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Hitting The Wall: When Magic Doesn't Work

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    Hitting The Wall: When Magic Doesn't Work

    Don't really feel like going into details here, but suffice to say I'm having a bit of a crisis of faith. It's not that I've lost all belief by any means. But I've been stunned with a very harsh blow recently. Having trained for years, I believe in magic. Properly used by those with the proper amount of discipline and training, it is incredibly and unimaginably potent. Popular culture be damned, I have been on this hard and dangerous road most of my life learning the hidden art as teachers and spirits came and went over time, before I had words for it, before I bothered to call it 'magic', before Twilight and Supernatural and Ghost Hunters were ever a thing - back when daring to claim you were a 'witch' or even a 'Wiccan' or a 'Pagan' meant very extreme stigma (or even danger) where I lived. I was just some girl born in the suburbs, struggling to learn how to deal with the lot in life I was born with, how to live when you are ever and always stuck standing with one foot in the physical and one foot in the aether. I consider myself a life-long student on the path, because without its discipline and methods I would have lost my damned mind. I will always continue expanding my knowledge and honing myself. That being said, this recent blow has left me truly stunned, broken and disoriented. I've come here wondering if anyone may have any thoughts. I guess it seems the best place if any to ask.

    I have used magic to do many things. It has saved my butt many times, and the butts of others around me. I don't really want to go into it all that much though, because that really isn't the point. The point is, when I needed it most, it seems to have failed me. When faced with the possibility of a terrible event, I burst far out of my comfortable pace of learning and began to push into extreme advanced magics to find a remedy. I pushed until I broke myself. I pushed until I nearly died. I witnessed many earth-shattering miracles that have changed my life, stumbling into power I did not formerly believe could exist. And yet...despite all my efforts, it was as if the fabric of all of reality struck me down and crippled me. No matter how hard I fought to change it, still I am losing everything I held dear. No spell, no hex, no power, could stop it. No force in heaven or earth could undo this tragedy. As I pick up the pieces of my life now, I wonder: What went wrong?

    What do you do when it all falls apart? What do you do when even your biggest guns, your baddest spells, your utmost efforts, just seem to hit a wall of futility? All of that energy just kept dissipating like it was nothing - seriously, just, POOF. The fabric just kept correcting itself. Time marched on, and the train wreck still happened. What went wrong?

    I'm sure there are many ways to look at this. I'm certain to hear many versions of the old Christian adage I heard in my young days, "God works in mysterious ways". (Perhaps replaced with "Karma" or "The Universe" - still it is the same old saying.) Maybe there is no answer to be had. Who knows. Does anyone have any thoughts? I could use a few right now, if you don't mind...

    EDIT: I should clarify - the things I was trying to do included many methods that had worked like a charm before. Trusted methods that were pretty solid for me for years of time. This event seemed...totally immune. It'd be like if you were going along knowing that when you push a button, it goes "Ding!" - and then one day, suddenly, it just stops for no apparent reason. You keep pushing it, punching at it, and nothing. Works for everything else, but not for the one thing you really need it to work for. You panic and start trying to fix the button, maybe you need a bigger one, maybe you need to install a new one, what in the hell happened to your button and why isn't it working for this one thing?! -- and boom, tragedy. Just wanted to clarify a bit more what I'm talking about.
    Last edited by RainbowDemonic; 26 Oct 2013, 19:17. Reason: Added note.

    #2
    Re: Hitting The Wall: When Magic Doesn't Work

    Personally I believe there are only so many get our of jail cards available. If you use them up on many little things then they are not available for the truly horrible larger things. Sort of the material wise there is only so many diamonds, rubies, sapphires, etc in the world and no mater how hard you try to create a substitute its not the real thing and the fake will break under stress. Spell work is pretty much the same thus there will come a point where there is nothing left in the bucket to send out and the bucket has to be refilled and that takes time and consideration.
    I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!

