Illusion and Invisibility Magick

The folktales, legends, and myths surrounding the magicks of Illusion and Invisibility abound throughout the world. To conceal. To bend. To hide. To protect. But what if--in our practice of the Craft and understanding of the folklore today--we might actually accomplish them?

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More info: https://www.kierandanaan.com/beyond-the-seas

Author Interview Collaboration
Crossed Crow Books (@crossedcrowbooks)

Source
-Royston, Rob. “Illusion Magic 101.” Your Friendly Neighborhood Witch, 7 May 2021. friendlystreetwitch.com/2021/05/07/illusion-magic-101.

Music
"Between Worlds" by Be Still the Earth
"Intimacy" by Ben Winwood
"Open Sky" by DJ Taz Rashid
"From Within" by Kevin Graham
"Irish Mountains" by Ben Winwood

Cheers Magick Makers, 
Kieran

Chapters

• 0:00 To Bend the Shadows
• 3:14 Grand Tidings!
• 11:13 Illusion and Invisibility Lore
• 24:28 Illusion and Invisibility Magick
• 36:32 Outro

Transcript

He was being followed. 

Not even the crossing of the street, nor the ducking in and out of stores stopped the other men. 

He could hear their breathing, feel their footsteps, intuit their desires. 

He was afraid. Alone. Terrified. 

Until.

A voice from beyond entered his mind, and taught him the spell. 

The Way of Night. The Way of Shadow.

And a calmness entered his spirit, as his breathing slowed and his heart rate dipped. 

The energy from the earth and heavens flowed up and into him. 

His hands formed the sigils on his skin and bones. 

His breath carried the words of power into the night. 

His spirit cast the spell of might. 

The voices of the men behind him faded, as did their intentions and desires. 

His footsteps sounded eerily distant and muffled, as he slid into the shadows of the buildings around him. 

His breathing was even and slowed, steady and measured, as he watched the group of men walk right past him. 

Never once did he blink, never once did he falter, never once did he doubt his spell. 

And as a result, the shadows clung to him—and disguised his presence from evil. 

For the power of the Gods and Magick were on his side, as he was the Son of the Old Ways. 

A smile blossomed on his face as he stepped forth into the light, and walked towards home. 

Knowing that his magick, might, power, and strength…

Had finally begun.

(transition music)

            Grand tidings and welcome to you on this, the forty-fifth episode, of Beyond the Seas. My name is Kieran and here we are again, back at it for another week. And here we are, sailing our way through September! The fun of performing during the summer is past and I am so, so, so much looking forward to the Equinox in just over a week. Thus, the sweaters are out, the pumpkin spice is filling the air, and the leaves are already changing color in Central Park. What more could a guy ask for? Ergo, the plugs time: @beyondtheseaspodcast over on Insta, and Claudia’s account, @thefeatherwitchnyc, to follow along with our weekly tarot collaboration—wherein Claudia teaches the tarot one card at a time, one week at a time. Also, our collaboration with Crossed Crow Books, @crossedcrowbooks. Finally, consider signing up for one of the tiers over on our Patreon, patreon.com/BeyondtheSeas. We have some juicy content already uploaded over there, with two upcoming drops: our Mabon Ritual, as a downloadable PDF, which drops today, and this month’s guided meditation: Under the Waves. Both pieces of content are available on the two tiers. Also, please leave a five star rating and review, on your platform of choice, so the show may course its way through the interwebs and find new Magick Makers the world over. I am so, so, so happy you are all here, sharing some time with me on the show, today.  

            And now, artistic and literary updates! So being back in New York City is always a treat because you never know when the next audition will pop up—and who you might run into on the streets. I am resting and recuperating from all the creativity of the summer, and so looking forward to booking that next show! For now, the headshots and resumes are at the ready for all the auditions. In terms of the book this week, I have dived back into GennaRose Nethercott’s Thistlefoot. When you sign up for our Patreon, you will have an interview to look forward to between she and I, dropping next month. The book is so deliciously wonderful and a super insightful and witty take on the myth and folklore surrounding Baba Yaga. If you have not yet already picked up a copy of Thistlefoot, go ahead and do so—to not only follow along with the fun, but also prep for the interview betwixt she and I next month. 

