The Pagan Heart
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May 2005 Issue
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Hands On - working with physical items
By Heather P.
Much of my current work revolves around masque-making. Not just facial masques, but also full- and partial-body masques; masques that evolve into incredibly beautiful sculptures that embody the Divine in the human form. Throughout the centuries various cultures have used ritual as a way to connect with the Divine. Music and dance have long been identified as ritualistic ways of this connection. Masques often play a very important part in ritual and in life. Belly masques are most often included in rituals honouring the empowering rite of passage into motherhood. Plaster gauze is laid over the woman�s belly and gently massaged together to form a smooth surface to the plaster. Singing and chanting may occur while the masque is being applied. After the plaster masque is firm enough to remove and has had a couple days to cure, the next part of the ritual begins. The expectant mother is surrounded by a gathering of her closest female friends who offer their blessings to the mother and her unborn child. Poetry and invocations may be read while the belly masque is decorated with symbols or other imagery representing the prayers and blessings offered by each participant. Many individuals choose to have body masques created for them, as it is a beautiful way to honour the power and strength of the human body - uncovering the Divine in all of us. Masques encourage the wearers or creators to step back and look at themselves from a different perspective - allowing the wearers to let go of their inhibitions, to be free. They have the ability to aid the wearer in drawing down the aspects of the gods in tribal rituals or to be disguised from others. Masques allow us to reflect upon our internal fears, our triumphs, our failures, our hopes and dreams. They allow us to face the truth - our truth. As Denise Brown so eloquently stated, "Without truth, without the strength to pursue it and the guts to turn the glaring light back upon ourselves, to look unflinchingly at our own lives, we spend hours caught in the mists of illusion." Recently I was given an assignment by a close friend and teacher to glorify the body part I hated the most. This at first seemed like an impossible task until I realized that if I combined meditation with masque-making, I could craft a ritual that I would return to multiple times until I was finished. Reluctantly, I began the first stage of the ritual I was creating. My ritual began by a short centering of self using the Dancing Fingers Mudra and Root Chakra meditation discussed in the February issue of TPH. When I felt ready I stood nude in front of a full-length mirror to take a long hard look at myself. I faced my physical self and really addressed what I didn't like the most - physically and emotionally. My abdomen. Slowly I began to cover the area with plaster, hiding it, disguising its form. Slowly the veil I created hardened and I removed it from my body. Setting aside this stark white representation of myself I showered, releasing all the negative emotions and connotations associated with this body part. Next I began manipulating the form of the masque I was creating - shaping it into a more pleasing design. As the plaster needed to cure for a few days, I spent the time reflecting on why I hated this part of my body so much. I meditated on the chakra associated with it, took care of myself, and did a lot of work on acceptance. The first stage of the ritual I was creating was coming to an end. Now came the part I always love - decorating my masque. This is actually the hardest part for me and it is this part of the ritual that I am still in the process of completing. Each stroke of paint, the placement of every image, each image itself represented a deep personal symbolism. When I paint I go into an almost trance-like state, so focused on my work and the emotion surging through my body - the energy flowing through my paintbrush and into the masque I create. Spirals and earth and trees and wind poured from my brush. Brilliant colors of yellow and orange surrounded me. I stepped back, looking at what I had just painted. Before me lay a partial vision I had during a Navel Chakra meditation. A strong solid tree stood alone in the center of my masque. At its base, hidden among the spiraling roots, curled a fetus. The wind blew from east to west - carrying on it the promise of a new day. I set aside my masque. I haven't returned to my ritual for about two months now - life somehow gets in the way. Every couple of days or so I pick it up and reflect on what�s coming next. What will flow through my paintbrush the next time I sit down? In the time that has passed since I began my ritual I have lost twenty-one pounds. I am learning to be more accepting and less judgemental of myself - it�s not easy. Everytime I pick up my masque I see the beauty that is unfolding on it, and catch a small glimpse of the Divine within myself. |
Primary article for May - Circle Casting
