Face it, being able to walk around unseen, hiding under the noses of others, and performing all sorts of clandestine activity in public is awesome.  Whether it’s to seed a flash mob, sneak up on someone for a surprise, or lay down booby traps for ill-meaning authorities, knowing how to move around without being noticed is a useful skill.  Occultists have been doing it forever (how else would the arts and traditions survive?), whether it’s simply by not talking about themselves in public or by elaborate spells of concealment, either for protection of their goods, hiding the base from outlookers (cf. Hogwarts), or simply going around their day-to-day occult-natured tasks without being hindered by anyone.

For instance, sometimes i need to make a quick sacrifice to Mercury as thanks for helping me out on a road trip for safety and speed by dropping off a bottle of wine at a crossroads busstop; sometimes i need to make a trip to the Anacostia River to drop off a curse tablet and some chunks of raw steak; sometimes i need to wander around a forested park or graveyard at night and be able to slip in and out quietly.  Simple things for me to do, and harmless to the environment and those nearby (generally), but the general populace and authorities might take umbrage at how freely i dare use public grounds for my use.  Being able to get in, do my thing, and get out without being noticed or seen is important.  Hence, being a ninja.

It’s really not that hard to do, once you know a few tricks.  This post won’t go into what occultists and magicians of yore suggest to do, since they’re often not too pretty, but there are a lot of small things that can go a long way to helping you out.

• Stick to abandoned or empty places.  Can’t be seen if there’s nobody to see you, after all.
• Try to stick to dark places or nighttime.  It’s harder to be seen in general when there’s low contrast, especially by cameras if they’re not nightvision.
• Do your thing like it ain’t no thing.  If you treat something as no big deal, everyone else around you will do likewise and think you’re going on the most mundane of errand-running.
• Wear simple, generic clothing.  The louder, more eccentric, and more brightly-colored you are, the more attention you’re going to draw to yourself.  Stick to earth-tones, greys, blacks; wear business-casual or casual clothes.
• Don’t make eye contact with others.  Don’t bump into others.  Walk at a relaxed pace in a relaxed gait.
• Actually imagine yourself invisible.  Picture your body, but entirely see-through and, well, blank.  Alternatively, focus on the image of a nearby plain, unadorned, brick or cinderblock wall.  Imagine yourself filled with that wall, absolutely plain and unadorned, nothing special to look at.  Also focus on the word “invisible” or “not present” while moving around.
• Change into a disguise once you reach your destination.  It could be as simple as taking off a jacket and putting it into a backpack, switching out a pair of glasses for sunglasses, letting down your hair, or even changing your whole outfit and makeup.
• Take a different route back.  Even if it’s just switching sidewalks across the road, try to take a different course back so that nobody can peg you as sticking in any one location or track you.  (Works for spirits and ghosts, too.)

Of course, use caution with some of these tricks; don’t go climbing up dark alleyways in the inner city at night on a weekend, or try to follow subway tunnels under the Pentagon just because they’re not actively guarded.  Use common sense, please.

Any other tricks you might be willing to share?  Anything of a more occult nature?  Anything of a more mundane nature?