            And now, the Card of the Week! After Claudia told me which card she had pulled for this week, I immediately sent an audio message back describing how she and I were on the same intuitive link. She pulled the Eight of Swords, and here is why it is so important for this week: there is a need for focus, when practicing the intense arts of Illusion and Invisibility. As Claudia said, do not o’erburden thyself with too much pressure, work, thought processes, etc. Simplicity is best here, right? What I, Kieran, intuitively thought when I saw the card was the casting of Illusion and Invisibility as a means of masking the eyes of the other. Notice how, in the card itself, the figure is blindfolded: is this not a suggestion as to our power and ability to create wards and the like, or to hide oneself from sight? But do not get too bound in that world of magick—for therein lies a sharp and dangerous path. Singularize your focus and exercise caution and wisdom over spontaneity and impulsiveness.

            And now, the Wine of the Week! Last week, I had some time with family and friends in Indianapolis and was so grateful to relax and hang out there. I saw a good friend downtown one night and picked up a bottle of, and here’s the kicker I love this name, 2024 The Big Sipper Red. It is a brand that hails from California and it is marketed as an affordable table one—and it did not disappoint. I loved how silky and chocolatey it was, not overwhelmingly so but the hints of it were excellent. It is a table red, so nothing too fancy here, but the complements of cheery, blackberry, a hint of oak, and sweet raspberry made it a perfect addition to the spicy ginger on top of sushi we had. Also pair it with hearty pastas, red marinara or sriracha sauces, fried chicken or pork, homemade lemon hummus, and great conversations on the couch.  

            And, finally, this week’s topic. Having had a wonderful discussion with Albert Björn last week and discussing a certain topic in his book, I was inspired to research more about it—and create magick and rituals to showcase how one may just barely escape notice. Thus, when contemplating the history and use of Illusion and Invisibility Magick, what does it entail? Are there specific tools and elements that enhance or reveal the practice? What are some of the ethics that surround it? And how might we employ it today.

            Ergo, grab your favorite bottle of red, find a comfy chair, and close your eyes as I tell you the tale of Illusion and Invisibility Magick—and take you…

            Beyond the Seas.

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            The notion of being a cunning wise one, when thinking of the Craft and its practitioners, suffuses not only the history of magick, but also the nature of its sorcerers. For to be cunning, one must be wise; to be wise, one must journey along the length of life’s many paths. For the journey of life gifts us with lessons, maxims, experiences, and memories that allow us the opportunities to adapt and grow—change and manifest. 

            Of course, I would be remiss to say that none of these opportunities would include the use of projecting a certain…energy, in order to influence, guide, suggest, and mold the other to one’s will. Thus, the notion of Illusion and Invisibility Magick arises to the surface, suggesting a whole array of practices, charms, spells, and conundrums to contemplate when facing the paths of life. 

            Again, I was highly inspired by last week’s discussion with Albert Björn and his latest work, Icelandic Folk Magic, on the topic of invisibility. And when thinking about it even more, the idea of Illusion and Suggestion, when one includes the Craft. Let us start with the latter, bringing in the magick of the former before the break. Grab your pens, pencils, and paper, Magick Makers, there is a slew of info coming your way. 

            I found a wonderful article that is not only scientific, but also spiritual, in its description of Illusion Magick. From Rob Royston’s personal website, Your Friendly Neighborhood Witch (which is also the name of his podcast, huzzah), and the article titled “Illusion Magic 101,” “As defined by the dictionary, ‘An illusion is a distortion of the senses, which can reveal how the human brain normally organizes and interprets sensory stimulation.’ Illusions work by adjusting the perceptions of people around you, adjusting the perception of a situation, and by changing the thoughts of an individual. Illusions are not tangible things and they do have limitations. For example, it is impossible to have someone see a spectral figure or to alter the basics of one’s personality to a major degree…it is also not possible to cause mass hysteria or alter someone’s emotions if it is not part of who they are innately (i.e., if someone is extremely angry, you cannot make them feel joy as that goes against the very fabric of who that person is at that time).

