Does Magic Always Work?

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Does Magic Always Work?
By: / Adept
Post # 1
Do magic spells always work?

Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. For magic to work or not work is based largely on different variables - namely
~ Nothing in life is guaranteed
~ We often don't know what is best for us
~ And we certainly don't know what God/Fate/Diety has in store for us, even when we have the best of intentions.

Magic can be well related to prayer. Sometimes our prayers are not answered. Why is that?
1) It is not God's Will.
2) It was not for our highest good.
3) It was not the way our life is supposed to unfold.
4) There is something better right around the corner.
5) If we were to have it, it would interfere with whatever lesson/next thing coming to us.
6) We are being obsessive and the Universe is telling us to LET IT GO!!, etc. You get the idea.

These are all good explanations for why magic sometimes doesn't work. We just don't always know what's best for us, nor do we have the big picture. I can look back on several occasions in my life where I pined and pined for something and didn't get it. Now looking back, I realize that getting that particular thing (or person) would have been disastrous in my life. I now have a bigger piece of the puzzle, and I thank God for some of my unanswered prayers and "failed" magical undertakings.

Some folks further explain away magic by something like this: "If you don't believe strongly in it, it won't work." I disagree with this sentiment. It basically is stating that the power of the mind is that which controls all outcomes.

If that is so, why is there such a rich body of magical practice that puts such weight on the power of natural items, such as plants and minerals, or on amulets and talismans - items that have spiritual power inherent to themselves? Some examples would be crystals and other gemstones, Rabbit's foot and other good luck charms, religious symbol jewelry, horseshoes, etc. These are reputed to work without any input or belief from us, and these practices are as old as time.

If these items had no intrinsic power themselves, all we would be engaged in would be creative visualization practices such as those taught in certain meditation traditions or those popularized by The Secret and The Law of Attraction - there would be no natural or folk magic which honors the natural powers of plants, minerals, and animals. A fascinating topic - not one that can be developed even in part within these few lines.

But even with the most conscientious and thorough spellwork, sometimes magic does not bear fruits, and this is not always your fault or the fault of poor technique or a crummy spell. Sometimes doctors fail even though they tried their hardest, and we don't assess blame. Sometimes the minister's prayers do not save your loved one from Death's grip, and we don't blame the minister.

We simply reassess our desires, rework our intentions, make a new game plan, look for unlearned lessons, and brush ourselves off and go on again. God/dess has something greater in store for you, something beyond what you're hoping for!

Copyright: Me, LdyGry, A Higher Source Spiritual Supply
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Re: Does Magic Always Work?
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Post # 2
Very useful topic, well done. Hopefully, it will help those who are new.
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Re: Does Magic Always Work?
By:
Post # 3
well said ldygry people need to get closer to God i think but not in the christian aspect, but the true divine being, only then can we understand why things happen to us at certain times.
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Re: Does Magic Always Work?
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Post # 4
I agree with you, but only to a point. I would like to counter your debate against magic being related to how much you believe in it.
First: The items used in magic are not to create the magic, but to direct it. God made us in his image which, in my belief, means we are a lesser being of power, but one of power none-the-less. Using these items not only makes it easier to focus the magic, but helps those who don't know how to do things without their aid.
Second: Prayer has the Exact Same property that magic does. It directly links to your belief in it. If you don't believe in God, or a God or Goddess, then what is the use of praying for soemthing. Same principle in magic. If you don't believe in it, and you think its phony or non-existant, then you won't be able to use your energies to cast the spells.


As a sidenote, you might want to....limit...the amount of stuff you attribute to God. Remember this is a site with many religions and some might take that offensively. Personally I don't, but I figured I would let you know.
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Re: Does Magic Always Work?
By: / Adept
Post # 5
Just for clarity: As with anything anyone says - and certainly anything i may say too - take from it what you want, discard what you don't, revise, and question everything. My opinions on magic: what it is, how it works, and where it comes from, are purely opinions. I know no more than anyone else, and certainly i don't have the "inside scoop" on how the universe works.

That being said, i use the term God because that is my comfort level. You can substitute your own descriptor to make it more to your tastes: Pagan, more Goddess-friendly, more general or inclusive, or even use secular terms like "My Higher Self" or "The Universe." It doesn't have to be about religion at all, and anyone who feels that way isn't taking what i'm saying in the spirit it was given.

Also, being an expression of my opinion and no one else's, my "theories" work for me because - for me - God and magic are inseparable, completely interwined with all edges blurred together. That's where i'm coming from. Other opinions or viewpoints - especially ones "at odds" with mine - are encouraged. Kind thanks for the exchange.
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Re: Does Magic Always Work?
By: / Adept
Post # 6
Sorry for the double-post, but i'm always hungry for good conversation. Thanks!

Maybe i wasn't clear, but i don't beleive magic is all in the mind at all. I actually am quite turned off every time i see someone give that "advice." I do think there are whole systems of magic that rely entirely on energywork and the power of intention. I know they exist and i use various mental/energetic techniques every day.

Setting those aside for a sec, other types of magic, namely natural magic or "folk" magic, rely almost entirely on the inherent spiritual powers of natural allies such as herbs, roots, bones, flowers, minerals, woods, and other man-made curios such as amulets, talismans, and various lucky charms. Since the dawn of time people have been relying on these items of power to do their work for them, no belief or prayer or ritual or magic necessary.

Now, does prayer work if you don't believe in a Higher Power? And to use my theory that magic and prayer are intertwined, then where does that leave your magic if you don't believe in God?

That's a good question, and for me to answer it would be full-on speculation. In my opinion, people don't pray for God's good - God doesn't care (i don't think ;-) - people pray for their own good, to clear their thoughts like meditation and to be quietly open to the still, small vioce within. Therefore, i think prayer is a fine practice for personal growth - belief in God not necessary. Though, you'd probably call it meditation versus prayer, but that's mere semantics. Ok, enough for now. Maybe someone can be more eloquent.
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Re: Does Magic Always Work?
By: / Adept
Post # 7
I agree with you LdyGry. We all have our own unique views on what magic and the "powers at be" interaction is. I believe no two creatures no matter how close they are to believing the same things, will never believe/agree on everything. We all split of at some point and we become the only one on the path of belief and it can lead anywhere.
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Re: Does Magic Always Work?
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Post # 8
Excellent post, LdyGry. Spoken like a true veteran practitioner. I agree totally. As far as "failed spells", if we put as much thought into how to fix the situation without magic as we do on which spell to use, we would use far fewer spells, and have a much higher success rate. I find that I rarely have to use a spell to change a situation. Most of the time with reflection, meditation, common sense and (gasp!) humility, we can resolve issues on our own. There are those times, however, when magic is necessary. These are the times that really require the above. If you reflected and meditated on your problem, and have exhausted every option, not only do you have more of an idea of how to proceed, I believe that you will see better results. Especially when working with spirits. Just My 2cents.
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Re: Does Magic Always Work?
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Post # 9
Would a positive reading for spellwork increase the chances of magic working, especially when you see a sign within 3 days?

So many people are jumping into work without having a reading or divination, thats why a lot of people also tend to fail in their work I believe.
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Re: Does Magic Always Work?
By: / Adept
Post # 10
nenetwork: yes, i think a positive reading is always a good sign. I don't think it influences the spell; rather i think it is a statement about the overall conditions affecting the work before, during, and after the actual casting.

Every good professional rootworker or magic practitioner will do some sort of divination before undertaking magical work. It's just a natural first step that saves you a lot of effort and heartache if things are just not meant to be.
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