Mask Making for Samhain!

The origin of the Halloween mask dates back many centuries to the Celtic festival of Samhain, a celebration that honors the end of summer and the beginning of the coldness and darkness of winter. The Celts believed that, during this period, the boundary between this world and the next was very thin and that spirits could pass through the living world and wreak havoc on people. To scare away evil spirits and prevent them from entering homes, the Celts dressed up in costumes and wore scary masks, since they believed this would trick the spirits and keep them from knowing people’s identities. In modern times, your mask can also represent your own dark side/shadow self. Halloween's monsters and frights are merely representations of our repressed fears and shadow side. One way of easing the tensions of the season is to shine the light squarely on our shadows. Examine it and in the process lose all fear of it.

We will hold a meditation to help decide what your mask might look like. Then we will procede to construct a mask while some of the lore and traditions of Samhain are discussed. See the events schedule for a list of suggested items to have on hand.