HOLLOWEE'N, HOUSES AND MASKS

Do you sometimes dream of house? This morning, I was meditating to find a topic for this blog. This lead me to my heart chakra where I found a wonderful house, welcoming, well lit and with bright windows and cheerful colours. This was a start contrast to the state of the gloomy, decrepit houses I used to dream about years ago when I was healing from burn out. They looked like Hollowee’n houses, without moonlight. I also also wanted to bring something fun to this blog for Hollowee’n, so here's an experiment in mask making.

This activity is fun, useful if you need one, provides useful insights when you use it as a meditation tool, or the can simply become a decorative element in your house.

To keep the exercise fresh and revealing, do not look past the mask making method. Read the rest of the article only AFTER your mask is decorated.

Materials:

• 2 to 3 rolls of plaster of Paris (available in some pharmacies or craft stores)
•  petroleum jelly
• Coloured tissue paper, glue, paint, feathers, glitter, pretty things found in nature, beads, etc.
• Tissue, soap, your favourite moisturizer.

     Method:

Photo graciously authorized by
elodiemongeot.over-blog.com.

• Prepare your material
• Cut strips of plaster of Paris of about 1 in. x 1.5 in.
• Meditate for 11 minutes, then decorate the mask both on the outside and on the inside.
• Apply petroleum jelly on your face (yeah, not the best for your skin but oil doesn’t work for this purpose), making sure the eyelids and eyebrows are generously covered.
• Dip one strip at a time in water, strain a bit and apply randomly on the face, polishing the plaster for an even texture
• Cover the whole surface with 3 layers of strips to ensure solidity.
•  If you want to wear the mask, keep the mouth and eyes areas wide open, otherwise you can cover them completely for a different effect.
• Keep the strips away from the hair line, otherwise hair will come off with the mask when you remove it from the face.
• Once the mask is quite dry and rigid, remove slowly and gently.
•  Wash your face well, ensuring you removed all the petroleum gelly. Dry well and apply a healthy moisturizer.
• Cut the sides for an even contour, the add a finish touch by placing strips in U shape all around the edge
• Decorate inside and outside as you see fit. Let it dry well.
• Puncture holes on the sides and add a ribbon or elastic band to tie behind the head.

It is then quite interesting to analyze your mask from the Ayurvedic perspective. Did you use Vata (air), Pitta (fire) or Kapha (water and earth) colours and textures? Are the inside and outside similar? Do they match your dosha/constitution? Ask yourself if the inside reflects something very private or that you want to protect or hide? Any other insights?

There are times when wearing masks is just plane fun. However, we also wear other less tangible masks. They are as good as real unless we are aware of them. What did you find out with this project? What kinds of masks do you wear? Care to share your insights? I welcome them.

So what’s the link between houses and masks? Houses are powerful icons of the self and of your state of being. The building or the body you live in says a lot. Has it evolved over time? Does is reflect who you are, who you would like to be, what you want others to see, or a combination?

I would love to see photos of your creations and even post them on this blog if you agree.