law of attraction instead

[Savage_Mofish]

Perhaps your spells don’t work because chaos magick is not the right path for you. Try putting a little more order in your craft and see how that goes.