Followed the instructions, cast your spell, but then… nothing?
If you cast a spell and can’t see any results, it’s natural to feel put down and wonder what went wrong?
Although every casting situation is unique, here are few general reasons why your spell didn’t (or hasn’t yet) shown you the results you were hoping for.
1. Half-Hearted Spells = Half-Hearted Results
Between distractions, rushing, a lack of confidence, or something else, sometimes we don’t give a spell our all during the casting process. But if we don’t believe in and invest in our magick, why should anyone else?
Our deities, guides, and the universe aren’t inclined to manifest a wish that wasn’t given wholeheartedly, and may even have trouble manifestating something that wasn’t clearly defined. As such, having an unclear intention is a common cause for lackluster or nonexistent results.
Struggling with setting and focusing on intentions is a common and natural step for new casters who have yet to build up their confidence, but no fear! Practice builds confidence and comfort in the Craft.
Learn how to clearly set and hold your intention while casting and you’ll be well on your way to mastering your magick 
2. Missing Ingredient: Time
Time is a powerful force in the physical world - it is a necessary ingredient in any process of change. Most spells don’t manifest the moment your spell candle goes out. This is because, like the majority of things in life, your wish also needs time to take root and grow 
If your spell didn’t manifest right away, don’t panic! It may simply be because it is working behind the scenes. Give it some more time.
3. Not the Right Spell for the Job
If you’re sure of your spellwork and gave it a chance to manifest but it still isn’t showing - then it’s worth it to go back and retrace your steps. What was your intention? Were you using the right spell for what you were hoping to achieve?
A money spell might increase your funds, but what if there isn’t any good housing available? Perhaps you’re using the wrong “key” - a different type of spell may be what you need to open your way forward. Set the money spells aside and try a Road Opener instead- with blockages cleared, the perfect apartment or house within your budget may suddenly appear for you. The same with love spells - an earnest love spell may backfire if the specific person it was cast on turns out to be too good to be true. But a love attraction spell sent out to find a perfect match may help the caster find their actual true love.
It may not be clear at first, but if you’ve tried one type of spell without any luck (or with a different result than expected), try using your creativity, browse spell collections, and find something that might end up working better 
3. A Big Wish Needs Big Magick
Maybe you’ve got the right spell for your wish, but it still isn’t working. Before panicking, take a moment to reflect - if everyone got everything they wanted on a whim and a wish, we’d all be millionaire witches in perfect health without any problems in the world! Although a nice thought, this isn’t the case in reality. The truth is that manifesting massive things is possible, but the bigger the wish, the more energy is required to manifest it.
It’s like going up one step versus climbing a mountain - reaching a smaller, short-term goal requires less effort and is much easier than getting yourself up to the top of a mountain peak. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing, just that you’ll need more planning, energy, equipment, and time to make it up the steep slope! 
For very large and life-altering spellwork, continue to feed your spell over a longer period of time. Renew your spell each full moon, meditate on your goal, and spend time visualizing your intention. Every time you work on your wish, your spellwork gains strength.
Begin to look for small signs of change - like the turning of the seasons, we don’t wake up one day in summer to find that it’s suddenly winter. There are slight changes and a slow drift into something new that occur over a period of time. Look for these hints and find reassurance in them - it may be slow, but it is surely coming true one step at a time!
4. Your Deity/Spirit Guide/Guardian Angel/Etc Gets a Say
Not everyone works with a deity or guardian spirit in their practice, but for those who choose to call upon and involve a higher power in their spellwork, there are certain things to consider.
If you invoke a deity in your spell or ritual, you are requesting to draw on Their powers and seek Their aid. As such, the deity or spirit you invoke will have a very important role in manifesting your spell. If your chosen deity decides that this spell is not in someone’s best interests (be it yours, Theirs, another of Their worshipper’s, Earth, society as a whole, etc), the deity or spirit will act (or decline to act) according to Their nature.
Each specific deity has Their own story, likes and dislikes, and personality. Before calling upon a higher entity by name in your practice, it is worth taking some time to get to know the deity. This not only shows your respect and dedication, it can also help when it comes time to cast.
By aligning yourself to a higher power that resonates with you, and calling on certain deities for issues or situations They specialize in, you can increase your chances of successful spellwork.
5. Spells Are For Your Greater Good
Your guides want you to succeed on your life path. As such, any spells that would invalidate an important life lesson or get someone out of necessary change that is in their best interest are unlikely to manifest. Sometimes we don’t know or can’t see what is in our best interest - but our guides can!
Life is full of change and obstacles - the things we encounter range from slight inconveniences to extremely difficult tests of everything we are and all that we know. Although they can be really hard on us, challenges both big and small are a foundational aspect of life and a key part of our journeys. It is thanks to these challenges that we can learn, grow, and develop into our best and highest selves.
It is up to us as witches to use the tools, knowledge, and abilities that we have (both mundane and magickal) to overcome the challenges we are presented with. Spells are not so much a “get out of jail free” card, but rather our power to make change, our tools of improvement, and a way for us to move forward on our journeys 
In other words, although the universe will not allow someone to use a spell to hit “skip” over a tough time, you can cast spells to help you surpass those challenges and overcome obstacles in your way. Your magick is your power - it’s there for you to use and enjoy!
There are many possibilities for why a spell didn’t work (or why it worked differently than you expected) - but don’t give up! From waiting to re-casting to switching the spell, there are many open doors for you to move forward.
If the way seems unclear, why not give divination a try? 
Divination is the art of finding answers - it includes popular methods such as tarot, oracle, tea leaf readings, scrying, crystal reading, and many more helpful ways to find guidance about what spells to cast or where you should go from here 
Divination Course: How to Read Tarot
Divination: How to Use a Pendulum
Additionally, even solitary witches aren’t alone - you have a friendly and helpful community of fellow casters right here! If you’re stuck on a spell, feel free to make a new topic in the Q&A category. Your fellow coven members will be happy to share their advice and casting tips! 
→ How to Create a New Topic in the Spells8 Forum
Additional Resources 
Looking for related spellwork? Here are some additional spells and other resources you might explore.
Please make sure you are logged into your Spells8 Account to be able to view all of these resources!
Spellcasting 101 : Everything You Need to Know to Start Casting Spells
Troubleshooting Spellwork: What to Do When Your Spell Goes Wrong?
How do you reassess things when a spell doesn’t go as planned? What tips or methods do you do to get back on track?
Feel free to share your own spell experiences, advice, and support with fellow coven members in the comments below.
Good luck and blessed spellwork!