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      #3
      Re: Hitting The Wall: When Magic Doesn't Work

      Originally posted by monsno_leedra View Post
      Personally I believe there are only so many get our of jail cards available. If you use them up on many little things then they are not available for the truly horrible larger things. Sort of the material wise there is only so many diamonds, rubies, sapphires, etc in the world and no mater how hard you try to create a substitute its not the real thing and the fake will break under stress. Spell work is pretty much the same thus there will come a point where there is nothing left in the bucket to send out and the bucket has to be refilled and that takes time and consideration.
      This is similar to what I had been taught, yes. To use sparingly, cautiously, and sort of let it settle and "refill" a lot because it's not like you can just go cheating the laws of physics all you want like it's nothing. As far as I am aware I hadn't breached that limit, I usually try my best to be sparing on things like that you know? But I may be wrong, I may have miscalculated my uses so to speak. Thank you, I appreciate it.

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        #4
        Re: Hitting The Wall: When Magic Doesn't Work

        I personally view magic the same way I view luck. it's a way of stacking things a bit in your favour. nudging cosmic forces to do what you ask. like if you want a job, you can give out a ton of resumes, cast a spell, wear your best clothes to interviews. it all adds towards your goal. maybe what you were trying to stop was TOO big. the odds were too against you. the magic worked to nudge things, but the nudging just wasn't enough to change it.

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          #5
          Re: Hitting The Wall: When Magic Doesn't Work

          Originally posted by RainbowDemonic View Post
          This is similar to what I had been taught, yes. To use sparingly, cautiously, and sort of let it settle and "refill" a lot because it's not like you can just go cheating the laws of physics all you want like it's nothing. As far as I am aware I hadn't breached that limit, I usually try my best to be sparing on things like that you know? But I may be wrong, I may have miscalculated my uses so to speak. Thank you, I appreciate it.
          For me I tend to think that each "Button" to use your example is an open line. We create the connection, have it run its initial course but forget that it continues to run in the back ground. Forgetting that we still charge it with our intent and purpose. Even when it is no longer in our active mind the link is still present and proving energy to the button. The other thing is that we diverted an energy flow for some purpose but forget the energy still builds behind that blockage and potentially is still aimed at whomever it was directed at.

          Block a river and it will stay blocked only unto the point it has sufficient pressure behind it to flow around it. Many times causing it to hit us with an even harder wave front than if we had taken it initially. Place many blockages before it and you have many alternative pathways being created that may create an even greater influence upon us later. Especially in the sense that you may create a deluge that rushes upon you vice many small streams that pass around you or simply get your feet wet vice sweeping you off your feet.

          In my opinion many forget to program self destruction or termination into their spell construction. So those many little spells keep sucking away at the source and far to often the person forgets they even started it. The result is that many times more energy is pumped into them for the construction of the spell breaks or corrupts and instead of costing a penny they start to cost dollars.
          I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!

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            #6
            Re: Hitting The Wall: When Magic Doesn't Work

            The first thing I do is take a mental step back, then do the necessary shadow work to find out what my subconscious has to say about/do with my efforts. I find that when things don't work, it's often the result of a disconnect between the conscious mind and the subconscious.
            "The doer alone learneth." -- Friedrich Nietzsche

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              #7
              Re: Hitting The Wall: When Magic Doesn't Work

              Originally posted by alternatingSelves View Post
              I personally view magic the same way I view luck. it's a way of stacking things a bit in your favour. nudging cosmic forces to do what you ask. like if you want a job, you can give out a ton of resumes, cast a spell, wear your best clothes to interviews. it all adds towards your goal. maybe what you were trying to stop was TOO big. the odds were too against you. the magic worked to nudge things, but the nudging just wasn't enough to change it.
              You have a point. I have considered this too. It is possible that it was either too big a task, or for whatever reason, The Universe (or whatever you prefer to call it, you know, the powers that be) decided it was not to be. I do believe in fate, in my own way, and at times through this dilemma I have thought...maybe for whatever reason it was best this way. Who knows. It sounds trite when people say things like that sometimes, but the fact is it makes sense. There are terrible misfortunes in my past that at the time I would have done anything to change, but now it seems they really, truly did make me stronger and I learned valuable skills from them that I would not have otherwise. Back then I wouldn't have known that. No matter how hard I would have worked or prayed or hoped to change it, I suspect the fates, so to speak, would have slapped me down - and certainly in some cases they did! I cursed them then, but understand it now. And I realize sometimes that's how life goes.

