Invitation: (Un)masked

February is the season for Carnivale. Originating in 11th century Venice, where for over 2 weeks, people from all social classes wore masks and celebrated together. The mask became part of everyday attire for some to help break cultural norms.  A mask can bring out our darker natures, and a more amplified, authentic, and less restrained version of our personalities.

The modern meaning of the word mask derives from Medieval Latin masca which means witch or specter, and influenced by the Arabic maskara, or buffoon. Used in rituals and ceremonies, the oldest found dates from 7000 BC.

The mask is deeply imprinted in our psyche. The spiritual power in masks transport us into realms unseen and gives voice to things unspoken. Within the context of ritual, putting on a mask places the wearer at the intersection between the present and the past, the living and the dead, the seen and the unseen.  Donning a mask can allow us to adopt the spirit of it, and to connect with creatures, our ancestors, and the Divine.

What about our own internal masks? Our personality masks?
We take steps to cover up who we really are around other people in social, work, or personal interactions, mostly to protect ourselves from dominant culture, or as a result from trauma. We can mask our personality with words, facial expressions, body language, actions, and even dance. Starting when we are very young, many of us were taught to mask  to conceal negative emotions (usually sadness, frustration, and anger) with a positive emotion or indifferent affect.  If we wear a mask too long we can forget we are wearing it, and it can cause depression and be depleting to our true nature.

What masks do you wear? Are you the martyr, the bully, the comedian, the overachiever, the people-pleaser, the social butterfly, the conformist, or the rebel?-

The invitation is to dance with your masks, sifting though your social, work, and relationships masks.
How do they want to move?
Where do they live in your body?
What does it feel like to put them on and take them off consciously, in dance?