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[laudanine]

So listening to some of the many spiritual podcasts I try to keep tabs on I noticed a theme for the day it seemed: first times

Comments

[mageoflamancha]

I'm leery about a discussion that starts off by linking first spells and failure- though I suppose for some that is a true enough finding. Spell in quotations make me wonder what meaning the podcast was using for the word, and thus what meaning is being added to the classic "ritualized words and or actions using to bring about desired change

[laudanine]

I used "spell" in quotes out of habit actually: I could accept a given definition for spell of magic, but whenever I try to take these words as a given someone crops up to argue semantics. I default to quotes on anything I'm not POSITIVE I could give a confidant definition for.

As for the association of first spells and failure: that WAS a part of the podcast, they seemed to take it as almost a given. Which, really, was part of my asking as I didn't consider my first spell a failure at all.

[suraktaarati]

When starting out, I never really used spells. I focused mostly on charms. Back then I wasn't aware of how strong of an effect I could get if I didn't specify, so a lot of those charms worked too well.

Come to think of it, I don't really do 'spells'. Hmm. I kind of bargain and influence.

[nyxalinth]

I had just gotten dumped by my boyfriend for another woman, and the sod refused to move out. So I found a spell intended to get people out of your life in some book about spells for love and sex. All I recall i that it involved vinegar, cayenne pepper, and you add them to the wash water while doing their laundry chanting 'so and so, out, out, get out, get out' while visulizing them moving out.

It failed SPECTACULARLY. Three days later, he tried to move his new girlfriend in. I had to call the cops to get them out. So i guess in a half assed sort of way it worked, though not as intended.

[strixluna]

Well, while I'd done many rituals and the like I think my first spell was probably the time I decided to get rid of some blech (there is no better description) that was hanging out in what was going to be the baby's room when we moved into a new house when my first son was four months old. It didn't fail. In fact, it worked spectactularly well and that same spell is now the basis for every warding spell I cast.

To define (since I'm almost alays asked): I think of rituals as more of a commemoration or recognition (seasonal, life event, something like that) where as a spell is a working to effect some sort of specific change.

My reaction to my absolutely undeniable success was to not cast any other spells for a very long time, years in fact. I needed to digest the idea that I could have such a noticable effect on the world around me (and I had very small children which tends to make life very much about the immediate here and now rather than trying to make lots of changes).

[mycenaeth]

My first 'spells' were more like meditations - calming myself down when feeling scared, etc. and they did comfort me. My first candle spell was ultimately successful, I wanted a new job, and about a year later I got a great job I love. I did not expect instantaneous results, so I don't count it as a failure either.