              Originally posted by monsno_leedra View Post
              For me I tend to think that each "Button" to use your example is an open line. We create the connection, have it run its initial course but forget that it continues to run in the back ground. Forgetting that we still charge it with our intent and purpose. Even when it is no longer in our active mind the link is still present and proving energy to the button. The other thing is that we diverted an energy flow for some purpose but forget the energy still builds behind that blockage and potentially is still aimed at whomever it was directed at.

              Block a river and it will stay blocked only unto the point it has sufficient pressure behind it to flow around it. Many times causing it to hit us with an even harder wave front than if we had taken it initially. Place many blockages before it and you have many alternative pathways being created that may create an even greater influence upon us later. Especially in the sense that you may create a deluge that rushes upon you vice many small streams that pass around you or simply get your feet wet vice sweeping you off your feet.

              In my opinion many forget to program self destruction or termination into their spell construction. So those many little spells keep sucking away at the source and far to often the person forgets they even started it. The result is that many times more energy is pumped into them for the construction of the spell breaks or corrupts and instead of costing a penny they start to cost dollars.
              I'm not sure I understand. Would you be willing to clarify? Do you mean that it is best to redirect the misfortune so that it flows around you in many streams, barely soaking your feet, rather than hitting you as a deluge? I do usually place time limits on my spells though, or self-destruct/dissipate stuff. It's a good practice and I'm glad my teacher(s) made sure to remind me of it. Also as an energy worker much of what I do isn't necessarily spells so much as a very fluid and adaptive manipulation of energy (rather than like a fixed incantation or the use of specific material components, although they are also used at times when necessary), and I always try to sweep up after myself when it's all done.

              Originally posted by Vigdisdotter View Post
              The first thing I do is take a mental step back, then do the necessary shadow work to find out what my subconscious has to say about/do with my efforts. I find that when things don't work, it's often the result of a disconnect between the conscious mind and the subconscious.
              True. I will have to do some of that myself I think. The subconscious is the most powerful part when it comes to magic.

              Many thanks, guys. It's good to hear some objective thoughts on this. I appreciate the input!

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                #8
                Re: Hitting The Wall: When Magic Doesn't Work

                Originally posted by RainbowDemonic View Post
                .. I'm not sure I understand. Would you be willing to clarify?
                I'd be glad to. For future reference if I ever write something that needs clarifying please feel free to ask. Can't say I can make it clearer but will do my best.

                Do you mean that it is best to redirect the misfortune so that it flows around you in many streams, barely soaking your feet, rather than hitting you as a deluge? I do usually place time limits on my spells though, or self-destruct/dissipate stuff. It's a good practice and I'm glad my teacher(s) made sure to remind me of it.
                What I was inferring is that we use magic / energy to cause a change in our fortunes or fate. So each change is a dam in the energy stream moving towards us, to lessen it or avert it entirely being our goal. Yet if one assumes that some events are destined to occur then each attempt to redirect it may actually cause it to be more catastrophic when it does finally reach us. The other option of course is that the more we try to manipulate things the greater the amount of force that is building up behind our blocks. Eventually they will fail and what might have been a simple skinned knee or stubbed toe turns into broken bones or worse because we interfered with it.

                So using a water shed as an example we re-route the water so it moves around a given area or reduces the spillway amount so it doesn't destroy. Yet like any dam the pressure builds up behind it and has to be released in controlled floods less the dam fail utterly. Usually controlled flooding is still damaging to us but its not usually catastrophic. Yet if one relies fully on their energy manipulation and spell work to block or re-direct it simply causes that back pressure to keep building. Then it becomes a question not of if it will fail but a question of when it will fail. For each spell usage blocks things into the same holding pool, especially if it is coming at us because of other actions we've taken already.

                Also as an energy worker much of what I do isn't necessarily spells so much as a very fluid and adaptive manipulation of energy (rather than like a fixed incantation or the use of specific material components, although they are also used at times when necessary), and I always try to sweep up after myself when it's all done.
                Yet all a spell is is energy work and manipulation of that energy. The end result the same desired outcome though the method or focus used is different.
                I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!

