Recapitulation with Dream Masks

Collection: Tools & Techniques

What is Recapitulation?

Recapitulation is a technique used by shamans and lucid dreamers to gain access to precious life energy that has been ‘trapped’ in past events that we have not fully digested and assimilated. Our unresolved past experiences create a storehouse of energy that is not accessible to us in the present moment. It is said that the average urban western adult will have 3-4000 unintegrated experiences. 

The emotional residue of these experiences can be released, and we can retrieve the energy to access in our every day. Techniques to support this process have become known as recapitulation or purification processes, and have a strong link to psychological shadow work as well.

Over the years I’ve done many versions of recapitulation, including the ‘traditional’ seated style that uses specific breathing techniques (Carlos Castaneda, Victor Sanchez), the danced adaptation called S.E.E.R. process in Movement Medicine (Ya’Acov Darling Khan), and the Descansos Ritual (Clarissa Pinkola Estés).

The Whacky Mask Ceremony

This time I followed Sergio Magaña’s Instructions for what I call the Whacky Mask Ceremony. He writes about it in The Toltec Secret, Dreaming Practices of the Ancient Mexicans. 

Everyday for 36 days in a row (from April 1st to May 6th 2021), I spoke to myself in the mirror, wearing a mask. The theory behind it is that we identify the story we tell about ourselves with our face. If we can’t see our face, and especially our nose for some reason, then our mental commentary and story-self slowly become separate from the image we see in the mirror. How cool is that?

I wrote a list with about 25 themes on it. The list featured relationships with parents and partners, significant life phases (childhood, teenage time, university, specific jobs), as well as a set of themes that held particular energy or interest for me to explore (sexuality, early pregnancy loss, chronic illness, belonging, high sensitivity). I imagined additional themes would come up as I went along.

I bought some pre-designed masks, and some white paper masks to decorate myself, and even had my friend and her kids helping to create a wide variety of masks. That was a great thing to share! 

It was also great to have two buddies with me throughout the process. I could text to update them, or ask them to send me good intentions if I was going to work with a particularly challenging theme, knowing I wasn’t ‘on my own’. Thank you both Florian Divi and K who prefers to remain anonymous!!!

Each day, I chose a theme and a mask to go with it. I would put them on, and made sure my hair and neck line were covered to minimise any familiarity with the image in the mirror. Then I put my phone timer on 36 minutes (this length is optional, Magańa suggests between 30-45 mins), entered the (bath)room and start talking to the mask-reflection in the mirror. 

I reacted specific events connected to this theme, as if I was talking to another person. I would usually start with an outline of a story, a chronological time line to introduce the topic, before I would get into the emotions and energy related to the topic. 

If I ran out of things to say before the timer had sounded, I continued to contemplate the topic in silence. This was a very meditative, restful, peaceful time. Sometimes a few more things came up to be expressed. 

The most ‘fruitful’ themes were the ones that I felt emotionally connected to, indeed, that still held energy. It was awesome and sometimes surreal to see the perspective in the mirror change the perception of seeing. In shamanic approaches we often change our vision by looking through our eye lashes, or cross-eyed, removing glasses or lenses if we wear them, or occasionally using a blind fold. The mask had a similar way of shifting perspective which gave a sense of working on another level.

Magaña calls this ‘the act of losing yourself’ – and in a way I found new parts of myself in the process. It was playful, invigorating, and challenging. There were days when I wanted to skip the ritual because I was too tired, but knowing I had to start all over again at day 1 if I did, kept me going.

In this phase of my life it really helped me to shed light on the themes of belonging, and courage to bring my soul’s work. The insights are too early to share, they are like small seeds that have just started sprouting. But I already feel the ‘growthful’ effects of the ceremony on my daily approach to help birth the Clover Trail into the world. I really look forward to sharing more of this magic with you, so please stay tuned!

The small print...

• Image Credits: Eline Kieft

• Victor Sanchez: http://recapitulacion.org/recapitulation-resources/

• Shaman’s Cave: https://www.shamanscave.com/self-healing/the-recapitulation

Further Reading

• Castaneda, C. (1981) The Eagle’s Gift. New York: Simon & Schuster. Especially Chapter 8 the Third Gate of Dreaming.

• Darling Khan, Y. A. (2020) Shaman. Invoking Power, Presence and Purpose at the Core of Who YOU Are. EspeciallyChapter 11 Diamonds in the Dark

• Morley, C. (2017) Dreaming through darkness. Shine light into the shadow to live the life of your dreams. London: Hay House. Especiallychapter 12 Exploring the Sexual Shadow.

• Pinkola Estés, C. (2008 [1992]) Women Who Run With The Wolves. Contacting the Power of the Wild Woman. London: Rider. Especially Chapter 12 Marking Territory: The Boundaries of Rage and Forgiveness

• Sanchez, V. (1995) The Teachings of Don Carlos. Practical Applications of the Works of Carlos Castaneda. Santa Fe, New Mexico: Bear & Company.

• Sanchez, V. (2001) The Toltec Path of Recapitulation: Healing Your Past to Free your Soul. Rochester, Vermont: Bear & Company.