How long can it take a spell to work?

[opiumpoetry]

And what factors influence how long it might take? Whether it's white or black magic? Does distance matter (as in the target is hundreds or even thousands of miles away)?

 

[Xenophon]

There are those---and they be many---who say you need something of the other person. I.e., hair, fingernails, personal possessions---something that creates a link. There tends to be a belief too that physical proximity helps in getting results. Of course, most traditional magic was written before global travel became common. I tend to suspect that the psychological shrinking of the globe might make magic at a distance more doable. Personally, though, I have found physical proximity tends to strengthen the liklihood of result. As for time, I tend to fall in with those who claim that if a month goes by, the working has not succeeded for most purposes. If one is trying to exert aeonian influences, you most likely won't see results in this mortal life.

 

[Robert Ramsay]

How unlikely the successful result is. The more unlikely, the longer you should leave it. Also, do not worry about how long it takes

"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."

 

[HoldAll]

Peter J. Carroll also talks about something called "retroactive enchantment" where you cast a spell which has - unbeknownst to you - come to pass three days ago. Damon Brand also claims that magic can work backwards in time. Distance should not matter, same as you are able to think of somebody who is continents away from you without a problem. I don't know about black or white magic, I assume some people can work up more intensity of feeling if they intend to harm someone than to heal them. In general, everything depends on the spellcaster's skill, experience and power, that's why it's so difficult to find a correct answer to your question.

If you involve spirits, angels have a reputation to work slowly and thoroughly while demons work fast and ruthlessly, enjoying the havoc that their dramatic intervention causes on both sides. Mind you, that may be simply a prejudice that gets repeated all over occult forums and Reddit, and I don't have any practical experience with those beings myself. Some also advise to include a time limit in spells. In general, it depends on how feasible your desire is, many things don't happen overnight and cannot be forced to do so even by magic.

 

[opiumpoetry]

"Some also advise to include a time limit in spells."
How would I do that?

 

[HoldAll]

"Some also advise to include a time limit in spells."
How would I do that?

Include "by next Tuesday" in the spell, for example.

Post automatically merged: Mar 3, 2024

Forgot to say: Many spells in the Greek Magical Papyri end with "Quickly, quickly, immediately, immediately" so as if the gods were divine procrastinators or something.

 

[opiumpoetry]

How unlikely the successful result is. The more unlikely, the longer you should leave it. Also, do not worry about how long it takes

"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."

Hahahahaha! I ask cuz I read somewhere that some spells finally take only months later, yet others say that 2-4 weeks is the max one should wait. Ask 10 different people and you get 10 different answers. So be it.

Post automatically merged: Mar 6, 2024

There are those---and they be many---who say you need something of the other person. I.e., hair, fingernails, personal possessions---something that creates a link. There tends to be a belief too that physical proximity helps in getting results. Of course, most traditional magic was written before global travel became common. I tend to suspect that the psychological shrinking of the globe might make magic at a distance more doable. Personally, though, I have found physical proximity tends to strengthen the liklihood of result. As for time, I tend to fall in with those who claim that if a month goes by, the working has not succeeded for most purposes. If one is trying to exert aeonian influences, you most likely won't see results in this mortal life.

Some say a photo of the target is enough. Agree?

 

[Robert Ramsay]

Some say a photo of the target is enough. Agree?

If you can get your mojo on with just a photo, then cool.

Oh wait, that sounded different in my head.

 

[Xenophon]

Include "by next Tuesday" in the spell, for example.

Post automatically merged: Mar 3, 2024

Forgot to say: Many spells in the Greek Magical Papyri end with "Quickly, quickly, immediately, immediately" so as if the gods were divine procrastinators or something.

I like that. Like the old joke, "Lord grant me patience and make it snappy, Thou damnit!"

 

[Robert Ramsay]

I like that. Like the old joke, "Lord grant me patience and make it snappy, Thou damnit!"

Or the old Polish joke: "Sleep faster, we need the pillows!"

 

[Viktor]

Does distance matter (as in the target is hundreds or even thousands of miles away)?

Distance certainly does not matter because spiritual world or spirits who do the magic are not constrained by physical world.
Spirits however might be constrained by other spirits or forces that are of spiritual nature, or constrained ie. by the power of other wizards.

That is of course if your magical work is purely spiritual, if there are other factors from real world such as influence of people then magic might take time, it depends how long.