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                  #9
                  Re: Hitting The Wall: When Magic Doesn't Work

                  I'm a tracker with so I know I see things differently than others, but part of working with energy for me is to read the signs and know when to do it. I give an awfully redneck example for this;

                  Your friend is on top of a snow covered hill. Your car is parked at the base of that hill. Your friend goofing off packs a snowball and starts it rolling toward your car. It gets more and more snow on it, becoming bigger and bigger, getting faster and faster. Finally it slams into your car, denting the door. You get mad at your friend for denting your car. You take your car to the body shop and find out it's going to cost $2000.00 to replace the door. You demand your friend pay for it, they say they don't have a couple grand just sitting around, you take them to court, they lose. On the way out of the court room they say to you, "I did a spell last night that we would still be friends but you're so greedy I don't want to be your friend." The spell didn't work, mainly because by the time the friend started doing her magic the energies were stacked waaaayyyy to high against it working.

                  Now, going back to the top of that snow covered hill. If you were standing a foot below your friend when they started that snowball rolling, you just step on it, it stops rolling, you throw a snowball at your friend, you both get into a friendly snowball fight, the energies have been diverted. Now let's put you 10 feet farther down on that hill. The ball is a bit bigger now, you actually have to step in front of it to stop it. A different way of working with the same energy. You stop it, but you get a bruise on your shin. You call your friend a jerk and throw a snowball at her and get into a friendly snowball fight. Now let's put 15 feet further down that hill. The snowball is now pretty big, you have to step in front of it, brace yourself, put your hands out and catch it. You get knocked down and the snowball doesn't stop but it gets deflected so it doesn't hit your car. You call your friend a jerk, get a bit miffed at her, call it a day, go home and stay upset until Friday when you both go out for drinks and she buys the first round. All is forgiven. Now lets put you right at the bottom of the hill near your car. You see that monster snowball heading for your car, you jump in from of it to stop it, it doesn't stop, instead smashing you against your car, putting a you-shaped dent in the car and giving you two cracked ribs. The whole law suit happens now with your friend having to pay your medical bills as well as buying you a new car door.

                  All of these are working with the same energies but having to use different magic to get that energy to do what you want. As a tracker it is my spirituality to read the signs and work with that energy BEFORE it gets too big for me to handle.

                  I have a friend who lives in New York City and last year she called me on the phone crying because she had not evacuated her home before Hurricane Sandy hit and the water was rising. She wanted all of us to do magic to make the storm go away. Well, by the time the full force of Sandy was smashing into the coastline it was waaayyyy too big for a bunch of little humans to do anything about it. The time to have done magic was when she was a little tropical low off of Africa. The we might have been able to create wind sheers and break her apart. Or we could have done magic that our friend would have gotten the heck outa dodge and got to high ground so she didn't ride out the storm from her flooded house. But energy, once it gets to its full strength is pretty hard to stop.

                  This has nothing to do with karma or the laws of threes or anything like this. This is just from pure observation as a tracker witch and working with energies for a long time. Get it while it's small and a good witch can change that energy. Wait until it s overwhelming and...well..it overwhelms us, no matter how many time our magic has worked in the past. It's not a matter of our magic not working, it's a matter of our timing in that magical workings.

                  That's my take, but then again, being a tracker witch makes me an oddball.
                  Last edited by Briar; 03 Nov 2013, 06:29.

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                    #10
                    Re: Hitting The Wall: When Magic Doesn't Work

                    Originally posted by alternatingSelves View Post
                    I personally view magic the same way I view luck. it's a way of stacking things a bit in your favour. nudging cosmic forces to do what you ask. like if you want a job, you can give out a ton of resumes, cast a spell, wear your best clothes to interviews. it all adds towards your goal. maybe what you were trying to stop was TOO big. the odds were too against you. the magic worked to nudge things, but the nudging just wasn't enough to change it.
                    I agree with this user.

                    Using magick is just giving the universe a nudge. Making it tilt slightly in your favor. It does not define anything, and there is never a 100% chance that it will work. As you get more advanced that nudge may turn into a push, but you're still left at the mercy of luck. Perhaps this is such a large event that your push isn't strong enough to bend the odds in your favour to any significant degree.

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