When Witching Goes Wrong: Basics
Not all spells that go wrong are ābackfires.ā A backfire occurs when a spellās result is antithetical to the result you wanted to cause ā it causes a negative outcome, often coming back onto you as the caster, but sometimes creating the opposite effect as was desired on the target. For example, casting a money attraction spell and losing a wallet full of cash as a result would be considered a backfire. A spell that fizzles, does nothing, or produces an unexpected (but not negative) side-effect wouldnāt be a backfire (in my opinion, that is).
Most spells that go wrong arenāt backfires. In general, youāre likelier to have a spell that acts unexpectedly or that simply fizzles than one that blows up in your face somehow. You shouldnāt be anxious about a backfire. But, as someone with lots of experience in the realm of worrying about worst-case scenarios, I understand the impulse.
The solution is to understand what can go wrong, how to prevent it, and what to do in the event of an actual worst-case scenario. My goal with this post (and with this WWGW series) is to help you feel less anxious about spells going wrong and more prepared to deal with whatever comes your way.
So, letās start from the beginning.
Outcome Projection
Risk assessment, mitigation, and management. Fellow corporate drones (former or current) will know exactly what Iām talking about here. The idea is to predict possible ways that things can go wrong and either prevent them entirely or put strategies in place to deal with them ahead of time. Itās damage control before the damage occurs.
Now, the key here is to not go overboard. Fellow chronic worriers will know the horrible allure of going down every possible path of anxiety, only to find ourselves paralyzed entirely by the fear that something will go wrong. Remember that most spells do not backfire. In most cases, the worst thing (and most common negative outcome, in my experience) that can happen is that nothing happens. The next most common is unexpected side effects, but those are usually easily dealt with.
The goal is to ensure the success of the spell. For example, when youāre looking for a new place to live, you donāt want to just look for the number of bedrooms and the finishes in the kitchen. You want to account for the appliances, the heating/cooling systems, the quality of the flooring, signs of water damage, signs of moldā¦ all sorts of things.
A similar concept applies to accounting for backfires/failures in spellwork. You want to close loopholes and think about the outcomes you specifically donāt want ā and then incorporate ways to prevent those things from happening.
The Ways Spells Can Go Wrong
The spell fully backfires. By āfully backfires,ā I mean that it completely fails and creates the exact opposite outcome to what you were going for. Using a love spell as an example, this could include the target leaving your life, forming negative opinions of you, or becomes interested in someone else (particularly if you were trying to pull attention from that someone else onto yourself).
The spell is bounced back to you.Ā This is more unusual than you think! I often see the warning about spells being redirected back at the caster in arguments against hexing and cursing others. Iāve had exactly one spell reversed back at me, and it was because the target was 1. A witch, and 2. Expecting it.
The spellās primary result is unexpected.Ā Not necessarily bad, just not what you meant to do. For example, casting a spell to get a promotion at work and discovering that your close friend is getting a promotion instead.
The spell has unexpected side effects. Like casting a spell for good luck on yourself and having everyone around you experience good luck, too. Or casting a spell that successfully improves your workplaceās vibe, only to find out that the mean coworker nobody likes finally got fired, and thatās why everyone is more relaxed and cheerful. Or, more negatively, you do get that promotion you cast for, but now youāre saddled with more work than you can handle, because your bosses think youāre highly capable of it all!
The spell does absolutely nothing.Ā Perhaps one of the more common ways a spell can go wrong, this is exactly what it says on the tin. You put the energy in, you did all the steps, but the spell justā¦ doesnāt go anywhere. In other words, it fizzles and simply doesnāt work at all.
As with most topics in witchcraft, thereās an infinite amount of nuance to apply here. There are more ways spells can go wrong, and not all of these things would necessarily be considered āgoing wrong.ā
It may be worth deducing whyĀ the spell went wrong. Was it the materials? The petition or incantation? A lack of energy, or maybe an overabundance? Spirit influence? Protections surrounding the target? Knowing what exactly went wrong can help you prevent the same issues in the future, but it can also help you to better fix the spell in the moment.
Preventatives
The particulars are going to depend heavily on your personal practice, the type of spell youāre doing, and how detailed you want to get. These suggestions are based on things I personally take into account when Iām trying to close loopholes and prevent unwanted outcomes.
Be specific in your wording. Especially if your spell has any kind of spoken or written component, be as specific as you can. āDraw money to meā is a general sentiment that could absolutely work, but what money is it bringing in? A bonus at work? A dollar on the street? A gift from grandma? Inheritance? It could be anything at that point. āDraw good, repeat customers to my small business to help me reach my profit goal of $10,000 before the end of the yearā is specific, focused, and measurable. There isnāt much room for surprise side effects.
