I personally believe that no one spell can work equally effectively for two different people. We all think differently, and while there may be similarities in the way many of our minds work, there aren't enough similarities to base an effective magical working around. Saying this though, I consider the sort of 'spells' I am contacted about to be different from Ritual Magic, which I have performed in groups and found to be very effective.

So, you will be thinking, what is the solution?

The solution is to write your own spells. Use your own representations of the issues involved in the situation you are doing the spell for. Use your own symbols, write your own verse, say your own words. How can words and symbols and ideas from some stranger be anywhere near as effective as your own mind focussing your powers?

You may think that your representations are stupid, or the words you say sound dumb, but that doesn't matter to anyone but you. As long as the associations you use for the working are your own then it has value. It doesn't matter if you use a toy cat to represent your mother in a spell, or if you use Tiger Eye to represent the confidence you need for that test. If it makes sense to you then that is far more powerful for your purposes than reading in a book that mothers are represented by wasps and confidence is represented by a blue toenail.

Does this make sense to anyone other than me? Or am I the only one who believes that not all magic comes from sterile words in a book?