The magick of invisibility

Invisibility is one of the classic folkloric powers of the Witch. Along with riding on broomsticks and eating little children, the Witches of legend are able to become invisible at will. They can travel unseen and make all kinds of mischief under the cloak of magick.

In the Middle Ages, invisibility potions and powders began to be recorded in magickal grimoires. Many of these concoctions involved complicated rituals and toxic ingredients.  Other recipes, like soaking poppy seeds in wine, probably didn't have much effect besides making the magician feel really good!

Because spirits were believed to move about unseen, many old invisibility spells involve calling on spirits to veil oneself from the human world. The magician might recite an incantation or make a talisman to invoke the power of invisibility. Invisibility spells would usually remain active for a certain amount of time, allowing the magician to spy on people or go places undetected before the effects faded.

So, is invisibility magick real?  Well, yes and no.  Obviously, there's no potion that can make your body invisible, so much that you won't show up in photos or be seen by someone who's actively looking for you.  In real life, "invisibility" is a bit of an exaggeration. But most of the time you don't need to be literally invisible--just unnoticed.  An adept magician can use his or her skills to become unseen, moving deliberately out of sight of others.

There are really two types of invisibility magick. The first is accomplished through glamour, stealth, and misdirection: Your body is physically present in a location, but people around you just won't see you.  The second involves astral dislocation: Your physical body is in a remote place, but your astral body is present and able to listen, observe, and/or manipulate the location.  Unless someone has exceptional astral senses, they won't be able detect your presence.

When perusing invisibility spells, you'll find that they'll generally fall into one of these two categories.  (Here's a comprehensive list of invisibility spells.) Their complexity varies from simple visualizations to spells with arcane ingredients and incantations.  Many involve the Moon, which rules illusion.

The simplest way to become invisible is to blend into your physical surroundings while cloaking your aura to "drop out" of the awareness of others. Have you ever slid past your boss when late to work, or avoided an awkward encounter at a party? If the answer is yes, then you've already had a taste of invisibility magick. Besides Witches and Fae, invisibility magick is the province of professional detectives, thieves, and fine-dining waitstaff.

Have fun, and don't do anything you wouldn't do while visible!

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