Study › Magick › Why doesn't my rune magick work?
When magick is not working, the fault can be found and fixed. Treat it as practice: experiment, watch, adjust and try again.
Your responsibility
Making it work is your responsibility, and finding the way there is part of the practice. Treat it as an iterative process: experiment, watch what happens, adjust, adapt, and try again. When something does not work, analyse it, find the fault, correct it, and do something differently next time.
These are the usual faults.
Obstacles and intentions
Ignoring obstacles. Find what is blocking you first. A magical diagnostic and a cleansing to clear obstacles are a large part of succeeding.
Not knowing what you actually want. Understand the intention behind the intention: why you want it, what the result looks like in detail, and the paths that lead there.
Forming the intention badly. Its wording is a magical step. Keep it positive, in the present tense, clear and specific — never broad or vague.
Patience and the right stave
Impatience. Plan the operation, choose the tools and the timing, and accept that large changes take time. Six months is a fair span in which to judge whether the runes worked.
The wrong stave, or an unchecked one. Choose the stave that fits the intention, and use divination to see how it will work and what it will bring with it.
Forgetting that everything is connected. A ritual sets off changes across every area of life, inward and outward. As above, so below: nothing changes outside you without changing inside you.
Energy and timing
Low personal energy. Your energy powers the operation, and raising it is its own question above.
Not adding external energy. Inviting external forces — gods, elements, planets — into the operation improves its chances.
The wrong time. Timing is the most overlooked part. You cannot swim against the river and still arrive: match at least the moon phase and the day of the week to your intent, or you may get the opposite of what you asked for.
Read personal energy and the moon and runes.
Questions
How long should I wait for rune magick to work?
Six months is a fair span to judge a large change.
Does timing matter?
Yes: match at least the moon phase and the day of the week.