Choose ingredients carefully.Ā Work with ingredients whose purposes you know. In my spell recipes, I list every ingredientās correspondence, because in my practice, those things matter. Ensure that the āactive ingredientsā in your spell align with your goal properly. Rogue elements create rogue effects!
Include failsafe measures.Ā As in, create ways you can cancel the spell at any point. This can have the side effect of making your spells easier to undo, particularly if your target is also a witch who understands how you construct your spells. If doing this, itās best to create a method that is obscured and unique to you.
Add ingredients or instructions specifically to avoid particular side effects or outcomes. Find a component or two that can protect your working from unwanted effects, backfires, and interference. Include instructions for the spell for things it shouldnāt do. For example, trying to create issues for one particular person at work shouldnāt harm their innocent teammates.
Undo It
The first step to consider is undoing the spell. Not all paradigms allow for this, so it may not be possible for you. For me, it depends on the particular spell and how much change itās created. The bigger the impact, the less likely a simple undo will work.
Still, itās worth a try. Undoing a spell might take a few forms, depending on how you originally cast it:
Take the spell apart. Disassemble the spell into its components and cleanse them of the spellās energy.
Destroy the vessel and components.Ā Burning, tearing, burying, flushing, throwing away, and so forth. Be careful to not bury things that could harm the earth, animals, or people ā including glass, salt, and plastics. Compost and recycle when you can.
Dismiss spirits working within the spell. End the contract around the spellās working and request that the spirits stop powering it. You could also request their assistance in undoing the spell. You may have to make offerings either way, depending on the terms of your agreement.
Perform the spell in reverse.Ā This includes speaking incantations backwards, performing all actions backwards, taking components apart, re-cleansing, and putting things away where you originally got them from.
Draw the spellās energy/effects out of the targetās body and/or the affected area. Using energy work, absorb the spellās energy into a vessel. Capture it and either allow it to dissipate or bottle it up to keep it in check. I donāt recommend absorbing the energy into yourself, as that may draw the spellās unwanted effects to you (or make them worse).
I typically employ a combination of strategies to undo a spell, if itās possible in the first place. If itās a simple spell, performing it in reverse is the easiest method. Iāll then cleanse, destroy, and dispose of the materials.
But when it isnāt possible to simply undo the spellā¦
Cast Another Spell
ā¦The answer might be to cast another one. In my mind, there are several ways to do this.
The first is to cast a spell to negate the originalās effects completely.Ā I would approach this method the same way as any other spell. Focus on the effects youāre looking to negate, and cast accordingly. A banishing spell would work well for this to shoo away the spellās energy, but a cleansing spell to clear the target would also work. Or, you can get more specific. For example, if a spell has generated a string of unlucky events, you could cast a spell for good luck in order to nullify the bad luck of the first spell. The goal would be to cancel out the original spellās effects in some way.
The second way is to cast a spell to adjust the originalās outcome. There are a lot of ways to do this. You could directly modify the original spell by adding or removing ingredients that mightāve caused the negative outcome, redo written or spoken incantations/petitions, or cast a ācompanion spellā to redirect the originalās energy to a more favorable end. For example, in a money spell thatās giving everyone else good fortune, you could place a magnet with your personal information on it atop the spell vessel to draw money to you rather than the people around you. The idea here is not to end the original spell, but to realign it to your particular needs.
Another way is to cast a spell specifically to control side effects.Ā Sometimes, a spell canāt be undone, and you canāt easily modify the main outcomes (particularly true if the negative events caused by the spell happen quickly or outside your control). Or maybe the bulk of the spell worked properly, but thereās one or two minor negative side effects you donāt want to continue. The method for this would be similar to adjusting the original spellās outcome, but on a smaller scale and in a less direct fashion. For example, your job spell got you that promotion, hooray! But now youāre stressed out by training someone to take your place, and youāre learning your new position. You can cast a spell to reduce stress or prevent people from piling additional work on you while you adjust, controlling the side effects of the promotion.
A way I use for high-stakes spells is to cast wards or other protections before casting the main spell to prevent backfire or unwanted effects ahead of time.Ā I often do this for spells surrounding situations that are delicate or that need extra care. In my case, itās a general, long-term ward against bad luck on a wider scale, and it catches negative spell side effects as part of its job. You can set up temporary wards if you prefer, or make them for very specific purposes. Whatever works for you.
