Making the Mask-- A Journey into the Hidden Parts of Self
by Vallerie Huyghue
Getting
Started
The idea of making a mask was very appealing
to me. When Emily proposed the idea this summer I was ready. I had already
begun to do deep inner work to explore some unhealed parts of myself,
parts that had been regulated to Shadow, that were causing me unrest and
were yearning to come into the Light. With
the mask making project I was being offered another chance to allow these
inner
beings, the shadow parts,
to come
to the surface and claim their space and power. A mask would allow a face
to emerge, making these hidden aspects real and tangible in the everyday
world.
The timing was perfect and I immediately agreed. Saying "Yes" was a powerful first step on this journey to discovering more about these hidden parts of myself.
When
Emily showed me the amazing, intense and powerful mask she made during
a workshop with master mask maker Ronda LaRue, I was very impressed. This
was no mere plaster cast, this was a creature, nearly human in form, who
saw into the hidden side of life, and was connected to the forces behind
the veil. I wanted to create a mask of my own. I was eager to begin.
Communicating With Spirit
Creating your mask is no haphazard affair. We created our masks using ritual . Emily suggested we light candles and incense, meditate briefly, and then do a 10-minute writing to see what part of our selves wanted to emerge through the mask. The voice that answered me was my Inner Crone. She had been speaking to me through dreams and in my morning pages for several weeks. But still I had resisted her promptings. Could I really connect with this deeply feminine part of myself? Perhaps if I made a Crone Mask, I would have a tangible object to communicate with. The mask would be a visible creation, brought into existence through ritual, prayer and intention.
I allowed the voice of the Crone to emerge onto the page. She told me
I already knew her, "the Deepest voice, the voice you hear First,
the one that speaks Last, the Truest voice you know. I
have things to tell you," she whispered. "I have the answers
you seek." I looked up from my writing after I'd read it aloud to
Emily. OK, I thought to myself, I guess I'm going with the Crone this
time.
Holding the
Intention/Applying the Mask
Applying the gauze strips to create your mask is the second part of the ritual process. Emily worked quickly, applying the gauze strips to my face, and smoothing on the cool plaster mixture to build up the mask and make it stronger. I sat silently on the chair, in a place deep inside myself, connecting with the Crone. I watched Her dance for me, in sunlight and in moonlight. Her flowing robes were lifting and weaving.
I felt wrapped in Her energy as Emily wrapped my face with the plaster strips. Even when my mouth was covered and I couldn't speak I felt safe inside the cocoon of the mask. I set my intention to hold the energy of the Crone inside myself and to allow that energy to penetrate the mask itself. I could feel the plaster hardening and taking shape. I even felt like the Crone as the mask dried. Emily showed me how to scrunch up my face and then blow out my cheeks to loosen the mask.
When
I looked at the finished creation, I was amazed. There before me was
a sculptured replica of my face, but something other than
myself was looking back at me. It was my Inner Crone! She had a very
wise expression and her lips were full and potent. I was so excited!
I wanted to sit with her and just look at this creature before me.
It was almost like giving birth to something from deep inside myself,
and I found it to be the most fascinating thing to look at. I literally
just kept staring at my mask. She was awesome! Once you remove the
mask, the process isn't finished but something amazing has definitely
occurred.
Unveiling Spirit/Decorating Your Mask
Decorating your mask is the third part of the ritual process. Emily and I had a week in between making and decorating the masks. I had gazed nightly at my undecorated mask as she sat propped up on my altar, and I thought I knew how she wanted to be decorated. I thought she was going to be a wizened, old craggy Crone, with wrinkles and dark leathery skin, black circles around her eyes and wild, shaggy hair. But as Emily and I began, a very different face began to emerge!
My Crone wanted to be painted a coppery gold on her face, with glittering gold and purple sparkles across her eyelids. She wanted deep purple and magenta bands stroked across her forehead. To me she looked like a Mardi Gras Oracle from New Orleans-- definitely a Wise Woman, but shimmering in her beauty and femininity. She even asked for a purple feather boa to be draped across her head like a crown. This was some Mojo Magic Momma and I did my best to follow her directives exactly.
She turned out to be absolutely perfect, the exact Crone I needed to make. According to Emily, what emerges in the final stages is a magical part of the creative process. My suggestion to anyone wishing to make a mask is to listen to your inner voice for guidance and allow whatever needs to happen to unfold. You will be amazed beyond your wildest imagination at what emerges. It will be a healing and transformative experience. Trust me, I guarantee that.
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To register please call Emily at 914 962 4432 or e-mail her to make sure there is still space. Please send check for $195 to Emily
Hanlon Please email Emily or call 914.962.4432 before sending your check to make sure there is still room in the workshop. |
