Choosing an Image

Whether a witch is married or single, she should discover the image that she most naturally and effortlessly represents as asort of "home base."Everyone has a stereotyped counterpart that turns up whether in a movie, TV show, novel, comic strip or other form of popular media. You owe it to yourself to ride on the coattails of the established visual image that most resembles you . Wesee this game played every time a popular female personality is emulated by multitudes of women, who can find similarity intheir own appearance, however slight. The knowing witch always capitalizes on the physical typing that has been set up for her or chooses one she feels she can throw herself into. There is an old saying, "If you have the Devil's name, you should playthe Devil's game," and if people constantly give you clues to your proper image by telling you who or what you resemble,take it form there.If you are thin, with raven hair and dark eyes and your face is rather long and angular, you should capitalize on the vampiretheme and do all you can to hint at that image. If you find people always wanting to help you and taking a protective attitudetowards you, utilize a naive and innocent appearance and bearing to your advantage. If you have a "mean" look and attractmeek men, then do all you can to look meaner! Be a veritable whip and leather type. If you're getting on in years and have anose like a potato with a body to match, don't kid yourself into thinking that a facial vacuum and losing forty pounds will turnyou into a seductress. Instead, get yourself a couple of cats, fill your house full of weird bric-a-brac, learn to make cookies,and let it be known you're a witch! Soon you'll have more worthwhile male friends than you ever would have in your personality-less attempt at rejuvenation. If you're truly grotesque, with a fact that would stop ten clocks and a voice like aklaxon, turn yourself into a real hag-monster and have fun scaring the Hell out of people!In many instances stereotypes are based on very real personality traits that are relevant to the appearance presented.Consequently, a witch who chooses an image most conducive to her ready-made appearance is likely to find herself revellingin a very comfortable role. This doesn't mean that a witch must go through life playing only one role simply because she has been stereotyped into it. It all depends on your acting ability, especially when it comes to make-up and facial mannerisms.Any successful witch must be a good actress.Unfortunately, too many would-be witches who consider themselves to be good actresses wind up playing all the wrong parts! The role that is the most appealing is often the one that is represented by the "inner" or "hidden" side of one's nature.We see this all the time in the large, dominant looking, glamorous "Amazon" type who tries to act the part of a demure andnaive little girl--especially when drunk! We also observe this in the frail looking, helpless appearing, wide-eyed little creaturewho always seems to be yelling the loudest and stirring up the most trouble. These are both common examples of unsuccessful witches whose lack of opportunity lies in their refusal to "feed back," even temporarily, what their appearanceimplies. They are living counterparts of the old cliché, "To look at her you'd think she was... but just wait 'til she opens her mouth!"True, there are times when it serves a witch well to disarm her quarry by acting completely different from what is expectedof her, but these are specialized cases that will be discussed later in this book.The general rule is to become a "package deal," thereby allowing the person you are bewitching to think that they have youall figured out. This may seem a bit dismal to you who have assumed that a "witchy" type must always appear enigmatic, butI have observed that the most frustrated, unsuccessful witches are those who work at ambiguity rather than "type-casting"themselves. The only type of witch that can get away with an enigmatic image is the "femme fatale" who has a naturallystrange or unusual appearance. Needless to say, the type usually attempting the most mysterious image is the most un-mysterious looking to start with!Choose an image that goes easiest with your outward appearance and take full advantage of all that has gone before tofurther establish that image. There is nothing wrong with being type-cast if you can make it work for you!