            “…Illusion magic is more of a subtle thing. It is something that alters the perceptions of a person, a situation, or group of people. It is usually a small nudge, a thought in the back of the head, maybe even a whisper to the person’s subconscious to alter their train of thinking…Unlike dream magic, illusions work on the mind while it is awake, making them a bit more difficult to control and for them to succeed, and also why when working with illusions a light touch is better…”

            “Illusions can be cast on an individual person, they can be cast on groups of individuals, they can be cast around specific situations as well as over physical objects and areas. Some of the best wards are illusions, making it so people feel uncomfortable or even frightened the closer they get to an area, or can make it so someone will look at a book and think nothing of it, or even feel like they shouldn’t look at it. They can even make something so insignificant that the person forgets what they are looking at or saw.

            “In order to understand how illusions work, there are a few scientific and spiritual concepts we need to touch [on]. The first: energy [is neither] created or destroyed, but it can be altered. The [second:]…our perception of the world is actually information, transmitted from our senses to our brain in the forms of energy; then the brain processes the energy and patterns to perceive the world around us. The third:…all of this energy in our bodies and brains creates a magnetic field that stretches beyond our bodies (by some estimates by as much as 70 feet), called an aura, that interacts with the world around us.

            “illusions work by creating a small short in the processing center of the brain, the place where we take in and process data, to create a small change. It changes the electrochemical signal that is sent and adjusts it to something that the witch wishes the other person to see. This could be done by casting a spell on the individual directly (i.e., changing how they perceive a situation), or by creating an aura that affects anyone that comes in contact with it (i.e., glamorous and wards).

            “The most important thing to know about illusions is they are often small hints and gentle suggestions. As such, they do have limitations and can be fragile. They cannot fool anyone who knows the target too well (i.e., you cannot cast a spell to be “invisible” on family or close friends as those individuals have a strong sense of who you are and can see through it), you cannot plant a suggestion for someone to perceive something that goes against their nature (i.e., you cannot cast an illusion that everything is fine on a mother while she is listening to their baby cry), and you cannot cast an illusion that goes against the persons innate sense of who they are (i.e., you cannot convince someone who is an introvert to get on stage and perform in front of a large crowd).

            So what types of illusion magick may one cast? From Rob’s article again, “One of the most common forms of illusions is wards. By creating a ward, you are creating the suggestion that a person should avoid or stay away from a person/place/thing. Wether this is by avoidance or a feeling of unease is up to the witch.

            “Glamours are powerful illusions, used to show the word a version of ourselves that we want them to see. Whether this is to be more confident, be perceived as attractive, or intelligent, glamours highlight something about ourselves we want all we come in contact with to think about when they see us.

            “…You can use illusions to make people more agreeable to you or a situation (or disagreeable if you need it)…By simply nudging someone to be more agreeable in general, or disagreeable, you are helping to control the narrative and their decision. While you are not actually controlling them (ergo it is not a compulsion spell), they could be much more inclined to agree with you. 

            “Invisibility spells. While they will not make you actually invisible, they DO work by masking your aura, effectively making it so people will not notice you until you want them to. This also works by adjusting your own aura to make it so you simply blend into the background.”

            Which is a fantastic segue into the second half of this episode’s topic, which is the craft of making oneself invisible. Now, in the folklore and legends of the past, there are many stories of cloaks, stones, spells, potions, chants, and rhymes that allow magick to cover the practitioner or witch with an unseeing quality. To become invisible is one of the most treasured and coveted abilities—but what does that mean for us today? Can one become totally invisible with the magick at our disposable?

