Glamor/Illusion?

[Rynnfox]

I've been thinking about glamor and how it works (kinda) and was wondering if it would be possible to weave a full-body "illusion"?

I'm thinking about all of this quite loosely because even though I've personally never seen this work, it should be possible... in a way. Mostly by tricking people into seeing what you want them to see. There are is one way I can think of that might work, which would be making the illusion sort of shield-like. One that continually broadcasts what one wants to be seen as, but then again this might all be water under the bridge if glamor even works at all.

What I'm asking is, has glamor actually ever worked for someone? And what are your opinions on the possibility of a full body glamor, would it possibly work?

Just curious.

[ThunderWolf]

I'm no expert on glamoury. That being said, it's my understanding that the way it works is along the lines of what you seem to be describing with the shielding imagery. We are actually "tweaking" our aura's so people perceive us differently.

That being the case it's not very likely that someone would physically view you differently, but if, say, you weren't the most appealing creature on earth but did a glamoury to make yourself attractive, it wouldn't change your appearance. However, with your aura projecting a certain "attractive energy" around you, someone would be more likely to show an interest in you because you seem to hold some sort of indistinguishable allure.

By the same token, if you feel unsafe in your neighborhood you could do a protective glamoury that puts forth a "don't mess with me!" energy. You won't be any more muscular, taller, or physically powerful than you were before, but the energy you project will make people think twice before choosing to make you their target.

Conversely, you could do a glamoury to "quiet down" your aura's presence. These are what are generally referred to as invisibility spells. You aren't actually invisible, but by toning down your natural presence you could easily move about a party quietly observing without being brought into many group discussions or such. This might work particularly well if you're someplace you feel unsafe at night and would like to just disappear into the shadows.

So, weaving a full body illusion isn't likely. It's more about adjusting your personal energy to project a particular image of yourself to the subconscious minds of those you come in contact with.

[RhiHu]

I think it can work. 

If the person looking at you has their focus relaxed or is caught by suprise then the chances go up that they will see what you project. Our eyes don't always record what is actually there physicaly, they draw in light and patterns and then the mind creates an image of what it thinks it's picking up. Additionally, we sometimes let our consciousness go on auto pilot, like when your driving and zone out, only to find you arrived at your destination without remembering the steps that got you there. When that happens we are more likely to pick up on astral/psychic input from our environment.

I know I have a vivid inner life and probably think loudly, so there have been times when people have glanced at me and had to do a double take. They think they see something there that wasn't there, and sometimes it corresponds to what I was thinking about at the time. The only time I saw someone do a full shift it was planned out. I was prepped, the mood was right, and I was told that I would see something spectacular and not to panic. It was very dramatic!

[SingingBear]

The most effective and readily available example of this is the "Slight of hand" that stage Magicians use.
While you draw attention to the hand that is in motion, you secretly palm the coin you supposedly put into the moving hand. Then "magically" the coin appears somewhere else.
 
Do you want to be exposed and are you willing to risk being labeled within your community as a fraud?

I find it more practical to become that which you are attempting to project. In the 12 step community we refer to it as "acting as if" their goal is to learn to be more spiritual by acting as if you are spiritual. That sounds fraudulent, but if you act as if you are Spiritual you will become a Spiritual person. Change your actions and your mind and Spirit will follow.

[Fred Weasley]

Yeah, I always saw illusions as being more of a magician thing than a witch thing.

There's a reason "illusionist" is another word for magician.

[RhiHu]

There is nothing dubious about using a glamour. If you are out hunting to feed your family, have the inquisition at your door step or just trying to leave a party quickly to avoid a stalker, then glamour would be a very handy thing to have in your bag of tricks. It falls into the catigory of psychic stills, and like all skills it can be used for bad or good.

Glamour can also be something that happens as a result of being overshadowed by the godess, invoke a diety, or channel... and there are a fair few witches who partake in such things.

