Three Forms of Masks in Sandplay Therapy: Miniatures Wearing Masks, Mask Objects, Sculpted Sand Masks

This article was presented at the ISST Congress held in Venice, in August 2013, whose theme was "The Mask." It focuses on three categories of masks that appear in sandplay: miniatures that wear masks—superheroes and clowns; mask objects—replicas of mythical or religious masks; and masks that are sculpted directly in sand. In the sandtray, masks are played with, placed or created, and not worn. A mask emphasizes the gaze of eyes behind the surface, a shared encounter between the mask and the viewer that suggests a visible boundary between the conscious factual world and the archetypal invisible world. Masks bring the client into relationship with the puzzle of what is hidden. An overview of the three mask forms is followed by examples from four Sandplay processes: masks in the spontaneous trays of a young boy; masks in the mourning process of a girl for her father; a gold mask used in three sandtrays in a spiritual dialogue with a young mother; and different mask forms that aid the individuation process of a 28-year-old woman. Three examples of sculpted sand masks are also discussed.