Cast the same spell again.Ā This isnāt my usual go-to, unless Iām trying a new spell method or ingredient Iām unfamiliar with. Iāll usually recommend trying the same spell again when the first casting does absolutely nothing, since multiple castings can make a spell stronger and more effective. However, if a spell backfires or otherwise causes undesirable effects, I wouldnāt really recommend it, as the negative effects can compound, too, if it misfires again.
Ask for Help
If the problems caused by your spell are too big for you to handle on your own, itās okay to reach out for help! Whether youāre looking for suggestions and advice or hands-on assistance, knowing when and how to ask for help is a critical skill.
Ask the witchcraft community (or your witchy friends) questions. Join a Discord, forum, Tumblr community, or other witchy space. Make a post to explain your situation and request suggestions, advice, and ideas to deal with the situation at large. Not all suggestions will be entirely helpful, but youāll at least get some new perspectives to shed light on your situation. If people you know directly (in real life or online) practice witchcraft, see what they think.
Chat with spirits.Ā Especially if you already work with spirits or if spirits helped you to cast/power the original spell, this can be a solid way to come up with a solution that will work. Use your preferred method of communication to discuss the situation. If possible, see if theyāll help you either undo or mitigate the spellās unwanted results.
Ask non-witchy friends for advice.Ā Their advice will probably be mundane, but sometimes, those are the best solutions. Outside perspectives are useful to recontextualize problems and come up with solutions you wouldnāt have otherwise considered.
Find books, videos, tutorials, blog posts, and other resources on the subject.Ā When all else fails, or when youāre a little shy about asking for help directly, there are still resources out there to help you solve your dilemmas. Just remember to vet your sources before naively following instructions given to you.
Deal with Consequences Mundanely
Sometimes, thereās just nothing for it. Whether you donāt have time and energy or youāve already tried more magic and had it fail, there are times when you have to turn to the mundane. Depending on the severity of the situation youāre in, solutions will vary in their successfulness. And honestly, thatās just how it is sometimes. Sometimes, things donāt wrap up nicely and easily and neatly.
With that said, here are a handful of mundane responses and solutions Iāve turned to after spells went wrong (and couldnāt be otherwise fixed):
Come clean and apologize. Particularly applicable when youāre doing a spell on or for another person, sometimes, thereās just nothing else to do but admit you fucked up. If the person impacted by the spellās effects, directly or indirectly, isnāt a magical practitioner themselves, you could simply apologize for meddling in the situation. On the other hand, if youāve harmed or offended a spirit with your spellwork, you might make an offering to apologize for the trouble youāve caused.
Come up with mundane strategies for damage control.Ā Depending on how severe the spellās negative effects are, the level of effort for this is going to obviously vary. It could be anything from redoing your household budget to breaking out the toolbox for repairs to building an actual fence to making dinner. Your solution is going to depend on your problem. Think strategically.
Seek out new, improved coping mechanisms.Ā Whether youāre looking to resolve feelings that are caused by the spellās backfire or ones that made you cast in the first place, sometimes, a bit of self-care is the best solution. Consider why you cast the spell in the first place ā lack of control, poor self-worth, low confidence? Or was it just because you felt it could help you with a little boost to the work you were already doing? Itās worth thinking about. What mundane safety nets do you have in place?
Let it go. Perhaps the most difficult option: Just letting the bad result be. Moving on from it. Taking the lumps and the lesson, and walking away. Giving up is a skill. Itās not a moral failing to let things go. If fighting will only make things worse, or if youāre tired of trying to fix it, itās okay to justā¦ let it be a failure.
Conclusions
Again, this is far from comprehensive. The suggestions here are basic ideas to help inspire you to form your own opinions and solutions. Itās smart to consider these things in advance! As my mother always says, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
I have plans to expand the idea of āWhen Witching Goes Wrongā into a wider series of posts, each focusing on a very specific problem, spell type, or solution (like a post just about ways to undo a spell, for example). Those are likely to include true stories about things Iāve personally fucked upā¦ which are always the best witchy stories, in my opinion. Lol.
If you're interested in more WWGW entries, check out the masterpost.
Anyhow! If you got something out of this post or my other work, consider tossing a couple dollars in my tip jar. Support goes toward bills and keeping our household fed and healthy, so itās very much appreciated. Supporters got to see this post a full week early!
If thereās a particular subject you want to see covered, feel free to send me an ask or leave a comment on this post (or any of the posts in the series!). As long as itās something I actually have experience with, Iām happy to cover just about anything.