[Rynnfox]

Thanks for all your input, guys! It's been really helpful, this is good stuff. Makes me want to dig deeper, if only to sate my terrible curiosity 

[Malikite]

Glamour is even full body and larger, to include large areas and buildings are very possible, and doable. Granted, not easy to do and requires magic not used by most humans, if you wish to learn such magic your best bet would be summoning a Fae ( yes, I'm talking about faeries, and no not the story book 2inch tall with wings kind either), and if you can manage to convinced it, have it teach you its ways. Or if you want the easy way, a blade of iron (not steel) coal forged in the heart, Bind the spirit of the Fae into an object made of silver (ring or pendent will work just fine) and make yourself a fetish. You can then draw from the fetish it's magic and use it as you see fit. Just so you know, there are many kinds of Fae on the other side, just like people, they come in different shapes, sized, colors, and natures. Like Humans, Fae is a species with different races and like humans you have the nice and good, and also the bad. Fae are intelligent, make one angry and it can be vicious. Their type of magic however strong it may be when it comes to illusions, it is limited when it comes to physical manifestation. Once summoned, keep your wits about you and don't believe everything you see and hear. Most Fae have a tendency of messing with people's minds when they get the chance.

[ferox1012]

And...binding the spirit of one of these all-powerful Fairies into your iron fetish is "the easy way"?
Sounds like a real pain either way you look at it.
I have found that, to make myself invisible in public, I need do nothing more than get an empty jar and stand in a doorway asking for donations, and a "Will work for Food. God Bless" cardboard sign seems to make a most potent invisibility totem as well.

[Ken Ra]

Glamoury  Is the magical version of makeup,  fashion and costuming. It works very much like the method system of acting.  Still the ethics are what are you going to use it for?  getting a date? OK.   robbing a bank NOT OK.

[Malikite]

The kind of Glamour I am referring to works differently. Glamour magic used by Fae fools all the senses. You could use this form of Glamour for many illusions and to the person being affected it would seem real. Can be as simple as changing ones appearance, or as complex as to have a person live out a false event, or even as sinister as to have someone feel as if they are falling down a bottomless pit, or trick their mind and body into thinking they are drowning, when they have yet to leave their sofa. If it was the simple "magical make-up" glamour one was wanting to learn more about, then it was my mistake, I hear Glamour as a form of magic and think of the kind I am most familiar with.

[Ken Ra]

Malakite.... Communications..What you are talking about I would call imprinting, Projecting my "senses" onto another.  Not just confusing them and leading them to believe what I want them to, but actively pushing them there.   In the end all sensations are in the mind.

[Suzie Q]

Here is a simple fun thing to do.  Sit quietly on a bench in a park or somewhere public, off the pathway, you don't want anyone bashing into you.  The wrap a gold light around you - slowly work up from the top to the bottom round-and-round you.  Then look and observe.  It is staggering how many people will no longer be able to 'see' you.  I have had such fun with this and tried many different colours for various reasons, sometimes for protection other times for healing and a whole gambit or other reasons.  The different colours have different results.

You can also do this in a hurry if you feel threatened.  Like putting up a shield in a hurry!

When I was about 17 I sat in a car waiting for my father to come out of a shop and when I looked at the side-walk it was "Blue" and everyone entering that space suddenly became more relaxed, and quiet from when they first entered.  That was the first time that I learned that colour could change the outcome of a "space", and also the emotions of the people entering that space.  From there onwards we tried the various colours and densities.  That way we established it was possible to "disappear" from sight for short periods of time.

[Kota-Raven]

I do a pretty mean glamour just about every day.  I'm not in so much immediate danger or anything, however,  average people that I encounter do not appreciate my honesty.  They do however react better to the 'mask' that I wear.
WHY?  It's easy to anticipate what people want to see.  What makes them want to engage/notice/ignore what ever.
TO ME, it's a mixture of almost everyone's response.
The idea of glamour is supposedly as old as tribes themselves.  And as people want to have good relations with other tribes, they put on a 'glamour' to be more likeable.
Starting your glamour does require you to get in your character.  It's a mixture of costume [hair, clothes, make up, hygiene], mind frame/projection, emotions, and psychic shield.  A good glamour, has no holes, so that the illusion is a complete comprehensive picture.   It's no good if you just wore a different shirt and changed your attitude.  It's more like putting on a skin of someone or something other than how you truly are.  The witch realizes it is not who or what she really is underneath.  But she also understands that she needs the glamour in order to survive.
*note* In my experience people who wear glamours a lot don't spend enough time 'being themselves' and it can have a very real effect on 'altering the ego' if one lets illusions remain after their need.

[Ken Ra]

*note* In my experience people who wear glamours a lot don't spend enough time 'being themselves' and it can have a very real effect on 'altering the ego' if one lets illusions remain after their need.

Very true!   additionally Know Yourself  is absolutely required for psychism and magic.