The Tibetan Demon Mask.
So our first item of curiosity is a Tibetan Demon Mask, we were made aware of its sale from a source that was selling a few interesting religious items. The reason why we decided to look at this item is because my first reaction when first looking at the mask was to turn to the seller and say “will i be alright with this”. The seller then went on to say that this item is not a menacing item that will do you harm, in effect used how it should be it’s quite the opposite. So because I knew nothing of these masks and their use we decided to buy this item that has been used in the past for its intended purposes and find out more of its use and meaning.
What Type of Mask Is It?.
I believe the mask we have is a Himalayan Mask and could also be called a Nepalese/Tibetan mask. These masks are a great symbol representing the traditions and culture of the communities living in the Himalayan region.
Origins Of The Mask?.
The styles and characteristics of the Himalayan Mask were developed from diverse cultures of the Himalayan region which include elements from shamanism, local myths, Buddhism and Hinduism.
What are the Masks Used for?.
These masks were first used by shamans of the villages in the region to worship the nature spirits of the area. This was done for many reasons like looking after the village by warding off negative forces, healing sickness and even performing exorcisms. The masks characteristics changed overtime with the growing Buddhist and Hindu communities.
The Symbolism.
The masks have a fierce look about them and this is to strike fear into any evil spirits in the area. These masks can be used to ward off evil allowing a space for the practitioner to focus on meditating in safety.
When looking at these masks you will find some are different colours and this has a significance. Below are examples of the colours used and their meaning, the meanings can vary.
Red is the colour used in some of the most powerful rituals and in a lot of cases represents the three virtues of authority, tranquility and indignation.
Yellow is used to symbolise wisdom, mercy, merits and virtues.
Green is used to show infinite mercy and also saving the lives of living creatures, great deeds and good conducts.
Blue is the colour used to show power, bravery, awe and protection.
Black in most cases represents darkness and evil but is also used to reach out to protective deities.
White is the colour used to reflect good karma and show purity. It also shows innocence, holiness and mercy.
The mask we have if you look to the top you will see 5 skulls. These skulls represent the 5 of the worst human afflictions, rage, ignorance, jealousy, attachment and pride. The skulls show the death to these afflictions as they transform into their opposite positive virtues.
We will update this page whenever we come across anything new and if you have anything to add please email us. Thank you.
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