            It is commonly known that to become totally invisible is not the aim of the game, though it is a lovely notion to think of. Rather, it is the intention to remain elusive, shadowed, faded into the background—unnoticed—that is of utmost probability. We may warp the aura, create a sense of defense against the senses, and use tools to shadow our presence in our daily lives. For to hide in plain sight is a test of confidence and strength in the magician, aiding in acts of secrecy, privacy, and stealth. If one wishes to remain in the shadows after dark, one simply needs to cast an inverted mirror of the aura to deflect unwanted attention. 

            The use of dark-colored clothing in public spaces masks the objectives of the witch. To hurry and scurry through the crowds of cities and urban areas, or to slowly and steadily weave through the throng of bodies, allows the energies of the earth to flow up and around the witch. 

            From my conversation with Albert last week, one may find invisibility stones on special days, used for special purposes. Some of these, according to folklore, may alert the practitioner as to their true nature and power—think communication with the stone itself. Others, like hagstones, may open the veil between the worlds and allow one to see beings thereof. But who is not to say that such a stone may hide the presence of oneself in one world, while opening it up to another? 

            If anything, the want to be invisible lies in the heart of the witch—and the power she holds. The confidence. The will. To maintain secrecy and elusiveness is no easy feat—and the most adept of practitioners are able to do so. Ergo, how might we grow in our adept qualities and skills to master this form of magick, alongside that of illusion? Join me after the break to hear my ideas on spells, rituals, charms, and chants, that open the path to such successful magick. 

            Refill your drinking horns, your goblets, your chalices, for the second half of Illusion and Invisibility Magick—after this brief break. 

            (transition music)

            We all have, at one point in time or another, desired an act of illusion to create wonder, fear, extiment, turmoil. To protect and prevent. Or wanted to be invisible. To hide. To escape the notice of others. Now, though, with magick as our tool and aid, and the knowledge of the Craft in our hearts and spirits, we have the capacity to bend the flows of nature’s energies to our will. For therein lies the greatest secret, and the greatest truth: the power to do so is entirely within our grasp. We need only have the courage, bravery, and focus to make it a reality. 

            If one wishes to create a powerful act of illusion, I suggest beginning with the cultivation of visualization and energy manipulation. Sit in silence for a moment and close your eyes, breathing deeply in your heart’s core and spirit’s longing. Embrace the darkness behind your closed eyes. Then, with intention in mind, conjure the vision of your desired illusion to procure it. For example, if you are engaged to be the center of attention at work, home, play, or entertainment and wish to cast a glamour, envision yourself surrounded by golden white light. A light that breathes irresistibility and prowess. A golden rosy hue that pours forth from your body and into the surrounding areas and peoples. If one wishes to protect the body from negative thoughts, spirits, and entities, envision the aura solidifying into a steel wall of concrete or brick. An impenetrable shield that nothing may surpass or invade. 

            This mental form of magick enhances the intuitive abilities of the witch, and underscores the psychic powers inherent within. To solidify the will and make known the power within is to make manifest the goal and desire. As within, so without—as above, so below. 

            Then, with firm intention and visualization in mind, arise from your place of rest and meditation to conjure earth energy as the battery for your spell. Visualize this energy in one of two ways: as roots extending from your body and into the earth, drawing up the energy thereof; or as threads of multicolored power arising from the earth and answering the beckoning call of your power. These threads may entwine around you, encircle or enwrap you—play with this image and see what works best for you. 

            Then, direct this energy into the solidification of your aura for protection, or rosy golden light flowing around you for a glamour. To prevent or promote, as it were, right? To reject or project. I believe that is the heart of the Illusion Magick: the desire to banish or to conjure, to invite in. Do you want to hide or be open? And depending on that, what do you seek to make known through your illusion magick?

            Once the intention is firmly placed within your mind and heart, conduct the two-step process of visualization and energy manipulation. One may then imbue objects of power with this type of energy. For example, to cast a successful glamour, place this earth energy into a rose quartz pendant or ring—then, for the duration of the needed time, wear it alongside your most glamorous clothing. Wear your favorite cologne or perfume, makeup and jewelry. All empowered by the talisman of magick you have crafted and created. This example is but one of many and opens up the way towards even greater acts of illusion magick. 

