Witchery: Embrace the Witch Within - Juliet Diaz 2019
‘Why Aren’t My Spells Working?’
The Witch’s Garden of Herbal Magick
This is the question I’m asked most frequently, and is usually followed by ’Where did I make a mistake?’ I don’t consider there to be any ’mistakes’ in Magick because there really isn’t any right or wrong way to practice. It’s just a case of making adjustments.
Working with Magick involves chemistry, astrology, and a spiritual essence, and to wield our craft successfully we need to meet somewhere in the middle of all three. But the most important ingredient that goes into a spell is you. The mind is a cauldron, and each thing you put into it becomes part of the recipe of the Magick you’re working. Make sure to be mindful of what needs to go into the recipe to get it just right.
The following is a basic checklist of ways to give yourself the best chance of success with your Magick.
Make your intents clear
From the start, be really clear about what it is you want to manifest, otherwise the message is scrambled before it even leaves you. Being unclear results in things taking longer, and often they don’t happen at all. If you cast a spell to manifest a new job, be specific about what kind of job you want — what the position entails, what kind of money you want to make, and so on. If you’re unclear about what you’re asking for, you may just get random job opportunities that you don’t want, or not get any at all. It’s all in the detail.
Believe in yourself
To give your intents the power they need to manifest, you must believe in them and in your craft. It’s vital that you have confidence in what your Magick can achieve. For instance, if you cast a money spell asking for a thousand dollars before the end of the week, you have to believe it can happen, and also that you already have that money. If you don’t believe it can happen, then it won’t.
When I was in my twenties I devoted a lot of my time to practicing money spells, and by my thirties I had mastered them: I always have enough money to pay my bills, to enjoy life, to run my business, and to donate to charities. The first step is to think where this money is going to come from. If you’re a business owner, perhaps you want to direct this spell to bring money through your business; if you have money owed to you, then direct it there. If you don’t know where the money could come from, be open to the possibility of it coming in from anywhere.
Be positive
When working spells and setting goals or intents, it’s important that you do so from a place of confidence and power. You need to feel calm and still. Feelings of worry, panic, or neediness will only interfere with your Magick. You have to feel the Magick in your soul and believe it’s already with you.
Envisage yourself with the thing you desire. How does it look, feel, and taste? Think about every detail. For instance, if you desire love and you cast a spell for attracting love, you need to come from a place of love. Feelings of being unloved or alone will prevent a love spell from having any effect. So before casting this spell, transport yourself back to a time when you felt loved, or imagine being in love. How does it make you feel to have someone love you? Think about how your smile lights up, and what your body feels like. You need to become what it is you want to attract.
Have patience
Hurried or stressful energies mean that intents take longer to manifest, and they also interfere with the message you’re trying to send out. Magick takes time, so be patient. When I cast my spells I like to let them just be, rather than worrying all the time about whether they’re working. I know that they’ll come good when the time is right.
Focus on one thing at a time
Give your full attention to just one of the things you wish to manifest. Nurture it and put all of your energy into this one thing. Achieving multiple Magickal intents at the same time takes many years of practice; until then, working on more than one intent at a time will most likely mean they interfere with one another. Baby steps, dear Witches. So work on one spell at a time, and give each one your full attention. Once it’s done, you can move on to another.
Trust in destiny
Your intents will manifest only if they’re of benefit to you. Your ancestors and guides will not allow something that will not serve you well. Trust them, trust your journey, and trust the universe. Perhaps you’re not yet ready for what you want — but it may show up when you are. For example, when I first wanted to publish a book, I worked hard on this intention for months but it just didn’t show up. Instead, it showed up when I was ready; when I was further along on my spiritual journey and knew without question what my contribution to this planet would be. I never lost faith in becoming an author. I went forward and worked on self, and you’re right now reading the result of that journey.
I revel in a place of delicious synchronicities. My lips spill spells with grace and my presence embodies the presence of my Magick. It didn’t always feel this way, and there are times when I still have to work extra hard to see the fruits of my Magickal labors. Practicing Magick is just that: practice. When we accept this, everything starts to come together. Magick should be fun, a beautiful mystery you welcome into your life. Allow yourself to be as enchanted by your journey as by your Magick, and travel through a world of limitless possibilities. You’re Magickal. Don’t ever forget that.