            But what if one seeks to hide? To become as invisible as possible? Much like Albert said in his interview episode, there are certain stones that may aid in this process. Venture forth into Nature on the high holy days of the Wheel of the Year, with the inner call resonating outwards towards the right stone of magick. Search your area, listening to your intuition, to draw yourself ever nearer to that most mystical of tools. Once you intuit you have arrived at its location, search around yourself and pick up whichever stone calls out to you. This stone will now aid you in all acts of invisibility magick.

            Thus, there are two types of said magick: physical and spiritual. If one wishes to enact physical invisibility, one looks more towards the use of illusion magick. Empower your invisibility stone with conjured earth energy, appropriate sigils and runes, sachets with herbs of banishing and empowerment, to attract the magick needed to manifest your goal. 

            If one wishes to remain unseen spiritually, one may conduct spirit flight with the invisiblity stone in hand, in a conjured and consecrated circle of power, so as to fly forth into the night and seek out hidden information or knowledge of events outside the area. This type of remote viewing is both exhilarating and enlightening: one must act with moral integrity and ethical responsibility when seeing into other physical locations or places of residence. If one seeks information about certain people, think before acting, as they say. Though it is entirely up to the conscience of the individual witch as to how to use this magick. 

            Other such tools to aid in this practice are lapis lazuli, shiva lignum, smoky quartz, amethyst, peacock ore, and onyx—the last for protection against unwanted attention in all areas of practice. Burn rosemary, thyme, and lavender herb bundles while conducting this work, physically or spiritually, to conjure additional energies and powers. Burn black, blue, and purple candles while empowering talismans of invisibility—these may be certain pieces of jewelry, sachets, herb bundles, wards and runes sown into articles of clothing, and so many more. 

            As with all acts of magick, it is truly the imagination of the magician that holds the limits of may or may not be done. If one envisions it, one may achieve it. Allow the mind and spirit to create a sense of play and wonder when contemplating the tools, remedies, charms, and chants of illusion and invisibility. For example, one may concoct a simple rhyme while wearing a piece of black clothing, adorned with signs and symbols of warding and protection, to escape the attention of others. One may also create a spell jar that is buried on the property, creating an auric shield around the property that presents a wall of ill-ease towards thieves and murderers. 

            Finally, one may project an aura of confidence and a don’t-mess-with-me energy with the use of illusion magick. Wear bright colors like red and green to promote confidence and strength. Wear large pieces of jewelry and big chunky crystals not only to empower the aura and self, but also physically impose your presence on others. Stand up straight, with shoulders back, as you envision and feel earth energy traveling up your spine and throughout your body. It is a perfect act of magick for public speaking, job interviews, first dates, and auditions. 

            Again, with all acts of magick, it is the will and the word that makes them successful. Draw forth your courage and bravery to create the change you seek. Enhance your abilities by casting wards, glamours, stealthy protections, and invisibility charms on your person, property, and home. Be not afraid or trepidatious about being preemptive with your magick: allow it to work for you now and in the future by casting it. And when needed in the moment, always return to the aforementioned two-step process to enact your desire. 

            For to project and reject, attract or withdraw, expose or hide—are all inherent powers of the witch. The Push and Pull of our Craft. It is in the knowing of when to do either that makes the witch powerful and wise. So trust your instincts and needs as you venture forth farther into the light—or cloak yourself more fully in the darkness. Know when each situation is appropriate and right. And trust your power and strength to make it so. For as a result, your magick, my magick—our magick—will always be made stronger…because of it. 

            (transition music)

            The stories, research, and production elements were done and edited, respectively, by me, Kieran, with sources attached in the description. If you want to be a guest on the show, or have a topic you wish me to explore and discuss, send me an email at beyondtheseaspodcast@gmail.com. And be sure to hit the follow button, on whichever platform you enjoy the podcast, and look forward to more content next week. Until then, seek the veil between the worlds, and allow yourself to travel…Beyond the Seas.